Yu-Gi-Oh! Explanations

Dictionary

In this dictionary you can find common Yu-Gi-Oh! abbreviations and their meanings.

Decks

There are three types of Decks in Yu-Gi-Oh! The Main Deck, the Extra Deck, and the Side Deck.

XYZ Monster

XYZ Monsters are a type of Monster Card. The first XYZ was released in Starter Deck Dawn of the XYZ. These are black Cards which are placed in the Extra Deck.

Union Monster

Union Monsters are Effect Monsters with the "Union" ability. Each Union Monster has an Effect that allows it to equip itself to a Monster as an Equip Spell Card or unequip itself to Special Summon itself to a Main Monster Zone.

Turn

A Turn is the way of giving structure to a Duel. Every turn is divided into six phases.

Tuner Monster

Tuner Monsters are Monsters with "Tuner" listed on the Type/Ability line. They are required for the Synchro Summon of a Synchro Monster.

Tribute Summon

A Tribute Summon is a form of Normal Summoning a Level 5 or higher Monster by Tributing Monster(s) you control. By default, Level 5 and 6 Monsters require one Tribute, while Level 7 and higher Monsters require two Tributes.

Timing

Timing is the process which dictates when players can activate Spell Speed 2 or Spell Speed 3 Effects in response to other actions. Usually, the turn player has the opportunity to activate an optional Spell Speed 2 or Spell Speed 3 Effect first.

Synchro Monster

Synchro Monsters are a type of Monster Card. The first Synchro was released in Starter Deck 2008. These are white cards that are placed in the Extra Deck.

Summon

A Summon is the action of placing a Monster onto a Monster Zone. You can Summon a Monster both manually or with a Card Effect.

Standby Phase

The Standby Phase happens immediately after the Draw Phase. Nothing is required of either player to do during this Phase unless a Card mentions it.

Spell Speed

Spell Cards, also called Magic Cards in the TCG until the release of Magician's Force, are green Yu-Gi-Oh! Cards that have various Effects that alter gameplay.

Special Summon

A Special Summon is any Summon other than Normal Summon or Flip Summon. They only occur due to game mechanics, Card Effects, or Summoning conditions.

Side Deck

A Side Deck is a pile of up to 15 Cards, separate from the Main Deck and Extra Deck. The Side Deck is used in Matches between Duels to change the contents of the Main Deck and/or Extra Deck.

Set (a Card)

To Set is to place a Card face-down on the Field. You can Normal Set Monster Cards from your hand onto Main Monster Zones, which places them in face-down Defense Position horizontally on the Field.

Ritual Spell Card

Ritual Spell Cards are a type of Spell Card used to Ritual Summon Ritual Monsters. Ritual Spell Cards tend to be demanding to use due to their highly specific activation requirements and high cost.

Ritual Monster

Ritual Monsters are a type of Monster Card. These are blue Cards that are placed in the Main Deck. Ritual Monsters are Special Summon-only Monsters.

Resolve

To resolve an Effect is to apply it. After resolving, and after the whole Chain (if created) has resolved, activated Cards will be sent to the Graveyard via game mechanics; unless it is a Continuous, Field, or Equip Card.

Quick-Play Spell Card

Quick-Play Spell Cards are a type of Spell Card that is Spell Speed 2. You can activate Quick-Play Spell Cards from your hand during any Phase of your turn.

Pendulum Monster

Pendulum Monsters are a type of Monster Card. The first Pendulum was released in Starter Deck 2014. These are half Monster Cards and half Spell Cards.

Normal Trap Card

Normal Trap Cards are Spell Speed 2 and can be used in response to the Effects of every Card that is classified as Spell Speed 1 or 2.

Normal Spell Card

A Normal Spell Card is a Spell Speed 1 Spell Card, so it cannot Chain to other Effects, even those of other Normal Spell Cards, but can be chained to by Spell Speed 2 or Spell Speed 3 Cards.

Normal Monster

Normal Monsters are colored yellow. They are Main Deck Monsters with no Monster Effects. In the card description box Normal Monsters include a brief description of their lore.

Monster Card

Monster Cards are used to battle against each other or directly against either player during the Battle Phase. Monster Cards are characterized by their names, Type, Attribute, ATK, DEF, and Level.

Main Phase 2

Main Phase 2 is a Main Phase conducted after the Battle Phase. As a Main Phase, most actions that would normally be performed in Main Phase 1 can also be performed in this phase.

Main Phase 1

The Main Phase 1 is the Main Phase conducted after the Standby Phase. Most actions that could normally be performed in Main Phase 1 can also be performed in Main Phase 2.

Main Deck

The Main Deck, usually referred to as the Deck, is a pile of Cards that a Duelist can draw Cards from. Each Duelist uses his or her own Main Deck in a Duel.

Link Monster

Link Monsters are a type of Monster Card. The first Link Monster was released in Code of the Duelist. Link Monsters have Link Arrows, indicated by the red arrows pointing outward from the artwork. These arrows show which Zones and Monsters that Link Monster points to.

Life Points

Life Points, or LP for short, represent the life energy of a player. If your Life Points are reduced to 0, you lose the Duel.

