by Andrew Pahel

Created on: September 18, 2009   Last Updated: September 26, 2009

The game of Yu-Gi-Oh! is one of the most complicated out there. The basics are tough enough to grasp for new duelists, but the advanced rules take a higher degree of understanding. The advanced rules are mainly this: Chains, spell speed, and the knowledge of card terms. All three aspects cause a large debate among duelists when any of these three concepts are misunderstood.

Let's start easy, you have to know what the card is telling you, you can and cannot do. Rule of thumbs: Follow the card exactly as it says. There are no loopholes, the effects stand as is. The only exception is if you have another card in play that changes general play. For instance several cards state if you use this effect you cannot declare an attack this turn. You cannot declare an attack, then activate the effect, it doesn't work like that. It's one or the other.

Next, what is the difference between designating a monster and targeting a monster? Easy, when you point a gun at someone you target them. When you do target practice, what are you doing? Targeting them! The same applies in Duel Monsters, if your opponent specifically selects your monster as the recipient of an attack or card effect, they are targeting them. A good example is spell binding circle or Tribute to the doomed. Designating a monster is when they are included in a card effect, such as mirror force. Targeting is only applied when you specifically choose a card to use it on, if you don't get a choice its designating.

Another quick thing to understand is about costs vs. effect. A cost is a payment to get the effect. Think of it like shopping at Wal-Mart, you want that new Yu-Gi-Oh! booster, to get it you need money. That's the cost, once you pay the cost the booster is all yours. Same in Duel Monsters, you pay the cost the effect is all yours. The cost usually is something like, "Discard one card form your hand...." or "Pay 1000 life points....". IF you want a specific example Premature Burial is an excellent one. By paying 800 life points you can special summon a monster from your grave and equip this card to it. You can see that paying 800 is the cost, this is not optional. The special summon is your product, or effect. Remember this for Dark World decks. Tribute to the Doomed does not work with dark world monsters! Dark World monsters effects only activate if they were discards form your hand by a card effect, not a cost. Cards that work with dark world monsters usually sound like, "Draw 3 cards, then discard 2 from

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