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Magic: The Gathering is the world’s most popular strategy card game, and for good reason. This battle of wits sees players casting powerful spells and summoning monstrous creatures to win duels, often using intricate combinations of these cards to do so.
If you have days or decades of experience playing Magic: The Gathering and have rules questions, check out the tips below for more info:
Card Reader
During a Magic: The Gathering game, confusion can come about by accidentally overlooking the abilities printed on the cards themselves. If a card doesn’t make sense, taking the time to read its abilities is often the best and most efficient way to figure out how it works.
Gatherer, the official Magic Card Database, is also an excellent resource to use when you want to figure out specific card rulings or browse through cards from the entire history of the game.
Passing Judgment
During unofficial/non-sanctioned matches (such as games played at home with friends and family), we recommend coming to an agreement for specific situations as Wizards of the Coast does not pass rulings for these games.
For official/sanctioned events, refer to the Tournament Organizer and/or Judge for rules questions. They are the authority in these situations, not Wizards of the Coast, and solely determine the outcome of specific card interactions during the events you’ve ventured to.
Online Resources
New to Magic
There’s no need to be intimidated when starting out in Magic: The Gathering. In fact, with everything there is to discover, it’s one of the most exciting times to play! Watch tutorial videos, explore the lore, and find places to play Magic on our site!
Basic Rules
Want to learn what the text and symbols on a Magic card mean? Unsure about the difference between your main phases, or what it means to untap, upkeep, and draw? Here’s where we help you understand how to play your cards and break down the basic steps in a turn.
Comprehensive Rules
This hefty read is filled with rules and corner cases to consult when specific situations come into play during your Magic: The Gathering match. We recommend referring to this document if you’re unable to resolve the rules question yourself or need more info than what is provided in the basic rules linked above.
Formats
Standard one-on-one matches are only the beginning when it comes to Magic: The Gathering. This page describes the many ways there are to play the game, including popular Constructed and Limited variants like Commander, Vintage, and Booster Draft.
What it’s All About
While Wizards of the Coast offers numerous ways to help you understand how to play Magic: The Gathering, we do not offer support for rules-related questions.
In unofficial/non-sanctioned games, do your best to figure out how cards interact by communicating with those around you and using the many resources linked above. During official/sanctioned events, please direct your questions to the Tournament Organizer and/or Judge.
Either way, don’t forget the most important rule while playing Magic: The Gathering- have fun!