I've been playing CCG's for years now, probably since the summer of
1993. Between then and now, I've made probably over 10,000 card trades.
Sometimes I walk away the clear winner. Other times my gains are less, but
every time I always get what I wanted. I've gained a reputation for being
one of the shrewdest, yet fairest traders in my area. I thought I'd pass on
some advice so that novice players can make better trades and get the cards
they so desperately need.

        Tip #1- Know what you need.
    It's a good idea to have a small list in your notebook or card-case with
all the cards you need written down for easy reference. If somebody asks if
you're looking for any particular card, you can always check the list and
say "Yes, I need 2 Scythers and a Hitmonlee." If you're not certain what you
need, then you probably don't really need anything major at all.

        Tip #2- Keep trade requests realistic.
    Just because you have a Charizard doesn't mean that some poor kid should
have to lay out his entire collection on the table in trade. In turn, don't
shove a handful of Geodudes in some guy's face demanding his first edition
Alakazam. Don't laugh, I've seen it happen.
     A good rule of thumb is 2 non-foil rares for 1 foil rare. High end
rares like Charizard, Blastoise, Venusaur, Alakazam and Chansey may be able
to bring 3 non-foil rares, but not always. 3 useable uncommons for 1
non-foil rare is also very acceptable. Each area varies a bit with the
availability of cards. Test the waters and see how it is in your
neighborhood.

        Tip #3- Price guides are only ESTIMATES.
     The quoted prices in books like Pojo's Pokedex, Scrye, Inquest, etc.
are only meant to serve as ballpark figures to how much each card sells for
on the average. It isn't always realistic to expect $30 worth of trades for
your Poliwrath and Ninetales. You have to be flexible with what these books
tell you. I have seen 12 year olds storm out of card shops because the owner
would not give them $25 dollars for their Blastoise like the book said it
could bring.
     Use the priceguides as a reference to know which cards fetch the most
money and are the most popular, but don't always expect the prices they
quote.

        Tip #4- Don't be afraid to lose in a trade.
      Some people are paranoid of getting ripped off. This is a justifiable
fear, because there are some dishonest people out there. But they will
reveal their true colors very quickly and gain themselves a reputation for
being a cheat. Most players are honest and don't want to steal all your good
cards. If you feel that you're being pressured to trade something you'd
rather keep, you have every right to close your binder and tell the person
all trades are off. If they continue to bug you, many card shops and Pokemon
outlets are willing to intervene and take care of rude players for you.
Speak up.

        Tip #5- You gotta give if you wanna get.
     One of the key elements of a good trade is walking away with what you
wanted. It's very satisfying. But in order to get that Muk you've been
drooling for, you will most likely have to give something else just as good
up.
     Sometimes to get those cards you REALLY need, you have to give away
more than you get back. Many players know the power of a Scyther and aren't
very eager to depart with one. But if you offer them an Aerodactyl and a
Haunter you aren't using, they may think twice. Yes you lose two cards and
get back one. But you'll have the card you needed to complete your deck and
both traders will walk away very happy with what they got. It's a win/win
situation more often than not.
     And should you not need the Scyther some day, there's plenty of people
who will...

        Tip #6- Be kind to novice players.
     At some point you will probably be approached by a small kid who asks
for a card you aren't using, but still like. He or she probably won't have
much in trade to offer for it either. Be nice to the kid and try to
negotiate the trade for what he does have, even if it's just some
PlusPowers, Bills and a Mr. Fuji. He'll remember you, and others may as well
for being so generous. You'll gain popularity as a player for heroic deeds,
others will seek you out possibly for better trades or just to have a fun
match. There are more than just material benefits to helping out new
players.
      Also, young and starting players are GREAT ways to unload all those
extra commons you have lying around. A pile of useable commons and a few
uncommons to spice up the pot is definitely a great trade to somebody who
has very few cards but a couple nice rares.  Even donating them outright is
good, because then they'll go to sue instead of gathering dust in a shoebox
on your shelf.

        Tip #7- Create a rapport with the store owner.
     You can never be too certain what the store employees and owner are
looking for. Give them an occasional glimpse through your binder and ask
them if you have anything they'd care to purchase for their supply. You
don't have to sell and they will understand if you wish to hold on to
certain cards. But this creates a good relationship between everyone
involved which may hold rewards in the future.
      By being a steady source of new card supply, the owner may, and often
does, show his appreciation by giving you discounts on singles, booster
packs and other merchandise. He may also let you have first dibs on a new
set that comes out or give you free promo stuff from Wizards of the Coast
when it comes in.
      *NOTE* This applies mostly to small, independent card shops. Many
larger suppliers, such as Media Play, Borders, Waldenbooks do not have the
liberty to give personal discounts. Then again, they usually do not buy
singles from customers either.

        Tip #8- Remember the Golden Rule--It's just a card game.
     That's right. Just a card game. We still go to school, go to work,
watch TV, eat our vegetables against our wishes and do everything else like
the rest of the non-Poke-world. If you get down to the bare essentials,
these cards are nothing more than glamourous cardboard, that, several years
from now, may hold no interest whatsoever to anyone other than memorabilia
collectors. So enjoy the moment for what it's worth, relax, play the game,
and don't get all whipped into a frenzy. Everyone plays Pokemon because it's
fun. Once you lose sight of that, it's no longer fun, for you or anyone
around you.

        I hope these tips and guidelines help you out as much as they do me.
I will probably be playing Collectible Card Games until they dissapear from
this earth, which may well be never, and I'll be fine with that. I just want
everyone to get the maximum enjoyment that I do, and good trades help out a
lot. So take these tips, think them over and enjoy yourself. We only come
around once. May as well make it count.

                  Good Luck and good trading,
                     Dr. Crash Landon
______________________________________________________
Get Your Private, Free Email at http://www.hotmail.com