YCS Ft. Worth: Pro-Talk With Raphael Neven
We’re with Raphael Neven, talking about his life as a Duelist. This Duelist often travels from the Netherlands to compete around the world, with many accomplishments to be proud of. He won YCS YCS Prague in 2017 and YCS Chicago in 2019, and competed in the World Championship this year.
We started by talking about what makes him a top level Duelist.
“I think it’s the amount of time you spend playing the game. I think the time that people like me put in the game – we play almost daily – make us top Duelists. It’s a bit weird to compare it to real life sports but to be consistently successful you have to put in the same amount of dedication.”
What Deck is Raphael playing this weekend, and why did he pick it?
“Pure Orcust. I played it two weeks ago at YCS Ghent, I went 9-2 and didn’t top with tiebreakers.” He noted that it’s not only very consistent, but the Orcust engine itself is very small, allowing a lot of room for extra cards like hand traps. “This format is very open so I like space for a lot of hand traps and utility cards,” he said.
I asked who his usual travelling companions were. “My friend Joshua, Darren, Hassan, and Vlad. Sometimes I also travel alone, like for YCS Ecuador this year I just went alone.”
We talked about how he stays sharp as a Duelist. “I think after rounds I try to reflect on the game, like what I could have done better, even if I won. Make sure I stay hydrated. It’s really boring but it’s important. These events are a challenge for your health, I always go outside and get some fresh air.”
He also went on to discuss how he handles a loss. “Sometimes when I lose I tilt, and get very frustrated, so I talk to friends about the game state. If you start the next round thinking about your loss it will affect you, the negative energy, thinking about that loss from two rounds ago.”
What is it that keeps a talented Duelist like Raphael returning to tournaments? “The people. I have friends all over the world. Every country I go to I have friends I can stay with, we do more than playing Yu-Gi-Oh!. Those friendships transcend borders. The game is fun and I’m glad I’m good at it, but it’s the people that make it.”
Well said, Raphael.
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