Historical Rules · Effective 1 October 2009
Read Section 505 continuously, or open any rule on its dedicated page.
Chapter 5 · Turn Structure
Section 505
7 rules
There are two main phases in a turn. In each turn, the first main phase (also known as the precombat main phase) and the second main phase (also known as the postcombat main phase) are separated by the combat phase (see rule 506, "Combat Phase"). The precombat and postcombat main phases are individually and collectively known as the main phase.
If an effect causes a turn to have an additional combat phase and an additional main phase, the additional main phase is also a postcombat main phase.
The main phase has no steps, so a main phase ends when all players pass in succession while the stack is empty. (See rule 500.2.)
First, any abilities that trigger at the beginning of the main phase go on the stack. (See rule 603, "Handling Triggered Abilities.")
Second, the active player gets priority. Players may cast spells and activate abilities. The active player may play a land.
The main phase is the only phase in which a player can normally cast artifact, creature, enchantment, planeswalker, and sorcery spells. Only the active player may cast these spells.
During either main phase, the active player may play one land card from his or her hand if the stack is empty, if the player has priority, and if he or she hasn't yet taken this special action this turn. (See rule 305, "Lands.") This action doesn't use the stack. Neither the land nor the action of playing the land is a spell or ability, so it can't be countered, and players can't respond to it with instants or activated abilities.
