A huge amount of Nekroz made it into the Top 32, and Omar Daoudi is one of them. He ended the Swiss portion at 8-2, a respectable record in a Field of intense Nekroz mirror matches. He is a Southern California native, with YCS Anaheim being his first YCS and his first time making it to Top Cut, so he’s excited to have had repeated success in this tournament. Destin Kaspi is one of the six Qliphort Duelists who made it into Top Cut of this tournament, a Seattle local who is trying to win big here this weekend. Only one can advance to the Battle Pack 3: Monster League Draft portion, which will make it?

Daoudi won the roll and chose to go second.

Duel One:

Kaspi started by activating Upstart Goblin, drawing a card and giving Daoudi 1000 Life Points before activating Summoner’s Art, searching and placing Qliphort Scout on his Pendulum Scale. He paid 800 Life Points with the Qliphort Scout, adding Saqlifice before Normal Summoning Qliphort Disk and equipping it. He Set the rest of his hand to the back row before ending.

Daoudi opened with a hand with two copies of Book of Eclipse, Nekroz of Valkyrus, Senju of the Thousand Hands, Maxx “C”, and drew Nekroz Kaleidoscope for turn. He Normal Summoned Senju of the Thousand Hands activating its effect, and after some consideration to represent a bluff Kaspi let it resolve. Daoudi added Nekroz of Unicore to his hand, but when he tried to activate Nekroz Kaleidoscope Kaski Flipped Vanity’s Emptiness to halt the Special Summon. Daoudi was still able to send Herald of the Arch Light to the Graveyard though, and once it hit he added Nekroz of Brionac to his hand which he then discarded to search Shurit, Strategist of Nekroz. He used Nekroz of Unicore, discarding it to add back Nekroz of Brionac, before Setting both copies of Book of Eclipse.

Kaspi drew and announced his phases lightning fast, paying 800 Life Points for Qliphort Scout when he entered Main Phase and added Qliphort Stealth to his hand. At resolution, Daoudi Flipped Book of Eclipse to turn the Qliphort Disk face down, sending Saqlifice to the Graveyard, along with his own Senju of the Thousand Hands. In a new Chain, Kaspi’s Vanity’s Emptiness destroyed itself while he added Qliphort Helix to his hand from the Saqlifice. He Normal Summoned Qliphort Helix and tried to attack over the Set Senju of the Thousand Hands, but Daoudi used Nekroz of Valkyrus to save it. Kaspi Set a back row and Flipped his Qliphort Disk back up during the End Phase, drawing a card because of Book of Eclipse.

Daoudi drew Manju of the Ten Thousand Hands for turn before Flip Summoning Senju of the Thousand Hands, using its effect to add Nekroz of Clausolas which he then discarded to add Nekroz Cycle. He then Normal Summoned the Manju of the Ten Thousand Hands, using its effect to add Nekroz Mirror to his hand, but at resolution Kaspi Flipped Vanity’s Emptiness to make sure Daoudi would not be able to use any of his Ritual Spells. He declared an attack over Qliphort Disk with Manju of the Ten Thousand Hands, then used Nekroz of Brionac to add Nekroz of Valkyrus to his hand.

Kaspi drew and paid another 800 Life Points for Qliphort Scout, putting himself down to 5600 Life Points. He added Saqlifice to his hand, equipping it to Qliphort Helix, but once he did Daoudi responded with Book of Eclipse to turn the Qliphort along with both Manju of the Ten Thousand Hands and Senju of the Thousand Hands face down. This also sent the Saqlifice to the Graveyard, causing Vanity’s Emptiness to destroy itself. Kaspi looked through his Extra Deck while contemplating what to search with Saqlifice, deciding to grab another Qliphort Scout. He placed it on the other end of his Pendulum Scale, then used its effect to add another Saqlifice to his hand putting himself at 4800 Life Points. He then Flip Summoned the Qliphort Helix, equipped it with Saqlifice, then tributed for Qliphort Disk! He used its effect along with Saqlifice and Qliphort Helix, prompting Daoudi to Chain Maxx “C”. The Qliphort Disk Special Summoned Qliphort Monolith and Qliphort Scout, the Saqlifice searched Qliphort Monolith, and the Qliphort Helix destroyed his own Qliphort Scout. Daoudi drew Raigeki off of Maxx “C”, then Kaspi activated Mystical Space Typhoon on his own Qliphort Scout so that he could overlay for Wind-Up Zenmaioh, using its effect to destroy the Set Manju of the Ten Thousand Hands and Set Senju of the Thousand Hands, letting Daoudi draw Nekroz of Gungnir off of the Special Summon. When he tried to declare an attack Daoudi used Nekroz of Valkyrus, blocking the attack and stopping the Battle Phase. Kaspi activated Qliphort Monolith in Main Phase 2, drawing one card during the End Phase.

