How to Play Yu-Gi-Oh! Part 3 - Knowing your Phases!

Yu-Gi-Oh! TCG is a turn based reaction card game. That means there are 2 players and they activate cards and your opponent would have a response to  the turn player's actions. Very simple.

There are a few things that we have to understand, PHASES. Phases are window frames where a certain type of action is allowed. All phases must be gone through by a player except when you are going first in the game and for Battle Phase (more detail bellow). I will help you through these steps in a very basic manner. After the introduction, I will go further into details.

DRAW PHASE

• First thing that happens here is the turn player, DRAWS 1 CARD. Simple, not much explanation needed :)

STANDBY PHASE

• Any type of effects that needs to happen here will happen (the car will say so if it does). 50-80% percent of the time, this phase would be skipped unintentionally. 

MAIN PHASE 1

• Activating Spell cards or Summoning monster happen here. Also Setting your Trap cards and Monsters if player chooses to do so. This is where player interaction really starts. An example would be me summoning Gemini Elf. My opponent then has first response to the summon, they activate Torrential Tribute, destroying my monster(s)! OH NO! That's very sad. That's a simple interaction with my opponent and I. We will talk about, "What if I want to protect my Gemini Elf?" in a later post (Chains and Spell Speed).
  

BATTLE PHASE

• This is where all the monsters collide and clash for who is stronger! If the player chooses not to go into Battle Phase, you will skip Main Phase 2 and go directly into End Phase. We can see the difference of power by the numbers written on the card! For example, taken from above, Gemini Elf has 1900 ATK and Psi-Blocker has 1200 ATK, so Gemini Elf wins! So now, we take the difference and subtract it from the weaker monster's Life Points (both players start at 8000). Again, this is another player interaction heavy phase. So your opponent can use cards like Mirror Force to destroy your Gemini Elf! Another sad story indeed. There are more advanced steps in here, but we can go into that at a later stage of this series. 

MAIN PHASE 2

• After the battles have been done, we head into Main Phase 2. Now we can reassess what damage has been done and set or activate more spells and trap cards! This allows you to set up for your opponent's turn. Maybe you can get them with your own Torrential tribute or Mirror Force! Bwhahaha!

END PHASE

• In here, this is where you say, "My turn is over, it is now yours". Well, you don't have to say that exactly, but you get the concept. Any card that says that you have to activate at the end of turn will occur here. This phase is sometimes complicated, but can be easily simplified in a later post. 

From here, your opponent does the same 6 phases and continue to go back and forth until someone's life points goes to 0 or wins through a game-winning effect (Exodia). Hope this teaches a little bit more about how to play this game. Comment below for any more specific details!

How to Play Yu-Gi-Oh! Part 2 - Forbidden, Limited, Semi-limited, and Restrictions

So with every game there are restrictions to create a more balanced and fair type of game. Yes, it may be true that with each new set, there will be unbalanced cards, but that's to give the players and duelists a new taste of the cards. Sometimes, there will be a need of intervention because of the overpowering use of a card. (I forget which card at the moment, but I've heard from people that there was one that was forbbidened in the middle of a format).

There are also limitations to a person's deck, allowing them to only have a certain number of cards in the Main deck, Side deck, and Extra deck. They are the following:

• Main Deck - 40 to 60 cards
• Side Deck - 0 to 15 cards
• Extra Deck - 0 to 15 cards

Some of these cards are AMAZING! Like Monster Reborn or Change of Heart. But these cards are so powerful! Well, there's a limit to these powerful cards! So check out for the Forbidden/Limited list! Here, you can check how many copies of each card you may play in your deck! Check about every March/September because that is usually the time that the list will be  

So here we go:

Forbidden and limited list: (copied directly from their site)

