It is the final round of Swiss here at YCS Anaheim. After this, we will move on to the Top 8 rounds. Steven Trifunoski is a 3-time YCS Champion who claimed his first trophy just 10 months ago in this very room, and he is ready to take home his 4th one. He is playing Mitsurugi Yummy, a Deck that he won YCS Lima with just last weekend. 

Anthony Phillips is from Virginia and is hoping to make it into the Top 8 rounds this weekend. Only 1 Duelist can make it. One Duelist will advance, and one will go home. Let’s see what happens!

Duel 1:

Trifunoski won the dice roll and chose to go first. He started with 2 copies of Sky Striker Mobilize – Engage!, Sky Striker Mecha – Shark Cannon, Triple Tactics Thrust, and Mitsurugi Prayers.

Trifunoski activated Mitsurugi Prayers in his Draw Phase and added Ame no Habakiri no Mitsurugi to his hand. In the Main Phase, he activated Habakiri’s effect, Phillips Chained 2 copies of Mulcharmy Fuwalos! Trifunoski Special Summoned and Tributed Mitsurugi no Mikoto, Saji, then used Saji’s effect to add Mitsurugi Ritual to his hand. He activated his Ritual and Ritual Summoned Habakiri from his hand by using Ame no Murakumo no Mitsurugi from his Deck. Trifunoski activated Murakumo and added Mitsurugi Mirror from his Deck to his hand. 

Phillips activated K9-17 Izuna in his hand! He used Izuna’s effect and sent K9-ØØ Lupis to the Graveyard, then used Lupis’ effect. Phillips then Xyz Summoned Artifact Durendal and activated its effect, and forced both players to shuffle their hands back into the Deck! They both then redrew the same number of cards that they had before.

Trifunoski drew Triple Tactics Talent, Triple Tactics Thrust, Pre-Preparation of Rites, Sky Striker Mobilize – Engage!, and Angry Burger. He activated Thrust but was stopped by Phillips’ Ash Blossom & Joyous Spring! Trifunoski then used Triple Tactics Talent to look at Phillips’ hand!

Phillips revealed Ghost Belle & Haunted Mansion, K9-66a Jokul, and K9-66b Lantern. Trifunoski sent Ghost Belle back into the Deck and then activated Pre-Preparation of Rites! He added an Ame no Habakiri no Mitsurugi and Mitsurugi Mirror to his hand. Trifunoski activated Mirror and Tributed Habakiri to Ritual Summon his Murakumo. He used the effects of both and wiped the board before adding Mitsurui Prayers and Special Summoning back Habakiri.

Trifunoski activated Angry Burger and shuffled it into the Deck to add Poissonniere de Nouvelles. He placed Poissonniere in the Pendulum Zone and then activated its effect to Special Summon itself and add Miracle Raven from his Deck to his hand. Trifunoski placed Miracle Raven in the Pendulum Zone, then used its effect to Ritual Summon itself and put Poissonniere in the Extra Deck. He used Poissoniere’s effect and put it back in the Pendulum Zone, he Set 2 cards and ended his turn with 1 card in his hand.

Phillips activated K9-66a Jokul and revealed K9-66b Lantern. Trifunoski chained the effect of Murakumo. Phillips let Murakumo stop his effect, then activated Lantern and targeted the Izuna in the Graveyard. He Special Summoned Lantern and Izuna at the same time. Trifunoski activated Mitsurugi Prayers and Tributed his Murakumo. He brought back Murakumo and wiped the board.

Unable to break through with just the two cards in his hand, Phillips conceded the first Duel! Trifunoski is just 1 win away from a potential Top 8 finish here at YCS Anaheim!

Duel 2:

Phillips chose to start the second Duel. He started with “A Case for K9”, which added K9-17 Izuna. Phillips activated Chaotic Elements and added K9-66b Lantern. He then activated K9-66a Jokul and Special Summoned it and Lantern. Phillips used Jokul’s effect to add K9-04 Noroi to his hand. He Normal Summoned Noroi and used the effect to Special Summon Izuna from the Deck. Then, used Izuna’s effect to send K9-ØØ Lupis to the Graveyard.

Phillips activated Noroi’s effect to look at Trifunoski’s hand of 2 Cupsy☆Yummy, Preparation of Rites, Raigeki, and Dark Hole. He then activated Lantern’s effect and added K9-EW Special Release Experiment. He used Izuna and Noroi to Xyz Summon K9-17 “Ripper” and activated its effect to add another Lantern to his hand. Then, Phillips used Lantern and Jokul to Link Summon S:P Little Knight. He Set 2 cards and proceeded to end his turn. 

Trifunoski drew Ame no Habakiri no Mitsurugi to start his turn! He activated Dark Hole, Phillips Chained S:P and banished both of his monsters to dodge Dark Hole. Trifunoski Normal Summoned Cupsy☆Yummy and used its effect to add Yummy☆Surprise to his hand. Phillips activated Droll & Lock Bird! Cupsy was used to Link Summon Yummy★Snatchy, he used Snatchy’s effect to activate Yummyusment☆Mignon. Afterward, Phillips activated the K9-EW Special Release Experiment and Special Summoned Lantern, which then turned into K9-66X “Jacks”! He activated Jacks and targeted Snatchy. Snatchy was destroyed by Jacks. 

Trifunoski looked over his hand before activating Raigeki, Phillips Chained K9-X Forced Release! He turned Jacks into K9-ØØ “Hound” and destroyed Mignon. Trifunoski activated Yummy☆Surprise and Special Summoned back his Snatchy, then Special Summoned Cupsy from his hand. He Synchro Summoned Lollipo★Yummy Way with Snatchy and Cupsy. Then, activated Lillipo and brought back Cupsy and Snatchy, then used both to Link Summon S:P Little Knight. Trifunoski used Little Knight’s effect to banish the Hound, then Set 1 card and went to end his turn.

During the End Phase, Phillips banished his Special Release Experiment to re-Set his Forced Release and Trifunoski Chained Lollipo to bring back Snatchy and Cupsy. Play passed over to Phillips.

Phillips drew for turn and activated his Lantern and targeted his Izuna, Trifunoski Chained his Snatchy effect, Phillips Chained his S:P and targeted itself and Snatchy, Trifunoski Chained S:P and targeted both S:P’s, Phillips Chained K9-X Forced Release! With that, Trifunoski conceded the second Duel!

Duel 3:

It all comes down to this, with about 23 minutes on the clock, both Duelists began to access their Side Deck. Both Duelists offered each other a friendly handshake and drew their starting hands.

Trifunoski started with Cupsy☆Yummy, Triple Tactics Thrust, Forbidden Droplet, Called by the Grave, and The Black Goat Laughs.

Trifunoski Normal Summoned Cupsy and used its effect to add Yummy☆Surprise, Phillips activated Fuwalos! Trifunoski activated Called by the Grave, but Phillips had Ghost Belle & Haunted Mansion!

Trifunoski looked over his hand and then activated Thrust to Set Dimensional Barrier. He Link Summoned Yummy★Snatchy with Cupsy and used its effect to activate Yummyusment☆Mignon. He didn’t want to give Phillips that 1 extra card, but he had to.

Trifunoski Set his whole hand and ended his turn!

Phillips activated Dark Ruler No More! He then activated K9-66a Jokul and revealed K9-ØØ Lupis. Trifunoski Chained The Black Goat Laughs. He declared K9-66a Jokul‘s . This stopped Jokul from hitting the field, and Phillips offered the handshake!

Steven Trifunoski is finishing the Swiss rounds with a 12-2 record and advances into the Top 8 at YCS Anaheim!