Welcome to Round 1 of YCS Niagara Falls! This weekend marks the start of the Rage of the Abyss season, and with that, there are plenty of new cards to be featured. With all new Atlantean Mermail cards, we had to select a Mermail Duelist for the Round 1 Feature. 

Jason Lam is from Toronto and hasn’t attended a YCS in almost a decade. He’s piloting Atlantean Mermail with a ton of new cards in it. He wants to give a special shout-out to the Metamen and his local OTS: 401 Games. Kevin LoCascio is from Allendale, New Jersey, and is playing a Runick Stun deck. He wants to shout out his local OTS Tier One Games. 

Both Duelists are eager to start their tournament off right by winning their first round, so let’s see what happens!

LoCascio won the dice roll and opted to start the duel. Lam drew Ash Blossom & Joyous Spring, Mermail Abysspike, Hexa Spirit of the Ice Barrier, Neptabyss, the Atlantean Prince, and Deep Sea Minstrel.

LoCascio started the duel off with the activation of Runick Fountain. He Set one card and passed his turn.

Lam drew Droll & Lock Bird. He activated the effect of Deep Sea Minstrel in his hand by discarding Abysspike. He looked at LoCascio’s hand of Runick Freezing Curses, Runick Flashing Fire, and Runick Slumber! He banished Runick Flashing Fire with Minstrel’s effect. Lam Normal Summoned Neptabyss, the Atlantean Prince, and activated its effect by sending Mermail Shadow Squad from his Deck to the GY. LoCascio activated Runick Freezing Curses to negate Neptabyss’ effect and banished 2 copies of Mermail Abyssteus and an Abysspike from Lam’s deck. 

Lam laughed, seeing the newly banished cards. Then, he activated Shadow Squad’s effect, and LoCascio chained Rivalry of Warlords! Lam looked through his deck and Special Summoned Atlantean Dragoons with Shadow Squad’s effect. He paused for a moment before entering his Battle Phase. He attempted to attack directly with Neptabyss but was stopped by Runick Slumber. LoCascio Special Summoned Munin the Runick Wings with Slumber’s effect. Then, LoCascio activated the effect of Runick Fountain to draw 2 new cards. 

In the Main Phase 2, Lam Link Summoned Mermail Abyssalacia. He moved to his End Phase. LoCascio activated the effect of Munin to gain 1000 Life Points and added back his Flashing Fire from Minstrel’s effect.

LoCascio drew for his turn and activated Pot of Duality. He revealed One Day of Peace, Skill Drain, and Dimensional Fissure. He added and activated Dimensional Fissure and then Set one more card. He skipped his Battle Phase due to his Runick restriction. He went to his End Phase, activated Munin’s Effect, and passed.

Lam drew Abysshrine, the Atlantean Spirit. He activated Abysshrine’s effect and Tributed his Mermail Abyssalacia. He grabbed Icejade Ran Aegirine with Abysshrine’s effect. He activated Ran Aegirine’s effect and discarded Hexa Spirit of the Ice Barrier. LoCascio chained There Can Be Only One!

“That’s pretty good!” Lam said, nodding at the powerful Trap Card’s effect. Unable to proceed with any of his plays through the powerful floodgates, Lam conceded the first Duel!

Three floodgates was just too many for Lam! Kevin LoCascio takes Game 1, and play swiftly moved to the second Duel.

Lam opted to go first in the second duel. He opened Mermail Abyssgunde, Mermail Abyssteus, Gozen Match, Super Polymerization, and Mermail Shadow Squad. Lam started the duel by activating Abyssteus by discarding Mermail Shadow Squad. He activated Abyssteus’ effect and added Mermail Abyssocea from his deck to his hand. He then activated Shadow Squad’s effect and Special Summoned Neptabyss, the Atlantean Prince. Lam sent Atlantean Dragoon’s effect for Prince’s effect. Added Abysshrine, the Atlantean Spirit, and then added Moulinglacia the Elemental Lord with Atlantean Dragoons’ effect.