Legal Cards

A legal Card is a Card that is allowed for use in official tournaments. Promo Cards from the SHONEN JUMP Magazine are legal only on continent(s) where they have been officially released.

Gemini Monster

Gemini Monsters are Effect Monsters with the "Gemini" ability. They are treated as Normal Monsters on the Field and in the GY, and they can gain their Effects if you Normal Summon them a second time.

Fusion Monster

Fusion Monsters are a type of Monster Card. The first Fusion was released in “Legend of Blue Eyes White Dragon”. These are purple Cards which are placed in the Extra Deck.

Flip Summon

A Flip Summon is a way to Summon Monsters. You simply flip a face-down Monster manually into face-up Attack Position.

Invocación Invertida

Una invocación invertida es una forma de Convocar Monstruos. Simplemente volteas un Monstruo boca abajo manualmente a la Posición de Ataque boca arriba.

Field Spell Card

Field Spell Cards have the advantage of being able to change the entire state of the field for its controller or for both players. They are Spell Speed 1 and placed in the Field Zone apart from the Spell & Trap Zones.

Field

The Field is the area where Duelists place their Cards. Playmats are often used as the Field. The Field is divided into two halves; one for each player, with each half having five Main Monster Zones, five Spell & Trap Zones (including two Pendulum Zones)...

Extra Monster Zone

Extra Monster Zones are the two Monster Zones in the center of the field where Monsters Summoned from the Extra Deck are placed. These Monster Zones were introduced with the release of Starter Deck: Link Strike in July 20, 2017.

Extra Link

An Extra Link is a series of co-linked Link Monsters which connect one Extra Monster Zone with the other. The control of the Monsters, including the Monsters in the Extra Monster Zones, does not matter for creating the Extra Link.

Extra Deck

The Extra Deck, formerly known as the Fusion Deck, is a Deck where Fusion, Synchro, XYZ, and Link Monsters (as well as Pendulum Monsters that would otherwise have been sent from the field to the Graveyard) are stored during a Duel.

Errata

Erratas are changes to any part of the text of a card (other than Card Number) that occur between reprints. Erratas can be made to a card for a variety of reasons.

Equip Spell Card

An Equip Spell Card is a Spell Card that is equipped to a face-up Monster on the Field. When you activate an Equip Spell Card, you must target a face-up Monster on the Field to equip the card to.

End Phase

The End Phase is the final phase of the turn. It is conducted after Main Phase 2 or Main Phase 1 if you did not conduct your Battle Phase, or after your Battle Phase if you did not conduct your Main Phase 2.

Effect Monster

Effect Monsters are orange Monster Cards. Effect Monsters have at least one Card Effect or condition.

Draw Phase

The Draw Phase is the first Phase of every turn, in which the turn player conducts their normal draw to draw one Card from their Deck.

Counter Trap Card

Counter Trap Cards are a unique Trap Card type. They are Spell Speed 3. Being the sole Cards/Effects that are Spell Speed 3, only other Counter Trap Cards can be activated in response to them.

Cost

A Cost is an action that must be performed in order to activate a Card or Effect or to keep a Card on the Field. This is distinct from activation conditions, which are requirements that you have to meet in order to activate a Card or Effect.

Continuous Trap Card

Continuous Trap Cards are Trap Cards that stay on the Field after activation. The Effect of these Cards will remain active until the owner cannot maintain the cost or condition(s) indicated on the Card (if any), or if it is destroyed.

Continuous Spell Card

A Continuous Spell Card is a Spell Speed 1 Spell Card that stays on the field once it is activated. Spell Ruler, previously known as Magic Ruler, was the first TCG Booster Pack that contained Continuous Spell Cards.A Continuous Spell Card is a Spell Speed 1 Spell Card that stays on the field once it is activated. Spell Ruler, previously known as Magic Ruler, was the first TCG Booster Pack that contained Continuous Spell Cards. The effects of most Continuous Spell Cards do not start a Chain, but there are some which do, for example, "Soul Absorption" has a Trigger-like Effect and "Valhalla, Hall of the Fallen" has an Ignition-like Effect. A Continuous Spell Card has to stay on the Field in order for its Effect to resolve.

Chain

A Chain is a stack that determines the order of resolution for activated Cards and Effects. Cards and Effects are on a Chain only if they activate. Chains are used when a Card or Effect is activated before another activated Card or Effect resolves.

Card Types

There are three basic Card Types in Yu-Gi-Oh!, which all have sub Card types.

Battle Phase

The Battle Phase is the Phase in which battles are conducted. A Battle Phase can be conducted every turn (except for the first turn of the Duel) after the turn player ends their Main Phase 1.

Banished Zone

The Banished Zone, known as the Removed from Play Zone or the Removed Zone prior to the PSCT update, is a semi-official term used to refer to the location where your banished Cards are being placed.

Activate

To activate is to use a Card or Effect, also known as playing a Card. Activate and Use are not the same if used in Card texts.

Trap Card

Trap Cards are purple Yu-Gi-Oh! Cards that have lots of different Effects. You may activate them during either player's turn.

Spell Card

Spell Cards, also called Magic Cards in the TCG until the release of Magician's Force, are green Yu-Gi-Oh! Cards that have various Effects that alter gameplay.