Let's face it.  We play the Pokémon TCG day in and day out with a select few
cards deemed as "playable."  But there's plenty of good Pokémon  out there
that only a few players are taking advantage of.  Here are, in my opinion,
the 10 most underrated Pokémon in the game.  These cards deserve a lot more
credit than they get...

10. Lickitung- Weighing in at 90 HP, Lickitung is one tough basic.  Lickitung
is one of the best walls in the game and rivals Chansey for the spot of #1
staller.  For a measly DCE (or 2 energy of any color) Lickitung confuses the
opponent followed by a steady stream of 10 damage attacks and possible
paralysis.  Plus, its easy to use Pokémon Centers on him since he's not very
energy intensive and is easily rebuilt in one or two turns, back at full
strength.  The only downside is the triple retreat, but its forgivable since
its so easy to scoop him up.  Beefy HP+Status Effects=a really good staller
that should see more use.

9. Jynx- The forgotten Haymaker, Jynx is a very solid Psychic basic despite
being overshadowed by Mr. Mime and MP Mewtwo.  Jynx's Double Slap has the
potential to do 10 or 20 damage on the first turn, something Mewtwo or Mime
can't say.  Jynx piles the damage counters up quick with Meditate, making it
a great late game card, too.  What sets Jynx apart is that it is very
well-rounded.  No matter when you draw it, you can use it.  A solid 70 HP
seals the deal. Jynx adds needed power and flexibility into any Psychic deck
and can easily fit into two or more colored decks.

8. Golduck- A card that should have spawned a new deck type, Golduck instead
got left behind along with many other Fossil cards that don't deserve to
share its binder page.  70 HP ain't bad plus it has two good attacks. 
Golduck's Hyper Beam is the same as Dragonair's and it costs one less energy.
 Removing an energy card while doing damage at the same time is far more
powerful than you may realize.  When you play an ER, or an SER before using
Hyper Beam, you can remove 2-3 energy cards in one turn, shutting down your
opponent temporarily.  Because it also has a paralyzing attack for a Psychic
energy, it can share a deck with Lapras and MP Mewtwo for a really good
beatdown.  3 Golducks along with 4 ER, 4 SER, and Itemfinders are tough to
beat.  Even low energy decks will find themselves scraping for energy.

7. Hitmonlee- He's got two solid attacks but 60 HP and no 1 energy attack
scared players away from Hitmonlee.   These are only minor setbacks, not
enough to ignore a powerhouse like Hitmonlee.  He may not shine early like
'Chan, but later on he's one of the most efficient beatsticks in the game. 
20 Colorless damage to the bench for 2 fighting energy avoids  resistance and
can put away a damaged card that retreated to safety earlier.  If beating up
on the active is your thing, you can't beat 50 damage for 3 Fighting energy
and no drawback.  Especially mid to late game when your opponent is hurting. 
Hitmonlee is the answer to the opponent that is dancing around and making the
game last longer when you have the upper hand.  He's a finisher, not a
Haymaker, and maybe this identity crisis has kept him out of winning decks.

6. Dewgong- Dewgong is a solid evolution at 80 HP and the reason he doesn't
get much action is because it's compared with Raindance Pokémon, a class in
which it doesn't belong.  Dewgong works so well with DCE, that it really
belongs in a Water deck that centers around getting it out as quick as
possible and doing big damage early.  His two attacks can combine to take
down most opponents in 1 or 2 turns.  Paralysis chance and 30 damage for 2
Water and a DCE keeps them at bey and 50 damage for 2 Water and 1 Colorless
finishes them off.  Really solid in a water "cleaner" type deck as the
cornerstone of the only solid mono-water deck other than Raindance that I
know of.

