Day One: Hello class! This week we will be learning about chains. Knowing about chains avoids mid-game confusions and helps on dorm tests. Typically testers will ask 1-2 questions that involve chains.
Chain - A chain is a series of card effects that has been activated in response to a card or effect before it. During a chain no card effects are activated until both players have decided or cannot add onto the chain. An example of a chain: player A plays zombie world, then player B responds with mystical space typhoon, and finally player A responds with dark bribe. At this point both players are done adding onto the chain. The chain is over, and all the card effects are activated.
Chain Link - A chain link identifies the order of which a card is played in a chain. The first card played has chain link one, the second chain link 2, the third chain link 3, etc. When no more cards are activated in a chain, then the card or card effect with the highest chain link is activated first, also known as the most recently played. In the situation I gave above, Zombie World is chain link 1, MST chain link 2, and dark bribe chain link 3. Because these card effects are activated in reverse numerical order of chain links, Dark Bribe is activated first, negating MST. MST would normally be activated; however, because of dark bribe it doesn't do anything. After that zombie world activates. The next card or card effect played starts a new chain.
Day 2: Yesterday we learned about chains and chain links. Our goal for today is to learn about the different spell speeds and what causes them.
Spell speed - Each card or effect that is activated has a spell speed. These determine what cards can be chained to what. There are only 3 spell speeds: spell speed 1, spell speed 2, and spell speed 3.
Spell speed 1 - Spell speed 1 effects are normal/equip/continuous spells, trigger/trigger-like effects, and igntion/ignition-like/flip effects. These are the cards that can not on their own be activated multiple in a chain link ever. Spell speed 1 effects can't be chained onto anything unless under certain circumstances I will explain tomorrow.
Spell speed 2 - Spell speed 2 effects are normal/continuous traps, quick/quick-like effects, and quickplay spells. Spell speed 2 effects can be chained to effects that have a spell speed 1 or a spell speed 2 if the conditions are correct.
Spell speed 3 - Spell speed 3 effects are only counter traps.Nothing can be chained to Counter traps but counter traps.
Day 3: Today it is time to get into the unusual mistakes that are the most common. Today will be most likely the most confusing and longest of the three days.
Simultaneous Spell Speed 1 Effects: Yesterday I said that there is one way that spell speed 1 effects can chain onto others. What happens when a mystic tomato attacks a mystic tomato? They both are sent to the graveyard at the same time so their effects logically would activate at the same time. However in yugioh effects do not happen at the same time. In situations where monster effects activate at the same time have a chain link in order as follows:
1. Turn Player Mandatory Effects
2. Non Turn Player Mandatory Effects
3. Turn Player Optional Effects
4. Non Turn Player Optional Effects
In the situation with a mystical tomato attacking a mystic tomato the chain works like this.
Turn Player Mandatory Effects - There are none. We now move on.
Non Turn Player Mandatory Effects - There are none. We now move on.
Turn Player Optional Effects - The turn player gets his mystic tomato's effect chain link 1
Non Turn Player Optional Effects - The non turn player gets his mystic tomato's effect chain link 2.
Because chain links are activated backwards, the non player gets to special summon a monster from his deck under mystic tomato's conditions before the turn player. If one player has two or more effects that are activated simultaneously that are all mandatory or optional, then the player of the owner of the cards can decide which chain link each gets.
Missing the Timing - Some effects can miss their timing. Effects that say "When... you can..." can miss their timing if they are caught in a middle of an effect or summon. For example, synchro summoning with lightpulsar dragon does send it to the graveyard however because it when it was in the graveyard the monster had yet to be synchro summoned, the effect would be chained while in the middle of a summon or effect. Therefore, lightpulsar's "when... you can..." effect missed its timing and is not activated. Optional effects that do not say "when... you can..." as well as mandatory effects can not miss their timing. If the conditions are met then they almost always go through.
What can't be chained - There are some effects that can not be chained. Generally, anything that is not activated or part of a resolution can not be chained. You also can not chain to cards being set. In TCG rules only that rule is applied to monster sets as well. This means you can't use torrential tribute when a monster is set. You also can not chain to the change of a phase.
You can activate cards at the start of a phase, you just can't chain them going into a phase. For example, any player can not discard effect veiler in response to changing into the battle phase. However a player can discard it for its effect at the start of a main phase or at the end of a main phase. This rule is to allow the opponent time to use his/her cards after something like that happens.
You can't chain to drawing. You can activate a card after the draw but not in response to it.
No chaining to an attack. This one is a bit weird to me. You can activate cards in response to certain parts of the battle phase, but the effects are not in response to. Magic Cylinder is an example of a card that isn't chained to anything.
Subject: Ra Yellow Lesson 8 
