Dale Bellido is 7-1-1 here in Round 10, one win away from his first Top 32 in two years. “To be fair, my last events were last year, and two years ago.”

 

“When did you start playing again?” asked his opponent, Bradly McLean, also holding a 7-1-1 record. McLean was aware that Bellido was largely retired, only coming back to once a year to compete at YCS Toronto.

 

“I got back into the game last Thursday,” laughed Bellido. Eight days of testing – apparently enough for Dale Bellido to come within striking distance of the Top 32. A win here would lock the victor in for a seat in the Top Cut, while the loser could be left hoping for strong tiebreakers.

 

McLean was up first, opening with Upstart Goblin into Upstart Goblin. He Summoned Satellarknight Deneb, searched Satellarknight Altair, and Set two cards to his Spell and Trap Card Zone.

 

Bellido had Shaddoll Squamata; Performage Hat Tricker; El Shaddoll Fusion; Foolish Burial; Performage Damage Juggler; and Glow-Up Bulb. He activated Foolish to send Shaddoll Dragon to his Graveyard, destroying McLean’s Set Dimensional Prison. He followed up, activating El Shaddoll Fusion to fuse Squamata and Damage Juggler for El Shaddoll Construct. He built his Chain with Squamata as Chain Link 1, Construct Chain Link 2, and McLean flipped Fiendish Chain as Chain Link 3, targeting Construt. That stopped its effect, and Bellido sent Shaddoll Falco to the Graveyard with Squamata’s effect.

 

Bellido Special Summoned it, then banished Damage Juggler to search his Deck for another Performage Hat Tricker. He Special Summoned both, then Normal Summoned Glow-Up Bulb to Tune for Trishula, Dragon of the Ice Barrier! It banished the Deneb from the field, Altair from McLean’s field, and Dimensional Prison from the Graveyard, and Bellido attacked to knock McLean down to 5300 Life Points.

 

 

McLean drew to three cards in hand. He Summoned Satellarknight Vega, activated Satellarknight Skybridge targeting Vega, and shuffled it away to Summon Satellarknight Deneb. That got him Satellarknight Altair again, and he activated Raigeki to destroy Trishula, Construct, and Falco! He revived the Falco face-down and McLean destroyed it with Deneb’s attack. McLean ended with one card in hand.

 

Bellido drew Shaddoll Beast, holding El Shaddoll Fusion. He revived Glow-Up Bulb by sending Shaddoll Fusion off the top of his Deck to the Graveyard, and he Tributed it for his Shaddoll Beast face-down. He Set El Shaddoll Fusion.

 

McLean turned Satellarknight Deneb to defense mode and Set a card to his back row.

 

Bellido drew Raigeki. He Flip Summoned Shaddoll Beast, but lost out to Stellarnova Alpha!

 

McClean Summoned Satellarknight Altair, revived Satellarknight Deneb, and searched his Deck for another Altair. He attacked, then overlaid for Tellarknight Ptolemaeus in Main Phase 2, overlaying that with Stellarknight Constellar Diamond. He Set two cards to his Spell and Trap Card Zone.

 

Bellido drew another El Shaddoll Fusion and Set it. He Set Raigeki.

 

McLean attacked for 2700 damage with Stellarknight Constellar Diamond.

 

Bellido drew another Shaddoll Beast.

 

McLean attacked for another 2700. Bellido was down to 2900 Life Points. McClean Set another Spell or Trap Card.

 

Bellido drew Effect Veiler. He blasted Stellarknight Constellar Diamond with Raigeki, and when he flipped his first El Shaddoll Fusion McLean shut it down with Solemn Warning. Bellido played the next one, Tributing Veiler and Beast from his hand, and this time he got to Summon El Shaddoll Construct! He sent Shaddoll Hedgehog to the Graveyard and drew Mathematician with Beast’s effect, then searched his Deck for Shaddoll Falco with Hedgehog. He Normal Summoned the Mathematician, activated its effect, and McLean responded with Torrential Tribute! He Chained Compulsory Evacuation Device to bounce away El Shaddoll Construct, keeping Bellido from using its effect, and Bellido used Mathematician’s ability to yard Shaddoll Squamata. That sent Shaddoll Core to the Graveyard and got him back his Shaddoll Fusion.

