We’re almost finished with the first day of TEAM YCS Las Vegas! Here from New Jersey, we have Julian Lipoff, from Team Jerry Beans Man’s Bean Men! He’s playing a Ninja Deck, full of tricky cards that mess with his opponent’s monster positions. He’s facing Antonio Lewis, from Detroit MI, who’s playing the Kashtira Deck, that’s all the rage here today, for Team Lewis – Al-Ziyadi – Phan!

Duel 1

Lewis won the die roll and started the Duel. He Special Summoned Kashtira Unicorn, then Rite of Aramesir, creating an Adventure Token and putting Fateful Adventure on the field. He activated his Unicorn, and it was negated by Infinite Impermanence from Lipoff. Lewis played Pot of Prosperity, banishing 6 cards, and Lipoff negated it with Ash Blossom & Joyous Spring. Lewis played Kashtira Riseheart. He activated Fateful Adventure, adding Wandering Gryphon Rider, and Special Summoned it. Fateful Adventure then equipped Dracoback, the Rideable Dragon to his Token. Riseheart’s effect banished Kashtira Birth to make it a Level 7, also banishing 3 cards face-down from Lipoff’s Deck. Lewis Xyz Summoned Kashtira Shangri-Ira in Defense Position.

Lipoff had a hand of Pot of Prosperity, another Infinite Impermanence, Ninjitsu Art Tool – Iron Digger, and he drew another Prosperity. In his Standby Phase, Shangri-Ira activated, and Lipoff responded with Infinite Impermanence to negate Gryphon Rider. Lewis used it, then Shangri-Ira Special Summoned Kashtira Fenrir. Lipoff used Pot of Prosperity, banishing 6 cards, and Lewis had his own Ash Blossom! Lipoff promptly conceded! He didn’t have a way to fight through all of Lewis’s board and knew it was over. By conceding here, he would prevent Lewis from seeing any of the cards that give away his Ninja strategy.

Duel 2

Lipoff went first this time, with a hand of Prosperity, Dimensional Barrier, 2 Book of Moon, and Destructive Daruma Karma Cannon. He played Prosperity to start, banishing 6 cards and revealing a whole mess of Ninja cards – he added Ninja Grandmaster Hanzo to his hand. He Normal Summoned Hanzo, and Lewis negated it with Infinite Impermanence. Lipoff Set everything except one copy of Book of Moon.

Lewis played Pressured Planet Wraitsoth, which added Kashtira Unicorn to his hand. He Special Summoned it, and Lipoff flipped Book of Moon. Lewis Set one back row card and passed.

Lipoff drew another Karma Cannon. He Set Book of Moon and passed the turn.

Lewis flipped up Unicorn, and Book of Moon flipped it back down. Lewis Set another card in his back row.

Lipoff drew… his third Book of Moon! He Set it.

Lewis drew his card, and flipped up Unicorn, and Lipoff used Destructive Daruma Karma Cannon to turn both players’ monsters face-down. Lewis played Riseheart, then activated Kashtiratheosis targeting it, and Lipoff flipped… Book of Moon! Riseheart flipped face-down, and Kashtiratheosis failed to resolve.

Lipoff drew Ninjitsu Art Notebook of Mystery. He Flip Summoned Hanzo, using its effect to search out Baku the Beast Ninja. He used its effect to Special Summon it, then Chained Notebook of Mystery to Set Ninjitsu Art of Dancing Leaves. When Baku hit the field, it returned Notebook of Mystery to Lipoff’s hand. He tributed Baku and Hanzo to play Meizen the Battle Ninja, but when it attacked Unicorn, Lewis had Book of Eclipse! Lipoff Chained Meizen’s effect to Special Summon Tobari the Sky Ninja. Eclipse flipped Lipoff’s monsters face-down. Lipoff Set Notebook and Karma Cannon. In the End Phase, Book of Eclipse flipped up his monsters to let him draw Notebook and Ash Blossom.

Lewis had Lava Golem! Lipoff’s monsters were sent away for a Defense Position Golem. Lewis flipped up Unicorn once again, and Lipoff used Dancing Leaves to tribute Lewis’s Riseheart and bring out Jioh the Gravity Ninja! It flipped Unicorn face-down AGAIN, this time permanently! Lewis played Triple Tactics Thrust, searching for Terraforming. He played it, and Lipoff used his Ash Blossom. All out of gas, Lewis conceded the Duel!

Duel 3

Lewis kicked things off with Pressured Planet Wraitsoth. It added Riseheart to his hand. He Special Summoned Unicorn, which added Kashtiratheosis. He played Terraforming for another Wraitsoth. Prosperity came next, banishing 6 cards. He took Appointer of the Red Lotus. He played Kashtiratheosis next, bringing Kashtira Fenrir to the field. Fenrir added Scareclaw Kashtira to his hand. He used Fenrir and Unicorn for Kashtira Shangri-Ira, then Special Summoned Riseheart. Its effect banished Kashtira Big Bang from his Deck, and Shangri-Ira blocked Lipoff’s rightmost Spell & Trap Zone. He Special Summoned Fenrir, then Scareclaw Kashtira by banishing Kashtiratheosis. He added Big Bang to his hand. Lipoff finally activated Nibiru, the Primal Being! Lipoff Special Summoned Nibiru, and Lewis got a 3900/10100 Primal Being Token! Lipoff gave it to him in Defense Position. Lewis then Set two back row cards and ended his turn.

Lipoff had Green Ninja, Prosperity, Book of Moon, Ninjitsu Art of Duplication, and drew Destructive Daruma Karma Cannon. Lewis flipped Appointer of the Red Lotus, paying 2000 LP and revealing his hand of two additional copies of Pressured Planet Wraitsoth! He banished Lipoff’s Prosperity until the End Phase. Lipoff Set everything and got Prosperity back at the end of the turn.

Lewis played Wraitsoth, searching for Tearlaments Kashtira. He Special Summoned it, banishing Unicorn and sending 3 cards from Lipoff’s Deck to the Graveyard. Lipoff flipped Karma Cannon, flipping Tearlaments Kashtira face-down and clearing out the Primal Being Token.

Lipoff drew Ninjitsu Art of Dancing Leaves. He played Prosperity, banishing 6 cards to add Hanzo to his hand. He played Hanzo to search for Notebook. He activated it, and Lewis offered the handshake! He knew he wasn’t fighting back from this, and thought it would be better to focus on his teammates as they finish their games.

In the end, Lipoff’s teammates weren’t quite as fortunate as him. One of them lost their Match, while the other ended in a draw at the end of the round. Team Jerry Beans Man’s Bean Men will end this Match in a draw!