What Are Bent Packs in Pokemon TCG Pocket? Rare Card Theory, Explained

The Pokemon TCG Pocket app offers players the joy of opening packs of Pokemon cards without leaving home. Now, much like myths about pack weights in real life, the bent pack theory proves collectors are quick to theorize on how to immediately tell if a pack contains rare cards.

What Are Bent Packs in Pokemon TCG Pocket?

Before you open booster packs in Pokemon TCG Pocket, you can rotate them for a full view and even open them backward if you like. Some players have noticed that certain packs appear to have a slight crease or bend at the top corner. These are the so-called bent packs in Pokemon TCG Pocket.

When opening packs, players can choose from a wheel of 15 different boosters. Some of us might choose at random, but if you believe bent packs matter, a closer inspection is required. Certain packs, when turned sideways, will appear slightly bent compared with the usual straight-line appearance.

But should you bother searching for these bent packs?

Why Do Bent Packs Matter? Rare Card Theory, Explained

Some players on Reddit and in the broader Pokemon TCG Pocket online community believe this cosmetic difference in certain booster packs proves that the pack contains rarer cards. Indeed, many people are spending extra time with those precious booster packs to check for crimped sides, hoping to pull a rare EX card.

But does this actually work? It depends on who you ask, with some players insisting they get better pull rates from bent packs.

In fact, browsing the TCG Pocket topic on social media will produce plenty of videos with players swearing their crimped packs led them to rare cards like Gengar EX. However, it’s tough to say just how many bent packs those creators opened before landing the perfect clip to prove the theory.

Some players, like Reddit user BaconSock, have run the numbers and found that the pull rates of checking for bent packs versus opening at random are roughly the same. It’s also important to note that not every set of 15 boosters will have a bent pack, so even if there’s some validity to the trick, it won’t work every time. In fact, I searched three sets and couldn’t find a single bent pack.

Most likely, the pack imperfections are intended to provide a more “real life” feeling to opening packs, as some real-world TCG packs are no doubt roughed up in transit. Even so, there’s no real harm in checking for a bent pack when opening your daily booster packs. It just takes a little extra time. Whether you just get lucky or start believing in bent pack magic, that Gold Crown Pikachu EX will feel just as exciting.

Pokemon TCG Pocket is available now on mobile devices.