 

McLean Summoned another Altair, reviving Deneb and searching Satellarknight Unukalhai. He attacked with Altair to knock Bellido down to 1200 Life Points and Set a card to his Spell and Trap Card Zone.

 

Bellido drew Vanity’s Emptiness, holding Falco and Shaddoll Fusion. He Set Emptiness and Falco.

 

McLean blasted the Emptiness with Mystical Space Typhoon next turn, then Summoned Unukalhai. He overlaid everything for Stellarknight Triverr and Bellido conceded immediately, eager to move to Game 2.

 

 

A series of awkward draws fall prey to some expert play from Bradley McLean, pouncing on Dale Bellido’s Performage Shaddolls early and never letting go! McLean was just one win away from the Top 32, while Bellido was two wins removed from what could be an epic comeback. Bellido chose to play second.

 

McLean started with a Set backrow.

 

Bellido had Shaddoll Falco; Shaddoll Beast; Performage Damage Juggler; two copies of Effect Veiler; and Mathematician. He Summoned the latter, activated its effect, and lost it to Bottomless Trap Hole. Bellido resolved Mathematician’s ability by yarding Shaddoll Squamata, sending Shaddoll Falco to the Graveyard and Setting it with its effect.

 

McLean Summoned Satellarknight Vega and Bellido negated its ability with Effect Veiler. McLean targeted it with Satellarknight Skybridge, Special Summoned Satellarknight Deneb, shuffled away Vega, and Bellido nailed the Deneb with his second Veiler! He Set three cards to his Spell and Trap Card Zone.

 

Bellido drew Breakthrough Skill and Normal Summoned Damage Juggler. He attacked Deneb to destroy it, Flip Summoned Falco in Main Phase 2, and lost its effect to Vanity’s Emptiness. He Set Breakthrough, and McLean destroyed it with Mystical Space Typhoon in the End Phase. He followed up with Oasis of Dragon Souls, still in the End Phase to work around the Breakthrough. He Summoned Deneb to search his Deck for Satellarknight Altair.

 

McLean turned Deneb to attack mode and ran over the Falco. He Set another backrow.

 

Bellido drew Shaddoll Fusion. He banished Damage Juggler to search Performage Trick Clown, then activated Shaddoll Fusion to fuse Trick Clown and Beast for El Shaddoll Construct. He sent Shaddoll Squamata to his Graveyard with Construct’s effect, revived Trick Clown, and drew another Shaddoll Fusion with Beast’s draw. He then sent Shaddoll Dragon to his Graveyard with Shaddoll Squamata, destroying McLean’s Dimensional Prison. Bellido Set Falco, opting not to attack.

 

McLean drew to two in hand, holding that Altair with nothing in his Graveyard to revive. He attacked Trick Clown with Deneb, and Bellido paid 1000 LP to bring it back. McLean Set one card to his backrow.

 

Bellido drew Mind Control. He knew McLean’s last in-hand card was Altair, but didn’t know his backrow Set. McLean’s only other cards were the Oasis of Dragon Souls and the Deneb. He Flip Summoned Falco to Set Shaddoll Dragon from his Graveyard, then activated Shaddoll Fusion. He fused Falco and Beast, and when his El Shaddoll Winda hit the field McLean flipped Torrential Tribute! Bellido activated the effects of El Shaddoll Construct and Trick Clown, getting back his Shaddoll Fusion to hand and reviving the Trick Clown. Winda attacked for 2200 damage.

 

McLean drew to two cards and Summoned Altair, reviving Deneb to search another Altair. He attacked to destroy the Trick Clown again, and Bellido revived it once more. McLean Set a backrow.

 

Bellido drew and Summoned Mathematician for Shaddoll Dragon, destroying McLean’s Set Mystical Space Typhoon. He took Deneb with Mind Control, overlaid it with Trick Clown to unleash Castel, the Skyblaster Musketeer, and attacked over Altair to destroy it. Mathematician and Winda made direct attacks to drops McLean to 1800 Life Points.

 

McLean Set a monster, then Set a backrow. Unfazed, Bellido drew Vanity’s Emptiness and launched three attacks for game!

 

 

That drew the Match in time, making the Match a tie. With 7-1-2 records, that meant both competitors would just barely sneak into the Top 32! Dale Bellido scores his 19^th YCS/WCQ, and is now five wins away from his second Championship.