Billy Brake is back! After a long hiatus from competition, the fan-favorite YCS winner is officially on the comeback trail this weekend, with plans to throw down at YCS Dallas and YCS Anaheim later this year!  Duel fans will remember Billy Brake from his Championship win right here in Toronto back in 2011, where Brake innovated the Plant Synchro strategy with triple Maxx “C”.  He then followed it up one month later with another Championship victory, at YCS Columbus!  It was an unprecedented run, and now Brake’s back to try and reclaim his throne.

 

His opponent is from Siu Ye from Montreal, and while he’s never topped a YCS before, he has more Regional Top 8’s in Montreal than he can count.  While Brake’s piloting Burning Abyss, Siu is running Shaddolls, which might give him an advantage if he can score a couple strong openings.  Siu won the die roll and decided to go second.

 

Brake started with a hand of Mathematician; Bottomless Trap Hole; Chaos Sorcerer; Scarm, Malebranche of the Burning Abyss; and Graff, Malebranche of the Burning Abyss.  He Special Summoned Scarm, Normal Summoned Graff, and overlaid for Dante, Traveler of the Burning Abyss!  He detached Graff to send three cards to his graveyard: a Mathematician and two more copies of Graff!  He activated the effect of one of them to Special Summon Cir, Malebranche of the Burning Abyss from his Deck, then Set Bottomless.

 

Siu blew away the Bottomless with Mystical Space Typhoon, then activated Shaddoll Fusion, sending Shaddoll Falco and Artifact Moralltach  from his Deck to his Graveyard!  That let him Fusion Summon Shaddoll Construct,  sending Shaddoll Beast to his Deck to draw a card.  Shaddoll Falco was Special Summoned in face-down Defense Position, and Siu Normal Summoned Shaddoll Dragon.  It attacked Cir, and Brake Special Summoned Graff with its effect when Cir hit the Graveyard.  Siu attacked Dante with Construct, Brake used Dante’s effect to take back his Cir, and Siu Set two cards to his backrow.  Scarm got Brake Tour Guide from the Underworld from his Deck.

 

Brake drew Compulsory Evacuation Device.  He Special Summoned Cir, overlaid it with Graff and Xyz Summoned Ghostrick Alucard.  Siu had no response.  Brake activated Alucard’s effect, but targeted Siu’s Artifact Sanctum!  Siu Chained it, Special Summoning Artifact Moralltach from his Deck and destroying Alucard with Moralltach’s ability.  Brake used Graff’s ability to Summon another Scarm from his Deck, and he followed up with Tour Guide from the Underworld, destroying Scarm with its drawback effect and then Special Summoning a fresh Scarm, devoid of that effect, with Tour Guide’s ability.

 

That left Brake to Xyz Summon another Alucard, and this time Brake targeted Super Polymerization as he tried to destroy Siu’s last backrow!  Siu discarded Shaddoll Dragon to fuse Falco and Alucard, unleashing El Shaddoll Winda!  An imposing set-up for Siu.

 

 

But Brake pressed on!  He banished to Special Summon Chaos Sorcerer, banishing Construct.  He Set Compulsory Evacuation Device.

 

Siu Flip Summoned Shaddoll Falco to revive Shaddoll Beast in face-down Defense Position, then briefly tried to Tune Moralltach to Falco before being reminded his own Winda was pinning him down.  (He’d used his one Special Summon for Falco’s ability.)  Siu Tributed Winda to Normal Summon Shaddoll Beast, and in doing so got back his Shaddoll Fusion.  He then Tuned Moralltach and Falco for Michael, the Arch-Lightsworn, leading Brake to bump Michael off the field with Compulsory when Siu tried to banish it.  Siu had two cards left in hand, one being Shaddoll Fusion.  He spent a few moments considering his next play, before simply Setting one card to his backrow.

 

Brake drew Mystical Space Typhoon and when Siu flipped his own freshly-Set Mystical Space Typhoon Brake conceded instantly!

 

 

A flurry of Synchro plays starting with a free Shaddoll Fusion lets Siu Ye take charge of the first Duel, giving him a methodical Game 1 win against the two-time YCS winner!  One more win here would be a huge landmark for Siu.

