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Ranked Matches guide for Pokémon TCG Pocket

By Tecfan
Last Updated:

In Ranked Matches, you can test your skills in battle against players from around the world. The Ranked system started with Season A2b and was launched 24 hours after the release of the Shining Revelry set. The next ranked season is B2a (Season 1) and it starts March 11, 2026.

Ranked Matches unlock upon reaching player level 3 and unlocking versus battles.

Ranking System

Ranked match guide

The ranking system in Ranked Matches ranges from Beginner Rank to Master Ball Rank. Players move up in rank based on the points earned from winning battles.

Upon reaching Master Ball Rank, the top 10,000 players will have their ranking displayed in their reward emblem.

The following ranks and sub-ranks exist:

Ranking tiers in Pokémon TCG Pocket (#1 is the lowest sub-rank)
Rank Sub-ranks
Beginner Rank #1 to #4
Poké Ball Rank #1 to #4
Great Ball Rank #1 to #4
Ultra Ball Rank #1 to #4
Master Ball Rank #1 (above top 10,000)
(#2) Top 10,000
(#3) Top 5,000
(#4) Top 1,000

To rank up, you must win a rank-up battle. This is not a special type of battle, merely an informational tidbit from the game letting you know that this battle could send you up to a new (sub)rank.

Points system

Players earn points based on their performance in each battle. You get +10 points for a win, and if you have won 2 or more games in a row, you will also get win streak points.

  • In Beginner Rank, losing a battle does not reduce rank points.
  • In ranks up to Great Ball Rank 1, you will not drop down in sub ranks as a result of being defeated in battles.
  • It is not possible to demote full ranks (e.g. from Master Ball to Ultra Ball, or from Ultra Ball to Great Ball) during the season.
  • Win streak points only increase up to five consecutive wins. For consecutive wins beyond five, the bonus remains the same as for five wins.
  • Losing prize points in a game does not decrease the points you earn for a match win.

If your game ends in a tie, your ranked match points will not increase or decrease. However, your win streak points will be reset.

Point system in Pokémon TCG Pocket Ranked Matches
Rank Points for Win Points for Loss
Beginner Rank +10 points -0 points
Poké Ball Rank +10 points -5 points
Great Ball Rank +10 points -5 points
Ultra Ball Rank +10 points -7 points
Master Ball Rank +10 points -10 points
Win Streak points in Pokémon TCG Pocket Ranked Matches
Win Streak Points Total for Win
1 win streak +0 points 10 points
2 win streak +3 points 13 points
3 win streak +6 points 16 points
4 win streak +9 points 19 points
5+ win streak +12 points 22 points

During the first 8 seasons of the game, a ranked season lasted for almost a full month. Since the release of B1, seasons are now shorter (2 weeks). For short seasons, the points needed to achieve different ranks are as follows:

Points needed to achieve specific ranks in short seasons
Rank Milestone
Beginner Rank #1 0 points
Beginner Rank #2 20 points (+20 points)
Beginner Rank #3 50 points (+30 points)
Beginner Rank #4 80 points (+30 points)
Poké Ball Rank #1 110 points (+30 points)
Poké Ball Rank #2 140 points (+30 points)
Poké Ball Rank #3 170 points (+30 points)
Poké Ball Rank #4 210 points (+40 points)
Great Ball Rank #1 250 points (+40 points)
Great Ball Rank #2 290 points (+40 points)
Great Ball Rank #3 340 points (+50 points)
Great Ball Rank #4 410 points (+70 points)
Ultra Ball Rank #1 480 points (+70 points)
Ultra Ball Rank #2 570 points (+90 points)
Ultra Ball Rank #3 660 points (+90 points)
Ultra Ball Rank #4 790 points (+130 points)
Master Ball Rank (unranked) 930 points (+140 points)
Master Ball Rank (#5,001-#10,000) Relative to other player's points
Master Ball Rank (#1,001-#5,000) Relative to other player's points
Master Ball Rank (#1-#1,000) Relative to other player's points

For long seasons, these are the points thresholds needed to achieve specific ranks:

Points needed to achieve specific ranks in regular seasons
Rank Milestone
Beginner Rank #1 0 points
Beginner Rank #2 20 points (+20 points)
Beginner Rank #3 50 points (+30 points)
Beginner Rank #4 95 points (+45 points)
Poké Ball Rank #1 145 points (+50 points)
Poké Ball Rank #2 195 points (+50 points)
Poké Ball Rank #3 245 points (+50 points)
Poké Ball Rank #4 300 points (+55 points)
Great Ball Rank #1 355 points (+55 points)
Great Ball Rank #2 420 points (+65 points)
Great Ball Rank #3 490 points (+70 points)
Great Ball Rank #4 600 points (+110 points)
Ultra Ball Rank #1 710 points (+110 points)
Ultra Ball Rank #2 860 points (+150 points)
Ultra Ball Rank #3 1010 points (+150 points)
Ultra Ball Rank #4 1225 points (+215 points)
Master Ball Rank (unranked) 1450 points (+225 points)
Master Ball Rank (#5,001-#10,000) Relative to other player's points
Master Ball Rank (#1,001-#5,000) Relative to other player's points
Master Ball Rank (#1-#1,000) Relative to other player's points

Matchmaking

Players will be matched with opponents based on the rank they are in.

Note: At certain ranks, players will sometimes be matched with AI opponents. This is especially true when on a lose streak in lower ranks.

Seasons

Ranked Matches follow a seasonal format, with each season lasting approximately two weeks. Season B2a, goes from from March 11, 2026 to March 25, 2026. Since these times are based on the UTC time zone, players in western North America will see the season start and end late at night on the calendar day before the dates listed above. Pay attention to in-game notifications about the season’s end.

