Remember the most recent YCS in North America? It took place in Tacoma, Washington and Barrett Keys became the champion by defeating Stephen De Lara in the Finals.

 

Now, the Yu-Gi-Oh! Championship Series is here in Chicago, and the Finals are about to begin. And once again, Barrett Keys is seated across from Stephen De Lara in a Match that will determine which of these two Duelists will become the YCS winner. Will Barrett Keys beat Stephen De Lara in two Finals in a row, or will Stephen De Lara get his revenge on Barrett Keys and take his first YCS tournament victory? We’re about to find out, because it’s time to Duel!

Duel One

 

Keys won the die roll and chose for De Lara to go first.

 

 

De Lara started off Duel 1 by Setting 2 cards to his back row.

 

Keys opened up with Koa’ki Meiru Drago, Super Rush Recklessly, Mirror Wall, Knight Day Grepher, Koa’ki Meiru Drago, Magical Undertaker, and Koa’ki Meiru Beetle.

 

 

He Summoned Koa’ki Meiru Drago to the field and then attacked directly, dropping De Lara down to 6100 Life Points. He Set Super Rush Recklessly and Mirror Wall before passing his turn and revealing Knight Day Grepher from his hand to keep his Drago on the field.

 

De Lara activated Pyramid of Wonders and then Summoned Trident Warrior. He activated its effect to Special Summon Machine King Prototype from his hand. Next, Trident Warrior attacked Koa’ki Meiru Drago. Keys flipped Mirror Wall in the Damage Step, halving the ATK of Trident Warrior. De Lara lost 900 Life Points as well as his Warrior. De Lara Set a card to his back row before ending his turn.

 

Keys drew Inspiration and then paid 2000 Life Points to keep his Mirror Wall. Koa’ki Meiru Drago attacked Machine King Prototype and De Lara activated Rare Metalmorph in the Damage Step to increase his monster’s ATK by 500. Koa’ki Meiru Drago was destroyed, and Keys dropped down to 5500 Life Points. Keys Summoned Koa’ki Meiru Beetle and then Set Inspiration to his back row. He revealed Knight Day Grepher in his End Phase to keep his Beetle on the field.

 

De Lara Set a card to his back row and passed his turn.

 

Keys drew a card and then paid another 2000 Life Points to keep Mirror Wall on the field. He Summoned Magical Undertaker and then activated Creature Swap, trading his Undertaker for De Lara’s Prototype. Keys attacked the Undertaker with his Prototype, and De Lara flipped Unbreakable Spirit to increase his monster’s ATK to 2700. Next, Keys flipped Inspiration to try to increase his Prototype’s ATK by 700; but De Lara flipped Tutan Mask to negate it! Magical Undertaker destroyed the Prototype in battle and Keys dropped down to 3100 Life Points. Keys revealed Day Grepher from his hand in his End Phase again to keep his Beetle on the field.

 

De Lara switched his Undertaker into Defense Position and then Set a card to his back row.

 

Keys drew Mythical Beast Cerberus and then paid 2000 Life Points to keep Mirror Wall on the field. He Summoned Knight Day Grepher and then attacked Magical Undertaker with Day Grepher to destroy it. Beetle attacked next, but De Lara flipped Scapegoat to Special Summon 4 Sheep Tokens, one of which blocked the attack.

 

De Lara Set a card to his back row and passed.

 

Keys sent his Mirror Wall to his Graveyard in his Standby Phase and then Summoned Wind-Up Juggler. He attacked with his 3 monsters to destroy the rest of De Lara’s Sheep Tokens.

 

De Lara Set a card to his back row and passed.

 

Keys Summoned Ancient Gear Knight and then attacked directly with Ancient Gear Knight, Koa’ki Meiru Beetle, Knight Day Grepher, and Wind-Up Juggler to wipe out all 5200 of De Lara’s Life Points!

 

 

Barrett Keys wins the first Duel with some help from Mirror Wall!

 

Duel Two

 

Keys opened up Duel 2 with Mezuki, Super Rush Recklessly, Bound Wand, Spellbook of Wisdom, and Intrigue Shield.

 

 

Keys passed his turn without making a play.

 

De Lara activated Machine Assembly Line and then Summoned Jain, Lightsworn Paladin. He attacked directly with Jain to drop Keys down to 6000 Life Points, Set 3 cards to his back row, and sent Arsenal Bug and Forbidden Scripture from the top of his Deck to his Graveyard with the effect of Jain in his End Phase.

 

Keys drew Wind-Up Juggler. He Summoned it to the field and then equipped it with Bound Wand; but De Lara flipped Tutan Mask to negate and destroy the Wand. Wind-Up Juggler attacked Jain, and De Lara activated Breakthrough Skill to try to negate the Juggler’s effect; but Keys Chained Spellbook of Wisdom to make his Juggler unaffected by Traps! Wind-Up Juggler and Jain were both destroyed, and De Lara added 4 Counters to his Assembly Line. Keys Set 2 cards to his back row and passed.