Lam then Normal Summoned Abyssocea and activated her effect, targeting Abyssteus. He Special Summoned Mermail Abysspike and Mermail Shadow Squad from his deck and then sent Abyssteus to the GY. Lam activated Abysshrine, the Atlantean Spirit by tributing his Neptabyss on the field and added Icejade Ran Aegirine to his hand. He activated Neptabyss’ Graveyard effect and Special Summoned back Atlantean Dragoons. Lam then Xyz Summoned Bahamut Shark by using Abysspike and Dragoons. He activated Bahamut Shark’s effect and detached Atlantean Dragoons to Special Summon Toadally Awesome, then Dragoons netted him a copy of Hexa Spirit of the Ice Barrier.

With 5 WATER Monsters, Lam Special Summoned Moulinglacia the Elemental Lord! He discarded Pot of Duality and Runick Flashing Fire from LoCascio’s hand with Moulinglacia’s effect. He then linked Shadow Squad and Bahamut Shark away for Marincess Coral Anenome. Lam activated Coral Anenome’s effect and Special Summoned back his Shadow Squad. He activated Shadow Squad’s effect and discarded Hexa to make all of his monsters Level 7. He Xyz Summoned Mermail Abyssgaios with Moulinglacia and Abyssocea, then, used Abyssgaios to make Poseidra Abyss, the Atlantean Dragon Lord! Lam linked away Poseidra and Coral Anenome for Mermail King – Neptabyss. 

Since Poseidra Abyss was sent to the Graveyard, Lam activated it and Special Summoned back Abysshrine, the Atlantean Spirit, Mermail Abyssocea, and Hexa Spirit of the Ice Barrier from his Graveyard. He then activated Mermail King’s effect and equipped Abyss-Scale of the Mizuchi from the Deck to his Mermail King.

Lam activated Hexa’s effect and sent Mirror Mage of the Ice Barrier to change its Level. He Xyz Summoned LeVirtue Dragon with Abyssocea and Abyssrine. Lam activated LeVirtue Dragon’s effect and added Virtue Stream to his hand. He activated LeVirtue Dragon’s effect and detached Abyssrhine to add Shadow Squad back to his hand. 

Because Lam controlled an Ice Barrier Monster, he Special Summoned Speaker for the Ice Barriers. Then, Synchro Summoned Ravenous Crocodragon Archethys with Hexa and Shadow Squad. He used Crocodragon’s effect and drew Icejade Ran Aegirine, then Linked away Speaker and LeVirtue Dragon for Mermail Abyssalacia. Lam then activated Icejade Ran Aegirine by discarding Abyssgunde. He Special Summoned an Icejade Token, he then Synchro Summoned Icejade Gymir Aegirine with his two Icejade monsters. He set 3 cards and then passed his turn!

LoCascio drew for his turn. Looked at Lam’s field, and then Tribute Summoned The Winged Dragon of Ra – Sphere Mode by using Mermail King – Neptabyss, Toadally Awesome, and Icejade Gymir Aegirine!

LoCascio then activated Pot of Duality, revealing Runick Flashing Fire, Solemn Judgment, and Runick Destruction. He thought for a moment before adding Runick Destruction to his hand. LoCascio then Set 1 card and attempted to leave his Main Phase. During the End Phase, Lam activated Mermail Abyssalacia’s effect and sent Shadow Squad from his hand to the GY to add Abysshrine, the Atlantean Spirit. He then activated Shadow Squad’s effect and Special Summoned Neptabyss, the Atlantean Prince from his Deck! 

Lam drew Droll & Lock Bird for his turn and went straight to his Main Phase. He activated Neptabyss’ effect by sending Atlantean Dragoons from his deck to the GY. He added Atlantean Heavy Infantry, then Atlantean Dragoons effect let him add Deep Sea Minstrel. After both cards were added to his hand, LoCascio activated Grave of the Super Ancient Organism. 

