Why I think Pokémon TCG Live is the “real” TCG — and why tournaments (including here on Smogon) should prioritize it
Hello everyone!
I want to open a discussion I’ve been thinking about for a while: why I believe Pokémon TCG Live is closer to the “real” Pokémon TCG (the physical card game) — and why serious tournaments should consider using it instead of Pocket. I also think the Smogon community should promote and organize TCG Live tournaments right here on the forum to strengthen our competitive scene.
My short take:
• Pocket is excellent for new players and fast matches — very accessible.
• TCG Live seems to reproduce rules, timing, and card interactions more faithfully, so players who want to compete “for real” benefit more from it.
• Therefore, I believe Smogon should encourage tournaments on TCG Live — while still offering Pocket events for absolute beginners.
Why I think this:
• Fidelity of interactions: In Live, many triggers, timing windows, and card interactions feel closer to how they work with physical cards. That reduces the gap between player skill and automated behavior.
• Strategic depth: Resource management and in-game choices often have more nuance in Live compared to Pocket. Matches can be more tactical.
• Transition to paper: Players who practice on Live usually have a more direct and relevant learning curve when they move to paper tournaments.
• Pocket = different format: I’m not saying Pocket is bad. It’s great for accessibility and attracting newcomers. But it’s a different product with a different purpose — casual/quick play — so it shouldn’t necessarily be the standard for competitive events.
Proposal / call to action:
• For Smogon organizers: Consider running regular TCG Live tournaments (and optionally separate Pocket events for new players).
• For players: Do you think Live would produce fairer, more representative competitive matches? Share your experience.
• For people who already organized Live events: What logistical issues did you face (accounts, bans, bugs, pairing, spectator tools, etc)? What worked well?
