189. New 2026 TCG Rule Changes + Black & White Set Hype!

Welcome to Episode 189 of Special Conditions, the Pokémon TCG podcast where competing and collecting collide! 🎴 In this episode, Justin and Lane from Good Morning Johto break down the 2026 Pokémon TCG rule changes, including the controversial shift from “+3 turns” to “+1 turn” and what that means for tournament timing and gameplay. We also dive deep into the upcoming Black & White mega set — covering the incredible reprint cards, massive 800+ card set list, and the return of horizontal line holos! 🛍️ Lane gives a behind-the-scenes look at prepping for Collect-A-Con Cleveland, revealing what it takes to vend at a major convention, pricing strategies, and what they're bringing to sell — including $100k in sealed Pokémon product! 🎉 Plus:

Sideboards in Pokémon TCG? A dream or the future?

TGA grading reveal with a surprise 10!

Is NAIC better in Columbus?

What Union Arena, One Piece, and Magic: The Gathering can teach us about tournament structure.

🎧 Whether you're a collector, competitive player, or vendor, there’s something for everyone this week!

📌 Chapters 00:00 – Intro & Johto Heatwave 02:30 – Lane’s Store Life & Event Planning 03:00 – 2026 TCG Rule Changes Overview 06:00 – Swiss Rounds & Top Cut Changes 09:00 – Tournament Timing & +1 Turn Reaction 13:00 – Comparing with Magic & Other TCGs 17:00 – Slow Play, Judges, and Strategy 20:00 – Best of 3 vs. Best of 1 24:00 – Sideboarding in Pokémon? 28:00 – TGA Grading Reveal & Partnership 31:00 – Thank You to Patrons 32:00 – Black & White Mega Set Breakdown 37:00 – Reverse Holos, Pull Rates & Predictions 41:00 – Gen 5 Nostalgia & Market Potential 45:00 – Collect-A-Con Cleveland Prep 52:00 – Pricing Challenges & Market Strategy 56:00 – Con Rules, Setup Woes & Rants 57:50 – Final Thoughts & Shoutouts Use code FULLHEAL at https://tgacards.com/ for 10% off your order! [email protected] Voicemail, Text, and Picture Line - 732-835-8639 https://linktr.ee/PokemonProfessorNetwork Music provided by GameChops and licensed through Creative Commons ▾ FOLLOW GAMECHOPS ▾ http://instagram.com/GameChops http://twitter.com/GameChops http://soundcloud.com/GameChops http://facebook.com/GameChops http://youtube.com/GameChops http://www.gamechops.com Intro Music Trapped In A Pokéball Dj CUTMAN and Belthesar GameChops - Ultraball http://gamechops.com/ultraball/ http://soundcloud.com/DjCUTMAN http://soundcloud.com/belthesar Break Music He Walk - Furret / Accumula Town Remix Dj Cutman http://soundcloud.com/djcutman http://twitter.com/videogamedj http://youtube.com/djcutman Outro Music Kanto Trainer Battle Mykah GameChops - Ultraball http://gamechops.com/ultraball/ https://soundcloud.com/mykah Hosts Adam Tuttle Justin Keller Pokémon And All Respective Names are Trademark and © of Nintendo 1996-2024Pokémon Professor and Special Conditions are not affiliated with Niantic Inc., The Pokémon Company, Game Freak or Nintendo #pokemon #pokemontcg #podcast

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