Historical Rules · Effective 1 November 2013
Read Section 407 continuously, or open any rule on its dedicated page.
Chapter 4 · Zones
Section 407
4 rules
Earlier versions of the _Magic_ rules included an ante rule as a way of playing "for keeps." Playing _Magic_ games for ante is now considered an optional variation on the game, and it's allowed only where it's not forbidden by law or by other rules. Playing for ante is strictly forbidden under the _Magic: The Gathering_ Tournament Rules (Wizards.com/WPN/Events/Rules.aspx).
When playing for ante, each player puts one random card from his or her deck into the ante zone after determining which player goes first but before players draw any cards. Cards in the ante zone may be examined by any player at any time. At the end of the game, the winner becomes the owner of all the cards in the ante zone.
A few cards have the text "Remove [this card] from your deck before playing if you're not playing for ante." These are the only cards that can add or remove cards from the ante zone or change a card's owner.
To ante an object is to put that object into the ante zone from whichever zone it's currently in. The owner of an object is the only person who can ante that object.