 

Siu started with a Set monster and two Set cards to his Spell and Trap Card Zone.

 

Brake opened with Raiza the Storm Monarch; Mystical Space Typhoon; Mathematician; Phoenix Wing Wind Blast; Non-Fusion Area; and Breakthrough Skill.  He Summoned Mathematician to send Scarm, Malebranche of the Burning Abyss from his Deck to his graveyard, then attacked to draw out Sinister Shadow Games.  “Yeah! I knew that was coming, I was like, ‘let’s get it now’.”  Siu sent Shaddoll Beast to his Graveyard, and when Shaddoll Falco flipped Siu Special Summoned back his Beast face-down.  Brake ran down the Falco on the replay, then moved to Main Phase 2, activated Mystical Space Typhoon, and walked into another Artifact Sanctum.  That got Siu Artifact Moralltach to the field, destroying Mathematician, and Brake Set his three Trap Cards.  In his End Phase he used Scarm to search Cir, Malebranche of the Burning Abyss.

 

Played passed to Siu, and Brake pitched Cir for Phoenix Wing Wind Blast to spin away Beast.   He revived Scarm with Cir’s effect.  Siu Summoned a Mathematician of his own and Brake stopped its ability with Breakthrough Skill.  That left Siu to Set two cards to his back row, making no attacks.

 

Brake drew another Breakthrough Skill and Tributed his Scarm for Raiza the Storm Monarch.  He targeted Moralltach, trying to spin it away, but Siu had a Breakthrough Skill to shut down Raiza’s ability.  Raiza attacked to destroy Moralltach, then got Tour Guide from the Underworld from his Deck with Scarm in the End Phase.

 

Siu turned Mathematician to defense mode and ended.

 

Brake Summoned Tour Guide from the Underworld, activated its effect, and Siu flipped Vanity’s Emptiness!  Tour Guide attacked over Mathematician, destroying it and thus destroying Vanity’s Emptiness.  Raiza made a direct shot and Siu was down to 5300 Life Points while Brake still had 8000.

 

Siu activated Shaddoll Fusion and Brake Chained Non-Fusion Area!  Siu had three cards left in hand and Set one to his backrow.  “Go.”

 

Brake drew Mobius the Frost Monarch, attacked with Tour Guide, and when Siu flipped Artifact Sanctum Brake Chained Vanity’s Emptiness!  Raiza attacked and when Siu couldn’t find an answer next turn it was all over!

 

 

Billy Brake battles back to take a commanding win in the second Duel!  The rubber match would now decide who would move on undefeated, and Siu would choose who would go first in Game 3.

 

Brake opened with Black Luster Soldier – Envoy of the Beginning; Vanity’s Emptiness; Mobius the Frost Monarch; and not one, but two copies of Graff, Malebranche of the Burning Abyss.  He Special Summoned one Graff, Normal Summoned the other, and overlaid for Dante to send Mathematician, Gorz the Emissary of Darkness, and… a third Graff to his graveyard!  No effects for Brake.  Rough beat.

 

Siu Summoned Mathematician and kicked Shaddoll Squamata to his graveyard, using its effect to yard Shaddoll Falco.  He Special Summoned it, then Set three cards to his backrow.

 

Brake used Dante again, this time sending two Raizas and Tour Guide from the Underworld to his graveyard.  “Of course.  Good one.”  The Graff Brake had detached let him Special Summon Scarm, Malebranche of the Burning Abyss from his Deck, and he Tributed it for Mobius: Siu negated the Summon with Solemn Warning!  Siu overlaid Dante with Downerd Magician in Main Phase 2, then searched his Deck with Scarm in the End Phase to get a Tour Guide.

 

Siu flipped Falco and Brake Chained Emptiness to stop Siu from making a Special Summon.  Siu had no immediate response; he Set a monster, then Set a card to his Spell and Trap Card Zone.

 

Brake drew a second Tour Guide from the Underworld!  All his cards seemed to be clumping into inconvenient pairs.  He attacked Siu’s face-down with Downerd Magician, revealing Shadoll Dragon and kicking Downerd off the field.  That sent Dante to the graveyard and got Brake back his Scarm.  He shuffled his hand and Set it.

