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How to Read Pokémon Card Regulation Marks: Can Your Cards Be Used in Official Tournaments?

Checking the letters H, I, and J on the bottom left is the first step; only Korean-language cards are permitted

김태희 기자 · Published Oct 27, 2026, 01:01 KST · 4 min read
Photo: 포켓몬 카드 게임 공식(일본)

The clue that reveals whether a newly purchased Pokémon card can be placed in an official tournament deck is the single small alphabet letter stamped in the lower-left corner of the card: the "regulation mark."

Checking the Single Alphabet Letter at the Bottom Left

The how-to-play page and battle regulations on Pokémon Korea's official website instruct players to confirm which cards can be placed in a deck by looking at the "'regulation mark' and 'series mark' indicated at the bottom left of the card." Regulation marks are printed on cards from the Sun & Moon Series onward, while series marks indicate which series product the card originally came from. For cards prior to the XY Series, the series mark appears on the right side of the card.

Under the "official regulation" currently used in official Korean tournaments, cards with regulation marks H, I, and J are eligible for play.

| Bottom Left of Card | Use in Official Regulation | |---|---| | H, I, J | Usable | | A–G | In principle not usable (except for exception cards) | | No mark (pre-XY, etc.) | In principle not usable (except for exception cards) |

Because cards from the same expansion may carry different marks, players must look at the mark on each individual card rather than relying on the pack name. The official English Pokémon website also stated in its rotation announcement that card legality is determined not by the expansion pack of origin, but by the regulation mark printed at the bottom of the card.

The Mechanism of Changing Marks: "Rotation"

As new cards accumulate, the oldest alphabet letter is dropped from tournament eligibility. In English-speaking regions, this process is known as "Standard format rotation."

The most recent change removed the G mark, leaving H, I, and J. The Japanese official website (pokemon-card.com) listed cards with H, I, and J marks as legal for the Standard regulation, setting the effective date as January 23, 2026. In an announcement on January 9, 2026, the official English Pokémon website stated that G-mark cards would no longer be legal for Standard play starting April 10, 2026, for in-person Play! Pokémon tournaments, and starting March 26 for the digital "Pokémon TCG Live." In Korea, H, I, and J are specified on the official website and in the 2026 battle regulations. A separate announcement specifically stating the rotation date for the Korean edition could not be confirmed during reporting.

While the terms differ—"official regulation" in Korea, "Standard (スタンダード)" in Japan, and "Standard format" in English—the method of defining legality using alphabet marks remains identical.

Cards with No Marks or Old Marks, and Expanded

Not all older cards are banned from play. The Korean battle regulations state that cards included on the exceptions list can be placed in decks even if they belong to the DP, BW, XY, Sun & Moon, or Sword & Shield Series, or if they bear marks from A to G. In such cases, the card's effect follows the wording of the most recently printed card. "Boss's Orders" is treated as the same card regardless of the character name or illustration. Conversely, products released before the Sun & Moon Series and promo cards whose collection numbers do not end in "/SM-P," "/S-P," "/SV-P," or "/M-P" cannot be used in a deck.

Language must also be verified. The Korean battle regulations state that only cards officially released or distributed by Pokémon Korea may be included, and that "cards in languages other than Korean" cannot be used in a deck. This means that even if a Japanese or English card has an H mark, it cannot be used in an official Korean tournament.

Formats that permit even older cards also exist. English announcements stated that the "Expanded" format continues to permit cards from the BW Series onward, and Japan's "Extra (エクストラ)" regulation likewise spans from the BW Series to the latest cards. However, only the official regulation is outlined on Pokémon Korea's official how-to-play page and in the 2026 battle regulations. This publication previously reported that the recently announced English "Delta Reign" rules introduced no new banned cards to the Standard or Expanded formats.

In summary, players should verify whether a card is the Korean edition and whether it carries an H, I, or J mark, and if not, check the exceptions list. The official website notes that regulation details may be updated as new products are released.

Sources

This article was written with the help of AI based on public sources. Responsible: 김태희 기자 AI principles →

This article was machine-translated from Korean with AI. Original →

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