We’re more than halfway through Day 1 here at YCS Anaheim, and the competition is fierce! In this round’s Feature Match, we have Nam Thai Hguyen piloting the Dracotail strategy facing off against Kristoffer Nielsen and his Mitsurugi Deck. Both players have a perfect record at 5-0, but only one can remain undefeated, as both Duelists hope to make it to Day 2. It’s time to Duel!

Duel 1

Nielsen won the die roll and chose to go first! He Set two cards to his backrow and ended his turn. 

Nguyen opened with Dracotail Phryxul, Dracotail Lukias, Blazing Cartesia, the Virtuous, Ash Blossom & Joyous Spring, and Mulcharmy Fuwalos. He started his turn by Normal Summoning Blazing Cartesia, the Virtuous and activating its effect, using Dracotail Phryxul and Dracotail Pan in his hand to Fusion Summon Dracotail Arthalion! He activated their effects, but Nielsen activated Called by the Grave to banish and negate the effect of Pan, as well as Forbidden Droplet to negate the effect of Arthalion! Nguyen was only able to resolve Phryxul’s effect, Setting Rahu Dracotail to his backrow. Next, he activated Rahu Dracotail, using Dracotail Urgula from his Deck and Dracotail Lukias from hand to Fusion Summon Dracotail Gulamel. He Set Dracotail Horn and Dracotail Flame to his backrow, then activated Urgula’s effect, returning it to the bottom of his Deck and adding Lukias back to hand. He entered the Battle Phase, attacked Nielsen’s Life Points directly, and ended his turn. 

Nielsen drew a card for turn, but was unable to make any plays, and chose to concede the first Duel. 

Duel 2

Nguyen’s opening hand consisted of Mulcharmy Fuwalos, Nibiru, the Primal Being, Dracotail Faimena, and two copies of Ghost Belle & Haunted Mansion. 

Nielsen chose to go first again! He started by activating Dimensional Fissure, then activated the effect of Ame no Habakiri no Mitsurugi in his hand. Here, Nguyen Chained the effect of Mulcharmy Fuwalos! Nielsen Special Summoned Mitsurugi no Mikoto, Saji and Tributed it, allowing him to search for Mitsurugi RItual, then activated Ritual to Tribute Mitsurugi no Mikoto, Aramasa and Mitsurugi no Mikoto, Kusanagi from the Deck and Special Summon Habakiri from his hand. In a new Chain, he used Kusanagi’s effect to add Ritual back to hand and Aramasa’s effect to search for another copy of Habakiri. Nielsen then activated Ritual once again, Tributing the Habakiri on his field to Special Summon Ame no Murakumo no Mitsurugi from his Deck. He activated the effect of the Tributed Habakiri, Special Summoning it back and searching for Mitsurugi Prayers. Finally, he Set two cards to his backrow and ended his turn. 

Nguyen drew Dracotail Lukias for turn! He Normal Summoned it and activated its effect to search for Dracotail Pan. He then activated the effect of Dracotail Faimena, using Pan and Nibiru in hand to Fusion Summon Dracotail Arthalion. He then activated Arthalion’s effect, attempting to return Nielsen’s monsters to the hand; Nielsen Chained Mitsurugi Prayers, Tributing Murakumo, but Nguyen responded with the effect of Ghost Belle & Haunted Mansion. As a result, Nielsen’s Habakiri was returned to hand, and he Special Summoned back Murakumo while searching for another copy of Mitsurugi Prayers, then activated its other effect to destroy all monsters on Nguyen’s side of the field. Finally, Nguyen Set a card to his backrow and ended his turn. 

Nielsen began his turn by activating Mitsurugi Prayers, Tributing Ame no Habakiri no Mitsurugi from his hand to search for and Special Summon another Mitsurugi no Mikoto, Aramasa. He activated the effects of Habakiri and Aramasa, adding another Prayers and Habakiri to his hand. He then entered the Battle Phase and attacked Nguyen’s Life Points directly with Murakumo and Aramasa, then Set a card to his backrow. During the End Phase, Nguyen activated Dracotail Horn; Nielsen Chained the effect of Murakumo, but Nguyen discarded Phryxul to allow Horn to resolve, returning Murakumo to hand and allowing Nguyen to draw Dracotail Mululu. 

Nguyen drew Nibiru, the Primal Being for turn! He Normal Summoned Dracotail Mululu and activated its effect, using Mululu and Nibiru to Fusion Summon Dracotail Gulamel. He entered the Battle Phase and used Gulamel to attack Aramasa, then ended his turn. 

Nielsen once again started his turn by activating Prayers, Tributing another Habakiri from hand. This time, Nguyen decided to respond by activating the effect of Ghost Belle, negating Prayers. However, Nielsen activated the effect of the Tributed Habakiri, searching for Mitsurugi Mirror. He activated Mirror, Special Summoning Murakumo from hand. Nguyen knew that Nielsen would be able to flood the field with bodies, and chose to concede the Duel. 

Duel 3

Nguyen’s opening hand contained Dracotail Sting, Rahu Dracotail, Bystial Magnamhut, and two copies of Ash Blossom & Joyous Spring. He started by activating Rahu Dracotail, using Dracotail Lukias from his Deck and Ash Blossom & Joyous Spring from hand to Fusion Summon Dracotail Arthalion. He used Lukias’ effect to Set Dracotail Flame, as well as Arthalion’s effect to add Ash Blossom back to his hand, then Set one more card to his backrow and ended his turn. 

Nielsen started his turn by activating Mitsurugi Ritual! Nguyen responded with Dracotail Flame, but Nielsen Chained Forbidden Droplet, sending Mitsurugi Ritual to the Graveyard! Nielsen resolved Ritual, sending Night Sword Serpent and Mitsurugi no Mikoto, Aramasa from his Deck to the Graveyard to Ritual Summon Ame no Habakiri no Mitsurugi from his hand, then searched for another copy of Habakiri and Special Summoned back Night Sword Serpent. He then activated Mitsurugi Prayers, Tributing Mitsurugi no Mikoto, Saji from hand, and Nguyen Chained Ash Blossom & Joyous Spring to negate the effect of Prayers; he also activated the effect of Bystial Magnamhut to banish the Tributed Saji before it could activate its effect. Nielsen Normal Summoned Mitsurugi no Mikoto, Kusanagi, targeting Mitsurugi Ritual to add it back to hand, but Nguyen activated Dracotail Sting, banishing Nielsen’s Ritual and Aramasa. However, Nielsen followed up by activating the effect of another Habakiri in his hand, Special Summoning Aramasa and Tributing the Habakiri on his field. He activated the effect of the Tributed Habakiri to search for another copy of Mitsurugi Ritual, then activated Ritual, Tributing Habakiri from hand to Special Summon Ame no Murakumo no Mitsurugi from Deck. Nielsen searched for Mitsurugi Prayers and Special Summoned back Habakiri and proceeded to the Battle Phase. He was able to wipe out the rest of Nguyen’s Life Points and secure the victory!

With the win, Nielsen improves to an impressive 6-0 record here at YCS Anaheim!