Top 32 Feature Match: Robert Kenny Versus Sehabi Kheireddine
Ritual Beast Duelist Robert Kenny from Orlando, Florida finished the Swiss Rounds with a 9-2 record this weekend, losing only to 2 Nekroz Decks. Now, he’s paired against reigning World Champion Sehabi Kheireddine from Canada! Kheireddine finished the Swiss Rounds with a 10-1 record using his Nekroz Deck, only suffering a single loss to another Nekroz Deck.
This is Kenny’s first time making it to the Top 32 at a YCS; but to advance any further, he’ll need to defeat the 2014 World Champion. Will Kenny be able to score an upset and pilot his Ritual Beast Deck to the Top 32? Or will Kheireddine’s tournament experience be too much for Kenny to handle? We’re about to find out! It’s time to Duel!
Duel One
Kenny won the die roll and chose to go first. He Summoned Ritual Beast Tamer Elder and used its effect to Normal Summon Spiritual Beast Cannahawk. He activated Cannahawk’s effect to banish Spiritual Beast Apelio from his Deck. He banished Cannahawk and Elder from his field to Special Summon Spiritual Beast Ulti-Pettlephin from his Extra Deck and then returned it to his Extra Deck to Special Summon Spiritual Beast Cannahawk and Ritual Beast Tamer Elder back from his Banished Zone. He activated Cannahawk’s effect to banish Ritual Beast Tamer Lara from his Deck and then banished both of his monsters to Special Summon Ritual Beast Ulti-Cannahawk from his Extra Deck. He targeted Apelio and Cannahawk to activate Ulti-Cannahawk’s effect and then Chained Ulti-Cannahawk’s effect to Special Summon Apelio and Lara from his Banished Zone. He added Ritual Beast Steeds to his hand with the effect of Ulti-Cannahawk. Next, he banished the last Ritual Beast from his Graveyard to activate Apelio’s effect, and banished both of his monsters to Special Summon Ritual Beast Ulti-Cannahawk back to the field. He activated its effect to send Ritual Beast Tamer Elder and Spiritual Beast Apelio from his Banished Zone to his Graveyard and add Ritual Beast Ambush to his hand. He Set 3 cards to his back row before ending his turn.
Kheireddine discarded Nekroz of Clausolas from his hand to add Nekroz Kaleidoscope from his Deck to his hand and then activated Nekroz Kaleidoscope to send Herald of the Arc Light from his Extra Deck to his Graveyard and Special Summon Nekroz of Unicore to the field. He activated the effect of Herald of the Arc Light next, adding Nekroz Cycle from his Deck to his hand with the effect of Herald of the Arc Light. Next, Kenny attacked Ritual Beast Ulti-Cannahawk with Nekroz of Unicore and Kenny returned Ulti-Cannahawk to his Extra Deck to Special Summon Lara and Cannahawk from his Banished Zone. Nekroz of Unicore attacked Cannahawk to destroy it in battle. Kheireddine activated Nekroz Cycle in Main Phase 2, and Kenny Chained Ritual Beast Ambush to Special Summon Spiritual Beast Apelio and Ritual Beast Tamer Elder from his Graveyard. Kheireddine Tributed Djinn Releaser of Rituals from his hand to Special Summon Nekroz of Clausolas from his hand and then ended his turn. In his End Phase, Kenny banished Cannahawk from his Graveyard to activate Apelio’s effect.
Kenny flipped Raigeki, and when Kheireddine Chained the effect of Nekroz of Gungnir by discarding it from his hand to try to protect Nekroz of Clausolas, Kenny Chained Ritual Beast Steeds to destroy all of Kheireddine’s monsters! Next, Kenny Summoned Spiritual Beast Rampengu and activated its effect to banish Ritual Beast Ulti-Pettlephin from his Extra Deck and send Spiritual Beast Pettlephin from his Deck to his Graveyard. Next, he banished Pettlephin from his Graveyard to activate his Apelio’s effect and increase the ATK of all Ritual Beasts by 500 for the entire turn. Kenny banished Lara and Apelio to Special Summon Ulti-Cannahawk and then activated Ulti-Cannahawk’s effect. He targeted 2 of his cards to go back to his Graveyard from the Banished Zone and then used Ulti-Cannahawk’s effect to return it to the Extra Deck and Special Summon Lara and Cannahawk. He added Steeds to his hand with the effect of Ulti-Cannahawk and then used Cannahawk’s effect to banish Wen from his Deck. He combined Lara with Cannahawk to Special Summon Ulti-Cannahawk back to the field and then used Ulti-Cannahawk’s effect targeting his banished Apelio and Pettlephin. He Chained Ulti-Cannahawk’s effect to return it to the Extra Deck and Special Summon Wen and Apelio. Pettlephin returned to Kenny’s Graveyard and Kenny added Ritual Beast Ambush to his Deck. Next, he combined Wen with Apelio by banishing them to Special Summon Ritual Beast Ulti-Apelio in Attack Position. He switched his Elder into Attack Position and then attacked directly with Ulti-Apelio, Elder, and Rampengu, dropping Kheireddine down to 1600 Life Points. In Main Phase 2, he banished Rampengu and Elder to Special Summon Ritual Beast Ulti-Pettlephin in Defense Position. Kenny Set 3 cards to his back row before passing.
