Good morning! It’s Round 10, the first Round of competition here in Day 2 at the 250^th YCS in Los Angeles! After nine Rounds of Dueling yesterday we have another nine Rounds slated for today: three more Swiss Rounds, and then a cut to Top 64 with six additional knockout Rounds. 

The field is surprisingly varied right now, and our Round 10 Feature Match is testament to that: Alexander Singh Juneja is piloting Naturia Runick, while Alexander Douglas Huynh is on Tenyi Swordsoul. Both of these competitors are playing decks that are a little under the radar, and both of them have 7-2 records. It’s critical that each of them wins their next three Rounds; a loss here could easily punt them out of contention for the Top 64. 

Juneja won the roll and opened with a hand of Naturia Blessing, two Naturia Mole Cricket, Runick Slumber and Runick Smiting Storm. He activated Smiting Storm to Special Summon Hugin the Runick Wings, using its effect to discard his extra Mole and go get Runick Fountain. He Normal Summoned the other Mole, activated its effect and Huynh Chained Ash Blossom & Joyous Spring to shut it down. Juneja activated the Fountain, then Chained Slumber targeting his Hugin, and banished Huynh’s Swordsoul Emergence, Tenyi Spirit – Adhara, and Ash Blossom off the top of his Deck. He resolved Fountain and returned both of his Runick cards in his Graveyard to his Deck, drawing Naturia Camellia and Evenly Matched. 

Juneja followed up with Blessing to Special Summon Naturia Camellia, used its effect to send Naturia Sacred Tree to the Graveyard, and used that to search his Deck for Naturia Blessing. He Tuned it to Hugin and Synchro Summoned Stardust Charge Warrior, drawing Gameciel, the Sea Turtle Kaiju. He brought the Camellia back with Blessing, and he Tuned it to Stardust Charge to Synchro Summon Baronne de Fleur. He Set Evenly and ended. Sneaky stuff.

Huyn activated Infinite Impermanence from his hand to negate Baronne’s effect, then Special Summoned Tenyi Spirit – Ashuna, Link Summoning Monk of the Tenyi. He followed it with Tenyi Spirit – Vishuda, banished Ashuna from the Graveyard, and Special Summoned another Vishuda. He Linked off the first one for another Monk, and he bounced Runick Fountain off the field with Vishuda’s effect. Huynh discarded Tenyi Spirit – Adhara to Special Summon Swordsoul Strategist Longyuan, Special Summoned his Token, and considered his next moves, having emptied his hand onto the field. 

He Tuned Longyuan and its Token to Synchro Summon Swordsoul Supreme Sovereign – Chengying, activating its effect to burn Juneja for 1200 damage. Juneja Chained Naturia Mole Cricket’s effect from the Graveyard to Special Summon it and took the damage. He used Mole’s effect to Special Summon Naturia Camellia and Naturia Sunflower from his Deck, then searched Naturia Sacred Tree to send it to his Graveyard and get his last Naturia Blessing. 

Huynh used the effect of Tenyi Spirit – Adhara in the Graveyard, and Juneja responded with Naturia Sunflower to negate it, sending two cards from the top of his Deck to the Graveyard instead of Tributing for Sunflower’s cost. Huynh responded by adding Chengying’s effect to the Chain, and Juneja Chained Sunflower’s effect again, this time Tributing Sunflower and Camellia.  Huyn pressed on, Link Summoning Shaman of the Tenyi. By the end of the Battle Phase Huynh had cleared the field and dropped Juneja to 500 Life Points, but with nothing on his side of the field, Juneja was clear to flip that Set Evenly Matched!  Huyn lost everything except his Chengying.

Juneja drew Runick Dispelling, holding Runick Fountain, Naturia Blessing and Gameciel. He fanned his Graveyard and considered his options, still in his Draw Phase. He moved to Main Phase 1, Tributed Huynh’s Chengying to stick him with Gameciel, and activated the Fountain. He played Dispelling to Special Summon another Hugin, then used Fountain to send two cards back to his Deck and draw two cards: Runick Smiting Storm and another Evenly Matched. 

He activated Naturia Blessing to Special Summon Naturia Camellia, used its effect to send Sacred Tree to the Graveyard, and added another Camellia to his hand. He Tuned Camellia and Hugin to Synchro Summon Coral Dragon, used its effect to pitch Evenly and destroy Gameciel, then used Smiting Storm to Special Summon Geri the Runick Fangs to gather material and Synchro Summon a Chengying of his own. Coral Dragon’s effect got him Runick Tip. He Normal Summoned Camellia, moved through his phases and ended his turn.

Huynh drew and Set a card to his back row. Juneja activated Runick Tip in the End Phase to search Runick Freezing Curses, activated Chengying, and Huynh conceded mid-Chain, eager to get to Game 2.

What a calculated comeback! Huynh takes Juneja all the way down to 500 Life Points, but a masterful Evenly Matched from the back row evens the odds, simplifies the game, and leaves Juneja with all the room in the world to rebuild and dominate the Duel! These competitors were both X-2, barely hanging onto life in the tournament, but Juneja was now just one win away from breathing a little easier. 

Huynh opened with Swordsoul of Mo Ye, revealing Tenyi Spirit – Ashuna and Synchro Summoning Swordsoul Grandmaster – Chixiao. He searched Swordsoul Strategist Longyuan and ended.