 

De Lara sent his Assembly Line to the Graveyard to Special Summon Jain in Attack Position and then Set a card to his back row. He attacked directly with Jain and sent 2 cards from his Deck to his Graveyard in the End Phase.

 

Keys Set a monster and passed his turn.

 

De Lara Summoned Koa’ki Meiru War Arms and equipped it with the Arsenal Bug in his Graveyard. He attacked Keys’s face-down Bagworm with Jain to destroy it and the Bagworm’s effect took control of Koa’ki Meiru War Arms. Next, Keys activated Super Rush Recklessly to destroy his own War Arms and shuffle Jain into De Lara’s Deck.

 

Keys drew Inspiration and then Summoned Mezuki. He attacked directly, dropping De Lara down to 6300 Life Points. Keys Set Inspiration before ending his turn.

 

De Lara Summoned Ancient Gear Knight and attacked Mezuki. Keys flipped Inspiration in the Damage Step to increase the ATK of Mezuki, but De Lara Chained Unbreakable Spirit to increase his monster’s ATK and win the battle.

 

Keys Summoned his own Ancient Gear Knight and attacked De Lara’s Knight. In the Battle Step, he flipped Intrigue Shield to protect his own Knight, sending only De Lara’s to the Graveyard.

 

De Lara Summoned Blizzard Dragon and activated its effect to freeze Ancient Gear Knight in place.

 

Keys Summoned his on-field Knight a second time to turn on its effect and then banished Mezuki from his Graveyard to Special Summon Wind-Up Juggler. He attacked Blizzard Dragon with his Juggler and De Lara flipped Magical Arm Shield to block the attack with Keys’s Ancient Gear Knight. Wind-Up Juggler was destroyed and Keys lost 100 Life Points. Keys Set a card to his back row before passing his turn.

 

De Lara activated his Blizzard Dragon’s effect to freeze Keys’s Knight in place and then Set a monster.

 

Keys Set a card to his back row and passed his turn.

 

De Lara froze Keys’s Knight in place once again with Blizzard Dragon and then Summoned Golden Flying Fish. He Tributed his face-down The Immortal Bushi to destroy Keys’s Knight and then attacked with Blizzard Dragon; but Keys flipped No Entry!! to switch De Lara’s monsters into Defense Position.

 

Keys drew Super Rush Recklessly and Set it.

 

De Lara switched his monsters into Attack Position and attacked directly; but Keys activated Zero Gravity to switch all monsters on the field into Defense Position.

 

 

Keys drew Mirror Wall and then conceded, having no way to destroy De Lara’s monsters.

 

Keys and De Lara are moving on to a third and final Duel!

 

Duel Three

 

De Lara chose to send his hand back into his Deck and redraw a new hand.

 

 

He Set a Shocktopus and passed his first turn.

 

Keys opened up Duel 3 with The Warrior Returning Alive, Creature Swap, Wind-Up Juggler, Inspiration, Fabled Ashenveil, and Goblin Elite Attack Force. He Summoned Wind-Up Juggler and attacked Shocktopus to destroy it. Shocktopus equipped to Wind-Up Juggler and Keys Set Inspiration to his back row.

 

De Lara Summoned Black Veloci and attacked Wind-Up Juggler to destroy it. Juggler took down the Veloci with its effect. De Lara Set 2 cards to his back row before passing his turn.

 

Keys activated The Warrior Returning Alive to add Wind-Up Juggler to his hand and Summoned it. He attacked directly with his Juggler and then Set a card to his back row.

 

De Lara Summoned Silent Psychic Wizard and banished Shocktopus from his Graveyard with its effect. He attacked the Juggler with his Wizard, and Keys flipped Mirror Wall in the Damage Step; but De Lara Chained Forbidden Scripture. Both monsters were destroyed, and De Lara Special Summoned Shocktopus from his Graveyard and attacked directly with it.

 

Keys drew Super Rush Recklessly and then sent his Mirror Wall to the Graveyard. He Summoned Goblin Elite Attack Force and attacked Shocktopus with it. De Lara flipped Unbreakable Spirit in the Damage Step to increase his Shocktopus’s ATK and win the battle!

 

De Lara Summoned Ancient Gear Knight next turn and attacked directly with Shocktopus and Ancient Gear Knight to wipe out the rest of Keys’s Life Points!

 

 

Stephen De Lara gets his revenge on Barrett Keys to take his first YCS tournament victory! Congratulations to Stephen De Lara, champion of YCS Chicago!