Positioning

[Blake]

The game has definitely evolved to a point where positioning your monsters matters, and this should be completely obvious with the inclusion of Link Arrows. However, you should be thinking about this in terms of being prepared for what the opponent may play. Some cards need a certain boardstate in order to function, while you can simply capitalize on how the opponent plays at other times.

 

I'll use a recent (TCG) release as an example.

 

During either player's turn, you can activate "Magical Musket" Spell/Trap Cards from your hand. If a Spell/Trap Card is activated in this card's column: You can add 1 "Magical Musket" card from your Deck to your hand, but not a card with the same name as that activated card. You can only use this effect of "Magical Musketeer Caspar" once per turn.

 

Now, there are a number of zones that would be correct for this card (or similar) to be placed in. For example, if you have no T1 plays outside of Normal Summoning your Caspar and maybe using a cantrip to search, then you should be placing this card in either the leftmost or rightmost column, because capitalizing on your opponents playing Pendulums is a nice edge to have on the opponent.

 

So, let's say you opened Ties of the Brethren + Caspar. Well, what zones should you be putting your monsters in? Two in the Pendulum columns and the other doesn't matter? Nope.

 

As a rule of thumb, the middle column is the least relevant in terms of cards your opponent will play. You should be placing one monster in the Pendulum columns, while you place the other two in front of both of the Extra Monster Zones. If you can block both EMZ and Pendulum columns somehow, go for it.

 

 

And your friendly neighborhood plus demon is the reason why. If the Grinder Golem is allowed to be summoned across from either EMZ, then the Akashic play works, resulting in the opponent having a gravy train. Sure, that Akashic can bounce your Musketeer as well, but that's better than them pulling off Grinder Golem.

 

Putting Golem another column isn't the best for the opponent unless they have further ways to bounce it/clear the board, but that's Yu-Gi-Oh! You should still be playing to prevent their optimal plays, and this isn't a deck specifc thing. Decks about positioning like Magical Musketeer make a good example, despite the low relevance of them as a whole.

 

There are other examples, like the amount of keeping on top of positioning needed for FTKs involving Three Burst Blast Dragon, but that's closer to the original ideas of your Link Arrows than thinking ahead in terms of what the opponent will play.

[Ryusei the Morning Star]

I always summon Falco or Falco Targets to the far right, left or middle zones due to Nemesis for example. It's an extra level of complexity that's nice for the game imo