This is it, two Cinderella stories in the making and whatever happens is bound to be awesome. Matt Kolenda placed 5^th at this year’s North American World Championship Qualifier, earning a spot at the 2015 Yu-Gi-Oh! World Championship in Kyoto, Japan this past August. While he did not put up the best results there, he is back with vengeance and Dueling as hard as he can to claim the title with his Burning Abyss Deck. His opponent on the other hand is at quite the opposite end of the spectrum, Erik Christensen is a YCS First Timer who has managed to go undefeated, 15-0, throughout the whole tournament leading up to this match. Not only is this record astoundingly strong for a YCS First Timer, but he is the sole Infernoid Duelist in the Top Cut.

Can Kolenda continue to put up the insane results that he has this year? Or will Christensen manage t omake history and go undefeated and win the YCS with Infernoid? We are about to find out, and it’s time to Duel!

Christensen rolled an 8 to Kolenda’s 6 and chose for Kolenda to go first.

Duel One:

Kolenda opened with Farfa, Malebranche of the Burning Abyss, Solemn Warning, Raigeki Break, and two copies of Mind Crush. He Set all of his Traps and ended.

Christensen opened up with Reasoning but it met the fate of Solemn Warning! Christensen pressed forward by sending Infernoid Devyaty to the Graveyard for One for One to Special Summon Infernoid Decatron. He then used the effect of Infernoid Decatron to send Infernoid Patrulea, then used the copied effect to blow away Kolenda’s Set Mind Crush. Christensen then tried to Normal Summon Lyla, Lightsworn Sorceress, but Kolenda responded with Raigeki Break to destroy it while ditching Farfa, Malebranche of the Burning Abyss. The Farfa, Malebranche of the Burning Abyss triggered and banished to Infernoid Decatron. Christensen Special Summoned Infernoid Seitsemas from his hand by banishing Infernoid Devyaty and Infernoid Patrulea. Infernoid Seitsemas made a direct attack before he ended, getting back his Infernoid Decatron.

Kolenda drew and Normal Summoned Scarm, Malebranche of the Burning Abyss. He tried to declare an attack over the Infernoid Decatron but Christensen used the effect of Infernoid Seitsemas to tribute it and banish Kolenda’s Farfa, Malebranche of the Burning Abyss from his Graveyard. Kolenda had nothing else to do so he ended.

Christensen Normal Summoned another Infernoid Decatron and used its effect to send Infernoid Seitsemas. He then used the effect of the real Infernoid Seitsemas to banish Raigeki Break from Kolenda’s Graveyard, but filled his Graveyard with enough resources to Special Summon a second Infernoid Seitsemas from his Graveyard by banishing two copies of Infernoid Decatron and attacked for game!

A poor opening for Kolenda coupled with a monstrous start by Christensen was just too much to handle. Will Christensen sweep the tournament and go undefeated to claim the title? Or will Kolenda manage to grind out the last two games?

Kolenda chose to go second.

Duel Two:

Christensen opened with Reasoning a second time! He used it, which prompted Kolenda to declare Level 1, but things got out of hand really fast as nearly half of Christensen’s Deck wound up in his Graveyard before he hit Infernoid Decatron. Kolenda chose to activate Maxx “C” here in an attempt to try to keep things mildly under control, but Christensen Normal Summoned Card Trooper and used it to put three more cards in his now massive Graveyard before he banished two of the many Infernoids to Special Summon Infernoid Attondel. He Set a card to his back row before ending.

Kolenda opened with Torrential Tribute, Karma Cut, Breakthrough Skill and three copies of Graff, Malebranche of the Burning Abyss after he drew, but during his Draw Phase Christensen banished one of the Mischief of the Gnomes from his Graveyard to hinder Kolenda further. He Normal Summoned Graff, Malebranche of the Burning Abyss and swung over Christensen’s Card Trooper, giving him a draw, and then Set all of his Traps before he ended.

Christensen drew and banished 3 Infernoids from his Graveyard in order to Special Summon Infernoid Devyaty. Kolenda activated Breakthrough Skill in response, which prompted Christensen to Chain his Infernoid Attondel to tribute his Infernoid Devyaty and get it off the Field to dodge the Breakthrough Skill, and then Kolenda activated Karma Cut ditching Graff, Malebranche of the Burning Abyss to target Infernoid Attondel which elicited Royal Decree from Christensen but Kolenda had Torrential Tribute to destroy everything! The Infernoid Devyaty still resolved so Christensen’s Royal Decree got blown away, and then Graff, Malebranche of the Burning Abyss triggered to Special Summon Scarm, Malebranche of the Burning Abyss. Christensen did not falter as he Normal Summoned Raiden, Hand of the Lightsworn and sent two more cards to his Graveyard. He Special Summoned Infernoid Harmadik next, by banishing 1 Infernoids, and then Synchro Summoned with Raiden, Hand of the Lightsworn for Scrap Archfiend. He banished 2 Infernoids to Special Summon Infernoid Attondel which he declared an attack with over Scarm, Malebranche of the Burning Abyss, and then a direct attack with its effect before another direct attack from Scrap Archfiend to put Kolenda down to 5500 Life Points. During Main Phase 2, Christensen used Infernoid Attondel to tribute Scrap Archfiend and banish Scarm, Malebranche of the Burning Abyss from Kolenda’s Graveyard so he could not search.

Kolenda drew Mystical Space Typhoon, but Christensen banished another copy of Mischief of the Gnomes to continue to suppress any force Kolenda might be able to mount. Kolenda could do nothing but Set Mystical Space Typhoon and Scarm, Malebranche of the Burning Abyss.

Christensen drew and Special Summoned Infernoid Patrulea by banishing another Infernoid, and then declared an attack with Infernoid Attondel over the Set Scarm, Malebranche of the Burning Abyss and then directly again with it thanks to the effect before another direct attack by Infernoid Patrulea. With only 900 Life Points lets, Kolenda needed a miracle, and to make sure that did not happen, Christensen tributed Infernoid Patrulea to banish the Scarm, Malebranche of the Burning Abyss so Kolenda would not be able to search.

Kolenda drew and that was it. Only Tour Guide from the Underworld could save him and he didn’t have it; Christensen gave a huge sigh of relief as he realized that he had won!

Ending the weekend with an absurd 16-0 record, Erik Christensen piloted the only Infernoid Deck to make the Top Cut to win YCS Dallas!