The TCG Group is built on its vibrant community which includes all sorts of Trading Card Games as well as games such as Dungeons & Dragons and Warhammer. This community grows larger every single day.

As part of a new series we would like to introduce you to various members from across the TCG Group starting with Bailey Holcombe, discussing how they first joined the community and their favourite moments so far.

Thank you for joining us Bailey.

Tell us a bit more about yourself?

So I’m Bailey, I’m 20 years old and have lived in Bath my whole life and as far as I can remember, I’ve played card games.

What game do you play and when did you start?

So I originally started playing Yu-Gi-Oh! when I was about 5- 7 years old, I would say I truly learned how to play properly from 9 years old and upward.

How did you discover the BathTCG store?

I discovered the store from when Bath TCG opened up a pop up location in town and since then I’ve followed them closely until they opened their permanent location.

What is your favourite thing about the TCG community?

I would personally say the amount of events that go on, I love the constant flow of fun events for a ton of different card games. It helps that the staff are incredibly friendly and knowledgeable too.

What got you into the card game Yu-Gi-Oh!

It’s been so long but I think it’s when my uncle bought me some for Christmas when I was 5, after that it was my mum buying me Yu-Gi-Oh GX on DVD, the anime really helped ignite a passion for me to start playing properly and owning the same cards as my favourite characters.

What is your favourite thing about the game?

My favourite thing about the game would have to be the interaction, unlike other card games where it is player A’s turn then player B, Yu-Gi-Oh! is a lot more back and forth in both players turn, many other card games just simply don’t match it, it really feels like your playing with your opponent and not playing at them.

I understand you have attended large scale events within Yu-Gi-Oh! what have your experiences been like?

Overall my experiences with them have been positive, like making friends and having great competition, my biggest problem with them is just the sheer level of disrespect I have faced. It can be anything from sniggers to out right mishandling my cards, I understand people get heated and there is a competition on the line but people need to realise, it’s just a game!

Over your time playing the Yu-Gi-Oh! TCG what has been your favourite moment?

My favourite moment has to be in the UK open in Sheffield in 2022.

I was selected to play in a feature match, for those who do not know it’s a match that is live-streamed and put on stage for viewers to watch. There were a few problems:

1. This was my biggest event at the time, so I was terrified of playing in front of a crowd.
2. My deck was not great but I managed to do well to this stage. Howver just thought it was just a fluke.
3. I was getting quite fatigued, so I knew my brain would not be playing at 100%

The game started fine, I won the first game and game 2 I lost to general inexperience with the deck I was up against. Now we enter game 3 with very little time on the clock, I let my opponent go first to try and do some damage before time runs out (for those who don’t know, in Yu-Gi-Oh! if time is called, whoever has the most life wins and you can’t attack on your first turn so I decided to go second)

I enter my turn and I time is running out, I play 1 spell card called “Mystic Mine” a incredible powerful and “toxic” card to hopefully get it out to be a draw since I couldn’t see myself winning in such a small time frame, but, then it happened.

My opponent uses a card called “Cosmic Cyclone” a spell that can banish 1 spell or trap, in this case my mystic mine but at the cost of some life and boom, time gets called.

Now if my opponent decided to simply let this activate and not respond it would’ve been a draw, luckily my opponent misplayed. The reason this is my favourite story is because it shows that everyone has their games and not to give up just because your opponent could win.

I did not out skill him, I didn’t trick him, I simply won from dumb luck, which for me is one of the best ways to win since it’s just so hilarious because at the end of the day we aren’t fighting to the death. It’s just a game.

Yu-Gi-Oh! as a TCG has been running for a very long time. If you could go back and play in any format as it happened which format would it be and why?

I really enjoy Edison format (2011) but if I’m being honest, I would much rather be in the playground format with my primary school friends, unsleeved cards, playing on the ground and no one certain of the rules. That for me will always be the BEST format.

What advice would you give to a new player looking to pick up the Yu-Gi-Oh TCG?

I would suggest playing Yu-Gi-Oh master duel, it’s a great free online sim that will teach you the basics before coming to locals for the first time, Yu-Gi-Oh! isn’t an easy game to learn, maybe one of the hardest, but if you stick with it and really learn the game, the fun it gives you can be immeasurable.

What are you goals for 2025 both in Yu-Gi-Oh! and personally?

I would like to do more big Yu-Gi-Oh! events but I think I would prefer to take a bit of a backseat, I love Yu-Gi-Oh! but would like to stick the events inside the UK, travelling around the world is great fun but it sure comes at a price, literally and metaphorically!

I am currently looking into becoming a judge for some card games, starting with One Piece and then moving onto others, I think it would be nice to judge an event rather than play for once, I believe it would be a great way to learn games better and just overall raise my confidence.

What do you like to do in your free time?

I like to play a great deal of video games, my favourite being League of Legends (regrettably) and just playing card games. I’m fairly simple but that’s just my life I guess, I don’t need to do anything adventurous, I just do what makes me happy.

Message from Bailey

Just wanted to thank Paul for giving me the chance to share my story, has been great fun going down memory lane. Thanks for everyone for reading, it truly means a lot.

Thank you Bailey for being our first community spotlight. I wish you the best of luck at YCS Birmingham!

To follow the stories of community members including Bailey please do follow the TCG Group on all social media platforms as we look to highlight our community members over the coming months.