Attack Directly
Attacking directly means that a monster attacks a player instead
of attacking a monster. In this case, the damage to the player will
be equal to the monster’s ATK. Some monsters have an effect that
allows them to attack directly even if the opponent controls a
monster.

Banished Cards
Although a card that has been used is normally sent to the
Graveyard, a card which is banished is separated from the field
instead. After a Duel, you must return your banished cards so you
can use them for the next Duel.

Battle Damage
Battle Damage is damage inflicted to a player by an attacking
monster, or by a battle between two monsters. This is different
from damage from the effect of an Effect Monster, Spell Card or
Trap Card.

Cards on the Field
When “cards on the field” is written in card text, it means all the
cards on the Game Mat other than the Graveyard, Deck, and Extra
Deck.

Control
A card you control is a card on your side of the field. You are
the player that gets to make decisions regarding that card. Your
opponent can take control of a card away from you with a card
effect. In that case the card is moved to your opponent’s side of
the field. However, if your card that is controlled by your opponent
is sent to the Graveyard, or returned to the hand or Deck, it is
always returned to the hand or Deck of the card’s owner.

Destroy
A card is destroyed when it is sent to the Graveyard due to battle
between monsters or by an effect that destroys a card. A card that
is returned from the field to the hand or Deck, or, that is sent to the
Graveyard as a cost or Tribute, is NOT considered “destroyed.”

Discard
Discard means to send a card from your hand to the Graveyard.
This can happen because of a card effect or by adjusting the
number of cards in your hand during the End Phase.

Effect of Cards
The effect of a card is the special ability written on it, like the effect
of a Spell, Trap, or Effect Monster. Costs that are needed to activate
an ability are not part of the effect. The conditions that describe how
to play a “Special Summon Monster” are also not an effect

Equip Cards
In addition to Equip Spell Cards, sometimes Trap Cards or Monster Cards
can become equipped to a monster. Equipped Traps remain Trap Cards,
but equipped monsters are considered to be Equip Spells. The term “Equip
Card” includes all 3 kinds (standard Equip Spells, equipped Traps, and
equipped monsters). If a Monster Card is equipped to another monster, it
remains equipped to that monster and cannot be moved to a different
target, even by card effects that would normally be able to do so.
EXCEPTION: Union monsters equipped by their own effects can be moved
by appropriate card effects

Equipped Monster
A monster that is equipped with an Equip Card is an “equipped monster.”
When this monster is destroyed or flipped face-down, the equipped card
loses its target, and is destroyed and sent to the Graveyard.

Excavate
When a card says to “excavate” cards from your Deck, you reveal
those cards to both players. Then, before you do anything else,
apply the instructions from the card effect that excavated them.
Cards that are being excavated are still treated as being in the Deck
until sent elsewhere by the card instructions.

Original ATK (or DEF)
The Original ATK (or DEF) is the number of ATK (or DEF) points printed on
the Monster Card. This does not include an increase from an Equip Spell
Card or other card effect

Pay a Cost
To pay a cost is an action required in order to activate a card, an effect,
or to Summon a monster. Tributing to Tribute Summon a Level 5
monster is an example of a cost. Other common costs are discarding,
paying Life Points, or banishing cards. You have to pay any costs
before you declare the activation of the card. Even if the activation of
the card is negated, you cannot get a refund of the cost that you have
paid.

Piercing Battle Damage
Some monsters can inflict piercing Battle Damage when they attack a
Defense Position monster. This means that you inflict damage to your
opponent’s Life Points equal to the difference between the attacking
monster’s ATK and the defending monster’s DEF.

Random
When a card effect says to choose a card randomly, there is no official
way of doing so, but it is fine as long as neither player has a way of
knowing which card is being chosen.

Reveal
When an effect says to reveal a card, you show it to both players.
You may have to reveal a face-down card, a card from your hand,
or from the top of your Deck. Revealing a card does not activate
the card or its Flip Effect. Normally, revealed cards are returned
to their original position after being looked at by both players.

Search your Deck
Whenever an effect instructs you to add a card from your Deck to
your hand, or to Special Summon a monster from your Deck, you
can pick up your Deck and search through it for the appropriate
card. You must shuffle your Deck after any time you search it and
let your opponent shuffle or cut. You cannot activate an effect to
search your Deck for a card if there are no cards that meet the
requirements in your Deck.

Send to the Graveyard
A card can be sent to the Graveyard in various ways. Destroying a
card, discarding, and Tributing a monster are all actions that send a
card to the Graveyard, and will normally activate “When this card is
sent to the Graveyard…” Trigger Effects. EXCEPTION: When a
banished card is moved to the Graveyard, it is not considered to be
“sent to the Graveyard”.

Set
Playing a card face-down is called a Set. For Monster Cards, playing
it in face-down Defense Position is called a Set. Any card that is
face-down on the field is a Set card.

Shuffle
There is no rule for how to shuffle, but while shuffling you cannot
look at the cards you are shuffling, or arrange the cards and then
shuffle them.

Tribute
Tributing is sending a monster you control to the Graveyard. You
can Tribute a face-up or face-down monster, unless otherwise
specified. Tributing a monster is one possible cost for Summoning
a monster or activating an effect. A monster sent to the Graveyard
by Tributing is not treated as “destroyed.”
A card can be sent to the Graveyard in various ways. Destroying a
card, discarding, and Tributing a monster are all actions that send a
card to the Graveyard, and will normally activate “When this card is
sent to the Graveyard…” Trigger Effects. EXCEPTION: When a
banished card is moved to the Graveyard, it is not considered to be
“sent to the Graveyard”.