Yu-Gi-Oh! the trading card game is published by Konami and is part of the Yu-Gi-Oh! franchise, which includes Japanese manga, an anime series and video games. Players "duel" against each other in the trading card game by using monster, spell and trap cards. The object of Yu-Gi-Oh! is to win by reducing your opponent's "life points" to zero or playing him until he runs out of cards in his deck, causing him to lose.
Instructions
1. Assemble a deck using between 40 and 60 Yu-Gi-Oh! Trading Game cards. No more than three copies of a particular card can be used in accordance with official rules.
2. Set up a "game mat," which helps you organize your cards during a duel. Yu-Gi-Oh! game mats are included with Yu-Gi-Oh! pre-constructed decks or can be purchased separately at many retail stores that carry Yu-Gi-Oh! cards.
3. Mark your life points as 8,000 on a piece of paper. That is the starting amount of life points each player has when she begins a duel.
4. Shuffle your deck and allow your opponent to cut, if he wants. Flip a coin to decide who goes first. Each player draws five cards before starting.
5. Begin play by drawing a card from you deck. This is called the "draw phase."
6. Use cards from your hand to summon or set a monster, set a trap card or use a spell card. This is known as the "main phase." A monster or trap is set by placing it face-down on the game mat in the appropriate spot (as indicated by the game mat). A monster can be summoned or a spell can be cast by placing it face-up on the game mat. A cast spell is resolved by following the directions on the spell card and discarding it afterward. Only one monster can be set or summoned per turn; however, there is no limit to the amount of spell cards or traps that can be used. Note that "set" monsters are in "defense mode" while summoned monsters are in "attack mode."
7. Declare any attacks or effects you would like your monsters to take (special effects of monsters are indicated on the card). This is known as the "battle phase." Monsters must be in attack mode to attack an opponent's monster. If your opponent doesn't have any monsters, your monsters can attack your opponent directly. Battles between monsters are determined by their attack and defense scores. A monster that attacks another monster in attack mode must compare its attack score with the other monster. The monster with the lower attack score is destroyed and placed in the "graveyard" portion of the game mat. The difference between attack scores is then subtracted from the player's life points whose monster was destroyed. If the monsters have the same attack score, both are destroyed and neither player takes damage. If a monster attacks another monster in "defense mode," its attack score is compared to the defense score of the defending monster. If its score is higher than the defending monster, the defending monster is destroyed and the defending player takes no damage. If the attacking monster has a score lower than the defending monster, neither monster is destroyed and the difference is subtracted from the attacking player's life points. Monsters cannot attack on the very first turn.
8. Play any additional spell or trap cards as you would in the main phase. You can also set your monsters into "defense mode" by placing them sideways. This is known as the "main phase 2." Limitations that existed in the main phase, such as only summoning or setting one monster, are still present in main phase 2.
9. Announce the end of your turn when you are done. This is known as the "end phase."
10. Wait for you opponent to take her turn in the appropriate order. Note that trap cards and "quick-play" spells can be used at any time (so long a a trap card's activation criteria is met), including your opponent's turn.
11. Continue alternating turns until you or your opponent has reduced the other's life points to zero, or until one of you runs out of cards to draw from your deck.
