Are dragon shield sleeves the only allowed sleeves at official TCG tournaments? and more
So I'm only a little bit into TCG, and what I've noticed at events is that I never see any non-solid color sleeves. No ETB sleeves or anything. Why is that?
Also, I have heard about all sorts of controversy about players getting DQ'd for problems with their sleeves? What's that all about?
Sincerely, a VGC player
Best Answer
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Players at competitive events can potentially be DQ'd if their sleeves are "marked" (creased, scratched, or damaged in such a way that one card's back can be distinguished from another). This is to prevent cheaters from using creased sleeves to "mark" important cards in their deck.
Unfortunately, although official Pokemon sleeves look beautiful, they are notorious for their tendency to crease and peel away at the corners. So, players who want to avoid being DQ'd for using damaged sleeves (even by accident) often opt to use plain Dragon Shield sleeves instead. There are two advantages: the construction of Dragon Shield sleeves is more sturdy and crease-resistant than that of ETB sleeves, and the plain backgrounds make it easy for both players to tell at a glance whether a sleeve is damaged or not. (If a sleeve becomes creased during play, then you'll want to know right away to replace it. Detailed patterns can sometimes hide creases.)
That being said, there's nothing inherently illegal about using official patterned ETB sleeves so long as they are in good condition. I do see many players bring ETB sleeves to more casual events like Pre-Releases where the risk of DQ is less prevelant. Another option is to purchase oversleeves, which are slightly larger clear sleeves that you put over the ETB sleeves to reinforce them. Ultimately it comes down to whatever you as a player are comfortable with. If patterned ETB sleeves work well for you, then don't let what I say stop you from using them.
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