Time to take a little break from rulings and gameplay mechanics, and focus our attention on another, too often overlooked, but important aspect of dueling—rules of sportsmanship! Yugi's opponents certainly like to indulge in less-than-sporting behavior, but abiding by proper dueling etiquette should be a priortiy for every duelist, especially if you are planning on entering any tournaments. Poor sportsmanship or lack of awareness of the "rules of the duel" can result in situations ranging from a loss of respect from other duelists to exclusion from league activities, and all the way up to being disqualified from a tournament. None of these sound pleasant, so let's run through some basics of dueling etiquette!

Hmm . . . where to start? A good place is before your duel even happens—be prepared! Have your deck ready to go. If you need dice, counters, or something to use to keep track of life points (calculator, pencil and paper, etc.) have them out and ready to use when they are needed. Using a Fusion deck or side deck? Have them out and visible. It might be tempting to keep your Fusion deck hidden in your backpack so your opponent won't see that Magical Scientist coming, but it's considered unsporting conduct, and it can get you penalized at a tournament. Using card sleeves? Make sure they are in good condition and that they match. Unevenly worn, excessively dirty, or different colored sleeves are considered marked cards, and even if you aren't aware of which card is which, your opponent (and the judges) won't view the possibility that you're cheating with a friendly eye...

Now that you have all of your cards and supplies ready to go, attention turns to your opponent. A handshake or introduction is a common way to start a duel, so it's a good idea to wash your hands before starting in a tournament, especially if you've been eating or drinking. You wouldn't want someone with food or dirt all over their hands to touch you or your cards, would you? Some duelists like to open a match by asking about their opponent's decks—how many cards it has, what type of deck it is, and so on. You're required to truthfully answer the "How many cards in your deck?" question, because your deck in its face down state is public knowledge, and your opponent can opt to count it if he or she wishes. It's up to you if you want to tell your opponent what cards you are running, bearing in mind that he or she might change strategies to work against you if you reveal what deck type you're playing. It's not a good idea to lie and say you have a different deck type than you do, however. That can be viewed as misrepresentation, which is against the floor rules. If you don't want your opponent to know what you are playing, you can simply answer, "You'll find out soon!" when asked what you are running.

Playing for keeps, or "ante," where the winner gets to take one card of his or her choice from the loser's deck, is popular in some areas, but bear in mind it's not legal in a tournament or league situation, and it isn't by any means a standard part of the game. Outside of league and tournament play, players will generally do what they like, but duelists are not by any means obligated to duel in this manner, and anyone who tells you otherwise is misleading you. Card ante usually results in stronger, more experienced duelists who already have stronger cards preying on those who are less experienced, taking away cards they'll need in order to improve, keeping them from gaining the skill they'd need to win and hang onto their cards. It's a system that only benefits a few, so there's nothing inherently 'cool' about it.

After you have shuffled your deck in view of your opponent, you present it to your opponent (face down, of course!) and ask if he or she would like to cut it. In Yu-Gi-Oh! there isn't a standardized style of cut, so anything that is relatively speedy and doesn't reveal the cards or damage them is acceptable. A duelist cannot look at his or her own cards or opponent's cards during shuffling and cutting. If either duelist does look at the cards, a reshuffle and recut of the deck in question is needed. When you are handling your opponent's cards, be careful not to crease or damage them. Separating the deck into two piles and then trying to mash them together will split sleeves, damage cards, and anger your opponent, so if you aren't good at shuffling, try separating the deck into five or so smaller piles and mixing the cards in the piles up, then putting the deck back into one stack. Always do any shuffling or cutting of decks with your hands and the cards above the table; this isn't just good etiquette, it's a floor rule. If you take cards below the table out of your opponent's line of sight, you can get a warning from the judge, so always handle cards, be they yours or your opponent's, above the table in full view. And remember, any time your deck is shuffled (such as after searching for a monster due to Witch of the Black Forest's effect) during the duel, you must give your opponent the opportunity to cut it, and your opponent must give you the same opportunity each time his or her deck is shuffled.

Once you have begun your duel, you cannot alter the contents of your deck. If you left a card you needed in your card box, that's a pity, but it's too late now. If you are in a tournament, then your deck must match your decklist when you begin a match. Side deck cards cannot be added until the second duel of the match. And of course, your deck should be legal, with at least 40 cards, and double-checked against the limited/semi-limited card list.

As your turn begins, it is important that you announce the start and end of each phase and clearly indicate your actions during each phase. For instance, during your main phase 1 you would say, "I'll enter my main phase 1 (pause to give your opponent time to respond, if he or she wishes), I will set this card in my spell/trap zone (pause to give your opponent time to respond), and I will summon Dark Elf (pause to give your opponent time to respond). I will now enter my Battle Phase (pause). I will pay 1000 life points to attack your Archfiend Soldier with Dark Elf (pause). You'll take 100 damage, and Archfiend Soldier is destroyed." During the pauses, your opponent has the opportunity to respond with quick-play spell cards or trap cards, so playing through your turn really quickly to try to prevent your opponent from responding is considered unsporting. At the very least, you might get in an argument with your opponent, and at the worst, you might receive disciplinary action from a judge.

Now then . . . while you shouldn't play too quickly, you shouldn't play too slowly, either, especially in a timed match. If you spend a lot of unnecessary time looking through your or your opponent's graveyard, reading cards in your hand, or picking up set cards and studying them, your opponent is likely to accuse you of stalling and call over a judge. Stalling is considered a pretty cowardly way of trying to win, and it makes you look like you don't know what you are doing. There will certainly be situations you'll find yourself in where you need to take a short time to think out your strategy, but try to play in as timely a manner as possible.

