YCS first timer Omar Daoudi is a local from Lakewood, California, and he has brought a Burning Abyss deck featuring new additions from The New Challengers and awesome tech such as Night Beam! His opponent is Sean Graefe, a duelist also fairly local from Lancaster, California. He has brought Mermail to the tournament today, a classis but strong choice.

Daoudi lost the roll and Graefe chose to go first.

Duel One:

Graefe didn’t seem to have much to think about because he immediately Set a back row and a Monster before ending.

Daoudi opened with a hand consisting of two copies of Vanity’s Emptiness, Rubic, Malebranche of the Burning Abyss, Scarm, Malebranche of the Burning Abyss, and Foolish Burial. He drew Night Beam for turn and slammed it down,  blasting away Graefe’s Mystical Space Typhoon. He then activated Foolish Burial to send Graff, Malebranche of the Burning Abyss to his Graveyard to Special Summon Cir, Malebranche of the Burning Abyss from his Deck. Next, he Special Summoned Rubic, Malebranche of the Burning Abyss from his hand, Synchroed away both the Malebranches to Summon Virgil, Rock Star of the Burning Abyss! He used Virgil’s effect ditching Scarm, Malebranche of the Burning Abyss to bounce away the Monster, and then attacked with Graff, Malebranche of the Burning Abyss and Virgil, Rock Star of the Burning Abyss directly. He Set two copies of Vanity’s Emptiness before moving to End Phase, where he searched for Tour Guide from the Underworld off of the Scarm, Malebranche of the Burning Abyss effect.

Graefe Set a back row and ended.

Daoudi drew Black Luster Soldier – Envoy of the Beginning for turn! He Normal Summoned Tour Guide from the Underworld and used its effect to Special Summon Rubic, Malebranche of the Burning Abyss from his Deck, but Graff, Malebranche of the Burning Abyss destroyed itself because he now controlled a non-Burning Abyss monster. He moved to Battle Phase and declared an attack with Virgil, which prompted  Abyss-sphere from Graefe in an attempt toto find a way to save himself from the damage. Daoudi had the perfect answer with Vanity’s Emptiness, and he finished the Duel on his second turn!

Daoudi takes an impressively lightning fast victory in the first Duel of his first ever YCS! Clearly his skills aren’t representative of his lack of presence at the Championship Series.

Graefe dove to his Side Deck and separated a fairly large pile of cards to swap in. After both Duelists were done siding, Graefe announced that he would go second rather than first, hoping that the additional draw will gain him some advantage.

Duel Two:

Daoudi opened with a hand of Alich, Malebranche of the Burning Abyss, The Monarchs Stormforth, Vanity’s Emptiness, Rubic, Malebranche of the Burning Abyss, and Maxx “C”. He Special Summoned both Malebranches from his hand and proceeded to overlay for Dante, Traveler of the Burning Abyss. He used its effect and milled two copies of Graff, Malebranche of the Burning Abyss and a Cir, Malebranche of the Burning Abyss! He used Graff, Malebranche of the Burning Abyss to Special Summon a Scarm, Malebranche of the Burning Abyss from his Deck, and then used Cir, Malebranche of the Burning Abyss to revive a copy of Graff. He overlayed both of those for a second Dante, Traveler of the Burning Abyss and used it to mill another card so that he could detach Scarm, but Tour Guide from the Underworld was what he lost from the top of his Deck. He Set a Vanity’s Emptiness before ending his turn, and Scarm searched Tour Guide from the Underworld.

Graefe activated Mermail Abyssteus discarding Tidal, Dragon Ruler of Waterfalls for cost, and when Daoudi tried to stop it with Vanity’s Emptiness Graefe had a Mystical Space Typhoon to clear it! Daoudi responded to the Mystical Space Typhoon with Maxx “C”, and drew a Cir, Malebranche of the Burning Abyss off it. Graefe considered for a moment, trying to calculate the best way of dealing with the effect of Maxx “C”. The Abyssteus searched Mermail Abysslinde, and Graefe followed it up by Summoning a Genex Controller to Synchro for Leo, the Keeper of the Sacred Tree. Daoudid drew Graff, Malebranche of the Burning Abyss off the second draw from Maxx “C”. Graefe attacked over Daoudi’sDante, Traveler of the Burning Abyss with Leo, and Daoudi added back Rubic, Malebranche of the Burning Abyss with its effect. Graefe finally Set two cards to his back row before ending his turn.

