In the past year, Desmond Boyd placed in the Top 16 of YCS Philadelphia and Top 16 at YCS Indianapolis, both with X-Sabers! Now, he’s back at the WCQ, this time playing a teched out Six Samurai Deck running 2 copies of Fiendish Chain and a copy of Vanity’s Emptiness. His opponent, Alberto Barrera, is competing in his first-ever WCQ with Gravekeeper’s. Boyd’s experience and Deck choice may give him the edge in this Match, but some great draws for Alberto Barrera could allow him to score a huge upset!

Boyd opened up with 2 copies of Legendary Six Samurai – Kizan, Musakani Magatama, Solemn Warning, Reinforcement of the Army, and Vanity’s Emptiness. He Summoned Kizan and then Set all 4 of his Spell and Trap Cards.

Barrera activated Mystical Space Typhoon to destroy Boyd’s face-down Reinforcement of the Army, then discarded Gravekeeper’s Commandant to add a copy of Necrovalley from his Deck to his hand. Next, he activated Necrovalley and used Dark Hole to destroy Kizan. Barrera tried to Summon Gravekeeper’s Descendant next, and Boyd flipped Solemn Warning, paying 2000 Life Points to negate its Summon! Barrera ended his turn with only a Necrovalley on the field.

Boyd drew Kagemusha of the Six Samurai next turn and passed.

Barrera Set a card to each zone and then activated Royal Tribute, forcing Boyd to discard Kizan and Kagemusha from his hand.

Boyd drew Book of Moon and Set it.

Barrera Flip Summoned Gravekeeper’s Spy next turn, but Boyd flipped Vanity’s Emptiness to stop the Spy from Special Summoning a new monster from Barrera’s Deck. Next, Gravekeeper’s Spy attacked directly, and Boyd fell down to 6300 Life Points.

Boyd drew Six Samurai United next turn. He Set it and passed.

Barrera activated Upstart Goblin to grant Boyd 1000 Life Points and draw a card. Then he attacked directly with his Spy to drop Boyd down to 5600 Life Points, and Set another card to his back row. He Summoned Gravekeeper’s Descendant afterward, and ended his turn with a Descendant and Spy in his Monster Card Zone.

Boyd drew Dimensional Prison. He Set it and passed.

Barrera attacked directly with Gravekeeper’s Spy next turn, dropping Boyd down to 3900 Life Points. Gravekeeper’s Descendant attacked next, and Boyd flipped Dimensional Prison to try to banish it from the Duel; but Barrera flipped Deck Devastation Virus and Tributed the Descendant to send it to the Graveyard instead! Boyd had no hand to hit with the Virus, and Vanity’s Emptiness was destroyed when Dimensional Prison reached the Graveyard.

Boyd drew Double-Edged Sword Technique and passed.

Barrera attacked directly with Gravekeeper’s Spy and Boyd dropped down to 2200 Life Points.

Boyd drew The Six Samurai – Yaichi next turn and immediately sent it to the Graveyard due to the effect of Deck Devastation Virus.

Barrera attacked directly with Gravekeeper’s Spy to drop Boyd down to 500 Life Points and then passed.

Boyd drew Shien’s Smoke Signal next turn and tried to activate it; but Barrera flipped Solemn Judgment and paid 4000 Life Points to negate it! Boyd Set his Double-Edged Sword Technique before passing to Barrera.

Barrera attacked to finish the Duel with Gravekeeper’s Spy, and Boyd was forced to activate Book of Moon to put the Spy face-down in order to survive the turn. Barrera Set another card to his back row and passed.

But it was all over on the next turn! Boyd drew Solemn Warning and conceded, with Six Samurai United, Double-Edged Sword Technique, and Musakani Magatama in his back row.

Desmond Boyd can’t manage to Synchro Summon any monsters in Duel 1, and Alberto Barrera is able to defeat him with Gravekeeper’s Spy! Boyd will be going first in Duel 2!

Boyd opened up Duel 2 with Gateway of the Six, Mystical Space Typhoon, Solemn Warning, Malevolent Catastrophe, Legendary Six Samurai – Kizan, and Grandmaster of the Six Samurai. He activated Gateway of the Six and then Normal Summoned Kizan from his hand, adding 2 Bushido Counters to his Gateway. Next, he Special Summoned Grandmaster of the Six Samurai, allowing him to add another 2 Bushido Counters to his Gateway. He removed all 4 Counters from his Gateway to search his Deck for The Six Samurai – Yaichi and add it to his hand, then Set Solemn Warning and Mystical Space Typhoon before ending his turn.

Barrera Set 4 cards face-down in his back row and Set a monster.

Boyd drew Dimensional Prison next turn. He tried to Normal Summon The Six Samurai – Yaichi, but Barrera flipped Solemn Warning and gave up 2000 Life Points to negate its Summon. Next, Boyd attacked Barrera’s face-down monster with Grandmaster of the Six Samurai, and Barrera flipped Mirror Force! Grandmaster and Kizan were destroyed, and Boyd used Grandmaster’s effect to return Kizan from his Graveyard to his hand. Boyd Set Dimensional Prison in Main Phase 2 and then ended his turn.