Don't eat or drink on the playing surface! You've probably invested a fair amount of time and money into building your deck, and your opponent has as well. Respect the value of each other's cards by keeping food and drink out of the play area. Eat and drink outside of the area, and if you must bring your snacks and beverages, keep them in your backpack or on the floor, out of the way. Tipping over a soda onto a full playing field won't win you any popularity points and could get you ousted from a tournament—not to mention being liable for damage to the cards.

Most leagues or tournaments will provide play areas with playmats on them, showing where the cards should be placed. If you're playing without using a play mat, your cards need to go in the same areas they'd go if you were. Don't come up with a new way to lay out your cards—it comes across as an attempt to confuse or mislead your opponent, and won't be tolerated in tournament play. It's formally known as misrepresentation, and is against the rules in sanctioned play. Limit your urges to be creative to designing your deck, and always arrange your playing field in the official format, barring an arrangement that is needed to compensate for a disability, if necessary.

While we're on the subject of the playing field, make sure to keep it clear and unobscured. Calculators, paper and pens, tokens, and other paraphernalia should be kept out of the way so you and your opponent both have a constant and clear view of how the game stands. The cards in your hand should be kept in your hand, and not set down on the field where your opponent could mistake them for being in play. Misleading your opponent on the condition of the field, either accidentally or deliberately, can result in disciplinary action by a judge. You don't want that, so keep your play area clear and easy to see.

Be certain to ask permission before touching your opponent's cards. While you do have the right to look through your opponent's graveyard during the duel, you should always ask first, and be certain to keep the cards in the same order. After you attack, your opponent is the one responsible for handling his or her cards, whether it is to flip them face up or send them to the graveyard. Resist the temptation to reach over, grab your opponent's monster cards, and throw them in the graveyard. It's bad manners, it can damage the cards, and your opponent can complain to a judge.

One play rule that is frequently debated by duelists is the "show your opponent the cards you search out of your deck or graveyard" rule. While it does not specifically say on cards such as Sangan or Witch of the Black Forest that you must show your opponent what you took, it is a recognized rule that you must do this. Show the entire card, not just the bottom where the attack and defense values are, and show your opponent—not a judge, and not another player who will confirm that the card is a legal search. Cards taken back from the graveyard, such as spell cards recovered with Magician of Faith's effect or monster cards recovered with Spear Cretin, must be also be shown to the opponent. After Cyber Jar is activated, players must reveal all five of the cards they pick up. Monsters that are set can be mixed up to hide which one is where, but all five cards must be clearly displayed where they can be examined by each duelist. The same goes for Morphing Jar #2—while a duelist must show his or her opponent the monsters that fulfill the effect, the monster cards may be set in any order. These aren't merely common courtesies, they are rules of the game.

There are a few cards that, when played together, create a long loop. Combos like Butterfly Dagger - Elma, Gearfried the Iron Knight, and Royal Magical Library or Magical Marionette are popular right now. If a duelist wishes to play one of these combos, he or she must demonstrate how the cards combine by performing the effects at least once (giving his or her opponent the opportunity to respond to the activation of any of the cards involved) and declare how many times he or she wishes to repeat the effect, instead of actually performing the effect the remaining times. The opponent can require the duelist to actually perform the effect instead of announcing the number of times he or she intends to, and can either chain cards (such as Secret Barrel) during the course of the loop, or can state "When you have performed the effect 29 times, I will chain with Secret Barrel."

While you and your opponent are dueling, you are responsible for your play decisions, and your opponent is responsible for his or hers. Outside coaching is very poor form. If you have a friend who likes to watch your duels and just can't seem to stop offering advice, you might have to ask that friend to stop watching, since his or her interference affects the game. And you should definitely not be receiving any assistance from a friend about what cards your opponent is holding—that is blatant cheating and would get you disqualified from a tournament.

Anyone who watches the Yu-Gi-Oh! TV show will see a lot of tough talking between opponents. A bit of friendly rivalry is one thing, but taunting or belittling your opponent is very poor behavior. It's doubly embarrassing if you lose, and it can get you a warning, a match loss, or even a tournament disqualification. Mocking an opponent to try to intimidate him or her, or insulting an opponent because he or she has defeated you, is behavior that has no place in serious play. Many stores or other league and tournament areas will ban players who violate this rule, and duelists who frequently indulge in trash talk, profanity, or other aggressive behaviors can find themselves banned from all sanctioned play.

Judges are there to resolve rules conflicts between players, keep the league or tournament running smoothly, and educate players about the game. If there is a dispute about a card ruling, don't get in an argument with your opponent—raise your hand, and call over a judge. If a judge's intervention is needed during a duel, each player should take turns explaining the situation to the judge. After the judge has an understanding of the situation, he or she will either issue a ruling or consult the head judge of the event. When the ruling is delivered, that is the final decision. If you disagree with the ruling, you can apply to the head judge, but the judge's decisions are final. Getting into an argument with the judge will usually result in a warning and possibly in disqualification from the tournament. Under no circumstances should a duelist threaten or use profanity towards a judge. It will not result in a reversal of the ruling, and it can get the duelist removed from the tournament or possibly even the organized play program.

There you have it—a rundown of basic play etiquette! Familiarizing yourself with these rules will help insure that your duels run smoothly, and will earn you a positive reputation in your local play area. Observing proper play etiquette will encourage the same in opponents, and often make other players friendlier in their interactions with you.