Card Type	Card Name	Advanced Format	Traditional Format	Remarks
Monster/Effect	CHAOS EMPEROR DRAGON - ENVOY OF THE END	Forbidden	Limited
Monster/Effect	CYBER JAR	Forbidden	Limited
Monster/Effect	CYBER-STEIN	Forbidden	Limited
Monster/Effect	DARK MAGICIAN OF CHAOS	Forbidden	Limited
Monster/Effect	DESTINY HERO - DISK COMMANDER	Forbidden	Limited
Monster/Effect	FIBER JAR	Forbidden	Limited
Monster/Effect	FISHBORG BLASTER	Forbidden	Limited
Monster/Effect	GLOW-UP BULB	Forbidden	Limited
Monster/Effect	MAGICAL SCIENTIST	Forbidden	Limited
Monster/Effect	MAGICIAN OF FAITH	Forbidden	Limited
Monster/Effect	MAKYURA THE DESTRUCTOR	Forbidden	Limited
Monster/Effect	MIND MASTER	Forbidden	Limited
Monster/Effect	RESCUE CAT	Forbidden	Limited
Monster/Effect	SANGAN	Forbidden	Limited	Was Limited
Monster/Effect	SINISTER SERPENT	Forbidden	Limited
Monster/Effect	SUBSTITOAD	Forbidden	Limited
Monster/Effect	TRIBE-INFECTING VIRUS	Forbidden	Limited
Monster/Effect	VICTORY DRAGON	Forbidden	Limited
Monster/Effect	WITCH OF THE BLACK FOREST	Forbidden	Limited
Monster/Effect	YATA-GARASU	Forbidden	Limited
Monster/Fusion	THOUSAND-EYES RESTRICT	Forbidden	Limited
Monster/Synchro	BRIONAC, DRAGON OF THE ICE BARRIER	Forbidden	Limited
Monster/Synchro	DARK STRIKE FIGHTER	Forbidden	Limited
Monster/Synchro	GOYO GUARDIAN	Forbidden	Limited
Monster/Synchro	TRISHULA, DRAGON OF THE ICE BARRIER	Forbidden	Limited
Monster/Xyz	WIND-UP CARRIER ZENMAITY	Forbidden	Limited	Was Limited
Spell	BRAIN CONTROL	Forbidden	Limited
Spell	BUTTERFLY DAGGER - ELMA	Forbidden	Limited
Spell	CARD OF SAFE RETURN	Forbidden	Limited
Spell	CHANGE OF HEART	Forbidden	Limited
Spell	COLD WAVE	Forbidden	Limited
Spell	CONFISCATION	Forbidden	Limited
Spell	DELINQUENT DUO	Forbidden	Limited
Spell	DIMENSION FUSION	Forbidden	Limited
Spell	FUTURE FUSION	Forbidden	Limited
Spell	GIANT TRUNADE	Forbidden	Limited
Spell	GRACEFUL CHARITY	Forbidden	Limited
Spell	HARPIE'S FEATHER DUSTER	Forbidden	Limited
Spell	LAST WILL	Forbidden	Limited
Spell	MASS DRIVER	Forbidden	Limited
Spell	METAMORPHOSIS	Forbidden	Limited
Spell	MIRAGE OF NIGHTMARE	Forbidden	Limited
Spell	PAINFUL CHOICE	Forbidden	Limited
Spell	POT OF GREED	Forbidden	Limited
Spell	PREMATURE BURIAL	Forbidden	Limited
Spell	RAIGEKI	Forbidden	Limited
Spell	SNATCH STEAL	Forbidden	Limited
Spell	TEMPLE OF THE KINGS	Forbidden	Limited
Spell	THE FORCEFUL SENTRY	Forbidden	Limited
Trap	CRUSH CARD VIRUS	Forbidden	Limited
Trap	EXCHANGE OF THE SPIRIT	Forbidden	Limited
Trap	IMPERIAL ORDER	Forbidden	Limited
Trap	LAST TURN	Forbidden	Limited
Trap	RING OF DESTRUCTION	Forbidden	Limited
Trap	ROYAL OPPRESSION	Forbidden	Limited
Trap	TIME SEAL	Forbidden	Limited
Trap	TRAP DUSTSHOOT	Forbidden	Limited