 

Siu attacked into it with Mathematician next turn, taking some damage and Setting a monster.

 

Brake drew Cir, Malebranche of the Burning Abyss and attacked into Siu’s face-down Shaddoll Hedgehog, feeding him a Shaddoll Fusion from his Deck. He Set a monster.

 

Siu attacked Scarm with Mathematician, destroying Scarm and Vanity’s Emptiness, and ended.

 

Brake drew Compulsory Evacuation Device.  He banished Dante and Graff to Special Summon Black Luster Soldier – Envoy of the Beginning, then activated its effect to try and banish Falco – Siu stopped the ability with Breakthrough Skill.  That left Brake to Normal Summon Tour Guide from the Underworld, Special Summoning Cir, Malebranche of the Burning Abyss.  He overlaid for Number 49: Fortune Tune, a big defensive play!  He Set Compulsory, clearly trying to hang in long enough to stabilize this game.

 

 

Siu Tuned Falco and Mathematician to Synchro Summon Armades, Keeper of Boundaries!  Siu sent it to attack Fortune Tune, thinking Fortune Tune would be destroyed and not realizing that its effect doesn’t need to activate to work; Brake detached Tour Guide to keep Fortune Tune around.  Siu Normal Sumoned another Falco, Tuned it to Armades, and Synchro Summoned Michael, the Arch-Lightsworn.  That was Brake’s cue to punt it off the field with Compulsory Evacuation Device.  Time was ticking down.

 

Brake gained Life Points with Fortune Tune and attacked with Black Luster Soldier – Envoy of the Beginning.  Siu responded with Malevolent Catastrophe: Brake had no backrow cards on the field, but Siu had two face-down Sets.  He Chained Sinister Shadow Games to pitch Shaddoll Hedgehog, and when Malevolent Catastrophe resolved it destroyed Siu’s Artifact Moralltach.  He Special Summoned Moralltach and searched his Deck for Shaddoll Dragon.  Brake Tributed Cir for Caius the Shadow Monarch, banishing Artifact Moralltach.  The Duel stood at 7800 Life Points for Brake, to 4200 for Siu.  Two and a half minutes remained in the Round.

 

Siu Set a monster and Set two more cards to his Spell and Trap Card Zone.

 

Brake attacked with Caius, flipping Dragon and forcing Siu to bounce away his Caius.  In Main Phase 2 Brake Summoned Tour Guide to seek out Scarm, Malebranche of the Burning Abyss; made Dante, Traveler of the Burning Abyss; and overlaid for Downerd Magician with 2700 ATK!

 

Siu activated Shaddoll Fusion and Brake Chained Maxx “C”!  He sent Moralltach and Beast from his deck to his graveyard to Fusion Summon Shaddoll Construct, then attacked Fortune Tune to destroy it. Time was called as Fortune Tune went down, and when it did Brake returned Fortune Tune to his Extra Deck, then placed Tour Guide and Cir back in his Main Deck.  Siu Set two more cards to his backrow for a total of three.

 

Turn 1.  Three turns remained, and Brake banished Black Luster Soldier – Envoy of the Beginning and Tour Guide from the Underworld from his Graveyard to bring out Chaos Sorcerer in Defense Position.  He activated its effect to try and banish Construct, and Siu Chained Super Polymerization discarding Shaddoll Fusion to send Dante to the graveyard, Fusion Summoning El Shaddoll Winda!  Brake Set a monster and Set Breakthrough Skill, losing Breakthrough Skill to Mystical Space Typhoon in the End Phase.

 

Turn 2.  Siu attacked with Winda to destroy the defense mode Sorcerer.  He Set a second Spell or Trap Card.

 

Turn 3.  The final turn.  Siu needed to deal 4200 damage to stay in the game here, a figure Brake was very aware of.  He Summoned Mathematician, tried to use its ability to yard Shaddoll Beast, but was reminded that the Beast was one Level too high to work with Mathematician’s effect.  With no way to even the score Siu ended, conceding the Duel and the Match!

 

 

Both competitors play to a brisk pace, but an early lead plus Number 49: Fortune Tune give Billy Brake the clutch win in the last of three Duels!  Brake moves on, 2-0 in the tournament with Burning Abyss!