What do I absolutely need to bring to a TCG tournament?

Your sleeved and counted deck, the sideboard or extra deck your format uses, a decklist if the organizer asks for one, your player ID, and whatever your game needs to track the match: counters, dice or markers. Everything else is comfort.

How many spare sleeves should I bring?

Around ten is enough to replace a split or scuffed sleeve during the day. What matters is that they are the same model and ideally from the same pack as the sleeves on your deck, so no card stands out by look or feel.

Do I need a separate deck box for my sideboard?

Not necessarily. A box that holds 125 double-sleeved cards fits a 60-card deck, a 15-card sideboard and your tokens without squeezing. Keeping everything you play with in one container is also the simplest way to forget nothing.

When should I pack my tournament bag?

The night before, never the morning of. Counting the deck, putting the sideboard back and ticking off the list before bed prevents almost every mistake, since most of them happen in the rush out the door.

TCG Tournament Checklist: What to Bring

It's 9:40, round one pairings just went up, and your sideboard is still sitting on your desk at home. Or your life counter is in the other bag. Nothing dramatic, but it's not how you want the day to start.

Short answer: on tournament day you need a sleeved, freshly counted deck, the sideboard or extra deck your format calls for, a decklist if the organizer requires one, your player ID, spare sleeves from the same batch, and whatever you use to track the game (counters, dice, markers). The rest is comfort, but comfort is what keeps you sharp in the final round.

The essentials: non-negotiable

Your deck, sleeved and counted

Count your deck the night before, not in the registration line. One card left in another deck after a testing session is an avoidable penalty. Check your sleeves while you're at it: a whitened corner or one sleeve slightly cloudier than the rest can make a card identifiable. If your cards matter to you, double sleeving adds a real safety margin, and our double sleeving guide covers the combinations that survive a full day of shuffling.

Sideboard, extra deck or spare cards

Depending on the game, that means a 15-card sideboard, an extra deck, or a handful of tuning cards. It's the piece people forget most, because it comes out for tweaking and doesn't always make it back. Keep it with the deck, in the same box.

Decklist and player ID

Plenty of organizers ask for a decklist, sometimes in advance, sometimes on site. Check with your store and fill it in at home, calmly. Have your player ID from the publisher's organized play program ready too if the event needs one: digging for it on your phone at registration holds everyone up.

The consumables that save a round

Spare sleeves from the same batch

Keep about ten spares from the same pack as the sleeves on your deck. A sleeve that splits in round four takes thirty seconds to replace, as long as you have the right one on hand.

Counters, dice and markers

Every game has its own tracking tools: life counters, dice, damage or status markers, tokens. Always bring a few more than you need, because they get lent out and lost. Add a pen and some paper: writing down the score and life totals heads off plenty of disputes.

A playmat

It keeps your cards off store tables, which aren't always clean or dry, and clearly marks out your play area.

Game-by-game checklist

Game	What goes in the box	Small gear not to forget
Magic, constructed formats	At least 60 cards + 15-card sideboard	Life counter, dice, tokens
Magic, Commander	100 cards + tokens	Life counter, dice, markers
Pokémon	60 cards + a few tuning cards	Damage counters, coin or die, condition markers
Yu-Gi-Oh!	Main deck of 40 to 60 + extra up to 15 + side up to 15	LP counter, dice, tokens
Lorcana	At least 60 cards	Lore counter, dice
One Piece	Leader + 50 cards + 10 DON!! cards	Counters, dice

Heading to a prerelease? That's a different story: you show up without a deck and leave with a whole pool. Our prerelease checklist covers that case on its own.

The comfort items that get you to top 8

A tournament is often a full day for a few hours of actual play. What makes the difference late in the afternoon has nothing to do with cards:

A water bottle and a snack that won't leave your fingers greasy.
A charger or power bank, for online pairings and digital decklists.
Some cash or a card for the store.

And if it rains on the way, a bag that actually closes and a rigid box make all the difference. Our tips on protecting your cards from humidity apply to autumn mornings too.

Pack it all in one place

The best checklist is a single container for everything you play with. Deck, sideboard, tokens and spare sleeves together means one thing to check instead of four.

Our deck boxes hold up to 125 double-sleeved cards, with an internal volume of 76 x 68 x 98 mm: enough for a 60-card deck and its sideboard without forcing, or a Commander deck and its tokens. They close with a snap-fit lid, no magnets, so they won't pop open at the bottom of your bag between rounds. To check what fits for your format and sleeving, our deck box dimensions guide has the numbers game by game.

For the journey itself, our article on transporting your cards to tournaments rounds out this list.

The night-before routine

Count the deck and put the sideboard back.
Check sleeves and replace any that are marked.
Fill in the decklist and note your player ID.
Check counters, dice, markers and tokens.
Close the box, put it in your bag, and leave the bag by the door.

Get ready for your next event

A box that looks like you is also easier to spot on a crowded table at the end of a round. Design yours in the Forge with a live preview: color, theme, reliefs, lid engraving. Every box is handmade in our French workshop, usually within 5 to 10 business days (a few more for premium finishes), photographed before shipping, then sent with tracking. So order ahead if your event is coming up.

Looking for a starting point? Browse our custom deck boxes, or read our Friday Night Magic guide if you're new to store play.