In 1.0, reach shop level 7 to unlock the Workbench, use its rulebook and deck editor, then approach a lone customer waiting at a play table to begin a duel.
Use the Workbench first
The official release notes put the rulebook and deck editor at the Workbench. The stated unlock is shop level 7. If you have just started a save and cannot find the card-game features, check this requirement and your installed version before assuming something is broken.
Read the in-game rulebook rather than trying to reconstruct the entire game from a pre-release video. The official notes specify a 50-card deck and mention adjusted card stats and effect text. This page is an access guide, not a full rules reference or a tested deck list.
Find an available opponent
Look for a lone customer waiting at a play table. The developer's PC instruction is right mouse button; the controller instruction is the right face button. The shop keeps running during the match. Refer to the on-screen prompts if your controls differ.
Our suggested preparation is to finish urgent shop tasks first so you can pay attention to the tutorial and card text. That is a convenience suggestion, not an entry requirement or a guarantee that the shop will run itself.
Multiplayer, saves and expectations
The official 1.0 FAQ describes NPC opponents and says multiplayer is not planned in the near future. It also says saves carry forward from 0.70, while console-to-Steam cross-save is unavailable. These statements are tied to that FAQ, not a promise about future releases.
Being able to share a deck list is different from playing an online match. If a video advertises co-op or another feature outside the official mode, check whether it uses a mod before following it.
After your first match
Keep a short note of the card interactions you did not understand and look them up in the in-game rules. Change one part of your deck at a time so the next match teaches you something specific. We have not tested competitive deck rankings and do not label any deck here as the best.
The official update also allows participation in tournaments you host. Before troubleshooting a stalled tournament, read the release and fix notes, which distinguish a listed fix from a guaranteed solution to every save.
Sources & scope
Official facts and editorial suggestions are identified in the text. No current-build gameplay benchmark was performed for this guide. Old video results are not treated as 1.0 measurements.