Yu-Gi-Oh!

1 What Is Yu-Gi-Oh?

Yu-Gi-Oh! (full name: Yu-Gi-Oh! Official Card Game, or OCG/TCG) was created by Kazuki Takahashi and published by Konami. The card game launched in 1998 in Japan (2002 in North America) alongside the manga and anime series. It quickly became a global phenomenon.

Yu-Gi-Oh stands apart from MTG and Pokemon in a few key ways: there's no resource system (no mana, no energy - you just summon monsters), games are typically faster and more explosive, and the card pool has some of the most complex individual card interactions in any TCG. It's the third best-selling TCG in the world after Magic and Pokemon, and it has an extremely dedicated competitive scene.

If you grew up watching the anime and yelling "It's time to duel!" - welcome back. The game has evolved a lot since the early days, but the core of summoning monsters and reducing Life Points to zero is the same.

2 Card Types

Monster Cards (Orange/Yellow border)

Your fighters. Each has ATK (attack) and DEF (defense) points, a Level (1-12 stars), and a Type (Dragon, Spellcaster, Warrior, etc.).

• Normal Monsters - No effects. Just ATK/DEF stats. The simplest type.
• Effect Monsters - Have special abilities. The vast majority of cards used in play.
• Ritual Monsters - Require a specific Ritual Spell card to summon.
• Fusion Monsters (Purple border) - Go in the Extra Deck. Fuse two or more specific monsters using Polymerization.
• Synchro Monsters (White border) - Extra Deck. Combine a Tuner monster + other monsters whose total Levels equal the Synchro Monster's Level.
• Xyz Monsters (Black border) - Extra Deck. Stack 2+ monsters of the same Level as "Overlay Units."
• Link Monsters (Dark blue border) - Extra Deck. No Level/DEF. Arrows on the card indicate which zones they "point to," enabling additional Extra Deck summons.

Spell Cards (Green border)

Powerful one-time effects (unless they're Continuous or Equip Spells). Activated from your hand. Subtypes include Normal, Continuous, Equip, Field, Quick-Play, and Ritual.

Trap Cards (Pink border)

Set face-down on the field. Cannot be activated the same turn you Set them (except certain Quick-Effect traps). Can be activated during your opponent's turn in response to their actions. Subtypes include Normal, Continuous, and Counter Traps.

3 The Field

Each player's field has:

• 5 Monster Zones - Where you place your face-up or face-down monsters.
• 5 Spell & Trap Zones - Where you activate or set Spell/Trap cards.
• 1 Field Zone - For Field Spell cards (one per player).
• Extra Deck Zone - For Link Monsters (and in Master Rules, for Extra Deck monsters).
• Extra Deck - Up to 15 cards (Fusion, Synchro, Xyz, Link Monsters).
• Graveyard - Where used/destroyed cards go. Many effects interact with the Graveyard.
• Deck - 40-60 cards, minimum 40.

Monsters can be in Attack Position (face-up, vertical - uses ATK) or Defense Position (face-up or face-down, horizontal - uses DEF).

4 How a Turn Works

1. Draw Phase - Draw 1 card. (First player doesn't draw on their first turn.)
2. Standby Phase - Some card effects trigger here.
3. Main Phase 1 - Summon/Set monsters, activate Spells, Set Traps, and use card effects. You can Normal Summon or Set ONE monster per turn (unless an effect gives you more).
4. Battle Phase (optional) - Attack with your monsters. See below.
5. Main Phase 2 - Play more cards after battling. Good for setting Traps you couldn't set before.
6. End Phase - Discard to hand limit (6 cards) if needed. "Until end of turn" effects expire.

5 Summoning Monsters

Normal Summon/Set: Monsters Level 1-4 can be played directly from your hand (one per turn). Monsters Level 5-6 require Tributing (sacrificing) one monster you already control. Monsters Level 7+ require Tributing two monsters.

Special Summon: Many cards allow Special Summons outside the Normal Summon rules. Most Extra Deck monsters are Special Summoned. No limit to Special Summons per turn (unless a card says otherwise).

Flip Summon: Flip a face-down Defense Position monster to face-up Attack Position. Triggers any "Flip" effects.

6 Battle Phase

1. Declare an attacker (your face-up Attack Position monster).
2. Declare a target:
   • If your opponent controls monsters, you must attack a monster (unless your card says otherwise).
   • If your opponent controls no monsters, attack directly (deal ATK damage to their Life Points).
3. Compare ATK vs. ATK (if attacking face-up Attack Position) or ATK vs. DEF (if attacking face-down or Defense Position):
   • Attacker wins: Defending monster is destroyed. Opponent takes the difference as damage (if ATK vs ATK only).
   • Defender wins: Attacker is destroyed. Controlling player takes the difference as damage.
   • Tie: Both are destroyed. No damage.
4. Each monster can attack once per Battle Phase. You can attack with multiple monsters per turn.

7 How to Win

Reduce your opponent's Life Points from 8000 to 0. That's it. You can also win if your opponent cannot draw a card at the start of their Draw Phase, or certain cards have alternate win conditions written on them (e.g., Exodia - hold all 5 pieces in hand and you win instantly).

Life Points are only reduced by battle damage from direct attacks or card effects. Defense Position monsters absorb attacks without damage to Life Points (unless a card says otherwise).

8 What to Buy First