Round 1: Korey McDuffie versus Joel Adams
Welcome to the North American World Championship Qualifier! Every Duelist in attendance today has proved their worth throughout the last year, earning an invitation to play in this culmination of their efforts. To kick off the day, we’re starting with last year’s WCQ winner, Korey McDuffie! He’s using Nekroz today, facing off against Joel Adams and his Shaddolls. Here we go with Round 1!
Duel 1
McDuffie won the die roll and opted to play second.
Adams began with two Set cards.
McDuffie’s hand was Nekroz of Decisive Armor, Maxx “C”, Manju of the Ten Thousand Hands, Book of Eclipse, Book of Moon, and Mystical Space Typhoon. He played Manju, Adams flipped Mistake, and McDuffie destroyed it with Mystical Space Typhoon. Manju’s effect went through, and he added Nekroz of Brionac to his hand. Manju attacked directly, dropping Adams to 6600 Life Points, then McDuffie used Brionac’s effect to add Nekroz of Unicore to his hand. He discarded that to get back Brionac, then finished by setting his two Books.
Adams Set a monster.
McDuffie drew Reinforcement of the Army, and used it to search out Shurit, Strategist of the Nekroz. He discarded Brionac to add Nekroz of Clausolas to his hand, which in turn gave him Nekroz Kaleidoscope. He played it, and Adams flipped Vanity’s Emptiness, leaving McDuffie unable to Ritual Summon! He used Book of Eclipse to flip his Manju face-down, then Flip Summoned it to use its effect a second time – he got Nekroz of Brionac. Manju attacked, but couldn’t destroy Adams’s Set Peropero Cerperus.
Adams passed.
McDuffie drew Nekroz Cycle. He used Brionac’s effect to add Dance Princess of the Nekroz to his hand, and Normal Summoned it. Dance Princess attacked, and Nekroz of Decisive Armor’s effect from McDuffie’s hand let it destroy Peropero Cerperus, and Vanity’s Emptiness went down as well. Manju didn’t attack, so as not to set off Cerperus’s effect. In Main Phase 2, McDuffie stacked Manju and Dance Princess for Lavalval Chain, and it was hit by Effect Veiler before it could use its effect.
Adams passed again.
McDuffie drew another Manju! He played it and added Unicore to his hand. He activated Nekroz Cycle, using Shurit from his hand to Ritual Summon Decisive Armor from the Graveyard! Shurit added Clausolas to his hand, which gave him Nekroz Kaleidoscope. He played that, sending Herald of the Arc Light to the Graveyard to Summon Unicore! He added Nekroz of Valkyrus to his hand with Herald of the Arc Light’s effect. Decisive Armor attacked directly, and Adams used the effect of Peropero Cerperus in his Graveyard to destroy Unicore. Unicore and Manju attacked directly, leaving Adams with only 100 Life Points! In Main Phase 2 McDuffie used Lavalval Chain’s effect, putting his third Manju on top of his Deck.
Adams drew for what was probably his last turn in this Duel… and played Raigeki! He Set a monster and three cards to his back row, now with nothing in his hand.
McDuffie drew the Manju he’d prepared earlier. He banished Kaleidoscope and Clausolas from his Graveyard to search out a new Ritual Spell, and Adams conceded! He knew he was out of this Duel, but probably didn’t want to reveal the rest of his face-down cards. That could give him a key advantage heading into the next Duel.
Duel 2
Adams chose to play second. McDuffie began with Nekroz of Valkyrus, Nekroz of Gungnir, Nekroz Kaleidoscope, Ice Hand, and Preparation of Rites. He thought his options over for a while before deciding to play Preparation of Rites, getting Nekroz of Brionac, which then got Shurit, Strategist of the Nekroz. He used Kaleidoscope to Tribute Shurit and Ritual Summon Valkyrus, and Shurit’s effect added Nekroz of Clausolas to his hand. He used Valkyrus to Tribute itself and Clausolas, letting him draw Fire Hand and Dance Princess of the Nekroz. At that, Adams discarded Artifact Lancea to lock down the Graveyard. McDuffie passed.
