Infinite loop An infinite loop is a never - ending cycle of effects activating in response to each other , or a series of Continuous Effect ( s ) that never settle . There are two distinct types of infinite loops : loops with no net change and loops with net change . Infinite loops contrast to controlled loop s , which instead are maintained by a player intentionally repeating a set of actions or making the same decisions , rather than forced by game mechanics . Loops with no net change . These occur when a series of mandatory actions repeat after each other in a cycle , and there is no net change after each cycle , such that the game state is identical at the beginning and end of any cycle . These types of infinite loops are illegal in gameplay , meaning that a player may not voluntarily activate any card if its activation would cause such a loop . If such a loop is caused by something involuntary , such as a player conducting their normal draw or a mandatory effect , then the card ruled to be the source of the infinite loop is automatically destroyed by game mechanics . Pole Position . The mechanics of " Pole Position " naturally lend itself to causing such infinite loops when combined with Spell effects that directly or indirectly change a monster ' s ATK ( see for further examples ) . Voluntary . " Pole Position " , " Luminous Spark " , and " Gemini Elf " ( 1900 ATK ) are face - up on the field . If a player attempts to Summon " X - Head Cannon " , the following would occur : Therefore , it is an illegal move for either player to Summon " X - Head Cannon " . Involuntary . " Pole Position " , " Opticlops " ( 1800 ATK ) , and " Muka Muka " are face - up on the field . " Muka Muka " is equipped with " Axe of Despair " , and its control ler has no cards in their hand ( making " Muka Muka ' s " ATK 1600 ) . When " Muka Muka ' s " controller conducts their normal draw : Since this loop was caused by a mandatory action , it cannot be prevented by restricting the player ' s actions . Since the loop cannot be avoided , " Pole Position " will be destroy ed by game mechanics . Amplifier . The mechanics of " Amplifier " naturally lend itself to causing such infinite loops when combined with Trap effects on the field that change control of " Jinzo " or negate the effect of " Jinzo " or Trap Cards ( see for the official examples ) . Control . Voluntary . Player 1 control s a " Jinzo " which is owned by Player 2 , but being controlled by Player 1 due to " Snatch Steal " . " Jinzo " is equipped with " Amplifier " . If Player 1 attempts to activate " Imperial Order " , the following would occur : Therefore , it is an illegal move for Player 1 to activate " Imperial Order " . If Player 1 had already controlled " Imperial Order " before activating " Snatch Steal " , then Player 1 activating " Snatch Steal " targeting " Jinzo " ( equipped with " Amplifier " ) would be an illegal move . Involuntary . Player 1 control s a " Jinzo " which is owned by Player 2 , but being controlled by Player 1 due to " Snatch Steal " . " Jinzo " is equipped with " Amplifier " and affected by " Effect Veiler " . Player 1 also controls " The Emperor ' s Holiday " . At the end of the turn , the following would occur : Since this loop was caused by a mandatory effect , it cannot be prevented by restricting the player ' s actions . Since the loop cannot be avoided , whichever card is identified as the cause will be destroy ed by game mechanics ( no official ruling has been issued as to which is the cause ) . Negation . Voluntary . Player 1 controls " Skill Drain " and a " Jinzo " equipped with " Amplifier " . If Player 2 attempts to activate " Royal Decree " , the following would occur : Therefore , it is an illegal move for Player 1 to activate " Royal Decree " . If Player 2 had already controlled " Royal Decree " before Player 1 activated " Skill Drain " , then Player 1 activating " Skill Drain " would be an illegal move . Involuntary . Player 1 controls " Skill Drain " . Player 2 control s a " Jinzo " which is owned by Player 1 , but being controlled by Player 2 due to " Mind Control " . " Jinzo " is equipped with " Amplifier " . Player 2 also controls " Royal Decree " . During the End Phase , the following would occur : Since this loop was caused by a mandatory effect , it cannot be prevented by restricting the player ' s actions . Since the loop cannot be avoided , whichever card is identified as the cause will be destroy ed by game mechanics ( no official ruling has been issued as to which is the cause ) . Cyber Blader . This loop only applies in the " TCG " . In the " OCG " , " Cyber Blader " can only negate activated effects . Voluntary . Player 1 control s three monsters , one of which is owned by Player 2 , but being controlled by Player 1 due to " Snatch Steal " . If Player 2 attempts to Summon " Cyber Blader " , the following would occur : Therefore , it is an illegal move for Player 2 to Summon " Cyber Blader " . If Player 2 had already controlled " Cyber Blader " before Player 1 activated " Snatch Steal " , then Player 1 activating " Snatch Steal " ( targeting a monster other than " Cyber Blader " ) would be an illegal move . Involuntary . Player 1 control s two monsters , one of which is owned by Player 2 , but being controlled by Player 1 due to " Snatch Steal " . Player 1 also controls " Jam Breeding Machine " . Player 2 controls " Cyber Blader " . During Player 1 ' s Standby Phase , the following would occur : Since this loop was caused by a mandatory effect , it cannot be prevented by restricting the player ' s actions . Since the loop cannot be avoided , whichever card is identified as the cause will be destroy ed by game mechanics ( no official ruling has been issued , but it will likely be either " Snatch Steal " or " Cyber Blader " ) . Loops with net change . Unlike loops with no net change , loops with net change cause a change to occur each time the cycle repeats . In these cases , the loop will continue until either the Duel ends or it ceases to have net change ; if the latter , at this point the card ruled to have begun the loop will be automatically destroyed by game mechanics . All - Out Attacks . All - Out Attacks OTK s utilize a loop with net change to force the opponent to continuously thin their Deck ( either by drawing cards or sending cards from the Deck to the Graveyard ) , eventually resulting in a Deck out . End by the Duel ending . Player 1 controls a face - down " All - Out Attacks " and a face - down " Morphing Jar # 2 " and " Hiro ' s Shadow Scout " that were Special Summoned . Player 1 has no monsters left in their Deck . If Player 1 activates " All - Out Attacks " , the following will occur : End with no net change . Player 1 controls a face - down " All - Out Attacks " and a face - down " Morphing Jar # 2 " and " Needle Worm " that were Special Summoned . Player 1 has no monsters left in their Deck . If Player 1 activates " All - Out Attacks " , the following will occur : At this point , just as with infinite loops with no net change , the card that began the loop , " All - Out Attacks " , would be destroyed by game mechanics . Once Player 1 ends their turn , Player 2 will be unable to draw a card during their Draw Phase and will lose the Duel . Red - Eyes Flare Metal Dragon . There is a very simple infinite loop involving " Red - Eyes Flare Metal Dragon " and " Beelze of the Diabolic Dragons " that ends with the end of the Duel . If Player 1 controls " Red - Eyes Flare Metal Dragon " while Player 2 controls " Beelze of the Diabolic Dragons " , and the effect of " Beelze of the Diabolic Dragons " is activate d : Special rulings to prevent infinite loops . Some cards have special rulings to prevent them from causing infinite loops . Destiny HERO - Departed . While " King Tiger Wanghu " is face - up on the field ( and its effect is not negate d ) , unless a card effect would make the ATK of " Destiny HERO - Departed " greater than 1400 when Special Summon ed , its effect to Special Summon itself will not activate . If this ruling were not in place , the following would happen during the Standby Phase : This ruling does not take net change into consideration , so " Destiny HERO - Departed " will not be Special Summoned even if " Cyber Summon Blaster " and " DNA Surgery " ( declaring Machine ) are active . This ruling can also be extrapolated to cover " Destiny HERO - Departed " with a nonzero ATK of 2000 or less while the player controls " Slifer the Sky Dragon " . Light and Darkness Dragon . The negation effect of " Light and Darkness Dragon " will only activate once while the effect of " Reverse Trap " is applying . In addition to preventing abuse , this also prevents infinite loops . If this ruling were not in place , infinite loops would occur with many mandatory Trigger Effects . For example , the following would happen during the opponent ' s End Phase if that player controls " Judgment Dragon " : In the anime . The anime shows two infinite loops with net change , both caused by Yami Yugi . In the manga . The manga shows an infinite loop with net change .