After 11 grueling rounds of play, we’re finally in the Top 32! We have Team YCS Las Vegas Champion Dominic Couch hailing from Georgia against Carlos Rosario from Puerto Rico! This is his first YCS Top Cut finish and he’s against an absolute titan!

Rosario decided to go first, and Couch drew a hand of Crystal Beast Emerald Tortoise, Diviner of the Herald, Instant Fusion and Kelbek the Ancient Vanguard. Rosario started his turn by activating Prosperity for 6, revealing 2 Spright Jet, a Spright Starter, Bystial Magnamhut, Bystial Druiswurm and Swap Frog. After some consideration, Rosario chose to add Swap Frog. The Frog was Summoned by discarding a Nimble Angler,  the second Frog was sent to grave and 2 Nimble Beaver were Summoned. Spright Carrot was Summoned next, before both Beavers became Gigantic Spright, which Summoned a Spright Blue to search Spright Jet. Jet got Rosario Spright Smashers, and the Carrot and Gigantic linked into Spright Elf which Summoned back in grave Swap Frog allowing Rosario to make a Toadally Awesome! Jet and Blue were overlaid into Number 65: Djinn Buster, 2 face downs were set and play was to Couch.

Couch drew Primeval Planet Perlerlino for turn, activating it right away. With a thumbs-up from Rosario to proceed he considered his options, before adding Tearlaments Havnis to hand. Instant Fusion was next, with Couch Summoning Tearlaments Kitkallos and using its effect, prompting Rosario to chain Toad, which gave Couch the opening to use Tearlaments Havnis! Rosaro was forced to use Djinn Buster to negate Havnis and after setting the Kitkallos with Toad, Rosario added Nimble Beaver to hand.

Diviner of the Herald was Summoned, and Rosario had Ash Blossom & Joyous Spring to shut it down. Kelbek the Ancient Vanguard was Summoned next, returning the Kitkallos to the Extra and Rosario activated Spright Elf to Summon Toadally Awesome. Couch went the to Battle Phase and attacked Elf with Kelbek, to which Rosario banished Djinn and Kelbek with his Spright Smashers. And with that Rosario was back up.

Rosario used his Spright Elf to Summon back Spright Blue, searching Spright Red and Summoning it to the field. Beaver was next, and in response Couch used Havnis again but Rosario used Red to tribute Blue preventing the Havnis, and Beaver Summoned a Nimble Angler in defense.

The Beaver and Angler made Gigantic Spright, Rosario then attacked Diviner with Red, Gigantic Elf and Toad attacked directly leaving Couch at just 600 Lifepoints and his back against the wall. Gigantic Spright Summoned Spright Jet in Main Phase 2 which added Spright Starter, 1 card was set and play was to Couch.

Couch drew Mudora for turn and went into deep thought, before deciding to Summon Tearlaments Reinoheart and sending Tearlaments Scheiren with its effect. When he activated Scheiren Rosaro had Bystial Magnamhut to banish it. When it activated on field to search Couch chained Havnis which was negated by Red and that was the game.

Couch draws an awkward hand, letting Rosario’s Nimble Spright Deck take over and quickly end the game! Both Duelists were eager to dive into their Side Decks, knowing that the Spright versus Tearlaments match up tends to be extremely resource intensive, so time is of the essence.

Couch chose to go first opening with a hand of Diviner of the Herald, Tearlaments Scheiren, Mudora the Oracle Sword, Kelbek the Ancient Vanguard, and Rainbow Bridge of Salvation. First action was to Summon Mudora, sending Kelbek from hand and setting Gravekeeper’s Trap. Kelbek was next, and Rosario chained Dimension Shifter! Couch Chained Gravekeeper’s Trap, and then Chained the Rainbow Bridge he discarded. Bridge got couch Primeval Planet Perlerino and Crystal Beast Emerald Tortoise, and the Gravekeeper’s Trap searched him an Agido.

Both players banished 5 cards with Rosario losing 1 Swap Frog and a Spright Blue, and Couch losing 2 Tearlaments and an Agido, pretty brutal. Couch pressed forward, activating Planet to search Havnis and Normal Summoned Agido, Overlaying into Number 41: Bagooska the Terribly Tired Tapir!

Play was over to Rosario. Gravekeeper’s Trap triggered when Rosario drew and Couch called Spright Starter, seeing the Smashers Rosario was drawing for turn. Rosario took a moment to consider his plays, and with a nod Summoned Spright Pixies, which was switched to defense by Bagooska. From there, he special Summoned Spright Red, and set 2 facedown cards. Couch discarded his Emerald Tortoise for Gravekeeper’s Trap, adding Agido to hand for the trouble.

For turn, Couch drew another Planet, in his standby he detatched Mudora, and his play was to activate the second Planet. Planet fetched him Merrli, and after switching Bagooska to Attack Position, he declared an attack on Spright Red with his Bagooska. 