Adams played Mathematician to send Shaddoll Squamata to the Graveyard, which sent Shaddoll Beast as well. Beast’s effect let Adams draw a card. He banished Lancea and Squamata to bring forth Black Luster Soldier – Envoy of the Beginning! Mathematician and Luster Soldier attacked directly, then Adams used El Shaddoll Fusion during the Battle Phase, fusing Shaddoll Falco and Effect Veiler from his hand for El Shaddoll Construct! Construct sent Shadoll Core to the Graveyard, and Falco revived itself. When Core hit the Graveyard, it returned El Shaddoll Fusion to the hand. Construct attacked directly, and Adams Set his two cards from his hand to his back row.
McDuffie drew Nekroz Kaleidoscope. He used the Kaleidoscope from his Graveyard, banishing it and Clausolas to add Nekroz Mirror to his hand. He activated it, using Dance Princess from his hand and Shurit from his Graveyard to Ritual Summon Nekroz of Gungnir. Dance Princess’s effect activated, targeting Clausolas, and Adams Chained El Shaddoll Fusion. He combined Mathematician and Construct for El Shaddoll Shekhinaga in Defense Position. In a new chain, Construct targeted El Shaddoll Fusion, and McDuffie Chained his Gungnir’s effect on Shekhinaga. Adams Chained Sinister Shadow Games, sending Shaddoll Hedgehog to the Graveyard. Shekhinaga was destroyed, but its effect still sent Squamata to the Graveyard, and Hedgehog added Squamata to Adams’s hand. McDuffie Set Fire Hand to finish.
Adams used El Shaddoll Fusion, fusing Squamata and Luster Soldier for Construct. The two Shaddoll effects sent El Shaddoll Fusion and Shaddoll Beast to the Graveyard, and Adams drew a card as time in the round ended. Adams still had 8000 Life Points, while McDuffie had a mere 700. Adams Flip Summoned Shaddoll Falco, returning Construct to the field face-down. Next, he Normal Summoned Fire Hand! Fire Hand attacked into the more powerful Gungnir, then destroyed Gungnir with its effect! That also let Adams Special Summon Ice Hand from his Deck. Construct attacked McDuffie’s Fire Hand. He destroyed Shaddoll Falco with its effect and brought Ice Hand to the field in Defense Position. In Main Phase 2, Adams used Shaddoll Fusion to combine Ice Hand with Construct, for Shaddoll Anoyatyllis! He Set one to his back row to finish.
McDuffie drew Torrential Tribute! That could potentially save him in this dire moment. He had only the Ice Hand on the field, the one in his hand, and Torrential Tribute. He played the second Ice Hand, and stacked them for Evilswarm Exciton Knight! Adams responded by flipping El Shaddoll Fusion, and McDuffie Chained to that with Exciton’s effect. Everything else was destroyed, and El Shaddoll Fusion couldn’t resolve with nothing to fuse, but Adams was able to use Anoyatyllis’s and Construct’s effects to add Shaddoll Fusion and El Shaddoll Fusion to his hand. McDuffie Set Torrential Tribute.
Adams played Shaddoll Fusion, fusing Tackle Crusader and Shaddoll Falco for El Shaddoll Shekhinaga! Tackle Crusader’s effect targeted Exciton Knight, and McDuffie decided to flip Torrential Tribute in response. Falco’s effect returned it to the field face-down, and Shekhinaga added Shadoll Core back to Adams’s hand. He Set three back row cards.
McDuffie drew Nekroz of Trishula, and Adams Special Summoned Shadoll Core. McDuffie checked his Graveyard for Nekroz Ritual Spells, and Adams decided to flip Shared Ride, since he wouldn’t get another turn at this point. McDuffie banished Nekroz Mirror and Dance Princess to add an Nekroz Mirror to his hand. He played it, and Adams flipped El Shaddoll Fusion for Anoyatyllis! McDuffie was unable to Ritual Summon, and with only 700 Life Points, Adams took the second Duel!
Since the round time ended and each Duelist and one win, this Match is a Draw! Adams and McDuffie proved to be evenly matched!