The New Standard and Extended Format Rotations of Pokémon TCG
This year, Pokémon Organized Play will adjust the list of permitted and prohibited cards for usage in competitive play.
Changes to the Standard and Expanded formats of the Pokémon Trading Card Game for the year 2023 will shortly be implemented. For official Play! Pokémon card games, there are two legal card sets to choose from: the "Standard" set and the "Expanded" set.
Standard format for Play! Pokémon events are updated annually by Pokémon Organized Play, with many earlier expansions being banned. However, the Expanded format has remained mostly unchanged since its launch in the 2014-2015 season, allowing participants to use a wide variety of expansions from previous years. But unlike the Standard format, it includes a blacklist of cards that can't be used.
The game stays interesting when the Standard format is altered to legalise new expansions, include players who may not have access to prior expansions and encourage seasoned players to experiment with novel card combinations.
Members of the competitive Pokémon TCG community will need to build new decks per the new regulations of competitive play as they prepare to confront their opponents in the 2023 Championship Season. Even though the new Standard format was announced for later in 2023, the first Play! Pokémon events of the year were held during the first week of January.
Pokémon TCG to Start a New Rotation of Its Standard Format Cards on April 14, 2023
It has been announced that the 2023 Standard format cycle will begin on April 23, 2023, according to the official Pokémon website. Since the Pokémon Trading Card Game's Expanded format hasn't altered since its inception in 2014 and still permits expansions from Black & White onward, there is no set date on which it'll begin; rather, the Expanded format will just continue to be in effect as it presently is.
Players looking to compete in Expanded tournaments should look over the list of Pokémon TCG cards restricted from official play. Nonetheless, this year there are some adjustments to the Standard format card restrictions.
The Other Changes Coming to Pokémon TCG's Standard Format
Before, whenever the Pokémon TCG's Standard format was altered, all players had to do was swap out their previous expansions for newer ones. However, beginning with the 2022 season, competitors in Pokémon Organized Play were obligated to verify that their cards conformed to the rules. Regulation marks are alphabetically broken down in the playing cards' lower left corner. The 2022 season was the first time that cards without the required regulation markers D or E were used.
Regulation markings E and F will be required for use in Standard format during the 2023 season, with a caveat for any extra marks that may be revealed with the Scarlet & Violet expansion. On top of that, Pokémon Tool cards will no longer fall under the umbrella of Item cards but rather stand on their own.
Trainers of the Pokémon TCG will have until April 23 to get their decks in order for Standard format matches, but those playing in Expanded format games can keep using their current decks.
However, with upcoming card updates, they might change their minds. The Scarlet & Violet expansion for the Pokémon Trading Card Game is scheduled for a March 31, 2023 release, after which it will likely be legal for tournament play in both the Standard and Expanded formats.
Conclusion
Indeed, the new standard and extended format rotations of the Pokémon TCG are sure to shake up the competitive scene. With new cards and strategies to consider, players will have to adapt quickly in order to stay ahead of the competition. The new format is sure to be an exciting one, and we can't wait to see the new strategies at play.
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