Yu-Gi-Oh! is a collectible card game where the aim is to defeat your opponent by reducing his Life Points (life points) to zero. However, there are a few rules to know before starting to play.
Steps
Method 1 of 3: Game Preparation
Step 1. Shuffle the cards
Shuffle the cards from your deck and then your opponent's.
Each deck MUST be at least 40-60 cards
Step 2. Draw for whoever starts playing first
You can toss a coin, play the Chinese morra for it or simply agree.
Step 3. Draw five cards from your Main Deck
Whoever goes first directly draws 6 cards while whoever plays second draws the sixth card on their turn.
Step 4. Position the cards correctly
Once you have drawn your 5 cards, put your Main Deck aside. Use a board or, in the absence of one, arrange the cards on the table in the correct order. The cards will be placed in 14 different areas (two rows of 7 boxes each) of the playing field.
- Your Main Deck should be placed at the bottom right while the Extra Deck should be placed at the bottom left. The Field Spell cards are played in the upper left space and your discard pile, called the Graveyard, is placed in the upper right. Of the two central rows, the upper one is reserved for Monster cards and the lower one for Spell / Trap cards.
- Place the Synchro Monsters in the Extra Deck area.
Method 2 of 3: The Game Turn
Step 1. Draw Phase
Draw a card from the deck. Remember to do this, because if you forget this and go straight to the next phase of the turn, you will no longer be able to draw.
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Standby Phase. Only some cards - such as Trap cards, for example - can be used in this phase of the game; if you don't have any playable cards, go to the next step.
Play Yu Gi Oh! Step 6 - The cards that can be used in this game phase have the words “Standby Phase” in the description.
Step 2. Main Phase
In this phase, we prepare for battle. If in the next phase you do not enter the battle, your game turn can be considered concluded after this phase.
- Summon a monster. In this phase of the turn, you can summon a monster (you can only summon one per turn). Defensive monsters are initially played face down.
- Change the position of a monster. You can change the position of a monster from defensive to offensive and vice versa. The positions of the monsters are explained below.
- You can use Trap cards. Cards of this type cannot be activated during the turn in which they were played.
- You can also use Magic cards.
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Battle Phase. In this phase you can attack your opponent. Use your monster to hit the opponent, calculate the damage dealt and the Life Points remaining to your opponent after the attack suffered. Each player has 8000 starting Life Points and when they reach zero the game ends in favor of the opposing player.
Play Yu Gi Oh! Step 8 - Attack position versus attack position. When you use a monster in attack position to attack an opponent's monster that is also in attack position, look at the characteristics of the two monsters: if your monster has the highest attack, calculate the difference between the scores d attack of the two monsters and subtract this value from the opponent's Life Points.
- Attack position versus defensive position. This type of attack does not steal Life Points from your opponent but can be useful in getting rid of his monster. However, if the opponent's monster has a defense score higher than your attack one, you will be damaged, losing a number of Life Points equal to the difference between the two values.
- Direct attack. If your opponent doesn't have any monsters in play, you can attack them directly. In this case, the entire attack value of your monster is subtracted from the opponent's Life Points.
Step 3. Main Phase 2
After the battle, you enter a second Main Phase during which you can take the same actions granted in the first (such as using Trap cards or changing the position of a monster). However, if you have already summoned a monster during the first Main Phase, you are not allowed to summon another monster in this phase.
Step 4. End of shift
At the end of the second Main Phase, you end your game turn and the opponent's turn begins.
Method 3 of 3: Learn to Know the Cards
Step 1. Monster Cards
Monster cards are usually orange or yellow in color. When summoning a monster pay attention to its attack and defense values. Monsters with a high attack score should be placed in an offensive position while those with a higher defense score should be placed on the defensive.
- In the attacking position the cards must be placed normally, while in the defensive position they must be placed on the side. You are in a defensive position whether the card is face up or face down.
- Defensive monsters usually cannot attack.
- Keep in mind the summoning rules. If the card has 5 or more stars, the summoning of the monster requires a tribute, which means that to summon it you must first summon a monster of a lower level and sacrifice it by placing it in the Graveyard. Monsters of level 7 or higher need two tributes to summon.
- For summoning particular monsters, there may be other restrictions. Always read the card description before using it. For example, Synchro Monsters (white card) need the sacrifice of a Tuner Monster to be summoned, Ritual Monsters (blue) require special magic, Fusion Monsters need a special tribute from the Extra Deck.
Step 2. Spell Cards
These cards are of fundamental importance, since their effects can significantly alter the balance of the game. Spell cards are blue-green in color and can be played in the same turn they are drawn.
- Equipment Spells can be played on a Monster card to empower the creature or give it special abilities.
- Quick Spells can also be played on your opponent's turn, as long as they have been put down earlier during your turn.
- Ritual Spells are required to summon Ritual monsters.
- Field Spells are played on the field (the game grid) to empower all cards in play in a given way.
- Continuous Spells are Spell Cards that remain face up on the field in the Spell / Trap Card box.
Step 3. Trap Cards
Trap cards, usable in your turn as well as in your opponent's, can have devastating effects on the game! They are purple in color and are usually used to defend against an enemy attack. Trap cards must be played in your own turn but can only be activated in the next one (including that of your opponent) or through a chain.
Advice
- Monsters can only attack once per turn, unless their description states otherwise or they have been empowered in some way.
- Focus on traps that negate opponent attacks or remove enemy monsters from the game; in this way you will avoid that your monsters are destroyed and you will preserve your Life Points.
- Use clear sleeves to best preserve your cards; even using a scoreboard during matches can prevent them from getting damaged.
- When a player can no longer draw because he has run out of cards, he is declared defeated. A deck built specifically to destroy cards from an opponent's deck is called a “Mill Deck”.
- For most decks, the best conformation is 21 monsters, 11 spells and 8 traps, for a total of 40 cards. Such a composition helps to quickly draw better and better cards.
- Always take into account your Life Points.
- If you play a card that earns you Life Points and these have not yet decreased over the course of the game, you can add the Life Points healed from the card to your total.
- Use Tribute Monsters based on a well-defined strategy or you may be left with monsters that are weaker than the ones you started the game with.
- The winner can also be declared on the basis of the so-called “Special Victory Conditions”. These are extremely rare game situations that depend on the effect of particular cards such as "Exodia the Forbidden" or "Table of Destiny".
- The Side Deck is used between Duels to replace the cards in the Main Deck.
Warnings
- Don't cheat. Some artfully arrange the cards in the deck to draw the most useful ones at the right time. If the trick is discovered during an official tournament, it is ALWAYS disqualified. Also, in front of an experienced player, it doesn't necessarily help.
- Gambling can be addictive!
- The game can require a substantial financial outlay if played at a high level.
- If you can't find the cards you need in the boosters, swap them for the ones you don't need.
- If you want better cards, buy other boosters.