5. Tauros- The closest thing we have to a reliable Colorless Haymaker and
perhaps the best attacking basic in Colorless, Tauros is often overlooked. 
Tauros does a possible 30 damage (20 for a tails flip) on the first turn with
DCE.  After a few turns of taking damage, when Tauros is about to kick the
bucket, unleash a Rampage for some major damage costing only 3 colorless
energy, taking your opponent down with you.  At 60 HP, he can take his share
of punishment and the more he takes, the more he deals back in return.  Fits
into any deck that needs an early game attacker since he operates on any
color energy.

4. Electrode (Base Set)- Hands down THE most energy efficient Pokémon in the
game.  You 'Buzz fans might think I'm crazy but hear me out.  First of all,
80 HP is more than adequate for a Stage 1 and Rocket Voltorb finally gives
Electrode a good basic stage.  More importantly, 50 damage for 3 Lightning
energy is amazing and the possible 10 damage to yourself is a very easy
setback to handle.  Not only does this guy attack for low energy but when
he's about to expire, you can sacrifice him for two energy cards of any color
to power up one of your other Pokémon.  Now THAT'S energy efficiency. 
Electrode falls outside the electric stereotype of low HP and bad energy
efficiency and deserves a look.

3. Venusaur- Often overshadowed by the popularity and value of Charizard
(even though he sucks!) and the Raindance capabilities of Blastoise, Venusaur
is a much better card than it gets credit for.  Its the only card that can
effectively operate an entire deck on only four green energy cards in play. 
By shifting energy around from Pokémon to Pokémon, no energy is wasted on
KOed creatures when they go to the discard.  Plus, by moving energy off of
damaged Pokémon, you can remove all damage counters with a Center and then
redistribute the energy after the center has been played.  Kangaskhan and
Pinsir are great cards to throw in a Venusaur deck.  Venusaur can hold its
own, too, with a massive 100 HP and a 60 damage attack for 4 energy.

2. Arcanine- My personal favorite card is one of the most underrated cards in
the game.  100 HP is absolutely INSANE for a Stage 1, one of this card's best
attributes.  Plus, it deals out huge damage very quickly.  Some players like
the cleaner strategy, but I think turbo-Arcanine is the best use for this
puppy.  On turn 3, it is possible to deal 80 damage to your opponent with a
DCE attached.  That's just about the quickest, biggest damage you can get in
this game.  Handling the 30 damage to itself isn't that hard considering its
robust 100 HP and combine it with a Defender and the damage advantage is even
more incredible.  50 for 3 and 1 discarded is also good for when you don't
need to do as much damage.  Growlithe is possibly the best evolving basic in
the game, adding to the strength of Arcanine (which can KO any fire weak
Pokémon in one blow!).  You can also add Gust of Wind for targeted
destruction.  Arcanine would have more admirers if it wasn't viewed as a
finisher to sit behind weak, slow grass Pokémon and was looked at as a turn
3-4 powerhouse.  Simply an amazing card that can easily fit into tournament
decks.

1. Clefable- By far the most underused, overlooked, and underrated Pokémon in
the game.  The fairly weak Basic stage may scare some players away from
Clefable, but this card is definitely worth the wait.  For only one (that's
right, one) energy of ANY color, you can copy the attacks of any Pokémon your
opponent throws at you.  Plus there's no discarding and Clefable doesn't have
to worry about energy costs!  Clefable beats the opponent at its own game by
being the same as the defender only faster and more efficient.  Try the
potent combo of Clefable+Pokémon Center to clear damage off and recover
completely in one turn.  You can build a deck around this monster or just
splash it in wherever you need attack power.  Clefable abuses all the game's
most powerful attacks and is good enough to see more use in tournament play.

Give some of these guys a chance!  These cards can and should be in winning
decks all over the place.  These, and other underrated cards will deliver IF
you give them a chance.  Sometimes the secret to making an unconventional
card work is using it in a different context than most players think of that
card in.  Whether you use it in a different role, make it more efficient with
trainer cards, or make the card go off faster, you can make almost any card
work for you.  Especially the ones listed here.
-Jim T.
<A HREF="mailto:mrrk9@aol.com">MrRK9@aol.com</A>