Standby Phase: This is when some card effects activate, as indicated by the cards’ text. The one exception is the first turn of the player who goes first, who doesn’t draw anything. Here’s a breakdown of the flow of a player turn.ĭraw Phase: The first thing you do every turn is draw a card. To begin a duel, the decks are shuffled and each player draws an opening hand of five cards. The Yu-Gi-Oh! TCG is played in turns that follow a specific order of operations. Whether you’re a total novice or a returning duelist who could use a refresher, this guide to learning how to play the Yu-Gi-Oh! TCG will get you up to speed with the basics of the trading card game. Tournament attendance records are broken every year and, because publisher Konami continually releases both support for the decks of yesteryear and all-new playstyles, it’s never been easier to build a Yu-Gi-Oh! deck you enjoy and find people to play with.

Attention, duelists! You may remember the Yu-Gi-Oh! Trading Card Game from the Before Days of 2002, but if you’re reading this guide, you’re probably wondering: what ever happened to that old game? Surprisingly, it’s only gotten more popular, so there's no better time to learn how to play the Yu-Gi-Oh! TCG for beginners and returning fans alike.

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