Lam activated Abysshrine, the Atlantean Spirit by tributing his Atlantean Prince and added Mermail Abyssteus. He then activated Prince’s effect and Special Summoned back his Atlantean Dragoons. Lam then activated and Special Summoned Abyssteus from his hand by discarding Atlantean Heavy Infantry from his hand. He activated Heavy Infantry and went to destroy LoCascio’s Grave of the Super Ancient Organism. 

Seeing what was about to happen, LoCascio conceded the second Duel. Both duelists picked up their cards and started siding for Game 3!

Lam isn’t going down without a fight! We are on to a third Duel! LoCascio opted to go first.

LoCascio started off with Runick Tip. He added Runick Fountain from his Deck to his hand and banished Lam’s Mermail Abysspike from his deck. He activated Runick Fountain, then Runick Smiting Storm to Special Summon Hugin the Runick Wings. LoCascio activated Runick Fountain as Chain Link 1, targeted Smiting Storm and Tip, then Chained Hugin discarding Runick Golden Droplet to get another Fountain. He drew 2 cards, then Set 1 card and passed his turn. 

Lam had 2 Mermail Abyssteus, 2 Atlantean Dragoons, and an Abyss-Scale of the  Mizuchi. He drew Icejade Ran Aegirine for his turn. He activated Abyssteus in his hand by discarding Dragoons. LoCascio chained Ghost Sister & Spooky Dogwood! Lam activated Abyssteus’ effect on the field and added Mermail Abyssocea, then got Atlantean Heavy Infantry with Dragoons’ effect.

Lam activated Icejade Ran Aegirine by discarding his Heavy Infantry. He Special Summoned Aegirine and a Token. He activated Infantry’s effect and tried to destroy Runick Fountain, LoCascio banished his Hugin instead of letting his Fountain be destroyed. Lam then Synchro Summoned Lancea, Ancestral Dragon of the Ice Mountain!

He Normal Summoned Mermail Abyssocea and LoCascio activated There Can Be Only One. Lam sent Abyssocea to the Graveyard to meet There Can Be Only One’s requirements. He activated Abyss-Scale of the Mizuchi and tried to equip it to his Abyssteus. LoCascio chained Runick Tip and added a copy of Runick Destruction from his Deck. LoCascio then activated Runick Destruction, but it was negated by Mizuchi. Then, LoCascio activated Fountain’s effect to put his 3 Runick Spells back and draw 3 cards.

Lam attempted to attack directly with Abyssteus but LoCascio activated Runick Freezing Curses to Special Summon a Runick Monster. LoCascio Special Summoned Geri the Runick Fangs, then Lam activated Lancea’s effect and Special Summoned General Raiho of the Ice Barrier from his deck. 

Abyssteus continued to attack Geri. Geri was destroyed and LoCascio activated its effect to destroy Lancea. Lam activated Lancea’s effect in the Graveyard and Special Summoned Trishula, Dragon of the Ice Barrier! Since it was treated as a Synchro Summon, Lam activated Trishula’s effect and banished 3 cards including the Runick Fountain on the field! Everything attacked directly and then Lam passed his turn.

LoCascio drew and activated Runick Fountain, then Pot of Duality. He added a Runick Tip to his hand, activated Tip and got Runick Flashing Fire. He used Fountain’s effect and drew 2 cards, then activated Dimensional Fissure and set 2 cards.

Lam drew Triple Tactics Thrust, and in the Draw Phase LoCascio flipped Rivalry of Warlords. 

Time was called in the Draw Phase! Thanks to Ghost Sister & Spooky Dogwood’s effect, LoCascio was at 14,500 LP to Lam’s 8000. With the match in time, LoCascio won the duel by having more LP than his opponent.

A flurry of floodgates stopp Lam’s WATER monsters from securing the win, and LoCascio starts off 1-0 here at YCS Niagara Falls!