Pokemon TCG Pocket ‘pack trick’ goes viral but does it actually work?

Joe Pring
A Pokemon card is shown against a blurred background

Pokemon TCG Pocket players think they’ve stumbled upon a pack trick that increases the chances of obtaining rare cards but not everyone is convinced.

An X/Twitter post on October 31, which has since gone viral and garnered millions of views, claimed that unopened packs in the mobile game have a higher chance of containing rare cards if the label at the top is visibly creased.

“Turn the pack to the side and look at the right side! If there are any bent ones mixed in, there’s a good chance that there’s a rare card inside!” the translated post claimed, adding a disclaimer in a follow-up that said, “This is just a possibility! Not certain.”

So just like every pack, regardless of outward appearance, then?

Does the so-called pack trick work? As of writing, there’s no concrete evidence suggesting packs with curled corners have a higher chance of containing rare cards.

While players testing the theory have shared clips online of their own curled boosters containing rare cards, just as many following the process have reported getting nothing but common cards despite opening multiple curled packs.

Skepticism remained high elsewhere, with one user believing the contents of every booster to be predetermined and the visual pack imperfections to be nothing more than “eye candy.”

“My bent corner pack only had a basic Kangaskhan in it and my god pack was just a normal-looking one,” they continued.

The most likely outcome? With Pokemon fans in their thousands ripping digital packs in TCG Pocket, circumstantial patterns are bound to emerge.

Regardless, it’ll be interesting to see if The Pokemon Company catches wind of the viral theory and decides to comment. We’ll update this article if that happens.

Wondering if the Pokemon TCG Pocket premium pass is worth the monthly $9.99 asking price? Our guide breaks down everything it includes to help you decide.