Welcome to a brand new format! Today is the first YCS under the new Forbidden & Limited List, and the Duelists that have gathered here put together their best Decks to take into the competition! Critical changes to the game, including the return of Black Luster Soldier – Envoy of the Beginning and Heavy Storm, as well as the release of all-new Xyz Monsters like Leviair the Sea Dragon and Number 17: Leviathan Dragon in Generation Force, are sure to make this YCS a unique experience for all of the Duelists competing today!

But for some of these Duelists, YCS Toronto is also a first YCS experience. Not everyone vying for the YCS title this weekend is a tournament veteran, and some of these Duelists are about to participate in the biggest tournament of their lives! Meet YCS Toronto’s first-timers!

Aasim Shaikh is a 13-year-old Duelist from Brampton and is running a Deck based around Shooting Star Dragon! He’s excited about competing in his first YCS and says that he’s ready to compete! Take a look at Aasim holding up a giant copy of his favorite monster, Shooting Star Dragon, along with a tournament-legal version!

Chazique Singh is 14 years old and took a 25 minute drive from Brampton to compete in his first YCS event! He decided to run an Infernity Deck in today’s tournament. When I asked him why, he responded, “I like that you can get one card, and just win the Duel.” Chazique is excited about all of the trades he’s getting with other Duelists, and is thrilled to compete in such a large competition. He has never been to a Regional before, and has only competed in small locals with about 14 Duelists. Now he’s taking his Infernity Deck to the big leagues! Take a look at Chazique holding up his favorite Infernity monster, Infernity Archfiend!

13-year-old Duelist Lee Pham took a 4 hour drive from Windsor to participate in today’s tournament. He’s running a Twilight Deck this weekend. “It’s fun!”, he told me. Lee has never been to a Regional before, but practices with his uncle, Phi Pham, all the time. Phi is another YCS first-timer, running a LIGHT Gemini Deck in today’s competition. “Right now the format is unknown and there’s a lot of Special Summons,” he told me. “I believe it’s good against most of the Decks.” Lee’s favorite card is Judgment Dragon, and Phi’s favorite card is Fossil Dyna Pachycephalo. Take a look at Lee and his uncle, holding up their favorite cards!

10-year-old Charlie Bingham took a 45 minute drive from Stony Creek to get his first YCS experience! He never entered a Regional before, but is used to competing in small locals with 12 to 15 players on alternating weeks. Charlie is running a Dragunity Deck in today’s tournament because he likes Dragons. “It’s really a big change, now that there’s over 100 people.” He’s very excited for the tournament. “He couldn’t sleep!”, his dad added. Take a look at Charlie holding up his favorite Dragunity monster, Dragunity Arma Leyvaten.

10-year-old Leonardo Loquercio and 12-year-old Saverio Verrilli are cousins from Woodbridge and are both YCS first-timers! Leonardo is in the process of building an Elemental Hero Deck, and is running his work-in-progress in today’s tournament! Saverio is running a “mixed” Deck that uses his most powerful cards. Leonardo’s favorite part of the YCS is that he gets to Duel. Saverio was impressed by the YCS attendance. “I was expecting a lot of people, but this is a ton!”, he told me. Leonardo’s favorite monster is Red Nova Dragon, and Saverio’s favorite is Earthbound Immortal Wiraqocha Rasca. Take a look at Leonardo and Saverio showing them off!

There are over 550 Duelists in attendance this weekend, and even the first-timers have a shot at beating the rest. With a brand new Forbidden & Limited List in effect and Generation Force making its YCS debut, we’re certainly in store for an interesting event. Stay tuned to see how YCS Toronto unfolds!