Only three rounds remain in YCS Memphis! Thanh Nguyen from Detroit, Michigan is the only True Draco Duelist left in the tournament, while Mason Mattila from Green Bay, Wisconsin is the only Trickstar Duelist. Now, these two Duelists are facing off in a Match that will determine which one of them advances to the Top 4. It’s time to Duel!

Duel One
Nguyen started off Duel 1 by activating Terraforming to add Dragonic Diagram from his Deck to his hand.

He activated Diagram and then Set a card to his back row. He tried to use Diagram’s effect, but lost out to Ghost Ogre & Snow Rabbit. He activated a second Diagram next, and then used its effect to destroy his face-down True Draco Apocalypse and add True Draco Heritage to his hand. He Set the Heritage and then activated a third Diagram, replacing the one on his field. He used its effect to destroy the Heritage on his field and grab another Heritage from his Deck. He activated the Heritage and then used its effect to draw 2 cards. He Normal Summoned Amano-Iwato next, and then used Heritage’s effect to gain a Tribute Summon in order to Tribute Amano and Heritage for Master Peace, the True Dracoslaying King. He Set a card to his back row and then passed his turn with no hand.

Mattila drew a card and then had Heavy Storm Duster, Terraforming, Trickstar Candina, Ghost Ogre & Snow Rabbit, and Trickstar Light Stage in his hand. He activated Light Stage, and Nguyen Chained the effect of Master Peace to destroy Light Stage by banishing Heritage from his Graveyard. Mattila activated Terraforming next, adding a Light Stage from his Deck to his hand. He activated the Light Stage and used its effect to add Trickstar Lycoris from his Deck to his hand. Next, he used Light Stage’s effect to try to lock down Nguyen’s back row, and Nguyen Chained it. It was Rivalry of Warlords! Mattila Normal Summoned Trickstar Candina next and used its effect to add Trickstar Reincarnation from his Deck to his hand. He Set Heavy Storm Duster and Reincarnation and then ended his turn.

Nguyen drew Card of Demise and activated it! He drew 3 cards from his Deck and took 400 points of damage for activating a Spell Card. He Set a card to his back row and then activated Diagram’s effect; but Mattila discarded Ghost Ogre & Snow Rabbit from his hand to destroy the Diagram. Next, Nguyen activated Pot of Desires, banishing the top 10 cards of his Deck face-down to draw 2 cards. He took another 400 points of damage due to the effects of Candina and Light Stage. Nguyen activated Pot of Duality next, revealing True Draco Apocalypse, Card of Demise, and Disciples of the True Dracophoenix from the top of his Deck. He added the Disciples to his hand and took another 400 points of damage. He activated Disciples, taking another 400 points of damage, and then used its effect to Tribute Summon a monster. Mattila Chained Heavy Storm Duster, targeting Disciples and Nguyen’s face-down True King’s Return. Both cards were destroyed, and both of their effects activated to try to destroy Mattila’s Candina and face-down Trickstar Reincarnation. Mattila Chained the effect of the Lycoris in his hand to try to return Candina to his hand and rescue it; but Nguyen Chained Master Peace’s effect to destroy Candina by banishing a Heritage from his Graveyard. Lycoris was Special Summoned to the field in Defense Position, and Candina and Reincarnation were both destroyed in the Chain. Nguyen Tributed Rivalry of Warlords to Summon Majesty Maiden, the True Dracocaster next and then passed his turn, unable to inflict battle damage during that turn due to the effect of Card of Demise.

Mattila drew Trickstar Lycoris and passed his turn.

Nguyen attacked directly with Master Peace and Majesty Maiden. In Main Phase 2, he activated the card he drew for his turn: Card of Demise! He drew 3 more cards from the top of his Deck and then activated Disciples of the True Dracophoenix. He used its effect to shuffle 3 cards from his Graveyard into his Deck and draw 1 card. He Set 3 cards to his back row before passing.

Mattila drew Droll & Lock Bird and then conceded, completely outmatched by the number and quality of Nguyen’s cards.

Thanh Nguyen wins the first Duel thanks to an early Master Peace and a couple of copies of Card of Demise! Mason Mattila will be going first in Duel 2!

Duel Two

Mattila opened up Duel 2 with Raigeki, Scapegoat, Droll & Lock Bird, Trickstar Lilybell, and Anti-Spell Fragrance.

He Set Anti-Spell Fragrance and Scapegoat and then ended his turn.