Kheireddine banished Nekroz Cycle and Nekroz of Unicore from his Graveyard to add Nekroz Kaleidoscope to his hand. Next, he banished Nekroz Kaleidoscope and Nekroz of Clausolas from his Graveyard to add Nekroz Mirror to his hand. He Summoned Denko Sekka and then activated Nekroz Kaleidoscope! He Tributed Shurit from his hand to Special Summon Nekroz of Valkyrus from his hand. Next, he used Shurit’s effect to add Nekroz of Brionac from his Deck to his hand, and discarded Nekroz of Brionac to add Nekroz of Trishula to his hand. He activated Nekroz Mirror next, banishing Nekroz of Brionac and Djinn Releaser of Rituals from his Graveyard to Summon Nekroz of Trishula! Nekroz of Trishula banished Ulti-Pettlephin from the field, another card from the Graveyard, and Spiritual Beast Rampengu from Kenny’s hand. He attacked Ulti-Apelio with Nekroz of Trishula to destroy it and then attacked directly with Nekroz of Valkyrus and Denko Sekka.
Kenny conceded on his next turn, with all of his plays locked down by Denko Sekka and the Nekroz of Trishula Special Summoned using Djinn Releaser of Rituals.
Sehabi Kheireddine takes a come-from-behind victory over Robert Kenny’s Ritual Beasts in Duel 1!
Duel Two
Kenny opened up Duel 2 with Mystical Space Typhoon, Mirror Force, Spiritual Beast Pettlephin, and 2 copies of Ritual Beast Tamer Lara.
He Set a monster and then Set Mystical Space Typhoon and Mirror Force.
Kheireddine Summoned Senju of the Thousand Hands and activated its effect to add Nekroz of Brionac to his hand. He discarded Nekroz of Brionac to add Nekroz of Unicore to his hand and then discarded Nekroz of Clausolas from his hand to add Nekroz Kaleidoscope to his hand. He activated Nekroz Kaleidoscope next, Special Summoning Nekroz of Unicore by sending Herald of the Arc Light from his Extra Deck to his Graveyard. He added Nekroz of Trishula to his hand with the effect of Herald of the Arc Light. Next, he combined Nekroz of Unicore with Senju of the Thousand Hands to Xyz Summon Diamond Dire Wolf and activated the effect of Diamond Dire Wolf to destroy Kenny’s Mirror Force along with his own Diamond Dire Wolf. He activated Mystical Space Typhoon to destroy Kenny’s face-down Mystical Space Typhoon next. Then, he banished Nekroz Kaleidoscope and Nekroz of Unicore from his Graveyard to add another Nekroz Kaleidoscope to his hand. He activated Nekroz Cycle to Tribute Shurit from his hand and Summon Nekroz of Trishula from his hand. He added Nekroz of Brionac to his hand with Shurit’s effect and banished Pettlephin from the field, Wen from Kenny’s hand, and Mirror Force from Kenny’s Graveyard with Trishula’s effect. Nekroz of Trishula attacked directly, dropping Kenny down to 5300 Life Points.
Kenny drew Artifact Lancea next turn and passed.
Kheireddine Summoned Senju of the Thousand Hands and activated its effect to add Nekroz of Unicore to his hand. He discarded Nekroz of Brionac from his hand to add Nekroz of Valkyrus to his hand and then activated Nekroz Kaleidoscope to Special Summon Nekroz of Unicore and Nekroz of Valkyrus from his hand by sending Shooting Quasar Dragon from his Extra Deck to his Graveyard. Direct attacks from Nekroz of Unicore, Nekroz of Valkyrus, Nekroz of Trishula, and Senju of the Thousand Hands finished Kenny off!
Sehabi Kheireddine capitalizes on Kenny’s weak opening hand to take a quick victory in Duel 2 and advance to the Top 16!