One Turn Kill

A One Turn Kill (OTK) (Japanese: ＯＴＫ (ワンターンキル) Wantānkiru) is achieved when a player wins a Duel in the space of a single turn.

In one turn, all of the opponent's Life Points, which is normally assumed to be no less than 8000, must be depleted, or an alternate victory condition must be fulfilled. This is usually done when the player has the appropriate cards in their hand/Graveyard and has control over the Duel.

Significant or reliable OTKs generally consist of 4 or fewer cards, do not require the opponent to have particular cards or rely on indefinite chance, such as the effect of "Snipe Hunter".

Traditional and Advanced Formats will have very different OTK styles, owing to the allowable Card Pools. The Advanced Format banlist is updated every six months to reduce the viability of OTKs.

A One Turn Kill that is pulled off during the Duel's first turn is referred to as a First Turn Kill.

OTKs in Media

OTKs are rare in Yu-Gi-Oh! media, especially prior to Yu-Gi-Oh! ZEXAL, but are not non-existent. In many cases, an OTK in the anime is shown either to show off the strength of a powerful Duelist, or for the winner to have a come-from-behind victory. Since Duelists usually start with 4000 Life Points in the anime, an OTK is declared when all 4000 are depleted in one turn. Some Duelists have OTKed their opponents in the anime, including:

Yu-Gi-Oh! Duel Monsters

• Yami Yugi against Mako Tsunami^[1], Seeker^[2] and Noah Kaiba^[3]
• Joey Wheeler against Mai Valentine^[4]
• Seto Kaiba against the Duel Machine^[5], and Rare Hunters 2 and 3^[6]
• Dark Yugi against Deschutes Lew^[7] (non-canon)
• Seto Kaiba against Willa Mette^[8] (non-canon)
• Gekko Tenma against Ted Banias^[9] (non-canon)
• Katsuya Jonouchi against Reiko Kitamori^[10] (non-canon)
• Zigfried von Schroeder against Weevil Underwood and Rex Raptor^[11]

Yu-Gi-Oh! GX

• Chazz Princeton against 4 North Academy students, Czar^[12], Slade Princeton^[13], a Duel Ghoul^[14]
• Sartorius against Chazz Princeton^[15]
• Zane Truesdale against Mad Dog^[16], Chancellor Sheppard^[17]
• Jaden Yuki against Alien of Light^[18], Princess Rose^[19], Fonda Fontaine^[20], Nightshroud^[21](Nightshroud continually regained LP every turn)
• Jim Crocodile Cook against Kozaky
• Jaden Yuki and Alexis Rhodes against Chancellor Sheppard and Ms. Dorothy, the Obelisk Blue pair
• Syrus Truesdale against Makoto Inotsume^[22]

Yu-Gi-Oh! 5D's

• Jack Atlas against Hunter Pace^[23], Nicolas^[24]
• Fake Jack Atlas against Jack Atlas^[25]
• Yusei Fudo against Leo, Rudolph Heitmann, 3 Malcolm Crew thugs^[26], Aporia^[27]
• Lawton against Radley^[28]
• Crow Hogan against Hermann^[29]

Yu-Gi-Oh! ZEXAL

• Caswell Francis against Yuma Tsukumo (dub only)^[30]
• Yuma Tsukumo against Nelson Andrews^[31]; Anna Kaboom^[32]; Charlie McCay^[33]; Cathy Katherine and Tori Meadows^[34]; Girag^[35]; Vector^[36]
• Kite Tenjo against Scritch^[37]
• Charlie McCay against his opponent^[38]
• Quattro against Bronk Stone and Caswell Francis^[39]
• Don Thousand against Mizar^[40]

Yu-Gi-Oh! ARC-V

• Yuya Sakaki against The Sledgehammer^[41], Aura Sentia^[42], Iggy Arlo^[43], Nagi and Taka^[44], Yoko Sakaki^[45],and Chojiro Tokumatsu
• Yuto against Sylvio Sawatari^[46]
• Julia Krystal against Zuzu Boyle^[47]
• Moon Shadow against Aura Sentia (most of the duel took place off-screen)^[43]
• Iggy Arlo against Kit Blade (most of the duel took place off-screen)^[43]
• Shay Obsidian against Julia Krystal / Dipper O'rion / Kit Blade^[48], and Lulu Obsidian^[49]
• Gong Strong against Grizzlepike Jones^[50]
• Jack Atlas against Yuya Sakaki^[51]
• Sergey Volkov against Zuzu Boyle, and Barrett
• Declan Akaba against Jean-Michel Roget (twice)^[52]
• Yuri against 5 You Show Duel School's Students^[53]
• Kite against Gong Strong^[54],Dennis McField^[55], and Diana^[56]
• Yugo against Apollo^[57]
• Z-ARC against Sora Perse, Sylvio Sawatari, Leo Akaba^[58], and Declan Akaba

