Home > 2022/05 - YCS Hartford, Yu-Gi-Oh! Championship Series > Round 9 Feature Match: Noah Yahney vs. Raymond Dai

Round 9 Feature Match: Noah Yahney vs. Raymond Dai

May 28th, 2022

Noah Yahney from Bellmore, New York is Dueling against Raymond Dai from Detroit, Michigan in our Round 9 Feature Match! Both Duelists have 7-1 records, so a victory in this Round will greatly enhance the odds for the winning Duelist to ultimately make it into the Top 32 tomorrow. Yahney is using a Branded Despia Eldlich Deck, while Dai is using a Sky Striker Deck that Summons Destiny HERO – Destroyer Phoenix Enforcer with Fusion Destiny. It’s time to Duel!

Duel One

Yahney opened up with Branded Fusion, Demise of the Land, Metaverse, Golden Land Forever!, and Mystic Mine.

Noah Yahney

He activated Branded Fusion, sending Fallen of Albaz and Eldlich the Golden Lord from his Deck to his Graveyard to Fusion Summon Albion the Branded Dragon. He used its effect to Fusion Summon Mirrorjade the Iceblade Dragon and then Set Demise of the Land, Metaverse, and Golden Land Forever! to his back row before ending his turn.

Dai activated Sky Striker Mobilize – Engage! and used its effect to add Sky Striker Ace – Raye from his Deck to his hand. He Normal Summoned Raye and Yahney used Mirrorjade’s effect to banish it by sending Albion to his Graveyard. Dai activated Rite of Aramesir next and Special Summoned an Adventurer Token before playing Fateful Adventure from his Deck. Next, he Special Summoned Water Enchantress of the Temple from his hand and added Dracoback, the Rideable Dragon to his hand with Fateful Adventure. He used the effect of Fateful Adventure to get Wandering Gryphon Rider from his Deck and discard a Rite of Aramesir. He equipped his Token with Dracoback and then used Dracoback to return Mirrorjade to the Extra Deck. He used the effect of Wandering Gryphon next to Special Summon it, and Yahney Chained Metaverse to activate Mystic Mine from his Deck! The Wandering Gryphon was Summoned to the field, but Dai’s monsters could no longer attack or use their effects! In the End Phase, Yahney used Albion’s effect to add Branded Fusion from his Deck to his hand.

Yahney activated Branded Fusion to fuse Fallen of Albaz and Doomking Balerdroch from his Deck for Lubellion the Searing Dragon. He used its effect to Fusion Summon Albion the Branded Dragon. Next, he used Albion’s effect to Special Summon Mirrorjade by banishing 2 monsters from his Graveyard. He used Mirrorjade’s effect by sending Lubellion from his Extra Deck to his Graveyard and removed the Token from the field. He then sent Mystic Mine to his Graveyard to return Eldlich the Golden Lord from his Graveyard to his hand and Special Summon it in Attack Position. He attacked with all of his monsters, clearing Dai’s field and dropping Dai down to 3500 Life Points.

Dai banished his Water Enchantress from his Graveyard to add Rite of Aramesir to his hand and then activated Fusion Destiny! He fused Destiny HERO – Dasher and Destiny HERO – Celestial from his Deck to Special Summon Destiny HERO – Destroyer Phoenix Enforcer. Yahney flipped Demise of the Land and activated Zombie World from his Deck! Destroyer Phoenix Enforcer attacked and destroyed Albion and inflicted 400 points of damage to Yahney’s Life Points. Still in the Battle Phase, Dai used the effect of his Destroyer Phoenix Enforcer. Yahney Chained Golden Land Forever! and Tributed his Golden Lord to negate the activation of the effect and destroy the Destroyer Phoenix Enforcer. Dai activated Destroyer Phoenix Enforcer’s effect and then Set a monster and a back row card before passing.

Yahney Special Summoned Balerdroch in his Standby Phase and Dai returned Destroyer Phoenix Enforcer to the field. Yahney used Mirrorjade’s effect to banish Destroyer Phoenix Enforce, Dai Chained the effect of Destroyer Phoenix Enforce, and then Yahney Chained Baledroch’s effect to negate the effect of Destroyer Phoenix Enforcer. Destroyer Phoenix Enforcer was banished from the Duel! Yahney used the effect of his Golden Lord next, returning it from the Graveyard and then Special Summoning it by sending a face-down Trap Card to the Graveyard. He then attacked a face-down Water Enchantress with Mirrorjade to destroy it, and a direct attack from Eldlich the Golden Lord wiped out Dai’s remaining 3500 Life Points!

