It’s Round 2 here at TEAM YCS Las Vegas, and for this round’s feature match, we have two teams that are hoping to get back on track! Each of these teams lost their respective first rounds, but are hoping to turn things around with a victory here. On one hand, we have Daniel Ramirez-Medina of Team Better Lucky Than Good, piloting the pure Branded Deck. On the other hand, we have Rico Eichelberger of Team Global Threat, playing his reliable Maliss Deck! It’s time to Duel!

Duel 1

Eichelberger won the die roll and chose to go first! Ramirez-Medina opened with Nibiru, the Primal Being, Branded Opening, Fallen of the White Dragon, Droll & Lock Bird, and Albion the Shrouded Dragon. 

Eichelberger began by activating Gold Sarcophagus and banishing Maliss <P> Dormouse from his Deck. He Special Summoned back the Dormouse, then activated its effect to banish Maliss <P> Chessy Cat from his Deck. Next, he Special Summoned back the Chessy Cat, then activated its effect, banishing Maliss <P> March Hare from his hand to draw 2 cards! Eichelberger added March Hare back to hand, as Ramirez-Medina Chained the effect of Droll & Lock Bird! Eichelberger then used Dormouse to Link Summon Linguriboh, then Set a card to his backrow. He Normal Summoned Ghost Belle & Haunted Mansion, then used all three of his monsters to Link Summon Maliss <Q> Red Ransom! He activated Maliss <C> TB-11, banishing Red Ransom to Special Summon another Chessy Cat from his Deck, then activated Red Ransom’s effect, Special Summoning it back to the field and banishing Maliss <P> White Rabbit from his Deck. He activated White Rabbit’s effect, Special Summoning it back to the field and Setting Maliss <C> MTP-07 to his backrow. Eichelberger used Chessy Cat, Red Ransom, and White Rabbit to Link Summon Maliss <Q> Hearts Crypter, then activated the effect of Wizard @Ignister in his hand, Special Summoning it from hand and White Rabbit from the Graveyard. Finally, he used Hearts Crypter, White Rabbit, and Wizard to Link Summon Allied Code Talker @Ignister. However, when he activated its effect, Ramirez-Medina activated the effect of Nibiru the Primal Being! The Allied Code was Tributed, and Ramirez-Medina Special Summoned a Primal Being Token to Eichelberger’s side of the field. 

To follow up, Eichelberger activated the effect of March Hare in hand, banishing Hearts Crypter from his Graveyard to Special Summon it, then Special Summoned back the Hearts Crypter. He used March Hare and the Primal Being Token to Link Summon I:P Masquerena, Set a card to his backrow, and ended his turn. 

Ramirez-Medina drew Branded in High Spirits for turn! He began by activating the effect of Albion, sending Branded Retribution from his Deck to the Graveyard, then Chained High Spirits, sending Albion the Branded Dragon to the Graveyard and searching for Blazing Cartesia, the Virtuous. He Special Summoned Cartesia, then activated the effect of Branded Retribution in the Graveyard, adding Branded in High Spirits back to hand. Next, he activated the effect of Fallen of the White Dragon, sending Ecclesia and the Dark Dragon to the Graveyard; Eichelberger activated Dominus Impulse as Chain Link 2, Ramirez-Medina activated the effect of Cartesia as Chain Link 3, and Eichelberger finally activated MTP as Chain Link 4! On resolution, Eichelberger banished Cartesia and searched for March Hare, and Ramirez-Medina used White Dragon and Nibiru to Fusion Summon Titaniklad the Ash Dragon.

Here, Eichelberger activated the effect of March Hare, banishing Red Ransom from his Graveyard to Special Summon it, then Special Summoned Red Ransom and banished Maliss <P> White Rabbit from his Deck. He then activated Red Ransom’s effect to search for Maliss in Underground. Next, he activated I:P’s effect, using it and White Rabbit to Link Summon S:P Little Knight, activating its effect to banish the Ecclesia and the Dark Dragon from Ramirez-Medina’s Graveyard. Ramirez-Medina entered the Battle Phase, and used Titaniklad to attack Eichelberger’s S:P; however, Eichelberger activated the effect of Hearts Crypter, returning White Rabbit to the Deck to banish Titanklad. With that, Ramirez-Medina conceded the first Duel. 

At this point, the two Duelists found out that one of each of their teammates had won their respective Duels, and this would be the deciding match. The pressure is on! 

Duel 2

Ramirez-Medina chose to go first in the second Duel, and opened with Gold Sarcophagus, Branded Fusion, Branded in High Spirits, Nadir Servant, and Super Polymerization. He started by activating Gold Sarcophagus, banishing Tri-Brigade Mercourier from his Deck, and used its effect to search for Fallen of the White Dragon. On resolution, Eichelberger activated the effect of Dimension Shifter, as Ramirez-Medina Chained Branded in High Spirits! Ramirez-Medina sent White Dragon and Albion the Branded Dragon to the Graveyard to search for another copy of White Dragon. On resolution, Ramirez-Medina Normal Summoned White Dragon and activated its effect, but Eichelberger Chained the effect of Mulcharmy Fuwalos! Ramirez-Medina Special Summoned Incredible Ecclesia, the Virtuous from the Deck and Set a card to his backrow. Here, Eichelberger activated the effect of Bystial Magnamhut, banishing Albion from Ramirez-Medina’s Graveyard. During the End Phase, Eichelberger used Magnamhut’s effect to search for Bystial Baldrake. 

During Eichelberger’s Main Phase, Ramirez-Medina activated the effect of Ecclesia, Tributing it to Special Summon Fallen of Albaz from his Deck. He activated Albaz’s effect, using it and Eichelberger’s Magnamhut to Fusion Summon Titaniklad the Ash Dragon. Eichelberger followed up by Normal Summoning Maliss <P> White Rabbit and activating its effect to Set Maliss <C> TB-11 to his backrow. He then activated TB, banishing White Rabbit and Special Summoning Maliss <P> Dormouse, then Special Summoned back White Rabbit to the field. Next, he activated the effect of Bystial Baldrake, banishing Ramirez-Medina’s White Dragon from the Graveyard, then used Baldrake, White Rabbit, and Dormouse to Link Summon Maliss <Q> Hearts Crypter! He activated Crypter’s effect, and Ramirez-Medina Chained Super Polymerization, using his own White Dragon and Eichelberger’s Hearts Crypter to Fusion Summon Lubellion the Searing Dragon, though it was promptly banished by the effect of Hearts Crypter. Finally, Eichelberger activated the effect of March Hare, banishing Dormouse from his Graveyard and then Special Summoning it back out. He activated Dormouse’s effect to banish and then Special Summon Maliss <P> Chessy Cat, then Set Maliss <C> MTP-07 to his backrow and immediately activated it, banishing March Hare to banish Ramirez-Medina’s Titaniklad. Eichelberger proceeded to the Battle Phase and attacked Ramirez-Medina’s Life Points directly, reducing them to zero once again! 

With the victory, Eichelberger and Team Global Threat get back on track with a 1-1 record, and their hopes of making it to Day 2 here at TEAM YCS Las Vegas remain alive!