Between this season's new Regional tournaments that are now underway, a tournament-based mall tour, and the still-popular Duelist King tournaments, tournament play is now a major part of the Yu-Gi-Oh! environment. With all this tournament action available, players should take advantage of this level of play. If you've never participated in a Yu-Gi-Oh! tournament, you might wonder what they're all about, how to prepare for one, and what to do once you get there. Tournaments are an exciting arena for play, meeting other duelists, improving your skills, and earning tournament ranking points and prizes. Preparation is pretty easy, and once you know what to expect, you'll be prepared to enter the tournament arena.

Ready to go for it? Great! You'll want to make the most of your experience, so there are some things you'll want to know beforehand and some easy preparations to make that will help smooth your way and boost your confidence. That is what we're going to cover here.

First off, what exactly is a Yu-Gi-Oh! tournament? A tournament offers a structured series of matches against predetermined opponents. There is often an entry fee, and there are prizes to be won. The Duelist King tournaments have been running for some time, usually at league locations or local card stores. Duelists can earn ranking points and prizes such as tournament packs, booster packs, store credit, and even trophies by participating. Duelist King tournament information can be found at upperdeckentertainment.com/tournament. Upper Deck Entertainment (UDE) is also running a tournament-based mall tour, with free tournaments and other activities, in malls across North America. You can find information on these tournaments at upperdeckentertainment.com/malltour. Also new this season are the Regional tournaments. These tournaments offer (in addition to tournament ranking points and product prizes) the opportunity for the Top 4 finishers to participate in the Yu-Gi-Oh! National Championship tournament. This will be held in June, at the Origins gaming convention in Columbus, Ohio. The Top 4 finishers at Nationals will go on to the Yu-Gi-Oh! World Championship tournament to compete for the title of World Champion. Sounds impressive, doesn't it? You can find information on Regional tournaments at upperdeckentertainment.com/regionals.aspx. Check with your local card retailers as well--they will frequently have information on tournaments in your area.

Have you found your tournament? It's time to prepare, so that you'll be ready to attend it. Most tournaments are Constructed tournaments, which means you will need to bring your own Yu-Gi-Oh! deck. Other tournaments are Limited, which means that you will construct a deck at the tournament using starter decks or sealed booster packs. If you are attending a Constructed tournament, the most important thing on your mind is probably going to be your deck. You're going to want to bring a good one, so prepare it by learning what you can about what kinds of decks people like to play in your area. Find an experienced player who will take a look at your deck for you and make suggestions to improve it. Remember that a Yu-Gi-Oh! main deck must contain at least 40 cards with a 15-card side deck, you can't have more than three total copies of any card between your main deck and your side deck, and that a tournament deck must follow the limited and semi-limited card lists. Check the limited and semi-limited lists at upperdeckentertainment.com/yugioh/forbidden.asp to make sure that you have a legal deck. Only cards printed by UDE are legal for tournament play, so Japanese cards and Egyptian God cards aren't allowed in your decks.

Make sure you know how your cards work! If you have a question about a card ruling, you can send an email to customer_service@upperdeck.com and find out the answer. There will be judges at the tournament, but you will feel more confident if you have asked your questions beforehand, and it will speed up your game. Read over the Yu-Gi-Oh! rulebook to refresh your memory about general gameplay.

Most players like to put the cards in their decks into protective sleeves before they play. If you do, make sure that all your sleeves match and that they're all in good condition. Different colored sleeves or extremely worn sleeves might be considered to be marked cards, which are against the rules and can get you a penalty at the tournament. Bring extra sleeves, in case some get damaged and need to be replaced during the tournament.

You will probably need to provide a decklist. This is a written list of the cards in your main deck, your side deck (if you're using one), and your fusion deck (if you're using one). Many tournament locations offer a decklist form that you can download and fill out at home. Doing this can save a lot of time at the tournament, so if you have the option to write out your decklist ahead of time, it's a good idea to do so.

Here's some more good advice: Get a good night's sleep before your tournament, and eat before you go. If you are tired or hungry, it will be harder for you to concentrate on your game.

It's the day of your tournament--what happens now? What do you need to bring, and what will you do when you get there? Well, for a Constructed tournament, you will need your deck, your registration fee, your decklist, dice if you have cards that need them, tokens or counters if you have cards that need them, and a calculator or a paper and pen to keep track of your life points. You can also bring cards to trade, since there will be plenty of other players there. It's a good idea to bring a snack or drink, or some extra money to buy one. Tournaments can last a long time, and you don't want to get hungry or thirsty. It is important to remember that many tournament locations won't have a secure area to leave your belongings--that means you're going to have to carry everything you bring, all day. Pack light! Don't bring videogames, CD players, or other heavy or valuable items. You probably don't need to bring your entire card collection, either. Pick out some cards that you think will trade well, put them in a box or binder, and keep them secure. Because it's hard to know what the temperature in the tournament area will be, wear layers so that you don't end up too hot or too cold.