Barrera tried to Flip Summon Gravekeeper’s Spy next turn, and Boyd activated Solemn Warning to negate its Summon. Next, Barrera Summoned Gravekeeper’s Recruiter and tried to attack Boyd directly. Boyd flipped Dimensional Prison to try to banish the Recruiter, but Barrera flipped Book of Moon to turn the Recruiter face-down and protect it. Barrera Set Deck Devastation Virus to his back row before ending his turn, and Boyd activated Mystical Space Typhoon to destroy it in his End Phase.

Boyd drew Shien’s Smoke Signal next turn. He activated it to add Kagemusha of the Six Samurai to his hand, then Normal Summoned Kagemusha and added 2 Counters to his Gateway. Next, he Special Summoned Kizan to add 2 more Counters to his Gateway, and Barrera flipped Bottomless Trap Hole to remove the Kizan from the Duel. Boyd removed 4 Bushido Counters from his Gateway of the Six next, and searched his Deck for a copy of Kizan to add to his hand. He Special Summoned it and added 2 more Bushido Counters to his Gateway, then attacked Barrera’s face-down Recruiter with Kizan. Barrera used the Recruiter’s effect to grab a Gravekeeper’s Commandant from his Deck, and then Kagemusha of the Six Samurai attacked directly, dropping Barrera down to 5600 Life Points. In Main Phase 2, Boyd Tuned Kagemusha with Kizan to Synchro Summon Brionac, Dragon of the Ice Barrier!

Barrera pitched the Commandant from his hand next turn to grab a Necrovalley from his Deck, then activated Necrovalley. He Set a monster before passing his turn.

Boyd drew Hand of the Six Samurai next turn! He Summoned it to the field and added 2 more Bushido Counters to his Gateway, bringing it up to 4 Counters! He removed those 4 Counters to search his Deck for Grandmaster of the Six Samurai and add it to his hand. He Special Summoned Grandmaster next, in order to add 2 more Counters to his Gateway; then he activated the effect of Brionac, Dragon of the Ice Barrier to return Barrera’s face-down monster to his hand by discarding Malevolent Catastrophe. Grandmaster, Brionac, and Hand all attacked directly, wiping out all 5600 of Barrera’s Life Points!

Desmond Boyd wins Duel 2 by applying pressure with an opening hand Gateway of the Six! Alberto Barrera will be going first in Duel 3!

Barrera started off Duel 3 by pitching a Gravekeeper’s Commandant from his hand and grabbing a Necrovalley from his Deck. Next, he activated Necrovalley and Set a monster. He Set 2 more cards to his back row before activating Royal Tribute. Boyd revealed his hand of The Six Samurai – Yaichi, Musakani Magatama, Six Samurai United, Mystical Space Typhoon, and Shien’s Smoke Signal, and sent Yaichi to the Graveyard due to Royal Tribute’s effect. Barrera revealed the Necrovalley in his hand and then ended his turn.

Boyd drew Solemn Warning. He activated Shien’s Smoke Signal to search his Deck for Hand of the Six Samurai and then activated Six Samurai United. Barrera flipped Mystical Space Typhoon to immediately destroy it. Boyd Summoned Hand of the Six Samurai anyway and then Set all 3 of his Spell and Trap Cards to his back row.

Barrera Flip Summoned Gravekeeper’s Descendant and then entered his Battle Phase. He attacked Hand of the Six Samurai with his Descendant, and Boyd flipped Mystical Space Typhoon to destroy Necrovalley and drop the Descendant down to 1500 ATK! Descendant was destroyed by Hand, and Barrera lost 100 Life Points. In Main Phase 2, Barrera activated another Necrovalley and Set a card to his back row.

Boyd drew Legendary Six Samurai – Kizan next turn. He attacked directly with Hand to drop Barrera down to 6300 Life Points and then passed.

Barrera tried to Normal Summoned Kinetic Soldier next turn. Boyd flipped Solemn Warning and paid 2000 Life Points to try to negate the Soldier’s Summon, then Barrera flipped Solemn Judgment and paid 3150 Life Points to try to negate the Warning; but Boyd flipped Musakani Magatama to negate and destroy Solemn Judgment, forcing the Kinetic Soldier into the Graveyard!

Boyd drew Dimensional Prison next turn! He Set it and then attacked directly with his Hand, dropping Barrera down to 1550 Life Points.

Barrera drew Gravekeeper’s Stele next turn and used it to return Gravekeeper’s Commandant and Gravekeeper’s Descendant to his hand. He Normal Summoned the Descendant and then attacked Boyd’s Hand with it. Boyd flipped Dimensional Prison to banish the Descendant, and Barrera offered the handshake, knowing that it would all be over on the next turn when Hand attacked him directly.

Desmond Boyd wins 2-1 with his Six Samurai Deck, without ever Summoning Legendary Six Samurai – Shi En! Boyd is moving on to Round 2 with a perfect start!