Card Type	Card Name	Advanced Format	Traditional Format	Remarks
Monster	LEFT ARM OF THE FORBIDDEN ONE	Limited
Monster	LEFT LEG OF THE FORBIDDEN ONE	Limited
Monster	RIGHT ARM OF THE FORBIDDEN ONE	Limited
Monster	RIGHT LEG OF THE FORBIDDEN ONE	Limited
Monster/Effect	BLACK LUSTER SOLDIER - ENVOY OF THE BEGINNING	Limited
Monster/Effect	BLACKWING - GALE THE WHIRLWIND	Limited
Monster/Effect	CHAOS SORCERER	Limited
Monster/Effect	DANDYLION	Limited
Monster/Effect	DARK ARMED DRAGON	Limited
Monster/Effect	ELEMENTAL HERO STRATOS	Limited
Monster/Effect	EXODIA THE FORBIDDEN ONE	Limited
Monster/Effect	GLADIATOR BEAST BESTIARI	Limited
Monster/Effect	GORZ THE EMISSARY OF DARKNESS	Limited
Monster/Effect	HONEST	Limited
Monster/Effect	INZEKTOR DRAGONFLY	Limited
Monster/Effect	INZEKTOR HORNET	Limited
Monster/Effect	LONEFIRE BLOSSOM	Limited
Monster/Effect	MEZUKI	Limited
Monster/Effect	MORPHING JAR	Limited
Monster/Effect	NECROFACE	Limited
Monster/Effect	NEO-SPACIAN GRAND MOLE	Limited
Monster/Effect	NIGHT ASSAILANT	Limited
Monster/Effect	PLAGUESPREADER ZOMBIE	Limited
Monster/Effect	RED-EYES DARKNESS METAL DRAGON	Limited
Monster/Effect	T.G. STRIKER	Limited
Monster/Effect	WIND-UP MAGICIAN	Limited		New
Monster/Ritual	EVIGISHKI GUSTKRAKEN	Limited
Monster/Synchro	FORMULA SYNCHRON	Limited
Monster/Synchro	LEGENDARY SIX SAMURAI - SHI EN	Limited
Monster/Synchro	T.G. HYPER LIBRARIAN	Limited
Spell	ALLURE OF DARKNESS	Limited
Spell	BLACK WHIRLWIND	Limited
Spell	BOOK OF MOON	Limited
Spell	BURIAL FROM A DIFFERENT DIMENSION	Limited
Spell	CARD DESTRUCTION	Limited
Spell	CHARGE OF THE LIGHT BRIGADE	Limited
Spell	DARK HOLE	Limited
Spell	FOOLISH BURIAL	Limited
Spell	GATEWAY OF THE SIX	Limited
Spell	HEAVY STORM	Limited
Spell	INFERNITY LAUNCHER	Limited
Spell	LIMITER REMOVAL	Limited
Spell	MIND CONTROL	Limited
Spell	MONSTER GATE	Limited
Spell	MONSTER REBORN	Limited
Spell	ONE DAY OF PEACE	Limited		New
Spell	ONE FOR ONE	Limited
Spell	POT OF AVARICE	Limited
Spell	PRIMAL SEED	Limited
Spell	REINFORCEMENT OF THE ARMY	Limited
Spell	SCAPEGOAT	Limited
Trap	CEASEFIRE	Limited
Trap	MAGICAL EXPLOSION	Limited
Trap	RETURN FROM THE DIFFERENT DIMENSION	Limited
Trap	SOLEMN JUDGMENT	Limited
Trap	SOLEMN WARNING	Limited		Was Semi-Limited
Trap	THE TRANSMIGRATION PROPHECY	Limited
Trap	ULTIMATE OFFERING	Limited
Trap	WALL OF REVEALING LIGHT	Limited

Card Type	Card Name	Advanced Format	Traditional Format	Remarks
Monster/Effect	ARCHLORD KRISTYA	Semi-limited
Monster/Effect	CARD TROOPER	Semi-limited
Monster/Effect	DEBRIS DRAGON	Semi-limited
Monster/Effect	DESTINY HERO - MALICIOUS	Semi-limited
Monster/Effect	REBORN TENGU	Semi-limited
Monster/Effect	RESCUE RABBIT	Semi-limited
Monster/Effect	SUMMONER MONK	Semi-limited
Monster/Effect	THE AGENT OF MYSTERY - EARTH	Semi-limited
Monster/Effect	THUNDER KING RAI-OH	Semi-limited		New
Monster/Effect	TOUR GUIDE FROM THE UNDERWORLD	Semi-limited
Monster/Effect	TRAGOEDIA	Semi-limited
Monster/Effect	TSUKUYOMI	Semi-limited		Was Limited
Monster/Synchro	DEWLOREN, TIGER KING OF THE ICE BARRIER	Semi-limited
Spell	A HERO LIVES	Semi-limited
Spell	ADVANCED RITUAL ART	Semi-limited		Was Limited
Spell	CHAIN STRIKE	Semi-limited
Spell	E - EMERGENCY CALL	Semi-limited
Spell	HIERATIC SEAL OF CONVOCATION	Semi-limited
Spell	MAGICAL STONE EXCAVATION	Semi-limited
Spell	POT OF DUALITY	Semi-limited
Spell	REASONING	Semi-limited
Spell	ROYAL TRIBUTE	Semi-limited
Trap	BOTTOMLESS TRAP HOLE	Semi-limited
Trap	MIRROR FORCE	Semi-limited
Trap	OJAMA TRIO	Semi-limited
Trap	TORRENTIAL TRIBUTE	Semi-limited

So that's it for the restrictions! So build your deck appropriately and let's duel!