Is playing the card game Tetra Master required for completion of the game?

Both of my computers died last weekend so I unearthed my PS2 and peeled the plastic off of a copy of Final Fantasy 9.
I started worrying when the first item in the game that I found was a card, and sure enough within 30 minutes I was being walked through the successor to Triple Triad, the minigame/mechanic I hate most in the FF universe.
Can I safely ignore this part of the game without missing a key scene/character/spell/item?
Best Answer
Unfortunately, no you cannot ignore the game completely as you must win at least two rounds during Disk 3 when you go to the Card Tournament.
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How does a Tetra Master work?
Player wins a new card. If the player loses a card by being beaten in a game of Tetra Master, and then immediately plays a second game with the same character, the character is likely to have the lost card in their playing deck; the game gives the player a chance to reclaim the lost card.How can I be a good Tetra Master?
Tetra Master StrategiesHow do you win the card game in Final Fantasy 9?
Taking advantage of weak cards with as many arrows as possible and the combo system is a good way to increase your chances of winning. Having 4 weak cards with 1 strong and strategic card placement will allow you to take back any capture cards in a huge combo at the end of the match.Where can I buy a Tetra Master card?
Tetra Master/CardsNameLocationFlareMagic Master Thalisa (Card Stadium - Treno)ShivaRing bell in Alexandria Steeple (Disc 3, before Alexandria's destruction), Win from Eidolon Master Leyra (Card Stadium - Treno)IfritEidolon Master Leyra (Card Stadium - Treno)97 more rows•May 4, 2013How Tetra Master works in FFIX - Speedy Basics to get you Started
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Images: cottonbro, Erik Mclean, Erik Mclean, Pixabay