Round 9 Feature Match: Manav Dawar Versus Andrij Rybsky-Shaw
Manav Dawar travelled all the way from Seattle Washington to compete in this weekend’s YCS, while Andrij Rybsky-Shaw is a local, hailing from nearby Mississauga. While Dawar is running a conventional Nekroz deck – no Performages – Shaw is playing Kozmo. These competitors are both 6-2 here in Round 9, so two more wins would clinch a seat in the Top 32. Sitting on the bubble, this Match was crucial for both Duelists. Andrij chose to go second.
Dawar opened Day 2 with Manju of the Ten Thousand Hands, searching his Deck for Nekroz of Brionac, and pitched it to get Nekroz of Valkyrus. He Set two cards to his backrow.
Shaw had Kozmo Goodwitch; Kozmotown; Dark Hole; Maxx “C”; Emergency Teleport; and Kozmo Sliprider. He Summoned Goodwitch, attacked Manju, and Dawar had no response – Manju was destroyed and Dawar dropped to 7600 Life Points. Shaw activated Goodwitch’s effect to banish her, and Special Summon Kozmo Sliprider. That destroyed Dawar’s Shared Ride, which he Chained, and Shaw attacked for 2300 Battle Damage. Dawar was down to 5300 LP. Shaw pressed, activating Emergency Teleport to Special Summon Kozmo Farmgirl from his Deck! He attacked with the Farmgirl next, looking to score damage and trigger her effect; when he attacked, Dawar banished Nekroz of Brionac for Nekroz of Valkyrus to block. Shaw couldn’t Chain the Farmgirl’s effect to stop Valkyrus’ ability from resolving, because he had nothing in hand to Special Summon with Farmgirl.
Shaw activated Kozmotown in Main Phase 2, but Dawar Chained his Set Mystical Space Typhoon to destroy it. That let Shaw search Kozmo Forerunner, and he banished Farmgirl to Special Summon it. He Set Dark Hole, holding Maxx “C”.
Dawar Summoned Manju of the Ten Thousand Hands to search his deck for Nekroz of Trishula. Reinforcement of the Army got him Shurit, Strategist of the Nekroz, and he activated Nekroz Mirror, pitching Shurit for Trishula. Shaw Chained Maxx “C” to Trishula’s effect, his last in hand card, stopping Trishula’s ability from resolving! and Dawar grabbed Nekroz of Clausolas with Shurit’s effect, then pithed it for Nekroz Kaleidoscope. He activated it to Summon Nekroz of Unicore with Herald of the Arc Light, searching his deck for Nekroz of Valkyrus with Herald’s effect. Shaw drew Kozmotown with the effect of Maxx “C”.
Dawar overlaid Unicore and Manju to Xyz Summon Abyss Dweller, and detached Manju for its effect. He attacked Forerunner with Trishula, alienating its effect with the Dweller, and ended.
Shaw drew Juragedo, holding Kozmotown. He had Dark Hole face-down, with Farmgirl and Goodwitch banished. He flipped Dark Hole to clear the field, Dawar Chained the effect of Abyss Dweller, and that kept Shaw from Special Summoning with his Forerunner’s effect. He activated Kozmotown, taking 300 damage to retrieve his Kozmo Farmgirl. He Summoned her, attacked, and Dawar banished his previous Valkyrus for another. “Pass for turn,” announced Shaw.
Dawar drew to one card in hand and went for his Graveyard. He banished Nekroz of Clausolas and Nekroz Kaleidoscope for the latter’s search effect, getting Nekroz Cycle, then banished Valkyrus and Mirror to seek out another Mirror. He activated Cycle to Tribute Great Sorcerer of the Nekroz from his hand, Ritual Summoning Nekroz of Unicore and then searching another from his Deck. He pitched Unicore to get back Trishula, Special Summoned it by banishing Shurit with Nekroz Mirror, and banished Kozmotown from the field, Forerunner from the Graveyard, and Juragedo from Shaw’s hand. That topdecked Unicore had totally turned this game around for Dawar. Trishula ran over Farmgirl and Unicore made a direct attack.
