Online Yu-Gi-Oh! players can take their Duels off the screen and into their real-life communities in no time with these simple guidelines.
Thanks to the release of Yu-Gi-Oh! Master Duel earlier this year, perhaps more people than ever are playing Yu-Gi-Oh! online. Still, many players may find that they want to take their Duels off the screen and into their communities.
In-person games may seem daunting to Duelists who haven't played this way before, but a few simple suggestions should make the transition easier. First, there are certain supplies players will need to secure before jumping into a real-life Duel. Players must then decide where they will play Yu-Gi-Oh! and whether they're seeking a more casual or competitive experience. Finally, there is a certain dueling etiquette and set of common conventions that newcomers should be prepared to encounter when playing in person.
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To start, Duelists will need to construct their 40-card Deck, 15-card Side Deck, and 15-card Extra Deck. Depending on the build, some Decks may not require an Extra Deck, and players seeking a casual experience need not fret about the Side Deck. Though opening booster packs may be fun, it is not a very efficient method of obtaining the cards necessary for a Deck. Instead, players should utilize secondary card markets such as TCGplayer to buy singles of the cards they need. Once they obtain their cards, players should protect them with Japanese-size card sleeves. Standard-size will be too large.
After assembling and sleeving the Deck, players will need some additional tools for their Duels: a pen and paper or Konami's Neuron phone app to keep track of life points, a play mat (one with zones is helpful), and dice for deciding who goes first and tracking certain effects. Players may also need coins if their Deck includes cards with coin-flipping effects. Other optional accessories include a Deck box to house the Deck and accessories, a Field Center to designate the center column, generic token cards, and a card binder. Many players bring a "trade binder" of cards they're willing to trade, which is a great way to collect new cards.
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There are countless options for in-person Yu-Gi-Oh!, ranging from very casual to ultra-competitive. Comic book, trading card, or other collectibles shops in most medium-size and major cities have "locals" tournaments -- semiregular structured play in which Duelists bring their own Decks. Aspiring in-person Duelists can search Konami's website by zip code for Official Tournament Stores, though searching Google may also reveal additional venues with unofficial events. Konami also hosts major, multi-day tournaments in various locations as part of its Yu-Gi-Oh! Championship Series (YCS).
To begin, even experienced online players should seek out more casual spaces to practice, as online play differs substantially from table play, and it will take some time to adjust. One option to help ease the transition is to practice dueling in manual simulators such as Duelingbook, where, as when playing in person, Duelists must declare effects and move cards around the playspace themselves without the help of automation reminding them when and how to activate and resolve effects.
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As they sit down to their first in-person Duel, players may realize how much they've taken the automated simulators for granted. First, players must shuffle their own Decks. Typically, players will first "pile shuffle" their Decks (place each card from the top of their face-down Deck into one of six or more random piles) and then riffle shuffle the piles together afterward. Then players will offer their shuffled Deck to their opponent to cut. Once the shuffling is complete, players typically decide who goes first by each rolling a die, with the standard being that the high roll gets to choose whether to go first. Players often then say "good luck, have fun" before drawing five cards and beginning the Duel.
It's helpful for all players, but especially those new to playing in person, to "talk the plays." That is, players should announce transitions between all phases, ask their opponent for responses before resolving chains, and declare Summons and activated effects clearly. Players should also always ask before touching another player's property, especially their cards. If a ruling question or dispute comes up, either player may pause the game to call a judge and then seek a time extension based on the delay.
Early on in their in-person forays, Duelists should let their opponents know that they are still learning how to play the game offline. Most players remember their own learning journey and should be fairly accommodating. Though moving from digital Yu-Gi-Oh! to paper play can be challenging at first, most find it a worthwhile and rewarding experience. With the tips outlined above, the next generation of in-person Yu-Gi-Oh! Duelists should be well on their way to victory.
Drew Heckman (he/him) is a Gaming Features Writer for CBR. He is an avid Yu-Gi-Oh! TCG duelist and content creator, an RPG enthusiast (primarily on Nintendo and PlayStation consoles), and a firm believer that having a Digimon partner is more ethical than capturing wild Pokémon and forcing them to battle until they fall unconscious. Drew also enjoys competitive and cooperative strategy board games, and he is slowly dipping his toes into Magic: The Gathering. He is particularly interested in the intersections of gaming, queerness, and social justice writ large, and he is attracted to titles and communities that flesh out these connections. Drew's relevant work has appeared in the Harvard LGBTQ Policy Journal and on his YouTube channel, where he posts Yu-Gi-Oh! combo tutorials, game replays, and deckbuilding guides under the moniker "Dewy the Duelist." He has worn many hats, including LGBTQ community organizer, asylum lawyer, and now, gaming writer. He holds a JD from Harvard Law School, an MPP from the Harvard Kennedy School of Government, and a BS from Brown University.
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