We expect the cut off for Top 64 to be somewhere around 28 points, or 9-2-1. Tyree Tinsley is no stranger to the Feature Match area, having won YCS Providence and YCS Meadowlands years ago as well as recently finishing in the Top Cut for the 150^th YCS. He is Dueling with the same Deck that he used last time we saw him, Nekroz. The most dominant strategy in the tournament centering around resolving Ritual Spells to Summon powerful Ritual Monsters. His opponent is Kenneth Irwin, who is also sitting at 7-2-1 and needs two more wins to have a chance at Top Cut just like Tinsley. He is using Ritual Beast, surprisingly one of the best performing Decks of this event. Two wins for either of these Duelists might be enough to get them into the Single Elimination Rounds, but it won’t be easy.

Irwin won the roll and chose to go first.

Duel One:

Irwin drew and immediately Set two to his back row before he ended.

Tinsley opened with Nekroz of Gungnir, Nekroz of Brionac, Nekroz Kaleidoscope, Reinforcement of the Army, Shaddoll Dragon, and drew Nekroz of Clausolas for turn. During his Draw Phase, Irwin Flipped his Set Macro Cosmos to hinder Tinsley! Tinsley didn’t falter as he started by activating Reinforcement of the Army to add Shurit, Strategist of Nekroz to his hand. He activated Nekroz Kaleidoscope, tributing Shurit, Strategist of Nekroz, to Ritual Summon Nekroz of Gungnir. He activated the effect of Shurit, Strategist of Nekroz to add Nekroz of Brionac to his hand. He declared an attack which prompted Irwin to use his Set Mirror Force! Tinsley responded with the effect of Nekroz of Gungnir, ditching Nekroz of Clausolas to blow away Macro Cosmos. In Main Phase 2 he activated Nekroz of Brionac to add Nekroz of Unicore, and then used Nekroz of Unicore to add back the Nekroz of Brionac before he ended.

Irwin Normal Summoned Ritual Beast Tamer Elder and declared a direct attack before Setting three to his back row.

Tinsley drew Manju of the Ten Thousand Hands for turn but when he tried to Summon it Irwin had Solemn Warning! Tinsley pressed on as he used Nekroz of Brionac to add Nekroz of Clausolas and then used Nekroz of Clausolas to add Nekroz Cycle. He activated Nekroz Cycle, tributing Shaddoll Dragon, to Special Summon Nekroz of Unicore from his Graveyard. In a new Chain the Shaddoll Dragon triggered, but the card Tinsley tried to destroy was Ritual Beast Steeds! Irwin Chained it blowing away Nekroz of Unicore. Tinsley next used the effect of Nekroz Cycle, banishing itself and Nekroz of Brionac, to add another copy to his hand before he ended.

Irwin drew and Normal Summoned Spiritual Beast Pettlephin which he used to fuse with his Ritual Beast Tamer Elder for Ritual Beast Ulti-Cannahawk using its effect to add Ritual Beast Steeds to his hand. He declared a direct attack putting Tinsley down to 6400 Life Points before ending.

Tinsley drew Book of Moon for turn and used Nekroz of Brionac to add Shurit, Strategist of Nekroz to his hand. He then activated the Book of Moon to turn Irwin’s Monster down, then activated Nekroz Cycle tributing Shurit, Strategist of Nekroz to Special Summon Nekroz of Gungnir. The effect of Shurit, Strategist of Nekroz triggered allowing Tinsley to add Nekroz of Trishula, and then he attacked over the Set Monster with Nekroz of Gungnir before ending.

Irwin drew and Normal Summoned Spiritual Beast Cannahawk, banishing Lara, and then activated Raigeki. Tinsley Chained the effect of Nekroz of Gungnir, destroying Irwin’s Set Ritual Beast Steeds before his Nekroz of Gungnir hit the Graveyard. After a direct attack Irwin passed.

Tinsley drew Nekroz Mirror for turn and then banished Nekroz Cycle and Nekroz of Unicore to add Nekroz Kaleidoscope to his hand. Without any other options he ended.

Irwin drew and activated the effect of Spiritual Beast Cannahawk banishing Spiritual Beast Apelio; he then Normal Summoned another Spiritual Beast Cannahawk and used its effect to banish Ritual Beast Tamer Elder. He declared attacks with both Cannahawks before he ended.

Tinsley ripped Senju of the Thousand Hands! He Normal Summoned it and used its effect to add Nekroz of Unicore to his hand before he activated Nekroz Kaleidoscope, sending Herald of the Arc Light to his Graveyard, to Ritual Summon the Nekroz of Unicore. He then activated the effect of Herald of the Arc Light which let him add Nekroz of Valkyrus to his hand. He then activated Nekroz Mirror, banishing Shurit, Strategist of Nekroz, to Ritual Summon Nekroz of Valkyrus. He moved to Battle Phase and declared an attack with Nekroz of Valkyrus and Nekroz of Unicore over both copies of Ritual Beast Cannahawk before directly with Senju of the Thousand Hands. With only 800 of Irwin’s Life Points remaining, Tinsley Xyz Summoned Gagaga Cowboy in Main Phase 2 to deal with final points of damage!

The Duelists chatted a bit while Side Decking, primarily discussing how Irwin could have Xyz Summoned Abyss Dweller the last game to possibly win.

Irwin chose to go first once again in the second Duel.

