Welcome to the Top 16 of YCS Memphis! 16 Duelists remain, and they’re battling it out for the title of YCS Memphis Champion! This elimination round, we have Trickstar Duelist Adam York from Toledo, Ohio facing off against Pendulum Magician Duelist Kamal Crooks from Miami, Florida. One of these Duelists will advance to the Top 8. The other will be eliminated. It’s time to Duel!

Duel One

York won the die roll and elected to go first.

He opened up with Trickstar Reincarnation, Pot of Desires, Droll & Lock Bird, Trickstar Candina, and Scapegoat. He Summoned Candina and used its effect. Crooks Chained the effect of Ghost Ogre & Snow Rabbit from his hand, and after Candina was destroyed, York added Trickstar Reincarnation to his hand with Candina’s effect. York activated Pot of Desires next, banishing the top 10 cards of his Deck face-down to draw Eater of Millions and another Scapegoat. He Set both copies of Trickstar Reincarnation and both copies of Scapegoat before ending his turn.

Crooks drew a card and York used Reincarnation in his Standby Phase, forcing him to banish his hand from the Duel and draw a new hand. When he did, York flipped another Trickstar Reincarnation and discarded Droll & Lock Bird to activate its effect! Crooks banished his newly-drawn hand and wasn’t able to draw any new cards to replace it thanks to Droll & Lock Bird! He passed his turn with no cards on his field or in his hand. In his End Phase, York flipped Scapegoat! Crooks conceded, immediately recognizing that York would be able to perform lots of Link Summons on his next turn, and that Crooks had no way to recover from York’s devastating opening.

Adam York takes the first Duel with ease thanks to his Trickstar Reincarnations and Droll & Lock Bird!

Duel Two

Crooks started off Duel 2 by activating Mythical Beast Master Cerberus in his Pendulum Zone and used its effect; but York discarded Ghost Ogre & Snow Rabbit from his hand to destroy it. Crooks activated Supreme King Dragon Darkwurm in his Pendulum Zone next and used its effect to add Supreme King Gate Zero to his other Pendulum Zone. He Pendulum Summoned Black Fang Magician and Harmonizing Magician from his hand and activated the effect of his Harmonizing Magician; but York stopped the effect with Ash Blossom & Joyous Spring. Next, Crooks combined his 2 monsters to Link Summon Heavymetalfoes Electrumite, and used its effect to send Astrograph Sorcerer to his Extra Deck. He used Electrumite’s effect to destroy Darkwurm and add Astrograph to his hand. He Special Summoned Astrograph, added Darkwurm to his hand with Astrograph’s effect, and then drew a card thanks to Electrumite. He Normal Summoned Darkwurm next and used its effect to add Supreme King Gate Zero from his Deck to his hand. He combined the 2 Pendulum Monsters on his field to Summon Supreme King Dragon Starving Venom and used its effect to imitate Electrumite’s effect. He then used its effect to destroy Gate Zero and add Astrograph to his hand. He Set a card to his back row before passing.

York drew a card and then had Trickstar Reincarnation, Scapegoat, Trickstar Lilybell, and Trickstar Lycoris in his hand. He Summoned Lilybell and attacked directly for 800 points of damage. He used Lycoris’s effect from his hand in Main Phase 2, returning Lilybell to his hand to Special Summon Lycoris in Defense Position. He Set Scapegoat and Trickstar Reincarnation before passing his turn, and then lost both cards to Twin Twisters in the End Phase.

Crooks drew a card and lost 200 Life Points due to the effect of Lycoris. He activated Chronograph Sorcerer in his Pendulum Zone and then destroyed it to Special Summon Timegazer Magician from his Deck. He then Special Summoned Astrograph Sorcerer and used its effect to add a Chronograph to his hand. He also drew a card with Electrumite’s effect. Crooks activated Chronograph and Purple Poison Magician in his Pendulum Zones and then Pendulum Summoned Black Fang Magician from his Extra Deck Linked to Electrumite. He then used Electrumite’s effect to destroy Chronograph and add Harmonizing Magician to his hand. He then Normal Summoned Harmonizing Magician, and York finally conceded.

Kamal Crooks takes as decisive of a win in Duel 2 as Adam York took in Duel 1! The Match is moving on to a third and final Duel that will determine the fate of these 2 Duelists in this tournament!

Duel Three

York opened up Duel 3 with Scapegoat, Trickstar Lycoris, Trickstar Candina, Torrential Tribute, and Heavy Storm Duster. He Summoned Candina and used its effect to add Trickstar Reincarnation from his Deck to his hand. He Set it along with Heavy Storm Duster, Scapegoat, and Torrential Tribute before passing.

Crooks drew a card and then activated Twin Twisters in his Main Phase 1!

He discarded Darkwurm to target Heavy Storm Duster and Scapegoat, and York declined to Chain the Scapegoat. Crooks lost 200 Life Points due to the effect of Candina. Crooks activated Mythical Beast Master Cerberus in his Pendulum Zone next, losing another 200 Life Points, and then activated another Twin Twisters! He discarded Foolish Burial to target York’s face-down Torrential Tribute and Reincarnation. York Chained the Reincarnation, forcing Crooks to banish a Gate Zero from his hand and draw a card. Crooks activated the effect of the Darkwurm in his Graveyard next. York Chained the effect of Lycoris from his hand, returning Candina to his hand to Special Summon Lycoris to the field in Defense Position. Crooks Special Summoned Darkwurm and added Gate Zero from his Deck to his hand, losing 200 Life Points due to Lycoris’s effect. Next, Crooks used the effect of the Master Cerberus in his Pendulum Zone to destroy it and add a Mythical Beast Jackal King from his Deck to his hand, losing another 200 Life Points due to the effect of Lycoris. Crooks activated Jackal King in the Pendulum Zone and then used its effect to destroy it and Special Summon Master Cerberus. He activated Black Fang Magician and Gate Zero in his Pendulum Zones to add 4 Spell Counters to Master Cerberus, and then removed all 4 Spell Counters to banish Lycoris from the field with Master Cerberus’s effect. Crooks then combined his 2 Pendulum Monsters to Link Summon Heavymetalfoes Electrumite. He used Electrumite’s effect to send Astrograph Sorcerer from his Deck to his Extra Deck, and then Pendulum Summoned Jackal King and Darkwurm from his Extra Deck, Linked to Electrumite. Crooks activated Electrumite’s effect to destroy Black Fang and add Astrograph to his hand, and then Special Summoned Astrograph Sorcerer. He added Black Fang Magician from his Deck to his hand with Astrograph’s effect. Crooks Normal Summoned Black Fang, and York immediately conceded and offered the handshake!

Kamal Crooks ultimately takes the victory after losing the first Duel and advances to the Top 8 with his Pendulum Magicians!