Noah Yahney uses his Branded Eldlich Deck to win the first Duel of the Match!

Duel Two

Dai started off Duel 2 by activating Rite of Aramesir to Special Summon a Token and play Fateful Adventure to his field.

Raymond Dai

He used the effect of Fateful Adventure to add Wandering Gryphon Rider to his hand and discard Sky Striker Maneuver – Afterburners!. He Special Summoned the Gryphon Rider and then Normal Summoned Raye. He sent it to the Graveyard to Link Summon Kagari and return Afterburners to his hand. Next, he Link Summoned Sky Striker Ace – Shizuku and Set a card to his back row. He used Shizuku’s effect to add Sky Striker Mobilize – Engage! to his hand in the End Phase.

Yahney opened up Duel 2 with Branded Fusion, Mystic Mine, Aluber the Jester of Despia, Pot of Extravagance, Solemn Judgment, and Lava Golem. He activated Pot of Extravagance by banishing 6 random cards from his Extra Deck and Dai used the effect of his Gryphon Rider to negate the activation by shuffling the Gryphon Rider back into his Deck. Next, Yahney Normal Summoned Aluber and used its effect to add Branded Fusion from his Deck to his hand. He activated it, but Dai Chained Dimensional Barrier declaring Fusion Monsters! Yahney was no longer able to Summon Fusion Monsters! Yahney Set Solemn Judgment and then ended his turn.

Dai activated the effect of Fateful Adventure and added Wandering Gryphon Rider back to his hand by discarding Dracoback, the Rideable Dragon. He used Dracoback’s effect to equip it to the Adventurer Token. He used the Dracoback’s effect to return Yahney’s Solemn Judgment to his hand, and Yahney instantly conceded, realizing he wouldn’t be able to win the Duel.

Raymond Dai overwhelms Yahney in Duel 2 and takes a quick victory with his Sky Striker Deck!

Duel Three

Yahney started off Duel 3 with Cursed Eldland, Zombie World, Eldlixir of Black Awakening, Doomking Balerdroch, and Skill Drain. He activated his Eldlixir to Special Summon the Golden Lord and then activated Cursed Eldland. He paid 800 Life Points to use its effect and add Conquistador of the Golden Land to his hand. He Set the Conquistador and Skill Drain before passing.

Dai activated Reinforcement of the Army to add Raye to his hand and Normal Summoned it. He sent it to the Graveyard to Link Summon Sky Striker Ace – Hayate and then entered his Battle Phase. In the Battle Phase, Yahney flipped Skill Drain by giving up 1000 Life Points. Dai Chained Cosmic Cyclone and paid 1000 Life Points to banish Skill Drain! Next, Yahney flipped Conquistador and Special Summoned it to the field. Since he controlled the Golden Lord, he was also able to destroy Hayate. Dai used the effect of Raye to Special Summon it back from his Graveyard. In Main Phase 2, Dai sent Raye to the Graveyard to Link Summon Shizuku and Set 3 cards to his back row. He used Shizuku’s effect to add Engage to his hand in the End Phase.

Yahney drew another Skill Drain! He activated the effect of Cursed Eldland by paying 800 Life Points and added Conquistador to his hand. He then banished Eldlixir from his Graveyard to Set Huaquero of the Golden Landto his field. He Set it face-down and then Set it to his back row along with Skill Drain.

Dai drew a card and then banished Water Enchantress from his Graveyard to add Rite of Aramesir to his hand. He activated it to Special Summon an Adventurer Token to his field and then sent Shizuku to his Graveyard to Link Summon Hayate. He then used the effect of Fateful Adventure, and Yahney Chained Conquistador; but Dai Chained There Can Be Only One! Yahney Chained Hauquero and Special Summoned it, banishing Raye from the Graveyard with its effect. Fateful Adventure resolved to add Dracoback to his hand, and then he used its other effect to add Wandering Gryphon Rider to his hand and discard Dracoback. He used the Dracoback’s effect to equip it to his Adventurer Token and then used Dracoback’s effect to return the Conquistador on the field in Defense Position to the hand. He Special Summoned Gryphon Rider next, and then direct attacks from Hayate, Gryphon Rider, and the Adventurer Token finished Yahney off!

Raymond Dai wins 2-1 and advances with an 8-1 record using his Sky Striker Deck with Fusion Destiny in it!