At the end of a season and after tallying, players receive emblems and rewards based on their final rank.

When a new season begins, there is a soft reset. Your initial rank will be determined by your performance in the previous season, with the game assigning an appropriate number of starting points.

Below is a table showing where you will be placed when a new season starts based on your performance in the current/last season. These numbers are valid for regular long seasons.

Pokémon TCG Pocket Ranked Seasons soft reset conversion for a new Ranked Season
End of Season Rank Next Season Start Rank
Beginner Rank #1-4 No change
Poké Ball Rank #1-4 No change
Great Ball Rank #1 No change
Great Ball Rank #2 Great Ball Rank #1
Great Ball Rank #3 Great Ball Rank #2
Great Ball Rank #4 Great Ball Rank #2
Ultra Ball Rank #1 Great Ball Rank #3
Ultra Ball Rank #2 Great Ball Rank #4
Ultra Ball Rank #3 Ultra Ball Rank #1
Ultra Ball Rank #4 Ultra Ball Rank #2
Master Ball Rank (unranked) Ultra Ball Rank #3
Master Ball Rank (over 1675 points) Ultra Ball Rank #4

Prior seasons

Dates are in UTC.

List of all Ranked Seasons in Pokémon TCG Pocket
Season Name Season Start Season End
B2a March 11, 2026 March 25, 2026
B2 February 11, 2026 February 25, 2026
B1a January 9, 2026 January 26, 2026
B1 November 27, 2025 December 14, 2025
A4b October 1, 2025 October 27, 2025
A4a August 29, 2025 September 27, 2025
A4 July 31, 2025 August 25, 2025
A3b June 27, 2025 July 27, 2025
A3a May 30, 2025 June 23, 2025
A3 May 1, 2025 May 26, 2025
A2b March 28, 2025 April 27, 2025

End-of-Season Rewards

Ranked Matches award emblems and hourglasses as season-end rewards. While these may not be the most exciting prizes, they ensure that casual players do not miss out on unique cards.

Rewards will be distributed after tallying, usually a couple of days after the end of a season. For Season B2a, the date is March 28, 2026.

Important: If a ranked match battle ends after the season is over, that battle's event record (rank points, win count, win streak count, etc.) will not be recorded. The battle result will, however, be recorded within the player's versus battle record.

You must have participated in at least 1 ranked match battle during the season to get a reward.

Note: To celebrate the launch of Season 1 (A2b), a mission to get Shiny Cyclizar was available!

List of changes made to the Ranked system

This section will document all changes done to the Ranked system over the years.

  • Season 8 (B1): Seasons are now shorter and require less points to rank up.
  • Season 5 (A4): Full rank demotions have been disabled; it is no longer possible to demote from one tier to another (e.g. Ultra Ball 1 to Great Ball 4).
  • Season 4 (A3b): Win Streak points, previously only attainable in ranks up to Great Ball 4, can now be attained in all ranks, including Master Ball.
  • Season 1 (A2b): Ranked Matches launched.

Best decks for ranked

To pick a deck for rank, we advise you to take a look at our TCG Pocket tier list, curated among top players and content creators.

Troubleshooting and frequently asked questions (FAQ)

Please visit the official Pokémon TCG Pocket support site for up to date troubleshooting information.

How do I check the ranked match event period?

You can check when ranked matches are available by going to Ranked Match > tap the (?) button at the top right > Event Details > News.

Why can't I participate in ranked matches?

There are two reasons why you may not be able to participate in ranked matches.

  • If the ranked match season has ended and the results are still being processed.
  • You haven’t reached player level 3, which is when the battle feature is unlocked.

What happens to my ranked match points if there's a tie?

If your game ends in a tie, your ranked match points will not increase or decrease. However, your win streak points will be reset.

How do I see my current rank? Why is my rank different than what I saw right after a battle?

The rank displayed after a battle may be different from your actual rank since your rank may change due to other players' battle results.

You can get the latest results by following the steps below.

  1. Wait for a while after your previous battle.
  2. Navigate to either the Ranked Match screen or to the Season Records screen.
  3. Tap Refresh Rankings. Note: After tapping the button, you may only refresh again after one hour.

Please note that due to changes in other players' rank points, your display rank and your actual rank may be different.

Your ranking may not appear at the beginning of a season. Please check again at a later time.

How do I see my ranked match point history?

You can see your ranked match points history by going to Ranked Match > tap the (?) button displayed at the top right > Battle History.

Can I check other players' profiles from the ranking screen?

No, you cannot view other players' profiles by tapping their icons in the ranking screen.

Why weren't my ranked match points reflected after I finished ranked matches at the end of a season?

If your ranked match ends after the season period, the results will not be counted toward your rank for that season.

What happens to rank point changes if I miss the battle results?

If you are unable to view the battle results screen (for example if you closed the app), the battle outcome is still recorded, and your points will be updated accordingly. You can see your ranked match point history by going to Ranked Match > tap the (?) button displayed at the top right > Battle History.

Why did my rank go down after I won a battle?

Even after a victory, your rank may decrease due to changes in other players' rank points.

Why can't I claim my ranked match rewards?

You can claim your ranked match rewards from the Ranked Match screen after the season results are announced. The rewards you receive depend on your final season record. If you did not participate in ranked matches during the season, you will not receive any final rank rewards.

Why didn't I receive my win streak points?

Win streak points only increase up to five consecutive wins. For consecutive wins beyond five, the bonus remains the same as for five wins.


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