What are the phases of a Magic turn in order?

The phases in order are: beginning phase (untap, upkeep, draw), first main phase, combat phase (with its own steps), second main phase, and ending phase (end step and cleanup).

Why are there two main phases in a turn?

You get a main phase before and after combat so you have flexibility. The first main phase lets you develop your board, and the second lets you cast spells after seeing how combat went, like holding back a creature to keep mana available for instants.

Does the player going first draw a card on turn one?

In most formats, no — the starting player skips their first draw step to balance the advantage of going first. The player who goes second draws normally on their first turn.

MTG Turn Structure & Phases Explained for New Players

A step-by-step guide to the Magic: The Gathering turn structure and its phases — untap, upkeep, draw, first main phase, combat, second main phase, and end step — and what happens in each.

Beginning Phase: Untap, Upkeep, and Draw

Every Magic turn follows the same fixed sequence of phases, and the turn opens with the beginning phase. First is the untap step, where you untap all your tapped permanents — lands, creatures, and anything else — making them ready to use again. Nothing can be done by either player during the untap step; it happens automatically.

Next is the upkeep step, a short window where certain card abilities trigger ('at the beginning of your upkeep...') and players may cast instants. Then comes the draw step, when you draw one card from your library for the turn. The very first player of the game usually skips their first draw to offset the advantage of going first.

Main Phases and Combat

After drawing, you reach your first main phase. This is when you can play a land for the turn and cast sorceries, creatures, enchantments, and artifacts — anything you have the mana for. Many players develop their board here before deciding whether to attack, since you get a chance to act again after combat.

Then comes the combat phase, the heart of most games. It has its own steps: beginning of combat, declare attackers, declare blockers, combat damage, and end of combat. You choose attackers, your opponent chooses blockers, and damage is dealt. After combat you get a second main phase, identical to the first, where you can cast more spells or play creatures you held back — for example to keep mana open for tricks during combat.

Ending the Turn: End Step and Cleanup

Once your second main phase is done, the turn moves to the ending phase. The end step is the last window of the turn where abilities can trigger ('at the beginning of your end step...') and either player can cast instants. This is a common moment for an opponent to cast something so it lands right before your turn ends.

Finally comes the cleanup step. If you have more than seven cards in hand you discard down to seven, and any 'until end of turn' effects and damage on creatures wear off. Players don't usually act during cleanup. Once it finishes, the turn passes to the next player and the whole sequence begins again.

FAQ

What are the phases of a Magic turn in order?: The phases in order are: beginning phase (untap, upkeep, draw), first main phase, combat phase (with its own steps), second main phase, and ending phase (end step and cleanup).
Why are there two main phases in a turn?: You get a main phase before and after combat so you have flexibility. The first main phase lets you develop your board, and the second lets you cast spells after seeing how combat went, like holding back a creature to keep mana available for instants.
Does the player going first draw a card on turn one?: In most formats, no — the starting player skips their first draw step to balance the advantage of going first. The player who goes second draws normally on their first turn.