Duel Two:

Irwin started strong with the Normal Summon of Ritual Beast Tamer Elder and then the additional Normal Summon granted by it to Summon Spiritual Beast Rampengu. He used the effect of Spiritual Beast Rampengu to banish Ritual Beast Ulti-Cannahawk and send Spiritual Beast Cannahawk to his Graveyard. He then Fusion Summoned Ritual Beast Ulti-Cannahawk and used its effect to return some of his banished Monsters to add Ritual Beast Ambush but made sure to Chain the other effect of Ritual Beast Ulti-Cannahawk to split it back apart. He repeated this by Fusing for a second Ritual Beast Ulti-Cannahawk, adding Ritual Beast Steeds to his hand. He Set three to his back row before ending.

Tinsley opened with a hand of Senju of the Thousand Hands, Nekroz of Unicore, Nekroz of Decisive Armor, Nekroz Cycle, and Royal Decree before he drew Nekroz Mirror. During his Draw Phase, Irwin Flipped Mistake! With little options and needing to Set Royal Decree, Tinsley Set it along with two Ritual Spells before ending. During the End Phase, Irwin used Ritual Beast Ambush to Special Summon Ritual Beast Tamer Elder and Ritual Beast Rampengu to the Field.

Irwin drew and used the effect of Ritual Beast Ulti-Cannahawk to add Ritual Beast Ambush to his hand. He Fusion Summoned Ritual Beast Ulti-Apelio using the Monsters he had Special Summoned from the Ritual Beast Ambush last turn, then split apart his Ritual Beast Ulti-Cannahawk to Special Summon two of his Ritual Beasts back from his banished. He then Fused these two Ritual Beasts for a second copy of Ritual Beast Ulti-Apelio and made direct attacks before Setting another card.

Tinsley drew Nekroz of Trishula. He thought for a moment and Flipped Royal Decree, turning off Mistake along with Irwin’s other Traps. He Normal Summoned Senju of the Thousand Hands but Irwin had Effect Veiler to stop it! Without any other options and facing down the impending doom of two huge Fusion Monsters, Tinsley conceded.

Between Mistake and Effect Veiler, Tinsley couldn’t get going fast enough and lost out to the powerful Ritual Beast Fusions.

Tinsley chose for Irwin to go first.

Duel Three

Irwin had a weak opening and just Set two to his back row before he ended.

Tinsley opened with Senju of the Thousand Hands, Book of Moon, Preparation of Rites, Nekroz Kaleidoscope, and Torrential Tribute before he drew Djinn Releaser of Rituals. He started off with the Normal Summon of Senju of the Thousand Hands, using its effect to add Nekroz of Unicore. However, when he went to activate Nekroz Kaleidoscope, Irwin responded with Mind Crush to rip the Nekroz of Unicore from Tinsley’s hand and stop him from Ritual Summoning! Tinsley pressed forward with Preparation of Rites, adding Nekroz of Brionac from his Deck and Nekroz Kaleidoscope from his Graveyard. He moved to Battle Phase and declared a direct attack with Senju of the Thousand Hands before he Set both Book of Moon and Torrential Tribute in Main Phase 2 and ended.

Irwin Normal Summoned Ritual Beast Tamer Wen and declared an attack over Senju of the Thousand Hands. He Set two more to his back row before he ended.

Tinsley drew Nekroz of Unicore for turn and thought for a moment before he activated Nekroz Kaleidoscope. Irwin had Maxx “C” to let him draw some cards; Tinsley sent Herald of the Arc Light to his Graveyard to Ritual Summon Nekroz of Unicore, but in response to the effect of Herald of the Arc Light, Irwin had Mistake! When he tried to attack over Ritual Beast Tamer Wen he lost out to Mirror Force. He ended his turn after he Set Djinn Releaser of Rituals.

Irwin drew, activated Raigeki, and made a direct attack with Ritual Beast Tamer Wen before ending.

Tinsley drew Manju of the Ten Thousand Hands and was forced to end.

Irwin drew and made another attack with Ritual Beast Tamer Wen before he ended.

Tinsley drew Nekroz Mirror and still had very minimal options. He activated Book of Moon to Flip Irwin’s Monster down, and then tried to Normal Summon Manju of the Ten Thousand Hands to make an attack over but lost to Book of Moon. He ended his turn.

Irwin drew, activated Mystical Space Typhoon on Tinsley’s Set Torrential Tribute and Flipped over his Ritual Beast Tamer Wen to attack over Manju of the Ten Thousand Hands before ending.

Tinsley drew Reinforcement of the Army and activated Nekroz Mirror, tributing Shurit, Strategist of Nekroz from his hand and banishing Djinn Releaser of Rituals from his Graveyard, to Special Summon Nekroz of Brionac. He declared an attack over Ritual Beast Tamer Wen before he ended.

Irwin drew and Normal Summoned Ritual Beast Tamer Elder, then Normal Summoned Spiritual Beast Rampengu. He banished Ritual Beast Ulti-Cannahawk and sent Spiritual Beast Cannahawk to his Graveyard with the effect of Ritual Beast Rampengu. He Set two to his back row before ending.

Tinsley drew Senju of the Thousand Hands and tried to attack with Nekroz of Brionac but lost out to Ring of Destruction! He was forced to Set Senju of the Thousand Hands in an attempt to survive the Duel.

Irwin drew and moved to Battle Phase. He declared an attack with Spiritual Beast Rampengu over the Set Senju of the Thousand Hands and then directly with Ritual Beast Tamer Elder. Still during the Battle Phase, Irwin Flipped his Set Ritual Beast’s Bond to Special Summon Ritual Beast Ulti-Apelio and attack to win the Duel!

After both Duelists stumbled a bit, Kenneth Irwin manages to pull out a win over two-time YCS Winner Tyree Tinsley and advance on with an 8-2-1 record!