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- 100.1 These Magic rules apply to any Magic game with two or more players, including two-player games and multiplayer games.
- 100.1a A two-player game is a game that begins with only two players.
- 100.1b A multiplayer game is a game that begins with more than two players. See section 8, “Multiplayer Rules.”
100.2 To play, each player needs their own deck of traditional Magic cards, small items to represent any tokens and counters, and some way to clearly track life totals.- 100.2a In constructed play (a way of playing in which each player creates their own deck ahead of time), each deck has a minimum deck size of 60 cards. A constructed deck may contain any number of basic land cards and no more than four of any card with a particular English name other than basic land cards.
- 100.2b In limited play (a way of playing in which each player gets the same quantity of unopened Magic product such as booster packs and creates their own deck using only this product and basic land cards), each deck has a minimum deck size of 40 cards. A limited deck may contain as many duplicates of a card as are included with the product.
100.3 Some casual variants require additional items, such as specially designated cards, nontraditional Magic cards, and dice. See section 9, “Casual Variants.”- 100.4a In constructed play, a sideboard may contain no more than fifteen cards. The four-card limit (see rule 100.2a) applies to the combined deck and sideboard.
- 100.4c In limited play involving the Two-Headed Giant multiplayer variant, all cards in a team’s card pool but not in either player’s deck are in that team’s sideboard.
100.5 If a deck must contain at least a certain number of cards, that number is referred to as a minimum deck size. There is no maximum deck size for non–Commander decks.100.6 Most Magic tournaments (organized play activities where players compete against other players to win prizes) have additional rules covered in the Magic: The Gathering Tournament Rules (found at WPN.Wizards.com/en/resources/rules-documents). These rules may limit the use of some cards, including barring all cards from some older sets.- 100.6a Tournaments usually consist of a series of matches. A two-player match usually involves playing until one player has won two games. A multiplayer match usually consists of only one game.
- 100.6b Players can use the Magic Store & Event Locator at Wizards.com/Locator to find tournaments in their area.
100.7 Certain promotional cards and cards in the Unglued, Unhinged, and Unstable sets are printed with a silver border. These cards are intended for casual play and may have features and text that aren’t covered by these rules.
