In our articles on Pokémon, we’ve gone everywhere from SETTING UP OUR POKÉMON to ATTACKING OUR OPPONENTS IN POKÉMON. Now that we’ve got the BASIC of the Pokémon TCG down, we can start exploring the more intricate nuances of how to play the Pokémon Trading Card game.
For instance, how do you play a MULLIGAN in the Pokémon Trading Card Game? Also, does it have anything to do with playing a Mulligan in golf?
Playing Your Mulligan
You’ve begun playing your Pokémon TCG.
You’ve started the game by drawing 7 cards (which we call your DRAW CARDS). You place these 7 Draw Cards aside, face down.
YOU REALIZE – there are NO BASIC CARDS in your 7-card draw!
NOTE: At the start of the Pokémon Trading Card Game, you MUST HAVE at least one BASIC CARD (to play the game with).
What to do? Play your MULLIGAN!
Shuffle your DRAW cards BACK INTO THE DECK!
Draw another 7 (DRAW cards) <– MULLIGAN!
EVERY TIME you draw a MULLIGAN, your opponent can draw an ACTIVE Card!
Place ACTIVE CARDS and BENCH CARDS Face-Up!
Getting that EXTRA Card!
Each time you draw 7 cards (MULLIGAN), your opponent gets to draw an extra card.
NOTE: If BOTH players have a MULLIGAN, only draw cards for extra cards played OVER YOUR OPPONENT
(ie- player 1 has 3 Mulligans, player 2 has 4 Mulligans – player 1 has 1 fewer MULLIGAN, so gets to draw an extra card.)
Playing the GILLIGAN!
A GILLIGAN is the exact-opposite of a MULLIGAN, it can happen during golf when a player is asked to redo a successful stroke when requested by an opponent.
It’s a “play” best known in Golf, though it’s typically against the rules of formal play.
Is using the MULLIGAN Cheating?
It really depends if both parties are for it or against it,
If both players go along with it then “no muss, no fuss” – it’s then part of their game.
If one of the 2 players is against the MULLIGAN Rule, then you can NOT use it (and if you do – is cheating).
IN MY PERSONAL OPINION – it’s most definitely cheating. Just because you can do something, doesn’t mean you should do it. It’s just a game, truth is – you tend to learn as much from losing the game as you do winning. Why give up that chance?