You've got all the things you need, and you show up at the tournament location--what happens now? You're going to need to register and submit your decklist. It's a good idea to show up early, to allow time to do these things. If this is your first tournament, you will register for a UDE tournament number. You'll get a form to fill out with your name and address, and you will get a card with your name and new tournament number on it. Keep that card safe! You'll want to use that number at all of the tournaments you participate in, since that is the number that will be used to keep track of your ranking. Before you submit your decklist, make certain that all the cards on it are the exact cards you want to play. If you want to trade for cards to use in the tournament, you'll need to do that before you submit your decklist, because once you've handed it in, you can't change your deck.

Have you registered? Don't wander off, even if there's a line of people still waiting to register. In order for the tournament to get started on time, the players need to stick around. If you want to eat a quick snack or use the restroom, do that, but stay in the area.

While you're waiting, make use of the time to learn who the judges and Tournament Operators are. Often they will be wearing shirts or lanyards to identify themselves. These are the people that will help move you through the tournament, so it's good to learn who they are. Pay attention to them, and they will let you know when the tournament is ready to begin. Once everyone is registered, the Tournament Operator (or TO) will enter all of the names into the computer to generate the first pairing list. This will let you know whom you will be playing.

There are two ways that a tournament can be run. When you find out all about your tournament beforehand, you will find out if it's going to be a single elimination tournament or a Swiss-style tournament. Single elimination tournaments are faster, because one duelist is eliminated per match. Once you have lost a match in a single elimination tournament, you are out of the tournament. Swiss-style tournaments take longer, because all duelists play in each match. There will be a predetermined number of rounds, usually between five and seven. You can ask how many rounds there will be when you register. Each round, you will be paired against an opponent with a similar win/loss record, and at the end of all the rounds, the final standings will be determined.

Ready to play? As soon as the TO has made the pairings, they will be posted or read aloud. Tournament tables are usually numbered, so when you locate your name and your opponent's name, look at the table number to find out where to sit. Take your seat as quickly as possible so that the round can get underway. If you aren't sure where you should be, find a judge, and he or she will show you where to go. It's important to be in your seat at the start of a round, because if you are late, you could get a duel loss or even a match loss. If the round is starting and you do not have an opponent, raise your hand and a judge will come to tell you what to do.

Rounds usually last 40 minutes, during which you will play three duels. If you win two duels, you win the match. If you win one duel and the other two are draws, you win the match. If all three duels are draws, the winner will be determined by life points. The judges will keep you informed of the time remaining in the round, but it's a good idea to keep an eye on the time. Keep track of your own life points. If you don't, you will have to go by your opponent's record of your life points, which usually isn't the best idea. You may also keep track of your opponent's life points. If you have a rulings question or other dispute, raise your hand to call over a judge. Remember to be a good sport and play in a timely manner.

When your match is over, you will need to fill out your result slip. A judge will have brought one to your table. The result slip should have your table number, your name, and your opponent's name on it. Check to make sure you have the correct slip! There is a space to record your number of wins (two, one, or zero) and a space to sign your name. Your opponent must also record his or her number of wins and sign his or her name. When your slip is filled out, raise your hand for a judge to come and collect it. You and your opponent should remain seated until your slip has been collected, and the slip should be double-checked to make sure the results are correct. Once the slip has been collected, changes cannot be made.

Once your slip is collected, you can check how much time is left in the round. If you are playing in a Swiss-style tournament, remember that you are still in the tournament, even if you just lost. Remember that if you used your side deck to change your main deck, you must restore your main deck and your side deck to their original cards, as written on your decklist. Judges may occasionally perform deck checks, and if your deck does not match your decklist, you may be penalized. Stay close to the tournament area so that you don't miss the start of the next round. Once all the result slips are collected, and the results are entered into the computer, a new pairings list will be issued and posted, and you will begin the next round. This will continue until all the rounds have been played, and then a standings list will be posted. Your place in the final standings will be determined by several factors, including your win record and your opponents' win records. Some tournaments will end here, while others will go on to a Top 8. If the TO has decided to cut to a Top 8, the Top 8 players in the standings at the end of the final round will play against each other in three single elimination rounds to determine the final standings.

You've participated in your first tournament! Each round that you played gave you experience and practice and honed your dueling skills. Each tournament you participate in will increase your abilities, influence your rankings, allow you to meet judges who can help you learn more complicated rulings, and give you the opportunity to observe and learn from other duelists. You've entered a higher level of play--good luck as you take on the competition!