Same. Nobody I knew ever actually played the game. We just liked the pretty pictures and shiny things.
Every turn you draw two cards from your deck. You start the game with five.
Your monsters attack is used to destroy others. When an enemy monster is in attack position and weaker, it gets destroyed and the left over damage drains your opponents life force. When your attack is weaker, you lose your monster and it is sent to the graveyard.
When an enemy is in defence mode, if you destroy it, your enemy does not take any damage. Same happens as before if you have a weaker monster.
Placing monsters face down is best used for weak monsters, so the enemy might be worried it's a powerful monster, causing them to lose there attacking monsters.
Players start with 4000 life points.
Trap cards have to be placed on the field before used, preferably face down. Some can destroy the enemies monster or other effects.
Spell cards can be used the same way as trap cards, but can also be used straight from your hand with features like restoring life points, adding attack/defence or even reshuffling the enemies deck or hand.