<p>No, if you cast that spell on your opponent, he draws 2 for a total of 9 hand cards, then discards 4 cards, down to 5.</p>

<blockquote>
  <p>402.2. Each player has a maximum hand size, which is normally seven cards. A player may have any number of cards in his or her hand, but as part of his or her cleanup step, the player must discard excess cards down to the maximum hand size.</p>
</blockquote>

<p>The cleanup step is the last step in each player's turn.</p>

CC BY-SA 3.0
2015-12-31T18:50:04.113Z
If this weren't the case, being the second player would really suck, since you wouldn't be able to draw up to 8 cards on your first turn!
corsiKa
CC BY-SA 3.0
2015-12-31T20:47:41.497Z
To be explicitly clear - the cleanup step that matters for you is the last step in YOUR turn.  That's the only time that hand size is checked.  Otherwise end-step instant draw spells that push you past 7 cards would kinda hurt.
Ethan The Brave
CC BY-SA 3.0
2015-12-31T06:23:07.743Z
2015-12-31T06:23:07.743Z
Hackworth
<p>If my opponent has a full hand of 7 cards and I cast <a class="mtg-autocard" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer" href="https://gatherer.wizards.com/Pages/Card/Details.aspx?name=wistful%20thinking">wistful thinking</a>, what happens?</p>
<p>Do they discard the two cards they draw and then discard four more for a total of six cards discarded?</p>

CC BY-SA 3.0
2016-01-01T02:22:47.877Z
This is a fairly common misconception. There is no limit to how many cards you can have in your hand at a time. You just discard down to your maximum size (usually, but not always seven) at the end of turn.
aaron
<magic-the-gathering>
How does drawing then discarding work with a full hand?
spoon_man
# How does drawing then discarding work with a full hand?

(Asked by: username_0 on 2015-12-31)

If my opponent has a full hand of 7 cards and I cast [wistful thinking](https://gatherer.wizards.com/Pages/Card/Details.aspx?name=wistful%20thinking), what happens?

Do they discard the two cards they draw and then discard four more for a total of six cards discarded?

**Tags:** magic-the-gathering

> **Comments:**
> **username_1**: This is a fairly common misconception. There is no limit to how many cards you can have in your hand at a time. You just discard down to your maximum size (usually, but not always seven) at the end of turn.  

---

## 1 answers

### Answer by username_2 on 2015-12-31. Score: 11 | Accepted answer

No, if you cast that spell on your opponent, he draws 2 for a total of 9 hand cards, then discards 4 cards, down to 5.

> 402.2. Each player has a maximum hand size, which is normally seven cards. A player may have any number of cards in his or her hand, but as part of his or her cleanup step, the player must discard excess cards down to the maximum hand size.

The cleanup step is the last step in each player's turn.

> **Comments:**
> **username_3**: If this weren't the case, being the second player would really suck, since you wouldn't be able to draw up to 8 cards on your first turn!  
> **username_4**: To be explicitly clear - the cleanup step that matters for you is the last step in YOUR turn.  That's the only time that hand size is checked.  Otherwise end-step instant draw spells that push you past 7 cards would kinda hurt.  

---