Juneja was holding Gameciel, the Sea Turtle Kaiju, Naturia Sacred Tree, Naturia Camellia, two copies of Runick Destruction, and Dark Ruler No More.  He Tributed Huynh’s Chixiao for Gameciel, activated a Destruction to Special Summon Hugin the Runick Wings to try and get Runick Fountain, and used its effect to discard Sacred Tree. Huynh responded with Effect Veiler to block Hugin’s search, but the Sacred Tree still got Juneja Naturia Blessing. He Normal Summoned Naturia Camellia, used Blessing, and lost out when Huynh Chained Ghost Belle & Haunted Mansion. He had Dark Ruler and Destruction left, Set the Destruction to his backrow, moved through his phases and ended. 

Huynh Summoned Incredible Ecclesia, the Virtuous. Huynh Special Summoned Swordsoul of Taia and in a flash he was Synchro Summoning Baxia, Brightness of the Yang Zing. He made its effect Chain Link 1 targeting Hugin, made Taia’s effect to send a card to the Graveyard Chain Link 2, and Juneja made Mole Cricket’s effect Chain Link 3. Juneja brought back his Cricket, Huynh sent Swordsoul of Mo Ye to his Graveyard, and Juneja lost his Hugin. Huynh played on, using Baxia’s effect targeting Gameciel to Special Summon Mo Ye, and the resulting field fodder let him bring out another Baxia! 

That Baxia targeted Juneja’s Set Runick Destruction, which Juneja Chained to Special Summon Geri. Huynh discarded to Special Summon Swordsoul Strategist Longyuan and then its Token, and used Baxia to Special Summon Tenyi Spirit – Adhara. He Tuned Longyuan and its Token to Synchro Summon Chengying, dropped Juneja to 6800 Life Points, and Juneja threw in the towel; he knew his one remaining card was Dark Ruler No More, and it wasn’t going to get him through the three Synchros Huynh was going to end his turn with.

Huynh pushes the Match score to 1-1 as he battles back to take a commanding win in Game 2! A third and final Duel would decide who was going into the next Round with their Top Cut dreams still alive, and who might be going home instead.

Both competitors exchanged a fist bump and Juneja opted to go first. He had Naturia Blessing, Ash Blossom & Joyous Spring, Naturia Mole Cricket, Runick Flashing Fire, and Runick Smiting Storm. He activated Smiting Storm in the Draw Phase to Special Summon Hugin, then used its effect to discard Mole Cricket and fetch Runick Fountain. He moved to his Main Phase and activated Blessing to revive the Cricket, activated its effect, and Huynh stopped it with an Ash Blossom. Juneja followed up with Runick Fountain and passed. 

Huynh blew away the Fountain with Cosmic Cyclone! He dropped to 7000 Life Points to pay for it, then revealed Tenyi Spirit – Vishuda to Summon Swordsoul of Mo Ye and Synchro Summon Swordsoul Grandmaster – Chixiao. He used its effect, and Juneja Chained Naturia Mole Cricket to bring it back. Huynh searched his Deck for Swordsoul Strategist Longyuan, activated its ability discarding Vishuda, and Juneja Chained Mole’s effect to Special Summon Naturia Camellia and Naturia Sunflower. 

Huynh Special Summoned his Token, Juneja brought back Camellia and on Summon he made Camellia’s effect Chain Link 1 to send, then activated Camella’s other effect as Chain Link 2 to Special Summon: Huynh took a moment to consider, then responded by chaining Ghost Ogre & Snow Rabbit. Juneja banished Hugin to take the hit instead, brought out a Mole, sent Sacred Tree to the Graveyard, and searched his Deck for Blessing. 

Huynh continued. He banished Vishuda to target Naturia Sunflower, and Juneja used its effect by sending two cards to his Graveyard with Camellia (Grave of the Superancient Organism and Mole Cricket). Huynh Synchro Summoned Chengying, activating its effect on Summon to burn Juneja for 1200 damage. The Duel stood at 6800 Life Points to 7000. Huynh move to the Battle Phase, attacked Sunflower with Chengying and Cricket with Chixiao. He Set one card to finish out.

Juneja drew another Runick Flashing Fire. He used Blessing to revive Naturia Sunflower, Tuned it with Camellia to Synchro Summon Naturia Barkion, and brought it out in defense mode. Juneja activated Naturia Mole Cricket’s effect in the Graveyard, Special Summoned it, and used its effect to Special Summon two copies of Camellia. He activated one of the Camellia’s effects  to send, Huynh Chained Swordsoul Grandmaster – Chixiao targeting Camellia, banished Longyuan for the cost, and Huynh banished the Barkion and Juneja’s Sunflower from the Graveyard with Chengying.

Juneja thumbed through his Extra Deck, overlaid his Camellias, and made Number 41: Bagooska the Terribly Tired Tapir. He Set a Flashing Fire and moved through his Phases to end his turn.

Huyhn took out Bagooska with a Gameciel next turn, used Chixiao’s effect on the Gameciel, and Juneja flipped his Flashing Fire on the Chain to target Chixiao for destruction. Chixiao was destroyed and Huynh banished two cards off the top of his deck. Chengying went off, banishing Gameciel from Juneja’s feld and Mole Cricket from his Graveyard. Huynh ran some numbers, then Normal Summoned Swordsoul of Taia to Summon a Token and Synchro Summon Draco Berserker of the Tenyi. Its effect cleared the field, Huynh moved to his Battle Phase, and two attacks finished the Match!

Tenyi Swordsoul beats Runick Naturia in a 2-1 confrontation, and Alexander Douglas Huynh moves on with an 8-2 record, still alive with a shot at the Top 64!