Chris LeBlanc won his fourth YCS title just two weeks ago at YCS Minneapolis, and now he’s back, clinging to a shot at the Top 32 here in the final Swiss Round of Day 2! His opponent is in the same situation: precariously perched on the bubble, wondering if even a win is enough to get him a seat in the Top Cut.

Both competitors need this win, and both are playing Tearlaments Spright decks with Ishizu cards and Kashtira Fenrir. Momentum certainly seems to favor Chris LeBlanc coming off his win in Minneapolis, but this one could definitely go either way.

Simnegar opened the Match with Spright Starter for Spright Red. He Summoned Spright Blue, searched Spright Carrot and Special Summoned it next. He Special Summoned Spright Jet, searched Spright Smashers and Linked Blue and Jet for Spright Sprind. That got him Nimble Angler to the Graveyard, Special Summoning two copies of Nimble Beaver. He overlaid those for Gigantic Spright, used its effect to detach a Beaver and Special Summon Swap Frog, sending another to his Graveyard, and Linked Gigantic Spright with Carrot for Spright Elf. That let him bring back the second Swap Frog, and he overlaid for Toadally Awesome! He Set a card to his backrow to end.

LeBlanc had Agido the Ancient Sentinel, Mudora the Sword Oracle, Keldo the Sacred Protector, Spright Jet, Tearlaments Scheiren, and Kashtira Fenrir.  He Special Summoned Fenrir, Simnegar flipped Smashers and chained Spright Elf, bringing back his Blue and banishing Fenrir. He searched his Deck for Spright Pixies, discarded Agido to Special Summon Keldo, and searched Kelbek the Ancient Vanguard. Both players lost five cards off the tops of their decks.

“Activate Tearlaments Merrli,” declared LeBlanc. Simnegar fired back with Bystial Druiswurm, targeting the Merrli, and LeBlanc lost his Tearlaments effect as Simnegar made his Special Summon. LeBlanc activated Scheiren’s effect next and lost that to Spright Red, as Simnegar sacked off Spright Blue. LeBlanc discarded Kelbek to Special Summon Mudora the Sword Oracle, and Simnegar negated it with Toadally Awesome, bringing back his Nimble Beaver. 

LeBlanc Normal Summoned Scheiren, Linked it to Keldo and Link Summoned Dharc the Dark Charmer, Gloomy. He used its effect to Special Summon his opponent’s Spright Blue, then Special Summoned his Spright Jet from his hand, searching Spright Smashers. He Linked both Sprights for Spright Sprind, used its effect to search his Deck for Nimble Angler, sent it to the Graveyard, and Special Summoned his two Nimble Beavers. 

LeBlanc asked: “What are you at: 68?” Simnegar confirmed that he was at 6800 Life Points and LeBlanc ran the numbers on a potential win. 

LeBlanc overlaid Sprind and Beaver for Gigantic Spright and entered the Battle Phase. He sent Dharc over Simnegar’s Sprind, Gigantic swung over Carrot, and play moved to Main Phase 2. He Linked Dharc and Mudora for Spright Elf, used Gigantic Spright to Special Summon Tearlaments Merrli, and used its effect to send Primeval Planet Perlereino, Triple Tactics Talent, and Keldo off the top of his Deck to his Graveyard. He Linked Merrli and the second Beaver for I:P Masquerena, banished Keldo, and returned Sprind, Dharc, and Kelbek to his Deck. He Set Smashers to finish out, his hand empty. 

Simnegar Normal Summoned a Nimble Beaver and used it to Special Summon Nimble Angler. LeBlanc responded with Spright Elf, bringing back Tearlaments Merrli to send Reinohart, Super Poly, and Tearlaments Hearbeat to the Graveyard.  He tagged out Masquerena and Gigantic Spright for Spright Sprind, sent Tearlaments Merrli to the Graveyard, and fused her with Scheiren to Fusion Summon Tearlaments Kitkallos. He used Scheiren’s effect to Fusion Summon Tearlaments Kaleido-Heart, spun the Beaver back to Simnegar’s Deck, then blasting the Angler out of the game with Spright Smashers giving up Spright Sprind.

