All right, who went to the Sneak Preview? If you did, you most likely got to try out some interesting new cards—there are several in the set that depend on being in specific zones to get their effects. Here’s an example:

Storm Shooter

Winged Beast/Effect

WIND

Level 7 2300 ATK/500 DEF

Once per turn, you can select and activate 1 of these effects:

• Move this card to an adjacent, unoccupied Monster Card Zone.

• Return 1 Spell, Trap, or Monster Card on your opponent’s side of the field in the same column as this card to its owner's hand.

You can see why players need to be very specific about where their cards are now, so before the set was released, there was a lot of discussion about how gameplay might be adapted to fit these new cards. Since so many players duel without a play mat (or at least without a zoned play mat), confusion as to which zone a card was actually in looked like it might become a complication. Plenty of people weighed in with their opinions, which ranged from, “The cards will be banned from play!” to, “We’ll be forced to use a zoned playmat!” to, “We’ll have to place our cards like they do in the videogame, in a set sequence!” and so forth. Well, it turns out that none of the above are true—instead, there’s a common-sense way of dealing with these cards that requires only a small amount of precision and attention on the part of both players, and the enforcement of some good play habits in the bargain.

I’ve been giving people a hard time about sloppy play areas ever since I started judging, and I had reasons above and beyond nagging you for the fun of it! When a player just slaps his or her cards down, it can be very difficult to tell exactly where a particular card is at any given time. Most players will at least put their decks, graveyards, removed from play piles, etc. in readily recognizable areas, but zones tend to be rather fluid when they aren’t clearly defined.

You’re not likely to run across these cards in every duel, but when you do, here’s what you should do. Each player has five monster zones. Unlike the video game, the TCG lets us put our monsters pretty much wherever we like—some players like to start on one side and work their way over in a neat row, some start in the middle, and some just put the monsters down randomly. This hasn’t changed—you can put your cards in any zone that can receive them.

If you have a playmat with the zones marked on it, it’s easy for everyone to see exactly where a card is. If you aren’t using a playmat with zones, you just need to be organized. When you place your cards on the field, do so as if you were using a playmat. Picture five spaces, each a card width or so wide, and indicate verbally where the cards are so your opponent can keep track. Make sure you are both counting from the same direction! Line up the spell and trap zone with the corresponding monster zone above. Columns of cards should be easy to see.

Then all that you really need to do is remember the following things—and by the way, these are all things you should have been doing in the first place. If you already practice these guidelines, you’re in good shape. Otherwise, time to break some bad play habits!

Don’t move your cards around on the field.

Once you’ve put a card down on the field, leave it where it is. Unless there’s a card effect that will let you mix things about, your cards stay firmly planted. This includes moving monsters, spells, or traps over when a spot “opens up,” which can be a hard habit to break. A lot of players do this without even thinking about it—one monster gets destroyed or tributed, a trap gets activated, and they automatically shift a card over to the empty spot. Players who like to keep things in the center of the field do this all the time, and usually no one really pays much attention to it since it rarely impacts the game. However, you’re not supposed to move your cards from the zones where you initially place them, so make sure you leave them be. It might take some practice and self-discipline to drop the habit, but you can do it.

If you or your opponent picks up a card to read, make sure that it goes back where it came from. Again, this might take a bit more attention than you normally give, but it is important. If a card is picked up for some reason, rest your finger on the spot where it was so you’ll remember where to return it, and make sure both players are paying attention when cards are being handled.

Communicate clearly with your opponent.

Yes, I know, I’m always on about this, but it’s really important and it avoids so much trouble and mess. If there isn’t a playmat zone clearly indicating where a card is, then announce it. If you aren’t sure what column your opponent’s card is in, ask him or her to clarify. It takes only a second. Make sure you’re in agreement about where a card is before proceeding with the turn, and then you don’t have to sit through one of those vexing, “‘Well I thought it was in this column,’ ‘Well I never said it was that column; you assumed!’” disagreements.

Again, make sure you are both counting the zones from the same direction. Repetitive arguments of “I thought zone one was the first space on my left!” “No, it’s the first space on my left!” are an unproductive way to pass the time in a duel.

Accurately represent what’s on your field.

Anyone who’s played in an event I’ve head judged has heard this over and over. If a zone should have something in it, then put something there—if you have, say, three Sheep tokens on the field, there should be three zones with a token in them. You should not have one die with three dots facing up sitting in one zone. You were never supposed to be doing this, and if you haven’t broken that habit yet, now is the time to do it. There’s a whole exciting world of potential tokens out there! You only need four! No more excuses!

That’s pretty much all you need to worry about, and these are all bad habits you need to break anyway. There are a few additional issues that can arise at an event. You can (and should) always check with a judge if you have specific questions about where the cards can go. (“Does Treeborn Frog have to come back to the same zone it was in before?” “What about D.D. Survivor returning to play?” and so forth.)

Now then—you might think to yourself, “Well, I’m not planning on putting any of these cards in my decks, and I don’t think I’ll be seeing anyone else playing them . . . so why do I need to worry about this?” That might be true, but look at it this way. You shouldn’t need a specific kind of card effect on the field to enforce correct gameplay. Remember the rules sharking articles from a while back? Playing accurately and with attention to what is going on is the best way to avoid getting sharked—and while I’m at it, I’ll mention that judges are not going to look kindly upon players requesting game losses for their opponents over moved cards. Both players should pay attention to the game, and if a card is moved, it is easy to point out the error and put it back where it belongs.

Judges will also have little tolerance for players who deliberately move their cards around in an attempt to confuse their opponent, disrupt the field, or take advantage of an effect. They will track repeat offenses, and scale penalties accordingly. The same goes for players who deliberately try to obscure a card’s location (this is why I stress the importance of asking when you aren’t sure). Just abide by the rules, and avoid the potential risks.

The extra time spent verifying where a card is should not be used as a stall technique. There’s no need to ask multiple times in a turn where each card on the field is. Double-check if it’s going to affect what you do on the turn, but players shouldn’t waste time constantly asking, “Okay, and what zone is that in?” Stalling is against the rules, and you can expect an appropriate penalty if you try it.

Well, there you go. Cyberdark Impact’s introduction to the card pool will tighten up some play procedures that already existed, encouraging you to let go of sloppy play habits and improve your precision. In the casual duel between friends, it’s of less importance, but trust me: if you actually do make it to Worlds one day, you’ll be a better representative for your country and handling the event will be a lot easier if correct play is second nature to you. You shouldn’t ever need an excuse for proper gameplay, but since the latest set has granted you one—roll with it!