Part 2
The three halls compared — how Shell, Coral and Pearl differ
Shell, Coral and Pearl Halls compared: entry fees, court condition odds, collectible mix and board values, plus how to choose one for your bankroll.
Entry fees and how the halls rank
Pricier halls mean bigger boards — board value and top-rarity counts run Pearl > Coral > Shell.
- Entry fees: Shell 0 · Coral 5,000 · Pearl 20,000. They are not refunded, even on a no sale.
- Board value and the number of top-rarity collectibles (Gold, Red) run Pearl > Coral > Shell.
- In the Shell Hall a board usually has 2–4 Gold collectibles (0–12 at the extremes); about half the boards have no Red, and when one appears it is usually just 1 (81 Shell matches in Log a Match, 2026-09-17).
Court condition odds (measured)
Most matches are By the Book, but one Pearl match in five is a Blackout.
| Condition | Shell | Coral | Pearl |
|---|---|---|---|
| By the Book | 80% | 75% | 65% |
| Blackout (only bid rankings are shown, not amounts) | 7.5% | 10% | 20% |
| Insider Intel (+1 Auctioneer Public Intel in rounds 1 and 3) | 0% | 5% | 5% |
| Double Up! (Purple value doubled) | 2.5% | 5% | 5% |
| Super Rush (Gold value doubled) | 0% | 2.5% | 2.5% |
| Gemheart (every 1×1 collectible becomes a 1×1 Gem) | 0% | 0.5% | 0.5% |
| Bonus Bonanza (Bonus 10% → 30%) | 10% | 2% | 2% |
In-game- A Pearl Blackout hides your rivals' amounts, so practice bidding from the rankings and your own information alone.
- Bonus Bonanza is most common in the Shell Hall, at 10%. If the winner takes a loss, the other players each receive 30% of it.
Which hall to start in
Shell for a small bankroll, Coral for practice, Pearl for big boards.
- Shell — No entry fee, so folding often costs you nothing. The Playbook's Jiuyuan Suitcase/Scepter Search Run is a Shell strategy.
- Coral — For 5,000, your odds of top rarities go up. A good practice ground before Pearl. The Budget Hotori strategy is listed for both Coral and Pearl.
- Pearl — Board values are high, so each match swings big. Most Playbook strategies (All-Round Haniel, All-Round Daffodill, All-Round Chiz, Pendragon Run, Eternal Heart Run) are for Pearl.