Simnegar pressed on! He had Spright Starter, bringing out Spright Blue. “Yup…” That was exactly the kind of gas LeBlanc didn’t want to see after he worked so hard to knock Simnegar down. The Starter got Simnegar Spright Jet, he Summoned it, and searched his third and final Spright Starter. He Link Summoned Dharc, targeted I:P Masquerena to try and take it, and LeBlanc Chained Keldo to return I:P Masquerena and two more cards back to his Deck, cutting off his opponent. 

Simnegar overlaid Dharc and Jet for Gigantic Spright, detached Jet to search for Soul Scissors and Summoned it. He entered Battle, sent Gigantic Spright over Tearlaments Kaleido-Heart and Pixies to get rid of Kitkallos. In Main Phase 2 he made Spright Elf, used it to try and bring back Spright Red, and LeBlanc cut him off with Mudora, sending more cards back to their respective decks.  Simnegar Set one more card to finish the turn.

LeBlanc had nothing, and his next draw didn’t help. “That Starter…” he groaned, conceding Game 1 and moving to scoop his cards. “That was crazy!”

Both competitors lay all their cards on the line in a back-and-forth competition that takes everything they have, and Jesse Simnegar comes out on top! He was now one win away from knocking out the most decorated Duelist in the room, and potentially punching his ticket to the Top 32.

LeBlanc opened with a hand of Instant Fusion, Agido the Ancient Sentinel, Nimble Beaver, Foolish Burial and Super Polymerization.  He activated Instant Fusion, brought out Tearlaments Kitkallos and Simnegar dropped Infinite Impermanence to negate its effects. LeBlanc Summoned Beaver, brought out Nimble Angler, and Linked Kitkallos and Beaver for Spright Sprind. That let him send Tearlaments Merrli to the Graveyard, and when he triggered its effect he got shut down by Bystial Magnamhut. 

LeBlanc played Foolish Burial next, sending Tearlaments Scheiren to Fusion Summon Tearlaments Rulkallos. He overlaid for Gigantic Spright next, detaching Angler and Special Summoning Spright Blue; that got him Spright Jet and Spright Smashers in turn. He Link Summoned Spright Elf next, brought back Blue, and Linked it to Gigantic for I:P Masquerena. He Set Smashers and Super Polymerization, and Simnegar resolved Bystial Magnamhut’s effect in the End Phase.

Simnegar drew, moved to his Main Phase, and Normal Summoned Spright Blue. LeBlanc responded with Smashers. He responded to that with Spright Elf, bringing back Blue, and used it for Smashers to banish Simnegar’s Spright Blue in turn. Simnegar continued, activating Cosmic Cyclone to target LeBlanc’s Super Polymerization; LeBlanc Chained it, fusing Agido from his hand with his opponent’s Bystial Magnamhut to Fusion Summon Predaplant Dragostapelia! Both players sent five cards to the Graveyard, LeBlanc brought back his Tearlaments Rulkallos, and he activated Angler and Kelbek. Both players sent another five cards to the graveyard, and LeBlanc brought out another Nimble Beaver. 

Simnegar continued his turn, Special Summoning Kashtira Fenrir. He activated Triple Tactics Talent, and LeBlanc considered a long while, before letting it go. Simnegar used the effect to take PredaplantDragostapelia, and had one card left in hand. LeBlanc banished Mudora, returning Sprind, Beaver, and Smashers to his Deck, then Linked I:P Masquerena to Nimble Beaver for Spright Sprind! That let him send Tearlaments Merrli to his Graveyard, but Simnegar’s last card was Bystial Druiswurm to stop it! He used the effect of Predaplant Dragostapelia on Tearlaments Rulkallos, and LeBlanc banished Keldo to return his Merrli, Jet, and I:P Masquerena to his Deck. Simnegar blew away the Rulkallos and searched another Kashtira Fenrir!

He attacked with both monsters to wipe LeBlanc’s board, moved to Main Phase 2, and Link Summoned his own Masquerena to finish out. And that was that.

LeBlanc drew Tearlaments Reinoheart. He Normal Summoned it to send Tearlaments Scheiren to the Graveyard, Simnegar blasted him with Bystial Druiswurm, LeBlanc chained and resolved Keldo, and attacked over I:P Masquerena to destroy it. Simnegar brought out Kashtira Fenrir on the following turn and that was all LeBlanc needed to see: he swiftly offered the handshake.

Jesse Simnegar moves on with Ishizu Spright Tearlaments, his hopes still alive for a potential seat in the Top 32!