A chain is a stack of card effects activated one after the other. It exists for the management of multiple card effects.

A chain is created when the effects of One or more card are activated at the same time, or when a player activates an effect after a card is played, but before the card impacts the game.

If the effect of a card is activated, the opponent always has the possibility to reply with an effect of their own cards.

• If the opponent replied with an effect, the player can choose to reply back and add another effect to the chain.
• If the opponent chooses not to reply, the player can add a second effect and create a chain off of the activation of their own card. Mandatory effects must be activated before or at the start of chain or right after the chain resolves.

Each player can then continue to add effects to the chain. The chain ends when the players wish to not (or are unable to) play any more cards. Should this happen, the chain is resolved: the resolution is performed in reverse order of play, starting with the effect of the most recently played card.

It is advised to not resolve card effects before ensuring that a chain had not been created.(ask for a Response)

The player plays Raigeki (a normal spell destroying all of the opponent's monsters) (Starting Chain link 1). As a response to the player's Raigeki, their opponent plays Destruction Jammer (a counter trap that negates the destruction of a monster by discarding a card) to negate the effects of Raigeki (thus placing Destruction Jammer in chain link 2). The player then plays Solemn Judgement (a counter trap that negates a monster summon and / or the activation of a spell or trap, but at the cost of half of the player's LP) (as chain link 3 to negate Destruction Jammer's effect). Their opponent decides not to reply to Solemn Judgement, thus the chain is resolved starting with the highest chain link, which achieves this result:

1. Solemn Judgement is activated: the player pays half of their LP, and the effect of destruction jammer is negated.
2. Destruction Jammer should have been resolved and negate the effect of Raigeki, but Solemn Judgement prevents the effect from resolving.
3. Raigeki is then able to resolve successfully, and all of the opponent's monsters are destroyed.

A chain can only be created when a card or effect is activated. Summoning or tributing a monster, changing position or paying a cost do not represent valid effects. Thus, it is not possible to reply to a chain with these effects.