One Hit KO

Hey all you OHKOers.  If you are new to the game, make sure to bookmark this page.  Big thanks to reader CJ.S for the idea for this page.

The TCG is full of terms and abbreviations that can make it hard for newer players to get into the game.  This page will tell you what all thsoe complicated terms and abbreviations mean.  Hopefully you can refer to this page and learn a lot of the terms that are used in discussion all over the internet.

2HKO: Stands for “2 Hit Knock Out.”  When a Pokemon is knocked out after 2 attacks.

6P: See “SixPrizes.com”

Apprentice: A software that allows you to play-test the Pokemon game.

Beach, The: See, “pokebeach.com”

Battle Roads: The smallest of all Premiere Rated Tournaments.  It is seen as a big local tournament, normally there are several of them in each play area.  They do not count a lot to your rating compared to other tournaments. They are held in the Spring and Fall

BR: Battle Roads.

BDIF: Stands for “Best Deck In Format.”

CC: Stands for City Championships.

City Championships:  A tournament similar to a Battle Road, but is worth more ratings points.  They are usually held in November and December.

Championship Points:  Points being give for winning or placing high in a tournament.  Invitations to worlds are given out based on Championship points. 

CML: Stands for “Check My List.”  When trading online you may tell someone to Check Your List to tell them to see if you have anything they want.

DCE: Short name for the card “Double-Colorless Energy.”

Donk: A win early in the game.  Traditionally it means a win on the first turn of the game.  But, it is used to describe all games that ends in the first couple terms by KOing your opponents only Pokemon (as opposed to taking your last prize).

Draft: A form of play where each player has several packs.  For each pack, the player opens it and picks one card and then passes it to the right. The next player then picks a card and then passes it to the right.  This is continued until each pack is opened.  Decks are usually 40 cards and have 4 prizes.

ERL: Abbreviation for Entei/Raikou Legend.

FTW: Stands for the phrase “For the Win”.

GG: Stands for “Good Game.”

Gym, The: See “Pokegym.net.”

League: A place to play the game usually held at a card shop or public place like a library.  Play is casual and beginners are encouraged to attend to learn the rules of the game.  Promo cards are usually given away.

Limited: A format for playing the game that restricts the sets that are playable.  For example, a pre-release is a limited format.

Metagame: A term that describes the decks and cards that are played in a certain area.  For example, if lots of people play Tyranitar decks in your area, you could say you have a high Tyranitar Metagame.

Modified: The format that most people play.  It usually consists of the last 7-11 sets that were released.  All Premiere rated tournaments are played in the Modified format.

Mutant Draft: A draft where evolution lines can be made by type.  For example, you can evolve a basic water Pokemon like Horsea into a Stage 1 water Pokemon like Poliwhirl, into a Stage 2 water Pokemon like Blastoise.

Nats: See Nationals

Nationals: The tournament held in most countries with Pokemon players.  The winners get a chance to play in Worlds tournaments.  The tournament is usually held in early summer.  It usually refers to the U.S. version of the tournament.

Net-Decking: Taking a list found online and running that exact lisst.

OHKO: Stands for “One Hit Knock Out.” Knocking out a Pokemon with only one attack.

Onehitko.com: The site that you are currently on.  It has deck analysis, tournament reports, and strategy articles geared toward new players.

PETM: The card, “Professor Elms Training Method.”  Also called, “Elms”.

Play Pokemon: The governing body of organized play.

Play Points: Points that are given out by Play Pokemon for attending events like a League season, a Battle Road, or a Regional Championship.  The larger the event is, the more play points you will earn.  Prizes are given out based on the number of play points you have earned. 

Play Test: To practice playing your deck.  Usually against your friends or against yourself.

Pokebeach.com:A Pokemon website that has Japanese Pokemon news as well as card scans and a forum where trading is possible.

Pokegym.net: A Pokemon website that has strategy articles, a forum, and resources like the “Researching Tower.”

Pokemon Organized Play: The former name for Play Pokemon

POP: Pokemon Orgainized Play

PONT: Stands for Professor Oak’s New Theory.

PP: Play! Pokemon

PR: Pre-Release

Pre-Release: A form of play.  Usually held before the release of a set.  Players can join the event for $25.  They are given 6 packs and each person makes a deck of 40 cards.  After a 3-4 round of Swiss Play occurs, players receive 2 more packs.  It is a good way to trade for the cards you are looking for.

Prof-It!: A Pokemon TCG Youtube show hosted by a guy called JWittz.  The show is geared toward beginning players.

Rating: The Premiere Rating that each player has.  Points are given and taken away from a player after each match.  Each players rating starts at 1600 at the start of the season.  The top rated players will receive an invite to play at Worlds at the end of the season.

Redshark: A software that allows you to play-test Pokemon online.

Regionals: A tournament usually held in the spring.  It is the biggest tournament other than Nationals and Worlds.  The winner can receive a bye at his/her national tournament.

RS: Red Shark

RDL: Stands for “Rayquaza/Deoxys Legends.”

Skype Play: Play-testing Pokemon with a friend over the software program Skype.  Each player needs a computer with high-speed internet access and a camera.  The game is played by point a web cam towards a playing surface.

Snipe: The act of attacking one Pokemon on your opponent’s bench.

SP: A type of Pokemon that were released in the Platinum sets.  They are all basic Pokemon.  They are identified by the letters are their name, such as “G,GL, E4, and FB.”

Spread: The act of attacking multiple Pokemon on your opponent’s bench.

States: A tournament held in most states.  Also called Territory or Province Championships in some countries.  Winners of this tournament will receive travel awards and a bye to his/her country’s National Championship.  The tournament is known as the first bigger tournament of the season.

SSU: The card “Super Scoop Up.”

Six Prizes.com: A Pokemon website that is known for posting daily articles.  It also has a forum.

Swiss: A style of play that Pokemon uses in its tournaments where players with similar records are paired together.  For example, a player who won 4 games and lost 4 games, will probably be paired with someone else who won 4 games and lost 4.

Tech: A card used in a deck to increase the probability of winning a specific matchup.  For example, a fire deck could “tech” in a lightning attacker to better its odds against a water deck.

Tier: A grouping of decks together.  For example, the best decks in the format would be considered “Tier 1.”

Top Cut: A series of rounds a kin to a tournament that are played after Swiss Rounds.  For example, after 4 Swiss rounds an event might have 4 players “top cut.”  Which means there would be two games with those 4 players, and the winner of those two games would play each other.

Top Deck: The card that a player draws at the beginning of their turn.  Or, the top card of your deck that you are about to draw.

Worlds: An invitation-only tournament that caps off the season in August.  Players from all over the world are featured.