Juan Morales is facing off against James Ashley’s Samurai Deck in this Top 8 Feature Match. Juan Morales is no stranger to the Six Samurai Matchup – he’s been facing it all weekend on the road to the Top 8. Now, one more Samurai Deck stands between him and the Top 4. But James Ashley won’t be making it easy for Morales – he’ll be doing everything he can to stop Morales in his tracks and fill that Top 4 spot with another Samurai Deck.

Morales opened up with Debris Dragon, Card Trooper, Effect Veiler, Pot of Avarice, Mystical Space Typhoon, and Dandylion. He Set Dandylion and Mystical Space Typhoon before ending his turn.

Ashley activated 2 copies of Six Samurai United and then Normal Summoned Hand of the Six Samurai. He added 1 Bushido Counter to each copy of Six Samurai United and then Special Summoned Legendary Six Samurai – Kizan from his hand so that he could add a second Bushido Counter to each copy of Six Samurai United. Morales flipped Mystical Space Typhoon to destroy a copy of Six Samurai United, and Ashley sent the other copy to his Graveyard to draw 2 cards. Next, he activated Upstart Goblin to draw a card and give Morales 1000 Life Points. Hand of the Six Samurai declared an attack against Morales’s face-down Dandylion, destroying it in battle and allowing Morales to Special Summon 2 Fluff Tokens in Defense Position. Kizan destroyed 1 of the Tokens and Ashley Set a card to his back row before ending his turn.

Morales drew another copy of Mystical Space Typhoon next turn! He activated it to destroy Ashley’s face-down Solemn Judgment and then Normal Summoned Debris Dragon. He activated its effect to Special Summon Dandylion from his Graveyard and then Tuned Debris Dragon with Dandylion and a Fluff Token to Synchro Summon Stardust Dragon. Next, Morales Special Summoned 2 Fluff Tokens thanks to the effect of his Dandylion. Stardust Dragon attacked and destroyed Hand of the Six Samurai and Ashley dropped down to 7100 Life Points.

Ashley Normal Summoned Kagemusha of the Six Samurai and then Special Summoned another copy of Kizan from his hand. He Tuned Kagemusha with Kizan to Synchro Summon Gaia Knight, the Force of Earth, and then attacked over Stardust Dragon to destroy it and deal 100 points of damage to Morales. Kizan attacked and destroyed a Fluff Token next.

Morales drew Pot of Duality next turn. He activated it to reveal Dark Hole, Debris Dragon, and Effect Veiler from the top of his Deck, and added the Dark Hole to his hand while shuffling the other 2 cards back into his Deck. Next, he activated Dark Hole to destroy Kizan, Gaia, and his own Fluff Token. He Normal Summoned Card Trooper next and sent One for One, Pot of Duality, and Pot of Avarice from the top of his Deck to his Graveyard to boost it to 1900 ATK. Card Trooper attacked directly and Ashley fell to 5200 Life Points. Morales ended his turn without a back row.

Ashley activated 2 copies of Shien’s Smoke Signal next turn to search his Deck for Kageki and Kagemusha and add them to his hand. He Normal Summoned Kageki and activated its effect, but Morales discarded Effect Veiler to stop Ashley from Special Summoning Kagemusha!

Morales drew Monster Reborn next turn. He activated the effect of Card Trooper by sending Ryko, Lightsworn Hunter, Lyla, Lightsworn Sorceress, and Pot of Duality from the top of his Deck to his Graveyard, boosting his monster to 1900 ATK. Then he activated Monster Reborn and Special Summoned Gaia Knight, the Force of Earth from Ashley’s Graveyard. Gaia attacked and destroyed Kageki, and then Card Trooper attacked directly to drop Ashley down to 900 Life Points. In Main Phase 2, Morales sent Lyla, Ryko, Effect Veiler, Stardust Dragon, and Debris Dragon from his Graveyard to his Deck with Pot of Avarice and drew Reborn Tengu and Gravekeeper’s Spy. He Set the Spy and ended his turn.

Ashley activated Dark Hole to clear the field and Morales drew Debris Dragon off of the effect of Card Trooper. Ashley Set a monster and ended his turn.

Morales drew Unknown Synchron and then Normal Summoned Debris Dragon. He activated its effect to Special Summon Dandylion from his Graveyard, and then Tuned Debris Dragon with Dandylion to Synchro Summon Black Rose Dragon. He Special Summoned 2 Fluff Tokens and then removed Dandylion from his Graveyard to switch Ashley’s monster to Attack Position and reduce its ATK to 0. Ashley instantly conceded and the players moved on to Duel 2!

An early Dandylion proves key to Morales’s victory in the first Duel, as he uses it to Synchro Summon the monsters he needs. James Ashley will be going first in Duel 2!

Ashley started off the second Duel by Setting 4 cards to his back row and Summoning Kizan to the field.

