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The Maximum of 3 Rule states that during deck construction, there can only have three copies of one card of the same name between the Main Deck, Extra Deck and Side Deck.

Examples[]

Rule Applies[]

Name Condition[]

The cards "Harpie Lady", "Cyber Harpie Lady", "Harpie Lady 1", "Harpie Lady 2", and "Harpie Lady 3" each have a name condition stating that their name is also "Harpie Lady". Therefore you can only have a total of three of these cards in your Deck. For example:

  • Three copies of "Harpie Lady", no copies of the others.
  • One copy of "Harpie Lady 1", one copy of "Harpie Lady 2", one copy of "Harpie Lady 3", no copies of either "Harpie Lady" or "Cyber Harpie Lady".
  • Two copies of "Harpie Lady 2", one copy of "Harpie Lady 3", no copies of either "Harpie Lady 1", "Harpie Lady", or "Cyber Harpie Lady".

"Harpie Queen", on the other hand, only has its name treated as "Harpie Lady" while it is face-up on the field or in the Graveyard, but not in the Main Deck, so you can have three copies of "Harpie Queen" in addition to any legal combination of the above cards.

The rule also applies to "A Legendary Ocean". Its condition states its name is treated as "Umi" at all times, so you can only have three cards in total between these two. You cannot have three copies of "A Legendary Ocean" and three copies of "Umi" in your deck.

Name Condition between Main Deck and Extra Deck[]

Some cards that are stored in the Extra Deck have the same name as a card that exists in either the Main Deck or Side Deck:

Rule does not apply[]

Card Effect: Changes card names[]

"Proto-Cyber Dragon" only has its name treated as "Cyber Dragon" while it is face-up on the field. It is not illegal to have more than three cards on the field with the same name; the rule only applies while the cards are in the Deck. Therefore, you can have three copies of "Cyber Dragon" and three copies of "Proto-Cyber Dragon" in your Main Deck.

Retrains[]

Some cards are similar in name and stats and depict the same monster. For example:

In the above cases, a player may have up to three of each card above in their Deck. These cards are considered "Retrained" and are not treated as the same Monster Card.

In Real World[]

Deck Construction[]

This rule must be followed even if the participants decide to ignore Card limitations set by tournament standards.

In Trading[]

Due to this rule, Yu-Gi-Oh! cards are also generally traded in a bundle of 3, and thus being known as Playset. Preconstructed Sets (usually Structure Decks and Starter Decks) are also sold/bought in a set of 3, in order to gain a playset of its contents.

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