Yu-Gi-Oh! VRAINS

• Playmaker against Blue Angel^[59], Varis^[60], Specter (Specter continuously raised his LP to normal), Ghost Gal^[61], Prototype Ai-A^[62], Kenmochi^[63], Yoroizaka^[64], George Gore^[65], and Cal Kolter
• Varis against Ghost Gal^[66], and Blood Shepherd^[67]
• Soulburner against Ryujiro Mizunuma^[64], and Blue Girl^[68]
• Blood Shepherd against Ghost Gal^[69]
• Ai against Queen^[70], and Pandor

List of One Turn Kills

Advanced Format

Traditional Format

• Athena OTK
• Butterfly Dagger - Elma OTK
• Chimeratech OTK
• Cyber End/Metamorphosis OTK
• Cyber-Stein OTK
• Dark Magician of Chaos OTK
• Dark Scorpion/Makyura OTK
• Frog Burn FTK
• Magical Scientist OTK

References

1. ↑ Yu-Gi-Oh! episode 7: "Attack from the Deep"
2. ↑ Yu-Gi-Oh! episode 57: "Yugi vs. The Rare Hunter, Part 2"
3. ↑ Yu-Gi-Oh! episode 118: "Noah's Final Threat, Part 2"
4. ↑ Yu-Gi-Oh! episode 6: "First Duel"
5. ↑ Yu-Gi-Oh! episode 54: "Obelisk the Tormentor"
6. ↑ Yu-Gi-Oh! episode 68: "Legendary Fisherman, Part 1"
7. ↑ Yu-Gi-Oh! R Duel Round 3: "Kaibacorp Duel Begins!!"
8. ↑ Yu-Gi-Oh! R Duel Round 15: "Advent of the Ultimate Life-Form!!"
9. ↑ Yu-Gi-Oh! R Duel Round 18: "The Perfect Duel!!"
10. ↑ Yu-Gi-Oh! R Duel Round 20: "The Rage of Kaiba!!"
11. ↑ Yu-Gi-Oh! episode 189: "Child's Play"
12. ↑ Yu-Gi-Oh! GX episode 24: "The New Chazz"
13. ↑ Yu-Gi-Oh! GX episode 35: "Sibling Rivalry"
14. ↑ Yu-Gi-Oh! GX episode 122: "Night of the Living Duelist"
15. ↑ Yu-Gi-Oh! GX episode 61: "I've Seen the Light"
16. ↑ Yu-Gi-Oh! GX episode 65: "No Pain, No Game"
17. ↑ Yu-Gi-Oh! GX episode 83: "Schooling the Master"
18. ↑ Yu-Gi-Oh! GX episode 62: "A Greater Porpoise"
19. ↑ Yu-Gi-Oh! GX episode 74: "Happily Never After"
20. ↑ Yu-Gi-Oh! GX episode 123: "School Ghoul Duels"
21. ↑ Yu-Gi-Oh! GX episode 178: "The Last Hope! Yuki Judai"
22. ↑ Yu-Gi-Oh! GX episode 164: "The Inherited Cyberdark Dragon"
23. ↑ Yu-Gi-Oh! 5D's episode 8: "Fire it Up!"
24. ↑ Yu-Gi-Oh! 5D's episode 105: "Rook Takes Knight"
25. ↑ Yu-Gi-Oh! 5D's episode 83: "Will The Real Jack Atlas Please Stand Up, Part 1"
26. ↑ Yu-Gi-Oh! 5D's episode 86: "Duelist For Hire"
27. ↑ Yu-Gi-Oh! 5D's episode 137: "An Approaching Terror - The Citadel of God, Ark Cradle"
28. ↑ Yu-Gi-Oh! 5D's episode 88: "Showdown at Sundown, Part 2"
29. ↑ Yu-Gi-Oh! 5D's episode 105: "Rook Takes Knight"
