What is Yu-Gi-Oh! Trading Card Game
The Yu-Gi-Oh! Trading Card Game is a captivating collectible card game developed and published by the renowned company, Konami. Inspired by the fictional Duel Monsters game, created by manga artist Kazuki Takahashi, it serves as the focal point in various segments of the Yu-Gi-Oh! manga and its numerous anime adaptations and spinoff series.
First introduced by Konami in 1999 in Japan, and later in North America in March 2002, the trading card game has gained immense popularity. In fact, on July 7, 2009, it was recognized as the world's top-selling trading card game by Guinness World Records, with over 22 billion cards sold globally. By March 31, 2011, Konami Digital Entertainment Co., Ltd. Japan had sold an astonishing 25.2 billion cards worldwide since its inception in 1999. As of January 2021, it is estimated that the game has sold around 35 billion cards globally, generating over ¥1 trillion ($9.64 billion) in revenue. To cater to varying player preferences, Konami introduced Yu-Gi-Oh! Speed Duel, a quicker, simplified version of the game, in January 2019. Additionally, Yu-Gi-Oh! Rush Duel, another fast-paced variation, was launched in Japan in April 2020.
How Do You Play The Yu-Gi-Oh! Trading Card Game?
Playing Cards
Players take turns drawing cards from their decks and playing them on "the field." Each player has a deck containing 40 to 60 cards, an optional "Extra Deck" with up to 15 cards, and an optional 15-card side deck for swapping cards between games.
Are there any card restrictions?
Yes, players can have a maximum of three copies of each card in their deck. They must also follow the Forbidden/Limited card list provided by Konami, which limits the use of certain cards to two, one, or zero copies.
How do players win or lose?
Each player starts with 8,000 Life Points (LP). The primary goal is to reduce your opponent's Life Points using monster attacks and spells. The game ends when one of the following conditions is met:
• A player's Life Points reach zero. If both players' Life Points reach zero simultaneously, the game is a draw.
• A player loses if they must draw a card but have no more cards in their Main Deck.
• Specific cards have special win or loss conditions (e.g., having all five Exodia the Forbidden One cards in hand or all five letters of the Destiny Board on the field).
• A player can choose to forfeit at any time.