Morales opened up with Bottomless Trap Hole, Gravekeeper’s Spy, Malevolent Catastrophe, Reborn Tengu, Mystical Space Typhoon, and Ryko, Lightsworn Hunter. He Set Gravekeeper’s Spy, Mystical Space Typhoon, and Malevolent Catastrophe, ending his first turn.

Ashley entered his Battle Phase next turn, and Morales activated Mystical Space Typhoon to destroy Ashley’s face-down Torrential Tribute. Then Kizan attacked Morales’s face-down Gravekeeper’s Spy, and Morales flipped Malevolent Catastrophe; but Ashley activated Musakani Magatama to negate it! Gravekeeper’s Spy’s effect activated, and Ashley paid 2000 Life Points to negate it with Solemn Warning. Ashley Set 1 card in Main Phase 2 and then ended his turn.

Morales drew Fossil Dyna Pachycephalo next turn and then Set Bottomless Trap Hole and Ryko, Lightsworn Hunter.

Ashley Summoned Hand of the Six Samurai next turn, and when Morales flipped Bottomless Trap Hole to try to remove it, Ashley activated Seven Tools of the Bandit to negate it. Kizan attacked Morales’s face-down Ryko, and Ryko destroyed Kizan and sent Pot of Duality, Gravekeeper’s Spy, and Fossil Dyna Pachycephalo from the top of Morales’s Deck to his Graveyard. Then Hand of the Six Samurai attacked directly, dropping Morales to 6400 Life Points.

Morales drew Bottomless Trap Hole next turn. He Summoned Reborn Tengu and used it to attack and destroy Hand of the Six Samurai. Ashley dropped down to 4700 Life Points. Morales Set Bottomless Trap Hole and then ended his turn.

Ashley activated Reinforcement of the Army next turn and searched his Deck for a copy of Kizan to add to his hand. He activated Giant Trunade to return Morales’s Set Bottomless Trap Hole to his hand, and then Normal Summoned Kizan and Special Summoned Grandmaster of the Six Samurai. Kizan attacked and destroyed Reborn Tengu, and Morales Special Summoned a Tengu in Defense Position with its effect. Grandmaster destroyed the Tengu in battle, and Morales Special Summoned another one in Defense Position. Ashley ended his turn.

Morales drew Solemn Judgment. He Set it along with Bottomless Trap Hole and then ended his turn.

Ashley attacked and destroyed the Defense Position Tengu with Kizan, and then Grandmaster of the Six Samurai attacked directly, dropping Morales down to 3900 Life Points. Ashley Set a card to his back row and passed.

Morales drew Glow-Up Bulb next turn. He Set it and passed.

Ashley attacked and destroyed Glow-Up Bulb with his Grandmaster and then attacked directly with Kizan to drop Morales down to 2100 Life Points.

Morales drew Pot of Duality. He activated it, revealing Chaos Sorcerer, Dark Hole, and Birdman from the top of his Deck. He eagerly added the Dark Hole to his hand and activated it, destroying Kizan and Grandmaster. Grandmaster’s effect activated, allowing Ashley to return Kizan from his Graveyard to his hand. Morales Summoned Fossil Dyna Pachycephalo next, and attacked directly with it, dropping Ashley down to 3500 Life Points. In the End Phase, Ashley flipped Mystical Space Typhoon to destroy Morales’s face-down Bottomless Trap Hole.

Ashley tried to Summon Kizan next turn, and Morales flipped Solemn Judgment and paid 1050 Life Points to negate the Summon. Ashley Set a card to his back row and passed.

Morales drew Book of Moon next turn. He attacked directly with Fossil Dyna to drop Ashley to 2300 Life Points and then Set Book of Moon in his Spell and Trap Card Zone. Ashley flipped Dust Tornado in the End Phase to destroy the Book of Moon.

Ashley Set a card to each zone, emptying his hand.

Morales drew Mystical Space Typhoon next turn. He switched Fossil Dyna to Defense Position and Set the Mystical Space Typhoon.

Ashley drew a card and Set it.

Morales drew Solemn Warning and Set it.

Ashley drew a card and passed to Morales.

Morales drew Genex Ally Birdman and ended his turn.

Ashley Set a third card to his back row and passed.

Morales drew D.D. Warrior Lady next turn. He flipped Mystical Space Typhoon to destroy Ashley’s newly Set Gateway of the Six and then Normal Summoned D.D. Warrior Lady. He switched Fossil Dyna Pachycephalo to Attack Position and then attacked Ashley’s face-down Kagemusha of the Six Samurai with his Warrior Lady. D.D. Warrior Lady and Kagemusha were removed from the Duel, and Fossil Dyna attacked directly, dropping Ashley to 1100 Life Points.

Ashley flipped his face-down Dark Hole next turn to destroy Fossil Dyna, then Set a card to his back row.

But it was all over on the next turn! Morales drew another Genex Ally Birdman and Summoned it to the field. Birdman attacked directly and wiped out Ashley’s remaining 1100 Life Points!

Juan Morales defeats James Ashley 2-0 and advances to the Top 4 with his Birdman Tengu Deck!