Shaw was down to topdecking on his next turn, and conceded when his draw was another Kozmo Forerunner.
Andrij Shaw starts with a very solid opening, but an early Mystical Space Typhoon on Kozmotown knocks him off balance, and Manav Dawar has precisely what was needed to follow up and keep Shaw from negating his key effects. Valkyrus repels Farmgirl, Abyss Dweller fends off Sliprider and Forerunner, and Shaw suddenly needs to win two straight Duels to keep his Top Cut dreams alive! Shaw opted to play second in Duel 2.
Dawar opened with Senju of the Thousand Hands, searching his Deck for Nekroz of Unicore. Reinforcement of the Army got him Nekroz of Clausolas, which he pitched to search Nekroz Kaleidoscope. He activated it and Shaw dropped Maxx “C”, drawing another copy when Dawar Summoned Unicore with Herald of the Arc Light. Herald got him Nekroz of Brionac, which searched Nekroz of Valkyrus.
Shaw had Vanity’s Emptiness; Kozmo Forerunner; Kozmo Goodwitch; Torrential Tribute; Maxx “C”; and Emergency Teleport. He Normal Summoned Farmgirl, moved to the Battle Phase, and activated Emergency Teleport for another. That Farmgirl attacked Senju, but Dawar responded with Artifact Lancea! Farmgirl attacked over Senju for 100 damage; Shaw paid 500 LP; and searched his Deck for Kozmotown. He activated it in Main Phase 2 and Set Torrential and Emptiness.
Dawar Summoned Manju of the Ten Thousand Hands, activated its effect, and Shaw Chained the effect of a Kozmo Farmgirl, and then Chained Torrential Tribute. Torrential wiped the field, Farmgirl Special Summoned Shaw’s Kozmo Forerunner, and Dawar searched his Deck for Nekroz of Brionac with Manju. He banished Nekroz Kaleidoscope and Nekroz of Unicore to search another Kaleidoscope. He activated it, and had no response when Shaw Chained Vanity’s Emptiness! Shaw now controlled Forerunner with Emptiness locking the game.
Shaw drew Kozmo Sliprider, gained 1000 Life Points with Forerunner, and retrieved his Farmgirl with Kozmotown. He then shuffled back Farmgirl and Sliprider with Kozmotown’s effect, drawing another Forerunner and another Sliprider. He attacked to drop Dawar to 5100 Life Points.
Dawar banished Kaleidoscope and Brionac to search Nekroz Cycle, then Summoned Manju to get Nekroz of Trishula. Brionac got him Nekroz of Decisive Armor, Set two cards to his backrow and passed.
Shaw drew Dark Hole. He used Kozmotown’s second effect to shuffle back Sliprider and Forerunner – this time he drew Kozmo Goodwitch and Retaliating “C”. He attacked Manju with Forerunner, and Dawar dropped Valkyrus, banishing Nekroz of Clausolas. Shaw was up to 9200 Life Points.
Dawar blew away Vanity’s Emptiness with Mystical Space Typhoon, following up with Nekroz of Unicore to get back Brionac. That got him Nekroz of Clausolas, which searched Nekroz Cycle. He flipped his face-down Nekroz Mirror and Shaw Chained both Maxx “C” and Retaliating “C”! He drew Juragedo off the Special Summon of Dawar’s Nekroz of Trishula. Dawar banished his Forerunner from the field, his Goodwitch from his hand, and his Farmgirl from his Graveyard.
Dawar attacked Retaliating “C” to destroy it.
Shaw drew another Farmgirl! He paid 700 Life Points to get back his Forerunner with Kozmotown, then cleared the field with Dark Hole. He Summoned Farmgirl, attacked, used Farmgirl’s effect to pay 500 Life Points and searched Kozmo Goodwitch. He revealed Juragedo to Special Summon it and gain 1000 Life Points! He attacked with Juragedo next to knock Dawar down to 1900 LP, then banished Farmgirl to Special Summon Forerunner for game just as time was called.
That meant the Match ended in a draw. Both competitors would unfortunately have a very difficult time trying to make the Top Cut with an X-2-1 record, but both would certainly be playing out their last Round with high hopes for the Top 32.
