Pokémon TCG: Sword and Shield—Brilliant Stars

Ruling on Section 5.6.1 Cards Placed In Play Area

MCRFamEx

New Member
I would like an official ruling regarding the interpretation of this language in tcg tournament rule book:

“Cards that are placed into the play area from the hand without the effect of another card, Ability, or effect are considered played at the point the player physically releases the card from their hand. If a player does not wish to play a card, they should not place it into the play area.”

At a tournament a judge was called over after a player placed an energy from their hand setting it down on the table leaving their thumb on the card. With the card never leaving touch of the players hand. Both players agreed that he had not removed his hand from the card.

I am not certain, but I believe card was partly touching the pokemon being considered to be attached to, but not even certain the energy card had touched the Pokemon or not.

The player then tried to pick back up the card with never fully removing his hand from the card.

The judge ruled that the interpretation of this rule is that the card left the players grip even though his hand was still on the card it was considered in play.

The player didn’t argue and went ahead and fully attached it to that Pokemon it was closest to.

I have two questions about this ruling:

1) Is I interpret “physically releases the card from their hand,” as meaning player is no longer touching the card with their hand. Is this correct?

The judge ruled the card was no longer between the thumb and fingers of the players hand so it was released from hand and I guess the remaining touching of the card by player was meaningless.

What is the correct interpretation of this rule?

I found this ruling very against the spirit of the game. The thumb remaining on the card to me clearly indicated the player was deciding it’s placement or play and rule that “player physically releases a card from their hand” should be interpreted as no longer being touched by the player, just as it is in chess and many other competitive games.

Question 2:

If the judge ruled this correctly and the energy card is deemed in play as it had left the players grip. Since the card was not fully attached and was still being moved around by player and remaining hand contact with card at all times.

Could the player have slid the card to any Pokemon on the board to attach it to, if deciding to attach to a different Pokemon?

Or is the vicinity of the energy card enough to deem it is in play and attached to Pokemon it is closest to or touched?

Thanks for your help on this minutiae of tournament rules.

Reply to Admin response below:

In this case the player showed judge that when he lifts his thumb the card lifted with it as he was firmly pressing on it the whole time.

So your saying in this case since card did lift with his hand it should have been ruled card is still in players hand?

What about second question if player still can move the energy around the board as it wasn’t clearly placed on that Pokemon it was next to it and may have been close enough to touch, but had not been slid under card as usually done. Could player still slide it around board to make attachment where he wants?
 
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Note that it doesn't say "when the player is no longer touching the card."

Per instructions from Organized Play, releasing it to be interpreted as no longer held.
A test of whether a card is still held is, if you lift up your hand without changing your grip on the card, does it come up with your hand?
If it does, it has not been released.
If it does not, it has been released.
 
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