We had a ton of really cool undefeated decks lined up for Round 3, but at the last moment Kyle Karpovich’s strategy trumped all the rest: he’s playing a Lightsworn Dragon Ruler deck with Eclipse Wyvern and Black Dragon Collapserpent.  We haven’t seen Lightsworns in Feature Match competition for ages, and I don’t think we’ve ever seen a Dragon Ruler Lightsworn variant in YCS action!  Karpovich’s opponent this round was almost as exciting – Eduardo Sandoval is a Blackwing duelist from right here, in Las Vegas.

Karpovich opened with Tragoedia; Solar Recharge; Charge of the Light Brigade; Card Trooper; Garoth, Lightsworn Warrior; and Judgment Dragon.  He activated Charge, sending Honest, Ryko, Lightsworn Hunter, and Eclipse Wyvern to his Graveyard, searching Lumina, Lightsworn Summoner and banishing Judgment Dragon for Wyvern’s effect!  He pitched Garoth for Recharge, drawing Black Luster Soldier – Envoy of the Beginning and Black Dragon Collapserpent.  He sent another Wyvern and Wulf, Lightsworn Beast to the Graveyard, activating them both!

Karpovich Special Summoned Wulf and banished a second Judgment Dragon.  He Normal Summoned Lumina, then discarded Trooper to Special Summon Garoth.  In the End Phase he sent Tidal, Dragon Ruler of Waterfalls, Upstart Goblin, Debris Dragon, Lumina, and Lyla, Lightsworn Sorceress to his graveyard, drawing Tragoedia and another Collapserpent with Garoth’s effect!

At this point, Sandoval realized he had forgotten to de-Side Deck from Round 2.  He immediately called a Judge to inform them of his error.  The infraction in a case like this is a Deck Error – Major, which unfortunately carries a Game Loss penalty for Sandoval.  The Match would move to Game 2, with Sandoval’s Deck returned to its original Main Deck build, but no Side Decking permitted for either Duelist between Games 1 and 2.

Sandoval was a game behind, but he now had at least some idea what Karpovich was playing, seeing Lightsworns, Eclipse Wyverns, and Tidal.  He probably wouldn’t have made a comeback from Karpovich’s explosive Turn 1 anyways, but the real difficulty here was that Sandoval would have to win Game 2 without using his Side Deck.

Could he pull it off?  Let’s see.  After the judge staff carefully ensured that Sandoval’s Deck had been returned to the proper state, the second Duel began.

Sandoval opened by Summoning Blackwing – Breeze the Zephyr and Setting one card to back it up.  Was he telegraphing a Set Icarus Attack?

Karpovich had two Tragoedia; Lyla, Lightsworn Sorceress; Eclipse Wyvern; Solar Recharge; and Garoth, Lightsworn Warrior.  He activated Recharge, pitching Garoth to draw Black Dragon Collapserpent and Lightray Diabolos.  Recharge sent Tidal, Dragon Ruler of Waterfalls and Card Trooper to the Graveyard.    He Summoned Wyvern, attacked to destroy Breeze, and ended his turn – it was a classic play pattern; Karpovich was refusing to commit cards to the field to outplay a possible Icarus Attack by depriving it of a full two targets.

Sandoval Summoned Blackwing – Blizzard the Far North, bringing back Breeze and Setting a second Spell or Trap.

Karpovich drew Blaster, Dragon Ruler of Infernos.  He Summoned Lyla, using her effect to… do nothing, because Sandoval Chained Effect Veiler’s ability.

Karpovich attacked Blizzard with Lyla, then smashed Breeze with Wyvern again!  No Icarus Attack?  Karpovich sent Black Dragon Collapserpent, Gorz the Emissary of Darkness, and Solar Recharge to his Graveyard with Lyla in the End Phase.

Sandoval Summoned Blackwing – Shura the Blue Flame and attacked over Lyla: Karpovich Special Summoned Tragoedia off the damage, and Sandoval Special Summoned Blackwing – Kochi the Daybreak to Xyz Summon Evigishki Merrowgeist.

Karpovich drew Lyla, Lightsworn Sorceress and Summoned it, this time successfully using her effect to destroy Fiendish Chain.  Sandoval didn’t Chain it.  Karpovich stacked Lyla and Wyvern to Xyz Sumon Starliege Paladynamo, then activated its effect, targeting Merrowgeist but failing as Sandoval Chained Effect Veiler.  That detached Wyvern, banishing Judgment Dragon from Karpovich’s Deck.  He banished Wyvern and Collapserpent to Special Summon Tidal from the Graveyard, then overlaid it with Tragoedia for Mecha Phantom Beast Dracossack!  He Special Summoned two Mecha Phantom Beast Tokens and sacked off one of them to destroy Sandoval’s Set Delta Crow – Anti Reverse.  He attacked with Paladynamo into Merrowgeist to draw a card, sacrificing Paladynamo and dropping another Tragoedia to attack over Merrowgeist!  The Tragoedia had 3000 ATK.

Play was to Sandoval, who wiped away everything but Dracossack with Dark Hole!  He Set his last cad to his back row.

Karpovich Special Summoned another two Mecha Phantom Beast Tokens, gave up one to destroy Sandoval’s Set Call of the Haunted, and banished Lyla from his Graveyard to Special Summon Black Dragon Collapserpent!  It attacked, and Karpovich ended his turn.  Sandoval had 5200 Life Points left.

Sandoval Normal Summoned Blackwing – Gale the Whirlwind and used its effect to shrink Dracossack.  It attacked to destroy the remaining Mecha Phantom Beast Token.

Karpovich searched out Lumina, Lightsworn Summoner with Charge of the Light Brigade, yarding Solar Recharge, Lumina, and Debris Dragon.  He Summoned Lumina, pitching Blaster to Special Summon a second Lumina.  He then discarded Redox, Dragon Ruler of Boulders to bring back Garoth!  He overlaid both Luminas for Leviair the Sea Dragon, Special Summoning back his banished Eclipse Wyvern and overlaying with that for Lavalval Chain.  He detached for its effect, sending Tempest, Dragon Ruler of Storms from his Deck to his Graveyard. He then banished Eclipse Wyvern and Redox to Special Summon Blaster and hit with everything for game!

An explosive Turn 1 in the first Duel is briefly cut short, but Kyle Karpovich gets satisfaction in Duel 2, exploding with a string of combos that we’ve never seen before in a YCS Feature Match!

Karpovich moves on 3-0 with Dragon Ruler Lightsworn!