Chains are a way to order the resolution of multiple card effects. They are used when the effects of more than 1 card are activated at once, or when a player wants to use an effect after a card has been played, but BEFORE that card has an effect on the game.

It's based on placing every effect on one-step called "Chain Link" according to specific rules.

Chain RulesEdit

A Chain is formed and build based on those rules:

• Only cards/effects that could be "activated" can form a Chain.
• The first activation is Chain Link 1 (チェーン１, Chēn Ichi, Chain 1). The next is Chain Link 2, and so on. Every time a new Chain Link is made, they are stacked up in the order that the cards/effects are activated.
• Effect can only be placed as a Chain Link 2 (チェーン２, Chēn Ni, Chain 2) or higher if it has an equal or greater Spell Speed than the one on the Chain Link before it.
• Spell Speed 1 effect cannot be placed as a Chain Link 2 or higher, except for Flip, Trigger and Trigger-like effects if they activated at the same time, they must be placed on the Chain first before using Fast Effects (See SEGOC).
• After placing all Spell Speed 1 effects on the Chain, or after a Fast Effect activation, the last player who activated his card/effect must give his opponent the chance to respond with another card/effect of their own.
• Both players continue to add Chain Links to the Chain until they both wish to add nothing else.

Once the Chain is completed, the outcome is resolved starting with the most recent card/effect to be activated at the top of the Chain and proceeding down to Chain Link 1. Here is one such example:

1. Player 1 plays "Raigeki". (Chain Link 1)
2. Player 2 counters with "Magic Jammer", activating it in response to "Raigeki". (Chain Link 2)
3. Player 1 responds with "Seven Tools of the Bandit". (Chain Link 3)

Then you resolve the outcome in reverse order – starting with the last card that was activated.

1. (Chain Link 3) Player 1's "Seven Tools of the Bandit" negates Player 2's "Magic Jammer".
2. (Chain Link 2) The effect of "Magic Jammer" does not apply.
3. (Chain Link 1) The effect of "Raigeki" taking place, destroying all monsters on Player 2's side of the field.
4. (Chain Link end) The chain ends with all three cards activated going to the Graveyard.

Who has the right to start Chain?Edit

Mostly, the turn player has the right to start any Chain at any time during his turn. However, this right will pass to the other player if he:

• Doesn’t wish to take any actions at that time.
• Wants to move to the next Step/Phase.

In addition to this, it may passes also if a Flip, Trigger or Trigger-like effect is trying to be activated at that time (see SEGOC).

You must always be careful not to resolve the effects of your cards before asking your opponent if they wish to make a Chain.

Any actions that do not possess a Spell Speed cannot be chained to. Therefore, those actions can only be responded to.

Example: Player 1 Summons a "Blue-Eyes White Dragon", then in response Player 1 activates "Rush Recklessly" on him. The Summon is still the last action with no Spell Speed to have resolved on the field, and you can still response with "Trap Hole" chained it to "Rush Recklessly"