You can chain to your own cards (example: chain "Backup Soldier" to "Backup Soldier") even if your opponent doesn't have any "intermediate" steps. However, you cannot do so without waiting to know whether your opponent will respond to your first card.

Example #1:

• Player A attacks.
• Player B activates "Enchanted Javelin".
• Player A does not respond.
• Player B chains another "Enchanted Javelin".

Example #2:

• Player A attacks.
• Player B activates "Gravity Bind".
• Player A does not respond.
• Player B chains "Enchanted Javelin".

Example #3:

• Player A attacks.
• Player B activates "Mirror Force".
• Player A does not respond.
• Player B chains "Magic Cylinder".

Example #4:

• Player A Summons a monster.
• Player B activates "Trap Hole".
• Player A does not respond.
• Player B chains "Chain Destruction" to "Trap Hole".

Example #5:

• Player A activates "Ring of Destruction".
• Player B does not respond.
• Player A chains "Barrel Behind the Door" to "Ring of Destruction".

Example #6:

• Player A Summons a monster.
• Player B does not respond.
• Player A chains "Torrential Tribute"

These are all legal moves.

Remember that a Counter Trap can only be chained to negate the step immediately preceding its activation.

Example #7:

• Player A activates "Ring of Destruction".
• Player B chains "Waboku".
• Player A cannot chain "Barrel Behind the Door" to "Ring of Destruction" because "Ring of Destruction" was not the immediately preceding step of the chain.