Daoudi drew Vanity’s Fiend. He Special Summoned Graff, Malebranche of the Burning Abyss and Special Summoned Rubic, Malebranche of the Burning Abyss, then Synchroed away both for Virgil, Rock Star of the Burning Abyss. Graefe responded with Shadow-Imprisoning Mirror to stop the Burning Abyss effects Graveyard effects, but Virgil being a LIGHT presented an easy way for Daoudi to deal with it. He used Virgil, Rock Star of the Burning Abyss to discard Cir, Malebranche of the Burning Abyss and spin away the Shadow-Imprisoning Mirror, getting back Scarm, Malebranche of the Burning Abyss via Cir’s effect. He considered using The Monarchs Stormforth to clear Leo, the Keeper of the Sacred Tree but realized that he wouldn’t be able to this turn because he had Special Summoned from his Extra Deck, so he was forced to simply pass.

Graefe drew to two cards in hand and considered his options. He entered Battle Phase and declared an attack with Leo, the Keeper of the Sacred Tree over Virgil, Rock Star of the Burning Abyss which netted Daoudi a copy of Fire Lake of the Burning Abyss off of its draw effect. Graefe Set a Monster before ending his turn.

Daoudi drew Tour Guide from the Underworld for turn and thought for a moment, then opted to use Dante, Traveler of the Burning Abyss to mill 3 cards and pump its ATK by 1500. He detached Graff, Malebranche of the Burning Abyss and milled Maxx “C”, Fire Lake of the Burning Abyss, and Cir, Malebranche of the Burning Abyss. He used Cir to revive his fallen Virgil, Rock Star of the Burning Abyss. Next, he used The Monarchs Stormforth to tribute away the untargetable ‘leo to summon Vanity’s Fiend, but when he went to declare an attack Greafe had Compulsory Evacuation Device to put the Fiend back into Daodiu’s hand. He Set the Fire Lake of the Burning Abyss to his back row and added Rubic, Malebranche of the Burning Abyss to his hand via Scarm, Malebranche of the Burning Abyss.

Graefe drew and Flip Flipped Summoned Mermail Abysslinde, then ran into Daoudi’s Virgil, Rock Star of the Burning Abyss with it. The Abysslinde got Mermail Abyssleed from his Deck, but when he tried to run over Virgil with it Daoudi responded with Fire Lake of the Burning Abyss, tributing Dante, Traveler of the Burning Abyss and Virgil to destroy it.  Daoudi got to add back Cir, Malebranche of the Burning Abyss thanks to Dante, and Graefe Set a back row before he ended.

Daoudi drew Majesty’s Fiend for turn, then Special Summoned Rubic, Malebranche of the Burning Abyss from his hand so that he could tribute it away for Vanity’s Fiend. He declared an attack with the almighty Tribute Monster before ending.

Graefe drew and was was visually saddened by the presence of Vanity’s Fiend, he Set a back row and ended.

Daoudi drew Upstart Goblin but chose not to activate it because he didn’t want to make his clock to win any longer; he attacked with Vanity’s Fiend and then Set Cir, Malebranche of the Burning Abyss before ending his turn.

Graefe drew for turn and looked miserable once again, not being able to get past the effect of Vanity’s Fiend. He could only Set another Spell/Trap before ending.

Daoudi drew Scarm, Malebranche of the Burning Abyss and went straight to Battle Phase, but before he could declare an attack Graefe simply conceded!

Omar Daoudi proves that his Dueling skills are quite the force the force to be reckoned with as he claims the match victory at his first ever YCS! He starts the day off flawlessly at 1-0.