30. ↑ Yu-Gi-Oh! ZEXAL episode 3: "In The End, Part 1"
31. ↑ Yu-Gi-Oh! ZEXAL episode 8: "The Sparrow, Part 2"
32. ↑ Yu-Gi-Oh! ZEXAL episode 29: "Love Hurts"
33. ↑ Yu-Gi-Oh! ZEXAL episode 32: "Life is a Carnival: Part 2"
34. ↑ Yu-Gi-Oh! ZEXAL episode 81: "The Friendship Games"
35. ↑ Yu-Gi-Oh! ZEXAL episode 88: "Dual Duel: Part 2"
36. ↑ Yu-Gi-Oh! ZEXAL episode 94: "Enter Vector"
37. ↑ Yu-Gi-Oh! ZEXAL episode 117: "Now or Never, Part 2"
38. ↑ Yu-Gi-Oh! ZEXAL episode 31: "Life is a Carnival: Part 1"
39. ↑ Yu-Gi-Oh! ZEXAL episode 33: "Foolish Fans"
40. ↑ Yu-Gi-Oh! ZEXAL episode 138: "The New World"
41. ↑ Yu-Gi-Oh! ARC-V episode 2: "Swing into Action: Part 2"
42. ↑ Yu-Gi-Oh! ARC-V episode 23: "A Date With Fate: Part 2"
43. ↑ ^{43.0 43.1 43.2} Yu-Gi-Oh! ARC-V episode 38: "Warped"
44. ↑ Yu-Gi-Oh! ARC-V episode 43: "Fire And Ice"
45. ↑ Yu-Gi-Oh! ARC-V episode 53: "Parental Guidance: Part 2"
46. ↑ Yu-Gi-Oh! ARC-V episode 7: "Mr. Mystery"
47. ↑ Yu-Gi-Oh! ARC-V episode 10: "You Show 'Em"
48. ↑ Yu-Gi-Oh! ARC-V episode 24: "For Our Tomorrows"
49. ↑ Yu-Gi-Oh! ARC-V episode 119: "Family Face Off"
50. ↑ Yu-Gi-Oh! ARC-V episode 30: "Gong the Strong"
51. ↑ Yu-Gi-Oh! ARC-V episode 64: "Match with the Master"
52. ↑ Yu-Gi-Oh! ARC-V episode 99: "A Vicious Cycle"
53. ↑ Yu-Gi-Oh! ARC-V episode 106: "An Academic Test"
54. ↑ Yu-Gi-Oh! ARC-V episode 101: "Realm of the Cipher Dragon"
55. ↑ Yu-Gi-Oh! ARC-V episode 114: "All Duel Hands on Deck"
56. ↑ Yu-Gi-Oh! ARC-V episode 116: "A Towering Achievement"
57. ↑ Yu-Gi-Oh! ARC-V episode 116: "A Towering Achievement"
58. ↑ Yu-Gi-Oh! ARC-V episode 139: "Clash Talk"
59. ↑ Yu-Gi-Oh! VRAINS episode 7: "Fallen Angel"
60. ↑ Yu-Gi-Oh! VRAINS episode 12: "Link the Circuit"
61. ↑ Yu-Gi-Oh! VRAINS episode 15: "Camouflaged Chaos"
62. ↑ Yu-Gi-Oh! VRAINS episode 17: "Blue's Back!"
63. ↑ Yu-Gi-Oh! VRAINS episode 62: "Fearing the Worst"
64. ↑ ^{64.0 64.1} Yu-Gi-Oh! VRAINS episode 63: "Scare Tactics"
65. ↑ Yu-Gi-Oh! VRAINS episode 82: "What's Beyond Instincts"
66. ↑ Yu-Gi-Oh! VRAINS episode 31: "Showdown in the Sewers"
67. ↑ Yu-Gi-Oh! VRAINS episode 78: "Rebellious Bounty Hunter"
68. ↑ Yu-Gi-Oh! VRAINS episode 56: "Blue Gal Battles!"
69. ↑ Yu-Gi-Oh! VRAINS episode 77: "Siblings in Conflict"
70. ↑ Yu-Gi-Oh! VRAINS episode 104: "Declaring a Crime"