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Pie's Trading Card Game Situations -Issue 1

Today's Topic...

Pokemon Tag

• Have you ever started a game and gone second? Then have the luck to be attacked and paralyzed, then attacked the next turn!? If you are of little luck, like me, this has probably happened to you on a number of occasions. Sometimes it is even inevitable. If luck isn't on your side today then you have to depend on something else..... Pokemon Tag!

What is it?

• Many people may call it different things or may not even have a name for it. Pokemon Tag is as follows.....
  • Whenever you are ambushed in the beginning of the game (can be useful other times) and you active is on the verge of destruction do the following..
    • Sacrifice your active
      • putting energy on it will only cost you more!
      • "Scoop Up" should not be used at this point of the game ( Note: See When to Use Scoop Up Below)
    • Find Pokemon----Build up Bench, for Position
      • This will give you a clear advantage in the coming turns
      • You will have (or should have) a Pokemon coming off the bench and attacking the defending Pokemon so as that it will KO the opponent quickly, with minimal damage received
        • i.e. Magmar coming of the bench attacking first against a Machop
    • Energy Remove/Super Energy Remove the Defending Pokemon
      • This will prohibit your opponent from building up his/her own bench
        • Thus, giving you even more position

What could have happened?

• If you hadn't sacrificed your Pokemon, it might not have been able to incur much damage to the opponent. If you Concentrated too much ,if it is Ko'd you might be left with....

   

  • No Bench
  • Energyless Bench

  or...

   

• You might end up bone dry in trainer resources in the mid and end game. Something which you definitely do not want.

When to use Scoop Up

• Only use Scoop Up when it pops into your hand, i.e. don't Oak or Computer Search for it if you have a halfway decent hand. Experience helps make these decisions for you.

It's your decision

• You have to experiment with yourself and your deck(s). Some decks have tendencies to be long lasting while others are spur of the moment. If you have a long lasting deck with good "Quality" (See my Quantity-Quality Section in February TCG Strategies) you can get away with early sacrifices. If you don't, then you can always refuge to "Pokemon Tag"
• Remember, "Pokemon Tag" is used by many "Top of The World Trainers" and is a game winning strategy

Recap...

• When Active is dying sacrifice for position.
• Gain and Build Up Bench in the Time given
  • It is your choice and assumptions to play 1 energy on each Pokemon or building up each Pokemon to their strongest attack separately (i.e. 2 on Venomoth, 3 on Scyther, 3 on Base Magmar.)
  • It helps to have low energy cost attacks when you don't have a lot of time which is most often the case (Haymaker-type Pokemon are more capable at this then others.
• Energy Remove/Super Energy Remove Defending Pokemon
• Play Tag!
  • For Example your Electabuzz has "fainted". Bring out another Pokemon to Knock Out the Defending Pokemon. Have that Pokemon do as much damage as it can to the next , once it is "tagged" KO the next and the next and the next, and so on and so on... Basically a game of tag, and if you follow these rules you can get ahead in prizes in no time.
  • In Closing
    • Just because you're letting your opponent get a prize does not mean you are ushering him/her a win. You should have..

    Position

    • More Pokemon on the table
    • More Energy (- Very Important)
    • A Reservoir of trainers...

    You will win if you exploit these advantages!!

Thanks!, Your Poke Expert

Pie

Catch me on Gooey and look for "Pie"

Confusion? Disagreement? Contact Theepie@hotmail.com

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