It is the final round of Swiss for the Advanced Format YCS here at YCS Columbus! Both Duelists are 7-1 right now and want to move into Day 2 with another win on their record.

DeAngelo Bates, from Detroit, Michigan, is playing a Tombkeeper Blue-Eyes Deck! A unique combination that is sure to be interesting.

Nana Darko, from Cleveland, Ohio, is playing a Branded Deck, a tried-and-true strategy that we have been seeing consistently throughout the day.

Both Duelists are in good spirits going into this last match of the day!

Duel One

Bates won the dice roll and chose to go first.

Bates started with Maiden of White, Ghost Belle & Haunted Mansion, Effect Veiler, and two Blue-Eyes White Dragon.

Bates laughed at his hand and activated Maiden of White. He placed True Light onto the field from his Deck to the field. Bates then used True Light’s effect and Set Wishes for Eyes of Blue. He activated Wishes and discarded Blue-Eyes White Dragon to add Sage with Eyes of Blue and Roar of the Blue-Eyed Dragons.

Bates Normal Summoned Sage and activated its effect to add Effect Veiler from his Deck to his hand. He then Link Summoned Spirits with Eyes of Blue and used its effect to add Mausoleum of White from his Deck to his hand. Bates activated his Mausoleum and then activated the effect of his Spirit. He Tributed the Spirit to Special Summon his Blue-Eyes White Dragon from the Graveyard.

Bates then activated Maiden’s effect in the Graveyard and Special Summoned her back to the field. He banished Wishes to equip Neo Blue-Eyes Ultimate Dragon from his Extra Deck to his Blue-Eyes, and then Tributed Blue-Eyes to Special Summon Blue-Eyes Tyrant Dragon from his Extra Deck.

Bates activated Mausoleum’s effect and targeted Maiden. He Chained Maiden’s effect and Special Summoned the Blue-Eyes White Dragon from his Graveyard, and then sent the Blue-Eyes from his hand to the Graveyard. Using Maiden of White and Blue-Eyes White Dragon, Bates Synchro Summoned Blue-Eyes Spirit Dragon! He activated its effect and Special Summoned Ancient Fairy Dragon to his Extra Monster Zone. 

Bates then activated Ancient Fairy Dragon’s effect and destroyed Mausoleum of White to add Treasures of the King from his Deck to his hand! He activated Treasures of the King and Set Apophis the Serpent from his Deck to the field. Bates then Set his Roar of the Blue-Eyed Dragons onto the field.

Since Bates had 2 Set cards, he activated the effect of his Field Spell to add Anubis the Last Judge from his Deck to his hand. Bates activated Anubis and added The Man with the Mark. He activated Ancient Fairy Dragon’s effect and Special Summoned The Man with the Mark, and activated its effect to add Temple of the Kings from his Deck to his hand.

Bates activated Temple, then was able to activate Apophis the Serpent, which Set Apophis the Swamp Deity. He sent both Apophis Traps to the Graveyard to Special Summon Divine Serpent Apophis, which he activated to Set both Apophis Traps from his Graveyard back to the field. 

Bates then Link Summoned S:P Little Knight using Blue-Eyes Tyrant Dragon and Ancient Fairy Dragon. He moved to his End Phase.

Darko looked over his hand for a moment at the start of his turn. He looked over everything that was face-up on Bates’ field to confirm effects in the Draw Phase. In the Standby Phase, Bates activated Apophis the Serpent and Special Summoned it to the field, and Set an Apophis the Swamp Deity to his field. 

In the Main Phase, Darko activated and Special Summoned Fallen of the White Dragon by sending Albion the Branded Dragon to the Graveyard. He then activated Fallen of the White Dragon’s effect, Bates Chained the effect of S:P and targeted S:P and White Dragon, Darko Chained The Fallen & The Virtuous, and sent Ecclesia and the Dark Dragon to destroy White Dragon, Bates Chained his Apophis the Swamp Deity. Apophis was Special Summoned to the field and negated The Fallen & The Virtuous and Fallen of the White Dragon! Bates then finished resolving the Chain by banishing both his S:P and Darko’s White Dragon.

Darko activated the effect of his Ecclesia in the GY, targeting Albion and the Set Swamp Deity. He shuffled both back into the Decks. Darko then activated Branded Opening! He discarded Nadir Servant and Special Summoned Aluber the Jester of Despia and activated it. Bates activated his Effect Veiler! Darko Chained Book of Eclipse! Bates Chained another Effect Veiler! 

Not having any other plays and knowing that Bates still had more Apophis interruptions, Darko conceded the first Duel.

Duel Two

Darko opted to go first in the second Duel. 

In the Draw Phase, Darko activated Branded in High Spirits, but Bates Chained Dominus Purge! He Set 3 cards and ended his turn.

Bates had Wishes for Eyes of Blue, Effect Veiler, Treasures of the King, and Blue-Eyes White Dragon. He drew Droll & Lock Bird at the start of his turn. 

Bates activated Wishes and discarded Blue-Eyes to add Sage with Eyes of Blue and Roar of the Blue-Eyed Dragons from his Deck to his hand. He Normal Summoned and activated Sage to add Maiden of White from his Deck to his hand.

Darko activated Book of Eclipse! Bates activated the effect of Maiden of White and placed True Light onto the field face-up. 

Bates then activated Roar, but Darko flipped Solemn Warning to negate the activation! He activated True Light’s effect to Special Summon a Blue-Eyes White Dragon, and Darko flipped over The Fallen & The Virtuous! Darko sent Titaniklad the Ash Dragon to the Graveyard to destroy True Light. The mandatory effect of Bates’ True Light destroyed the face-down Sage.

Bates activated Treasures of the King and Set Apophis the Serpent from his Deck to the field, then activated the second effect of Treasures to add Merciless Scorpion of Serket, which he Special Summoned by banishing Anubis the Last Judge from his Deck. He then activated Serket’s effect and added Temple of the Kings from his Deck to his hand. Bates activated Temple and then applied its effect to activate his Apophis the Serpent, which Set Apophis the Swamp Deity. He activated Swamp Deity and then attacked directly with everything to wipe out Darko’s Life Points!

Bates moves on to Day 2 with an 8-1 record with his Tombkeeper Blue-Eyes Deck!