how do you play the yugioh card game? How do you keep track of the number of life points you have?

New guy aye.

Ok life points:

This can range from 4000-10000, 8000 being the standard number to start with. To keep track of them just use a piece of paper and right down how much you start with then takeaway/add the correct numbers when needed.

Cards:

There are three types of cards. Monsters, Spell and Traps.

Monsters battle it out while your spell and trap cards enhance and support those monster card.

Monster cards:

1. Firstly we have the stars on the cards. These tell you if you need to sacrifice a monster to put it down and use it.

Stars 1 - 4 mean that you can just put it straight down.

5 & 6 men that you need to sacrifice 1 monster

7 & 8 you'll need 2 and the amount of sacrifices increase by each pair, like i said above.

2. Now were into summoning. There are three ways to summon a monster (put it down on the field).

Normal summon, which is what i said with the stars where you just plainly get it on the field with no real fancy stuff.

Setting, You place the card on the field just like you would normal summoning (vertical & face up) but you put it horizontally face-down.

Special summon, This one is hard but very fun. You use an effect on any card that you can use at the time and bring a monster onto the field. You can do this as many time you want in one turn while normal summoning an setting are limited to one.

3. Ok the attack and defence are shown at the bottom of the card. When you have a card in a vertical position the attack is all you have to worry about. When it's horizontal the defence points are important.

You declare attacks in vertical position and practically have to beat another monster in points. (can only attack once with each monster)

In horizontal position you can do anything but defend attacks with the points.

Note: The points never go down unless chaged by a spell/trap card.

Spells:

There are also special types of spells

- Normal spell

- Quick play spell

- Continuos spell

- Ritual summoning spell (special summon)

- Equip spell

Quick plays can be played during your opponents turn.

Continuos have a continued effect and stay on the field until destroyed

Ritual spells summon monsters that are in the effect description that you also have in your hand.

Equip spell, this card attaches an effect to another card on the field and also stays on the field.

Trap cards

These are very useful and have special typeas well

- Normal type

- Continuos type (same as spell)

- Counter type

Traps in general have to be played a turn in advance to be able to be activated. eg. you put a trap down then during there turn you activate it or when it goes back to your turn you can.

Counter traps do exactly what the name says, they counter certain effects of other cards.

Continuos are exactly the same as the spells but need to be played a turn in advance.

Buy a structure deck. Any type will do. Each structure deck has a rule booklet & a dueling mat. Read the rule book carefully, if you still don't understand the game rules fully.

Go to www.yugioh-card.com. There you will find tons of advanced gameplay rulings.

As for the life point thing, keep a calculator or a pen & paper handy.

May the heart of the cards be with you.

It depends, if the card is on the attack position and it is attacked by a card with a higher attack power, the difference is directed to the life points.

If a card attacks a card on defense position, and the defense is higher, the person attacking will take damage by the difference of the defence power and the attack power.

Try just buying a starter deck or a structure deck. They come with a rulebook, gamemat, and, in the case of structure decks, cards that would really help your deck out. It also has 50 cards, all you need to start playing. Have fun with the yu-gi-oh! TCG.

with a paper and pen- start out with 8000, and subtract each time u take damage to your life points.

with a calculator- type in 8000.8001 or 8000.8 and subtract each time u take damage to life points. hundreds and thousands for u, and hundreths and thousandths for your opponent!

Trying to remember life points is even too hard for us experienced players!!

the attack/defense points are on the card.as for the life points try keeping them on paper.

go read the rule book its explains it very well

goto www.yugioh-card.com they have a dueling demo

READ THE RULE ,BOOK