With three rounds left in the tournament, many Duelists are sitting precariously with 7-2 records. A win means they’re still in the Safe Zone, a loss most likely takes them out of contention for a Top Cut finish. Yueqi Zhu topped both YCS Dallas and YCS Seattle this year, and is sitting at that same record looking to clench another one. His opponent is now slouch though, Luke Feeney topped the 150^th YCS last month and is trying to repeat and improve his finish.

Both Duelists are using Nekroz but with slightly different tech. Zhu is using Main Deck Breakthrough Skill which is not the most popular choice but is flexible and strong against a large portion of the Field. The best part of Breakthrough Skill is that its unexpected, and thus he has a leg up in that department. Feeney is using a different variant centering around locking is opponent with Djinn Releaser of Rituals and back it up with cards like Solemn Scolding and Forbidden Lance to protect it.

With both players on the bubble, this match is for their lives in the tournament.

Feeney won the roll and chose to go first.

Duel One:

Feeney started with Nekroz Kaleidoscope, sending Herald of the Arch Light from his Extra Deck to the Graveyard, to Ritual Summon Nekroz of Unicore. Herald of the Arch Light triggered, letting Feeney add Nekroz of Valkyrus to his hand. He then activated Nekroz Cycle, tributing Shurit, Strategist of Nekroz from his hand, to Ritual Summon Nekroz of Valkyrus. This triggered Shurit, Strategist of Nekroz, letting Feeney add Nekroz of Trishula to his hand. He activated the effect of Nekroz of Valkyrus next, tributing it and his Nekroz of Unicore to draw two cards and clear his Field so he was not susceptible to Nekroz of Trishula. Feeney studied his Graveyard for a moment while he shuffled his hand; he banished Nekroz Cycle along with Nekroz of Unicore to use the effect of Nekroz Cycle, adding Nekroz Mirror. He ditched Nekroz of Brionac from his hand next, using its effect to add Shurit, Strategist of Nekroz. He banished Nekroz of Brionac along with Nekroz Kaleidoscope for its effect, adding Nekroz Cycle. After that he passed play to Zhu.

Zhu opened with Manju of the Ten Thousand Hands, Mystical Space Typhoon, Nekroz Cycle, Nekroz of Valkyrus, and Dance Princess of the Nekroz before he drew Nekroz of Brionac. He discarded Nekroz of Brionac to add Shurit, Strategist of Nekroz, then activated Nekroz Cycle to Special Summon Nekroz of Valkyrus from his hand. He used the effect of the freshly tributed Shurit, Strategist of Nekroz, which let him add Nekroz of Clausolas. He Normal Summoned Manju of the Ten Thousand Hands next, using its effect to add Nekroz of Unicore, before he ditched the Nekroz of Clausolas he recently added to find Nekroz Kaleidoscope. He activated the Nekroz Kaleidoscope to Special Summon Nekroz of Unicore by sending Herald of the Arch Light to his Graveyard; the Herald of the Arch Light activated letting Zhu add Nekroz of Gungnir to his hand. He moved to Battle Phase and after a bit of thought by Feeney which was possibly a feign that he had Nekroz of Valkyrus, all of the damage went through which reduced Feeney down to 1400 Life Points. Zhu moved to Main Phase 2 where he overlayed his two Level 4 Monsters for Lavalval Chain, using its effect to send Djinn Releaser of Rituals to the Graveyard. He activated the effect of Nekroz of Valkyrus next, drawing Nekroz of Unicore and Book of Eclipse, to clear his Field so that he could banish Nekroz Kaleidoscope and Nekroz of Clausolas along with Nekroz Cycle and Nekroz of Brionac to add Nekroz Mirror and Nekroz Cycle respectively. He activated the Nekroz Mirror, banishing Djinn Releaser of Rituals and Nekroz of Unicore, to Ritual Summon Nekroz of Gungnir from his hand! After giving a look through his Graveyard, Zhu ended his turn.

Feeney drew to seven cards in hand and thought for a moment before he Set a Monster and tried to end, but during the End Phase Zhu used the effect of Nekroz of Gungnir, discarding Nekroz of Unicore, to destroy Feeney’s Set Djinn Releaser of Rituals.

Zhu drew Preparation of Rites for turn, but Feeney only had 1400 Life Points remaining and conceded once Zhu showed that he had Dance Princess of the Nekroz in his hand!

After a Duel that did not last many turns but did last a significant amount of time, both Duelists dove to their Side Decks to try to adapt accordingly. Both were silent as they shuffled and presented.

Feeney chose to go first again.

