Your first match, step by step
A short narrated walkthrough using the real game’s board and cards. Captions are included throughout.
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Illustrated example with scripted rolls, checked against the game rules. The tutorial does not change your match. Synthetic voice narration. Use the player’s volume and fullscreen controls.
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Welcome to the mat
Welcome to Roll Call. Finish a submission to win. Let's walk through a short match, from standing to the final tap.
Start with a balanced deck
Choose a balanced deck for your first game. You have twenty-five deck cards, plus Open Guard and Shrimp as your two Fundamentals.
Draw or keep — every turn
At each turn, draw up to two cards, swapping if your five slots are full, or keep your hand. After one draw, choose Draw Second or Done Drawing. New cards are ready next turn.
Read the border colors
Green means ready, yellow means cooling down, and red means locked. A successful Escape skips your next turn of using that card. A failed Escape, like Turtle rolling too low, has no cooldown. Shrimp is different: using it on two consecutive turns triggers cooldown, whether it succeeds or fails.
Turn 1 · your Takedown
We keep our cards and play Single Leg Squirrel. A roll of four fails, leaving both players standing. Now end the turn.
Turn 2 · their Takedown
The opponent rolls four with Ankle Pick Antelope. Its two-plus result lands them in your Open Guard. You're now on the bottom.
Turn 3 · start a Sweep
Keep your cards. Open Guard rolls eight, unlocking a Sweep. Choose Waiter from your ready hand. Cards still in your deck can't be used as destinations.
Roll again · take Control
Waiter gets its own roll. An eight lets us take Side Control Sloth, already ready in our hand. Now we're on top.
Turn 4 · watch their Escape
The opponent rolls four with Shrimp and chooses its failed-move option. We keep Side Control. Check Active Effects for pressure and their retry bonus.
Costs and effects matter
Success also needs enough stamina and a ready destination. At zero stamina, rest next turn to reach five. A second consecutive rest restores twelve.
Techniques and belt colors
Use one Technique per move sequence, when it helps that attempt. Belt bonuses need a higher-ranked card than the opposing active card. Profile belts are cosmetic.
Turn 5 · enter a Submission
Side Control rolls eight. Choose Rhino, then roll eight to enter. Failed entry keeps the Submission active. If it survives their turn, retry entry before attempting a Finish.
Turn 6 · they get a chance
Entering isn't winning. The defender gets a turn first. Their Shrimp rolls four and fails again, so our Submission stays in place.
Turn 7 · finish and win
Keep cards, then attempt the Finish. Rhino entered from Control needs six or higher. We roll six, pay one stamina, and choose the winning result.
If a Finish fails…
If a Finish fails, Scouting raises later requirements by one, capped at plus two. Changing or leaving the Submission resets it. Other modifiers still apply.
Your first match is next
You're ready for your first match. Draw or keep, read the position, roll, and choose a legal result. Hold cards to inspect them. See you on the mat.