Master The Pokémon TCG Hand (rules & tips)

The hand in Pokémon TCG refers to the cards that you hold during a battle. Learn the skills necessary to manage your hand effectively and outplay your opponent.

After more than ten years of playing competitive Pokémon TCG, I know one thing:

Powerful cards alone aren’t enough to win battles.

Battles are won because the player manages resources, including the cards in their hand, better than their opponent.

Your hand is your toolbox and mission control all rolled into one. So you better believe it’s important.

Whether you’re just learning how to play Pokémon TCG or gearing up for a tournament, understanding how your hand works on a deeper level will help you clinch more victories.

This guide breaks down what the Pokémon TCG hand is, the rules you need to know, and practical tips on how to manage your hand more effectively.

Let’s level up.

Key Takeaways

Draw an opening hand of seven cards to start a battle.

Cards are played from the hand unless an effect says otherwise.

There is no hand size limit after the opening hand is drawn.

Manage hand size throughout the battle according to the board state. Use draw power to increase hand size and discard effects to trim.

Table Of Contents

What Is The Pokémon TCG Hand?
Key Rules
Importance Of The Starting Hand
What A Good Starting Hand Looks Like
Managing Hand Size
Increasing Hand Size
Trimming Hand Size
Conclusion
FAQ

What Is The Pokémon TCG Hand?

In Pokémon cards, your “hand” simply refers to all of the cards you hold during the battle.

Much like the on-screen battle interface of the video games, the Pokémon TCG hand is the command center and resource pool from which all turn actions are made.

Every time you play a card, it always has to come from the hand unless a card effect says otherwise.

Furthermore, the hand is an essential part of the Pokémon card game and comes with its own distinct set of rules.

Key Rules

Here are the official rules of the Pokémon TCG hand:

Starting hand. You begin each battle by drawing 7 cards from the top of your deck. Your starting hand sets the tone for the battle going forward (see below).

No hand size limit. Once the opening hand has been drawn, you can hold as many or as few cards as you like. The only limitation is the number of cards you’re able to draw.

Cards are played from the hand. Everything- from benching Basic Pokémon, evolving, activating Trainers, and attaching energy- comes from your hand.

Always keep it hidden. Your hand is a private resource that only you can see. Never reveal the cards you hold.

Rule Clarification

There may be times when card effects break the standard hand rules above. For example, a Trainer effect may force you to reveal your hand, or a Pokémon Ability may limit your hand size.

Always prioritize and follow the card effect over standard rules.

Importance Of The Starting Hand

The cards you draw in your starting hand set the tone for the battle for two reasons:

Mulligans. You take a mulligan if you do not have any Basic Pokémon to put into your active position in your opening 7 cards. Shuffle the cards back into your deck and redraw 7 new cards. Your opponent can choose to draw an extra card for every mulligan taken, giving them an advantage.

Setting up your game plan. A strong opening hand gives you options, while a weak one forces you to play catch-up.

What A Good Starting Hand Looks Like

Card 1

Card 2

Card 3

Card 4

Card 5

Card 6

Card 7

Here’s what you want to see in your starting hand:

1 to 2 Basic Pokémon. Start strong and avoid a mulligan.

3 to 4 Trainer Cards. Use these to draw, search, and set up your Pokémon.

1 to 2 Energy Cards. Attaching energy allows your Pokémon to attack.

If your opening hand consistently gives you unplayable cards, or “bricks”, the problem isn’t bad luck- it’s your deck.

See our guide on building your first deck to fix that.

Managing Hand Size

there is no hand size limit in pokemon tcg

After you’ve drawn your starting hand of 7 cards, there is no limit on how many cards you can hold in your hand (unlike other TCGs).

You can technically hold 0 cards or even all 60 cards of your deck- both are fully legal in Pokémon TCG.

But just because you can doesn’t mean you should.

Holding a giant hand makes you vulnerable to hand disruption cards like Judge or Iono. In contrast, a tiny hand starves you for options.

Good players manage hand size to give flexibility without excess.

To do this, you need to learn how and when to keep cards and trim cards from your hand.

Increasing Hand Size

Hoarding a large hand gives several benefits:

Combo Setup. Large hands give you options to combine different card effects to execute your deck strategy.

Discard Ammunition. Some of the most powerful card effects in Pokémon TCG require you to discard cards from your hand.

Counter and recovery. It’s always a good idea to hold backup resources for when your main Pokémon get KO’d.

How to increase the number of cards in your hand:

Draw phase. Every turn starts with you drawing a card, and this constantly replenishes your hand.

Draw cards. After your draw phase, you can activate Trainers and Pokémon Abilities that allow you to draw extra cards.

Search cards. Some Trainers and Abilities also let you search for specific cards from your deck to put into your hand.

Trimming Hand Size

Sometimes there are situations when having a smaller hand is needed:

Preventing deck-outs. You automatically lose by “deck-out” if you do not have cards left in your deck to draw. You want to avoid overdrawing if your deck is already thin.

Maximizing draw effects: Some Pokémon, like Cleffa, draw until you have X cards in your hand. Holding fewer cards in your hand means more draws.

Disruption protection. Hand disruption is popular in the current competitive landscape. Cards like Iono force you to reshuffle your hand back into your deck. Holding a small hand limits the impact of hand disruption.

Decision simplification. It’s much easier to work with a small hand, and fewer choices simply mean fewer misplays.

How to decrease the number of cards in your hand:

Playing cards. Use what you need and discard what you don’t need.

Ultra Ball. Not only does it let you discard two cards, but it also allows you to search for key Pokémon.

Iono. Great for the late-game when you’ve taken a few Prize cards.

Conclusion

The Pokémon TCG hand is every player’s lifeline. It’s your command central, game plan, and resource pool all rolled into one.

Skilled players manage their hands by increasing and trimming when necessary.

This is the first step towards levelling up and increasing your match win percentage. When you need to draw, draw. When you need to trim, trim.

The best Pokémon card players don’t just play their cards.

They master their hand.

FAQ

Can I have more than 7 cards in my hand?

Yes. There is no hand size limit in Pokémon TCG. You can hold as many or as few cards in your hand as you like.

What is hand management?

The art of learning when to increase hand size, when to trim it, and how to use the cards in your hand strategically!

How many cards should I hold in my hand?

The short answer- 3 to 5 cards in your hand is usually enough to give you flexible options. The long answer- it depends on the board state, whether you are in the early, later, or end game, and what your opponent has planned!

Kalam Tang

Kalam is a PTCG gameplay expert and content creator. He started playing and collecting Pokémon cards since 1996. When he’s not working, you can find him nerding out on Anime!

Ready To Master PTCG?

Get started