Gligar's INTRO Articles to Pokemon
(An ipgeek21.com EXCLUSIVE!!!)

Article 5: Playing The Smart Way Deck building is one thing, battling is another. It's a whole different world when you are battling. Your deck is transformed into a whole different thing. You must rely on what you know of your deck, and on your skill. These are some simple steps on successful battling: a) Know your deck inside and out. Know what is in it, and know what it is capable of. b) Think everything out. Think. Think of everything played. Think of all possible options. c) Be ahead a few turns. When a card is played, think of the results of how that card will affect the next couple turns. d) Play smart. Before you play something, think it out. Stupid mistakes lose games. e) Keep track of the mistakes that your opponent makes. Take advantage of the mistakes that the opponent makes. If they do something stupid, take full advantage of that error. A battle is divided into 3 phases: early-game, mid-game, and late-game. Each is important, and you must learn what cards are good in which phase of the game. During the early-game phase you try to setup. This is when disruption is most lethal. It is a very good idea to disrupt your opponent when he/she is setting up (e.g. 1st turn Lass). Try to knock out the opponent's key Pokemon, while protecting your own. Early game is important. If they make a mistake, it could hurt the opponent a lot. Be mindful of what you do. Play smart. Think things through. Think ahead a few turns. Then comes the mid-game phase. The attackers are chosen and set out for battle. This is the phase where you try to gain an edge. Hit hard & hit fast. Recovering is best in this stage. Try hard to gain an edge in this phase. It will count in the next part. The final phase is late-game. This is a test of your skill and deck knowledge. Stupid mistakes are suicidal. Disruption is best now. Play very smart, make no mistakes, and take full advantage of your opponent's mistakes. Playing the right cards at the right time, can now decide the game. Disrupt if possible, and play for all you're worth. ;) This is not easy though. You must battle and battle with your deck. Get the hang of it, and learn what it is good and bad against. The more you battle, the more you will learn. The more you learn, the better you will play. Even if you lose often, keep trying. Don't give up. You'll eventually start winning. ^_^ This is my final article for newbies! I hope that you all have learned something. Now go out there, have fun, and prove your skill! -Gligar

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