Yu-Gi-Oh! Banlist Explained: Check Your Deck's Copy Limits

The Forbidden & Limited List tells you how many copies of a card you can include in your deck. For TCG Advanced play, count copies across Main, Extra and Side Decks together. A second copy in the Side Deck still counts against the same limit.

Choose the list before counting

Confirm your event’s format, region and date. Start with Konami’s TCG deck construction page or European list page, then open the applicable list. TCG, OCG and Master Duel rules are not interchangeable. Historical and special formats need their own rules; the Advanced limits below do not describe every way to play.

Read the effective date, not just the announcement date. Check individual card remarks for exceptions. The October 19, 2026 TCG list, for example, gives one change a separate November 11 effective date. Do not assume a fixed quarterly schedule: follow Konami’s published dates and check again before your event.

Apply the combined limit

Advanced status	Maximum copies across all three sections
Forbidden	0
Limited	1
Semi-Limited	2
Unrestricted	Normally 3

Use the card’s identity, not its artwork, rarity or edition, when counting copies. Different printings do not grant separate allowances. Cards whose rules treat their names as the same need that naming rule applied too. Being absent from the list does not by itself establish that a particular card or printing is eligible for your event.

Check a deck after an update

1. Write down the applicable format and effective list date beside your deck list.
2. Check every card’s status and total quantity across Main, Extra and Side. In a hypothetical example, two Main copies plus one Side copy total three; if that card becomes Semi-Limited, remove at least one copy overall.
3. Replace affected cards, recheck section sizes and test how the revised deck plays. For between-game changes, use the Side Deck guide. Compare the finished list with your physical cards before registration; ask the organizer or a judge about unresolved eligibility questions.

YuScan’s deck builder on iOS and Android helps organize Main, Extra and Side cards and quantities. Use the saved list to prepare your check against the official rules. It does not certify tournament legality. Finish with the correct list, a checked total for every card and a matching physical deck.