Daoudi drew Preparation of Rites and activated it, adding Nekroz of Unicore from his Deck and Nekroz Kaleidoscope from his Graveyard. He then used the Nekroz Kaleidoscope, sending Herald of the Arch Light to the Graveyard to Special Summon Nekroz of Unicore from his hand, allowing him to search Nekroz of Trishula off of the Herald of the Arch Light. He activated Nekroz Cycle next, sending Shurit, Strategist of Nekroz to the Graveyard from his hand to Special Summon Nekroz of Valkyrus from his Graveyard. He then used the effect of the Shurit, Strategist of Nekroz, adding Nekroz of Brionac to his hand before activating Nekroz Mirror, banishing Shurit, Strategist of Nekroz and Special Summoning Nekroz of Trishula from his hand. He used the effect, banishing Qliphort Monolith from Kaspi’s Graveyard, a Set Mirror Force off the Field, and Qliphort Stealth from Kaspi’s hand! With a lucky hit like that clearing away the Mirror Force, Daoudi slammed down Raigeki and Kaspi conceded!

An impressive series of plays along with some luck allows Daoudi to claim victory in the first Duel, can he manage to do it again? Or will Kaspi be able to Duel his way to success two games in a row?

Kaspi chose to go first in the second Duel.

Duel Two:

Kaspi Normal Summoned Qliphort Carrier and Set a back row before ending.

Daoudi opened with a hand of Nekroz of Clausolas, Nekroz of Valkyrus, Nekroz of Unicore, Dark Hole, and Denko Sekka before drawing another Nekroz of Unicore for turn. He announced his phases, then Normal Summoned Denko Sekka and activated Nekroz of Clausolas to add Nekroz Kaleidoscope to his hand. He used Nekroz Kaleidoscope, sending Herald of the Arch Light, to Special Summon Nekroz of Unicore, adding Nekroz of Valkyrus to his hand off of the Herald of the Arch Light effect. He then used Nekroz of Brionac, discarding it to add Shurit, Strategist of Nekroz. He went to Battle Phase, attacking over Qliphort Carrier with Nekroz of Unicore and directly with Denko Sekka, before moving to Main Phase 2 and using Nekroz of Unicore to add Nekroz of Brionac back from his Graveyard.

Kaspi started by activating Upstart Goblin, then slamming down Summoner’s Art, searching Qliphort Scout, and placing it on his Pendulum Scale before paying 800 Life Points Qliphort Scout to add Saqlifice to his hand. He placed Qliphort Monolith on the opposite end of his scale, then Pendulum Summoned Qliphort Carrier from his Extra Deck along with Qliphort Helix from his hand. He equipped the Helix with Saqlifice, then tributed it away for Qliphort Disk Special Summoning Qliphort Carrier and Qliphort Helix from his Deck, adding Qliphort Scout off of the Saqlifice. When he tried to attack over the Denko Sekka with Qliphort Disk, Daoudi used Nekroz of Valkyrus to end the Battle Phase. Kaspi went to End Phase, drawing card from Qliphort Monolith.

Daoudi drew Twister for turn and took a moment to contemplate what he could possibly do. He started off with Dark Hole, destroying his Nekroz of Unicore and Denko Sekka along with all of Kaspi’s Qliphorts. He then banished Nekroz Kaleidoscope and Nekroz of Unicore to add Nekroz Cycle to his hand, but once he did Kaspi tried to used Vanity’s Emptiness but Daoudi had Twister to blow it away. He then used Nekroz Cycle, ditching Shurit, Strategist of Nekroz, to Special Summon Nekroz of Valkyrus and then Shurit, Strategist of Nekroz added Nekroz of Trishula before he used Nekroz of Brionac to add Nekroz of Unicore before he discarded it to add back Nekroz of Clausolas, which he then discarde to get Nekroz Mirror. He used it, banishing Nekroz of Brionac and Nekroz of Clausolas, to Special Summon Nekroz of Trishula and that was it!

Daoudi did it! On the back of Denko Sekka and a key Twister, he is able to push through the defenses of Qliphort and move onto the Top Cut Draft!