In Main Phase 2 he overlaid the Bagooska into Divine Arsenal AA-ZEUS – Sky Thunder, and when he went to clear the field Rosario had Infinite Impermanence! Couch’s trap was activated next discarding Agido, and in response to Agidos effect Rosario activated Mask Change II and Summoning Masked HERO Dark Law, meaning more cards would be banished by Couch. Couch lost 2 Merrli before he used Kelbek to return Dark Law, and that was enough for Rosario to concede.

Despite both Dimension Shifter and Mask Change II, Dominic Couch pulls off a victory pulling it to match point.

Rosario decided to go First in Game 3, and Couch opened with a hand of Tearlaments Merrli, Agido the Ancient Sentinel, Primeval Planet Perlerino, Tearlaments Scheiren, and Twin Twisters. Rosario pitched Nimble Angler for Swap Frog again, sending a second Swap to grave and Summoning 2 Nimble Beavers off the angler which is one of the most ideal openings possible.

Both Beavers were overlaid to make Gigantic Spright, Rosario used Gigantic to Summon Spright Blue, searching Spright Jet, Jet was Summoned and searched Spright Starter. Gigantic and blue were Linked to make Spright Elf, which Summoned Swap Frog back and the pair were used to Xyz Summon Toadally Awesome! Rosario set 3 facedowns and passed to Couch after an absolutely incredible opening turn.

Couch drew Triple Tactics Talent for turn, a Pharaoh’s Rare at that which was gifted to him by a friend, his only Pharaoh’s Rare copy, hopefully it serves him well.

In the Standby Phase Rosario activated Mask change II discarding Bystial Druiswurm, Couch thought for a moment before an audible sigh, Masked HERO Dark Law hit the field. On Summon he took a moment to double check the effect of Dark law, and went to his Main Phase, trying to Special Summon Agido the Ancient Sentinel but Rosario activated Toadally Awesome to negate it and set Agido to his field. Toad gave Rosario Nimble Beaver back to hand, and Couch activated Twin Twisters discarding his Merrli, targeting both of Rosario’s remaining facedowns, to which Rosario chained Spright Starter, Summoning Spright Red and taking 1200.

Reading Dark Law once more, couch uttered “It’s So rough…”, he set a facedown and activated Planet, chiming in with “I have to hope you don’t hit it!” while shaking his head and adding Tearlaments Reinoheart. Rosario’s Dark Law banished Tearlaments Scheiren from hand and couch flipped his gifted Triple Tactics Talent to take control of Rosario’s Dark Law! At the end of the Main phase, Rosario Summoned back Spright Blue with Elf, which grabbed another Jet. Couch activated Dark law, and Rosario had to use Red by tributing Elf to negate and destroy it.

Coch then Summoned Reinoheart and sent Scheiren, shuffling both back to make Tearlaments Kitkallos. Kitkallos was Chain Link 1, Perlerino was Chain Link 2 targeting Red to destroy, and Couch snagged a Merrli in the process. Kitkallos activated, Summoning Merrli and sending itself, tossing 8 to the grave thankas to his effects. Couch sent an incredible pile of Tearlaments Heartbeat, 2 Scheiren, Merrli, Havnis, Agido, Mudora, and Druiswurm!

In a new chain, Couch used Havnis as Chain Link 1, Merrli as Chain Link 2, Agido as Chain Link 3 to send more cards! This time he hit Keldo and Kelbek, alongside 2 copies of Perlerino. Merrli shuffled back herself and Kitkallos to Summon Tearlaments Rulkallos, and Havnis sent back a copy of Scheiren and itself to make Garura, Wings of Resonant Life.

Kelbek then sent 5 more cards to the grave, including another Mudora, Agido, and Keldo from Couch, and removing more resources from Rosarios Deck. Rulkallos and Merrli attacked Rosarios monsters, and then Couch swung for 400 with Garura thanks to Planet, leaving Rosario at 2800. Merrli and Garura were linked together, making Dharc the Dark Chamer, Glooomy and Garura got couch another Reinojhareat, Dharc Summoned Bystial Magnamhut and Couch used it to search in the End Phase, the 2 were linked into Spright Elf and in the End Phase Bystial Druiswurm was added to Couch’s hand. Still in the End Phase, he activated Mudora and Keldo to shuffle back Spright Pixies, Red Resonator, 2 Mask Change II, Swap Frog, and Nimble Angler. Play was finally over to Rosario after that incredible turn.

Rosario drew for turn and Summoned Nimble Beaver, with no effect. Then Couch Summoned Merrli with Spright Elf and hit Kelbek the Ancient Vanguard which int turn sent Tearlaments Sulliek, letting Couch add a Havnis to his hand. Keldo was next, targeting Havnis, Scheiren, Dharc the Dark Charmer. Planet was triggered thanks to Keldo and Rosario extended the handshake!

After an amazing opening from Rosario, Dominic Couch manages to come back in no small part to the powerful Triple Tactics Talent he was gifted by a dear friend, and moves on to Top 16 on his birthday!