Kevin Tewart, R&D lead for the Yu-Gi-Oh! TCG over at Upper Deck Entertainment, sent out an important email to event staff for the upcoming Cyberdark Impact Sneak Previews this morning. It details how certain cards should be played at the Previews, so we’re making it available to you here in order to get this information out to anyone and everyone who might be attending an event.

Here’s what Mr. Tewart’s email said:

Dear Judges,

It’s time to start prepping for the Cyberdark Impact Sneak Preview this weekend, since a number of you will probably be judging.

As some of you may be aware, there are a few cards in CDIP that revolve around the placement of cards on the field. Just so that everyone is clear, I want to elaborate on some of the issues this will bring up.

Let’s take the new card “Rampaging Rhynos” as an example. It has this effect: “Once per turn, this card can move to an adjacent unoccupied Monster Card Zone. If this card attacks the monster in its same column, this card gains 500 ATK during the Damage Step.”

As you’re all aware, a game mat in Yu-Gi-Oh! is divided into 5 columns for the Monster Card Zones and for the Spell & Trap Card zones. If Rhynos is in the center column (for example), and attacks a monster in the center column of the opponent, then he gets his +500 ATK bonus for that attack.

This immediately brings up some questions about where and how cards are played. Since Yu-Gi-Oh! is primarily a fast and fun game, most people don’t pay careful attention to where on the field their cards are used. Also, many players don’t use game mats. All of this is fine. We want to keep Yu-Gi-Oh! fast and fun, and we have no interest in forcing people to use game mats. We do, however, expect people to follow a few common sense rules.

1. Please make it clear to your players that they should not be moving cards around on the field, unless the card specifically allows it. (For example, Rhynos can move around using its effect, but Jinzo cannot.)

2. When not using a game mat, cards should be played as if there were an imaginary grid of 5 columns, each 1 card length wide. In other words, imagine you have 5 Defense Position monsters all turned sideways. Those are your 5 columns. It should be easy to approximate columns this way, even if a game mat isn’t used.

3. Let’s talk about “scrunching.” There’s a tendency to “scrunch” your cards together when a hole opens up. For example, I have 3 Defense Position monsters, and you destroy the center one. I have a habit of “scrunching” my other 2 together so that they’re now side-by-side. Please tell your players not to do this. I have to leave a hole there between my monsters to represent the vacant Monster Card Zone. (Sorry, scrunchers! I feel your pain.)

4. “Where can I play my cards?!?!” ANSWER: ANYWHERE YOU WANT. You DON’T have to start on the left and work your way to the right. You DON’T have to start in the middle and then alternate on the sides. You can play your cards into any unoccupied space on your side of the field.

5. “What if I remove a monster from play with Interdimensional Matter Transporter? Does it have to go back to the same zone it started in?” ANSWER: Nope. You can put it in any of your unoccupied Monster Zones.

6. I think the biggest “problem” will be remembering to put cards back where they came from when players pick them up to read them. Shouldn’t be too hard, though.

The rest of the email had some info on how to deal with “rules sharks” and a reminder why a single die is an inadequate method of representing multiple Sheep tokens. So, try to avoid doing either of those things this weekend, and every weekend!

Just to recap the important points for you, as a duelist:

• Cards shouldn’t be moved around the field unless dictated by an effect.

• If you are not using a playmat, try to imagine columns on the field.

• You can play your cards anywhere you want within those columns.

• Be careful not to place cards in a different spot if you pick them up to read them.

Sounds pretty simple, huh? These guidelines look easy to follow, and if everyone can manage them, I’m sure these events will be a blast!

Just as a reminder, if you still need to find a Cyberdark Impact Sneak Preview in your area, you can search one out with Upper Deck Entertainment’s venue locator right here. If you’re heading to a Preview in the New York City area, I’ll see you there!

-Jason Grabher-Meyer

Contributing Editor, Metagame.com