how burn out works

Burn Out is a forced replacement effect that happens when you try to move more cards out of your Main Deck than are actually in it (Rule 431).

The sequence is: do as much of the action as possible, Recycle your Trash into your Main Deck (randomized), choose an opponent to gain 1 point, then finish the rest of the instruction. So if you're told to Draw 4 with 3 cards left, you draw 3, shuffle your trash back in, then draw the 4th — you don't burn out mid-draw (Rule 413.4, FAQ #3374). Same for Burning/trashing cards: burn what you can, burn out, then burn the rest.

Only actions that actually move cards out of the deck cause it. Looking at or Revealing cards in excess of your deck size does not burn you out — the cards are still in the Main Deck zone while revealed (Rule 431.1.c, FAQ #5695).

If your deck and Trash are both empty, you burn out repeatedly, one point to an opponent each time, and after the first Burn Out those points can't be replaced or prevented. Points gained this way can be the winning point — they aren't restricted like Conquer or Hold — and the win happens immediately if it pushes someone past the Victory Score with more points than everyone else (Rule 431.3.c.1).