Four competitors remain in this weekend’s YCS Main Event: 2 Duelists playing Floowandereeze, and 2 playing Tearlaments. Both of our Top 4 tables are mirror matches, and in this Match we’ll see YCS Las Vegas winner Dominic Couch take on Cezar Victor Lopez Coscia, whose competitive accolades go all the way back to his Top Cut finish with Spellbooks at YCS Sao Paulo in 2014.

Each competitor in this Match is Main Decking their own tech choices: while Couch has triple Enemy Controller, triple Effect Veiler, and triple Infinite Impermanence, Lopez is on Called by the Grave, Harpie’s Feather Duster, double Book of Moon, double Harpie’s Feather Storm, and 3 copies of Evenly Matched. Would those cards make a difference in these Duels?

We were about to find out.

Lopez opted to start the first Duel, opening up with Pot of Extravagance: he banished 6 cards from his Extra Deck to draw 2. He activated Floowandereeze and the Magnificent Map, revealed Floowandereeze & Eglen for it, banished Floowandereeze & Robina from his Deck, and Summoned Eglen. He made Eglen’s effect Chain Link 1 and Robina Chain Link 2, then resolved the Chain to search, nabbing Mist Valley Apex Avian and taking the Robina. 

He Summoned Robina, searched Floowandereeze & Toccan, and Tributed Robina and Eglen to Summon Floowandereeze & Empen. Lopez made Empen’s effect Chain Link 1 and Eglen Chain Link 2, searching his Deck for Floowandereeze and the Unexplored Winds.  He Summoned Toccan and Robina, Tributed both for Apex Avian, and returned Toccan to his hand. He activated Unexplored Winds, Set a backrow, and passed to Couch.

After considering his hand a moment, Couch moved to his Standby Phase and activated Floowandereeze and the Advent of Adventure, banishing Empen from his hand. Lopez negated the Advent with Apex Avian, leaving Couch to activate Unexplored Winds; he revealed his second Empen, placed it on the bottom of his Deck, used Unexplored Winds to draw, and immediately conceded. “You got it.”

Cezar Victor Lopez Coscia sets up with Apex Avian and Empen, and Dominic Couch has no way to mount a comeback! In just moments, Lopez moved into striking distance of the Finals table. Both competitors made swift work Side Decking for Game 2. Couch would play first.

“Good luck.”

Couch activated Pot of Duality, revealing Floowandereeze & Stri, Pot of Prosperity, and another Duality. He took the Prosperity, then activated it to reveal 6 cards: 2 Robina, Harpie’s Feather Duster, Floowandereeze and the Magnificent Map, Infinite Impermanence, and Harpie’s Feather Storm. Couch took a Robina, Summoned it, and used its effect to search out Eglen, then Normal Summoned it. He used it to search Empen, Tribute Summoned it, and made Empen’s effect Chain Link 1, Robina Chain Link 2, and Eglen Chain Link 3; he got his banished birds back and searched Map. 

Couch Summoned Eglen. He activated Floowandereeze and the Advent of Adventure to get Floowandereeze & Toccan, activated Map, revealed Toccan for Map’s effect and banished Empen. He used Toccan to get back Empen, then Tribute Summoned it: Empen’s effect was Chain Link 1 and Toccan’s effect was Chain Link 2. Couch got Floowandereeze and the Dreaming Town from his Deck. He activated Unexplored Winds and Set a backrow to end.

Play was back to Lopez. “I’m thinking on Standby Phase…” Lopez considered his hand, then activated Cosmic Cyclone on Couch’s Set card, banishing Dreaming Town. Then he entered the Battle Phase and activated Evenly Matched! Couch lost everything but the Field Spell. Lopez activated another Cosmic Cyclone, still in the End Step of the Battle Phase, and blew away Couch’s Map. He activated his own Map in Main Phase 2, revealed Eglen for Map’s effect, and banished Robina from his Deck. Lopez tried to use Eglen’s effect, but Couch denied it with Effect Veiler. Lopez Normal Summoned Robina… and Couch had another Effect Veiler!

“Alright…” Lopez Set a card to his back row and ended.

Couch drew for turn and moved to his Main Phase, activating another Unexplored Winds. He Normal Summoned Robina, made Eglen Chain Link 2, and Lopez flipped Harpie’s Feather Storm in response. Couch made a direct attack with his Robina on Lopez’s and ended, with one card in hand and a bare field save Unexplored Winds. He was wide open.

Lopez activated Pot of Extravagance. He banished 6 cards from his Extra Deck, drew 2, and used Map’s effect to reveal the Robina he just drew! Couch had no response, and when Lopez plucked Empen from his Deck Couch immediately conceded.

Cezar Victor Lopez Coscia plays Evenly Matched, double Cosmic Cyclone, and Harpie’s Storm Duster, and it’s all just too much for Dominic Couch to deal with! Lopez is headed to the Finals, where we’ll see another Championship-deciding clash between Floowandereeze and Tearlaments.