Welcome to Day 2 of YCS Toronto! This morning’s first Feature Match pits Ivan Cortez and his HERO Deck against Brian Chau. Cortez is the highest ranked HERO player, managing to only lose a single Match throughout all of yesterday. Brian Chau brought his Yang Zings today, featuring tons of intricate combos that he’s spent time perfecting. A win for either of these players would pretty much secure them a spot in the Top 32. Cortez won the die roll and opted to go first.

Cortez opened with Summoner Monk, Black Horn of Heaven, Compulsory Evacuation Device, Bottomless Trap Hole, and Elemental HERO Bubbleman. He Set his three traps and ended his turn.

Chau entered his Battle Phase and activated Anti-Magic Arrows! In Main Phase 2 he Normal Summoned Jiaotu, Darkness of the Yang Zing and discarded two Yang Zings to Special Summon Zefraniu, Secret of the Yang Zing and Chiwen, Light of the Yang Zing. He Synchro Summoned Baxia, Brightness of the Yang Zing and used its effect to shuffle back Bottomless Trap Hole and Compulsory Evacuation Device. Baxia, Brightness of the Yang Zing destroyed Chiwen, Light of the Yang Zing to Special Summon Suanni, Fire of the Yang Zing from his Graveyard, and he also Special Summoned a Bi’an, Earth of the Yang Zing from his Deck. He Set two cards and ended his turn.

Cortez drew Breakthrough Skill. He Set it and passed.

Chau used Baxia, Brightness of the Yang Zing but was met with Breakthrough Skill. Chau switched Bi’an, Earth of the Yang Zing to attack position and attacked with it and Suanni, Fire of the Yang Zing.

Cortez drew Mind Crush. Not what he wanted to see in this matchup, specifically when he’s facing down a huge board like right now. He Normal Summoned Summoner Monk and it switched to defense position. He Set the Mind Crush and Special Summoned Elemental HERO Bubbleman from his hand. He then Xyz Summoned Castel, the Skyblaster Musketeer and used its effect on Baxia, Brightness of the Yang Zing but Chau had Breakthrough Skill to stop it. He passed.

Chau activated Baxia, Brightness of the Yang Zing to destroy Bi’an, Earth of the Yang Zing and chained Yang Zing Creation. That’s all Cortez needed to see to scoop up his cards!

Chau Set a backrow and passed.

Cortez started with Reinforcement of the Army, Mystical Space Typhoon, A Hero Lives, Ring of Destruction, Mirror Force, and Solemn Warning. He used Mystical Space Typhoon to destroy a Set Imperial Iron Wall. He then paid half his Life Points for A Hero Lives to Special Summon Elemental HERO Shadow Mist from his Deck, netting himself a free Mask Change. He attacked for 1000 direct and then he Set everything except Reinforcement of the Army before passing.

Chau drew and Cortez used Mask Change on Shadow Mist to summon Masked HERO Dark Law. He searched an Elemental HERO Bubbleman and the Dark Law was taken down with Dark Hole. Chau Set a monster and backrow and passed.

Cortez drew Reinforcement of the Army. He activated one of them and added Elemental HERO Shadow Mist, and then used the second one to add Goblindbergh. He Normal Summoned the latter, and then used its effect to Special Summon Shadow Mist. That got him Mask Change, and he entered the Battle Phase and activated Mask Change to bring out Masked HERO Dark Law. It attacked over Ghost Ogre & Snow Rabbit and Chau flipped up Yang Zing Creation to Special Summon Zefraniu, Secret of the Yang Zing. In Main Phase 2 Cortez Special Summoned Bubbleman and Xyz Summoned Tellarknight Ptolemaeus. He then used its effect in the End Phase to equip Stellarknight Constellar Diamond as a material.

Chau drew and Cortez detached three materials from Tellarknight Ptolemaeus to Special Summon Artifact Durendal. Chau entered the Battle Phase and Cortez used Ring of Destruction to destroy Zefraniu, Secret of the Yang Zing, clearly avoiding the Anti-Magic Arrows that caused his destruction last turn. He added Yang Zing Creation to his hand and Special Summoned Jiaotu, Darkness of the Yang Zing. Then he Set two and passed.

Cortez drew Galaxy Cyclone. He used it to destroy a face-down Yang Zing Creation. Durendal attacked over Jiaotu, Darkness of the Yang Zing and Chau Special Summoned Chiwen, Light of the Yang Zing. Masked HERO Dark Law attacked over that and Cortez passed. Chau saw his next card and immediately said “Yeah… let’s go to Game 3.”

Chau went first. He Normal Summoned Jiaotu, Darkness of the Yang Zing and used its effect to Special Summon Zefraniu, Secret of the Yang Zing and Bi’an, Earth of the Yang Zing. He Synchro Summoned Baxia, Brightness of the Yang Zing and then used its effect to destroy Bi’an, Earth of the Yang Zing, getting back Bixi, Water of the Yang Zing and Chiwen, Light of the Yang Zing from the Graveyard and Zefraniu, Secret of the Yang Zing from the Deck. He Set one and passed.

Cortez opened with Fairy Wind, Galaxy Cyclone, A Hero Lives, E – Emergency Call, Elemental HERO Shadow Mist, and Mask Change. He used Galaxy Cyclone to destroy Chau’s Set Imperial Iron Wall. He activated A Hero Lives to Special Summon Elemental HERO Shadow Mist, which added a Mask Change to his hand. Next, he attacked Chiwen, Light of the Yang Zing and Chau activated Bixi, Water of the Yang Zing’s effect to attempt to Synchro Summon, to which Cortez responded with Mask Change. Dark Law hit the board and Chau Synchro Summoned Trishula, Dragon of the Ice Barrier! It banished Dark Law on field, Shadow Mist in grave, and a Shadow Mist in hand. It was a huge blowout, leaving Cortez with limited options. He Set Fairy Wind and Mask Change before activating E – Emergency Call to add Shadow Mist to his hand. He Normal Summoned it and ended his turn.

Chau switched Baxia, Brightness of the Yang Zing to attack mode and Cortez used Mask Change to bring out Masked HERO Anki. He added Elemental HERO Bubbleman to his hand. Chau Set a monster and used Baxia, Brightness of the Yang Zing to destroy the Set Bi’an, Earth of the Yang Zing and Special Summon Jiaotu, Darkness of the Yang Zing from his grave. Bi’an got him a Taotie, Shadow of the Yang Zing from his Deck, and he Synchro Summoned Yazi, Evil of the Yang Zing in attack position. He used its effect targeting itself and Anki to destroy both monsters. Yazi, Evil of the Yang Zing Special Summoned Chiwen, Light of the Yang Zing from his Deck. He entered the Battle Phase and revealed Anti-Magic Arrows. That was more than enough for Cortez and he extended the handshake! Brian Chau has a great shot at the Top 32, but Cortez would have to win his final Round.