The anime got me into the card game but I never had anyone to play the game with. Despite loving collecting the cards, I'll pick the anime/manga as I've never really been able to put them to use.
The manga if it's the first 3 or so volumes or the final arc (rest are too full of contrived melodrama over children's games [which is more lacking without the anime's dramatic music and voice acting]). Otherwise I'd take the card game anyday, as long as I get to borrow someone else's deck and not have to pay for my own lol.
At first I thought this was asking whether you preferred manga rules or real rules for some reason. Either-way, I guess I do prefer the manga but the manga/anime made playing the cards kewl when you were younger anyway.