Duel Two:

Feeney started with the Normal Summon of Armageddon Knight; he used its effect to send Djinn Releaser of Rituals to his Graveyard before he activated Reinforcement of the Army to add Nekroz of Clausolas which he immediately discarded to add Nekroz Cycle. He activated Nekroz Cycle, banishing Djinn Releaser of Rituals as the Ritual Material, to Special Summon Nekroz of Clausolas from his Graveyard. He Set two to his back row before ending.

Zhu had a hand of Reinforcement of the Army, Nekroz of Valkyrus, Shared Ride, Nekroz of Gungnir, and Senju of the Thousand Hands before he drew Nekroz of Unicore. He activated Reinforcement of the Army to add Bull Blader to his hand, which Feeney asked to read. He Normal Summoned the Bull Blader next and then moved to Battle Phase, but when he did Feeney activated Forbidden Lance telegraphing Solemn Scolding. Zhu still made the attack but when he went to activate the effect of bull Blader Feeney did in fact have Solemn Scolding to negate and destroy it! Without much left to do, Zhu Set Shared Ride before ending.

Feeney drew and though before moving to Battle Phase and declaring an attack with Armageddon Knight for 1400. He Set two to his back row before he ended.

Zhu drew Book of Eclipse! This would be able to Flip the Nekroz of Clausolas down so that he would be able to Special Summon, but with two more back row Feeney is likely to have another copy of Forbidden Lance at the very least or possibly just to play around Nekroz of Trishula. Zhu activated the Book of Eclipse and Feeney didn’t have a response! Both of his Monsters got Flipped down and Zhu Normal Summoned Senju of the Thousand Hands, using its effect to add Nekroz of Clausolas which he discarded to add Nekroz Kaleidoscope. Zhu activated the Nekroz Kaleidoscope, sending Shooting Quasar Dragon to the Graveyard, to Special Summon both Nekroz of Valkyrus and Nekroz of Unicore. He moved to Battle Phase, declaring an attack with Senju of the Thousand Hands over the Set Armageddon Knight and with Nekroz of Valkyrus over the Set Nekroz of Clausolas before directly with Nekroz of Unicore. In Main Phase 2, Zhu overlayed his two Level 4 Monsters for Lavalval Chain and used its effect to send Djinn Releaser of Rituals to his Graveyard. Things were looking similar to the last Duel as he tributed away Nekroz of Valkyrus and Lavalval Chain, drawing Maxx “C” and Nekroz Kaleidoscope, but clearing away his Field so that he could banish Nekroz Kaleidoscope and Nekroz of Unicore from his Graveyard so that he could add Nekroz Cycle. He activated the Ritual Spell, banishing Djinn Releaser of Rituals, to Special Summon Nekroz of Clausolas from his Graveyard before ending.

Feeney drew and Normal Summoned Senju of the Thousand Hands; he used its effect to add Nekroz of Brionac which he then discarded to add Nekroz of Valkyrus. He ended his turn afterwards.

Zhu drew Nekroz of Trishula for turn but without a way to Ritual Summon it, passed the turn.

Feeney drew and passed play.

Zhu drew Maxx “C” and ended.

Feeney drew and ended once again.

Zhu drew another Shared Ride for turn and Set it before ending.

Feeney drew and activated Reinforcement of the Army, which Zhu responded to with Shared Ride drawing Nekroz of Clausolas, and then ended.

Zhu drew Dance Princess of the Nekroz and looked through his Graveyard to figure out the best line of play he could make. He finally decided to discard Nekroz of Clausolas, which let him add Nekroz Mirror to his hand, and then activated the Nekroz Mirror which Feeney acknowledged was fine. Zhu banished Nekroz of Clausolas from his Graveyard and tributed Dance Princess of the Nekroz from his hand to Ritual Summon Nekroz of Gungnir, the Dance Princess of the Nekroz let him add Nekroz of Unicore from his Banished to his hand. He activated Nekroz Kaleidoscope next, sending Herald of the Arch Light to the Graveyard go Summon the Nekroz of Unicore, and used the effect of Herald of the Arch Light to add another copy of Nekroz of Unicore. He discarded the Nekroz of Unicore for its effect which let him add back Dance Princess of the Nekroz; he Normal Summoned the Dance Princess of the Nekroz and went to Battle Phase. He declared an attack with Dance Princess of the Nekroz over Senju of the Thousand Hands which Feeney let through putting him down to 2500 Life Points. Once Zhu clarified this, Feeney acknowledged that the game was over!

After what seemed like a done deal when Lukey Feeney set up his Djinn Releaser of Rituals combo with a bunch of protection, Yueqi Zhu manages to get a little lucky with a timely Book of Eclipse and take over the game and continue his tournament!