Nguyen drew a card and then Mattila flipped up Anti-Spell Fragrance. Nguyen Set True Draco Heritage and then Tributed it to Summon Majesty Maiden. He used the Heritage’s effect to destroy Anti-Spell Fragrance and then Set 3 cards to his back row. He flipped one of them – Terraforming – and added Dragonic Diagram from his Deck to his hand. Mattila discarded Droll & Lock Bird from his hand to activate its effect, and Nguyen Chained the effect of Majesty Maiden to add Ignis Heat, the True Dracowarrior to his hand. Nguyen activated Diagram next and attacked directly with Majesty Maiden for 2600 points of damage. In Nguyen’s End Phase, Mattila flipped Scapegoat to Special Summon 4 Sheep Tokens to the field.

Mattila drew Pot of Desires! He gave up a Sheep Token to Link Summon Linkuriboh and then gave up 2 more to Link Summon Proxy Dragon behind it. Next, he gave up his last Sheep Token to Link Summon Link Spider. He then sent all 3 Link Monsters to the Graveyard to Link Summon Borreload Dragon! He tried to enter his Battle Phase, but Nguyen flipped True Draco Apocalypse and used its effect to Tribute Summon Master Peace! He Tributed the Apocalypse and Majesty Maiden to do so and used the Apocalypse’s effect destroyed Borreload. Mattila activated Pot of Desires next, banishing the top 10 cards of his Deck face-down to draw Ash Blossom & Joyous Spring and Heavy Storm Duster. He activated Raigeki to destroy Master Peace! He Set the Duster before passing his turn.

Nguyen Set a card to his back row and then flipped Upstart Goblin. He gave Mattila 1000 Life Points and drew a card. He activated the effect of his Diagram next, and Mattila Chained Heavy Storm Duster to destroy the Diagram and Nguyen’s face-down Imperial Iron Wall. Nguyen Set another Iron Wall and then Tributed it to Summon Ignis Heat. He attacked directly with Ignis Heat, dropping Mattila down to 4000 Life Points.

Mattila drew a Heavy Storm Duster; but with the Duster, Ash Blossom & Joyous Spring, and Lilybell in his hand, he had no answer to Ignis Heat. He Set the Duster and then passed his turn.

Nguyen attacked directly with Ignis Heat, dropping Mattila down to 1600 Life Points, and then passed.

Mattila drew Trickstar Candina! He Summoned it and activated its effect. Nguyen Chained Ignis Heat’s effect to add Disciples of the True Dracophoenix from his Deck to his hand, and Mattila grabbed Trickstar Light Stage from his Deck with Candina’s effect. He activated the Light Stage and used its effect to add a Lycoris from his Deck to his hand. He passed his turn.

Nguyen activated Disciples and took 400 points of damage due to the effects of Candina and Light Stage. Nguyen Set a card and then used the effect of Disciples to gain an extra Tribute Summon. Mattila Chained Heavy Storm Duster, targeting Nguyen’s 2 back row cards for destruction. Nguyen Chained the effect of Ignis Heat but lost out to Mattila’s Ash Blossom & Joyous Spring. Nguyen’s Disciples and face-down Pot of Desires were destroyed, and the Disciples took down Light Stage when it was sent to the Graveyard. Ignis Heat attacked Candina, but Mattila returned Candina to his hand to Special Summon Lycoris in Defense Position. Ignis Heat destroyed Lycoris in battle instead, and then play passed to Mattila.

Mattila drew Trickstar Reincarnation and then Normal Summoned Candina. He activated its effect, and Nguyen Chained the effect of Ignis Heat to add Disciples from his Deck to his hand. Mattila added Light Stage to his hand with the effect of Candina. He activated it to add a Lycoris to his hand and then Set the Reincarnation before passing.

Nguyen Set a card to his back row and then activated Disciples of the True Dracophoenix. He took 400 points of damage due to the effects of Candina and Light Stage, dropping down to 7200 Life Points. He used Disciples’s effect to send Heritage, Master Peace, and Apocalypse back to his Deck and draw a card. He activated the effect of Disciples to try to Tribute Summon a monster, and Mattila Chained Trickstar Reincarnation! Mattila Chained the effect of Ignis Heat to add Heritage to his hand, and then banished the 3 cards in his hand to draw Disciples, Apocalypse, and Amano-Iwato. He revealed his hand to show that he was unable to Tribute Summon a monster. He Normal Summoned Amano and then attacked Candina with Ignis Heat, destroying it and dropping Mattila down to 1000 Life Points. Amano attacked directly next, and Nguyen was forced to banish Reincarnation from his Graveyard to Special Summon Candina in Defense Position to protect himself. Candina was destroyed in battle, and Nguyen Set a card to his back row before passing his turn and returning Amano to his hand.

Mattila drew Anti-Spell Fragrance and then offered the handshake! He had no way to stop Ignis Heat and Amano-Iwato from finishing him off on the next turn!

Thanh Nguyen takes a 2-0 win with True Dracos and advances to the Top 4!