If you checked out our Round 11 Top Table Update, you might have noticed that a Marincess Duelist is 10-1 heading into Round 12. That’s Joshua Kippenberg, and we want to see how he’s achieving so much success with such a surprising strategy. So we’re going to find out, in our Round 12 Feature Match!

His opponent is Colin Goodrich, piloting Kashtira. Both of these Duelists are 10-1, so while it’s virtually guaranteed that they’ll both make Top 64, bragging rights, momentum, and Top Cut seed placement are on the line. 

Goodrich opened the Match with Pot of Prosperity, banishing six cards to get Kashtira Unicorn to his hand. He Special Summoned it and used its effect to search his Deck for Kashtiratheosis, then played it to Special Summon Kashtira Fenrir from his Deck. That got him Kashtira Riseheart, and he Special Summoned it, overlaying Fenrir and Unicorn for Kashtira Shangri-Ira. Goodrich activated Riseheart to banish three cards off the top of Kippenberg’s Deck, then locked one of Kippenberg’s Spell and Trap Card Zones. 

He Special Summoned back Fenrir, and Xyz Summoned Number 89: Diablosis the Mind Hacker… and promptly lost everything as Kippenberg dropped Nibiru, the Primal Being! Goodrich got a Token with 2800 ATK and 4200 DEF, and Kippenberg Special Summoned Nibiru. Goodrich played Kashtira Birth to Special Summon back Fenrir, used it as material to Summon Kashtira Arise-Heart and set two cards to his back row.

Kippenberg had Infinite Impermanence, Marincess Sleepy Maiden, Marincess Sea Horse, Book of Eclipse, and Triple Tactics Talent. He activated Book to turn Arise-Heart and Nibiru face-down, Normal Summoned Seahorse, and Goodrich flipped a Book of Eclipse of his own! Seahorse went face-down, Kippenberg Set Impermanence and ended. He drew his two cards, Pot of Desires and Marincess Dive, and Goodrich drew one card for his Kashtira Arise-Heart.

Play was back to Goodrich. He activated Birth’s effect and Kippenberg chained Infinite Impermanence negating Kashtira Arise-Heart. Goodrich activated Pot of Desires, then played Terraforming to get Pressured Planet Wraitsoth. He activated it to go get Scareclaw Kashtira. He Special Summoned it, banishing Kashtiratheosis, and targeted his banished Kashtira Big Bang, getting it back. He shifted Arise-Heart to attack mode, moved to the Battle Phase, ran over Marincess Sea Horse, and swung direct with Arise-Heart to drop Kippenberg to 4700 Life Points.

Kippenberg drew Cynet Mining. He activated Pot of Desires to banish 10 cards, but lost out as Goodrich Chained Ash Blossom & Joyous Spring; Arise-Heart got Garura, Wings of Resonant Life as a material. Kippenberg followed up with Triple Tactics Talent to draw two cards, getting Marincess Battle Ocean and Marincess Pascalus, and Goodrich attached Infinitrack Goliath as Arise-Heart’s next material. 

Kippenberg Normal Summoned Marincess Pascalus, then Special Summoned Marincess Sleepy Maidenin defense. Kippenberg Linked off Pascalus for Marincess Blue Slug: Arise-Heart’s effect became Chain Link 1 and Blue Slug’s effect was Chain Link 2, targeting Sea Horse. It resolved, Kippenberg got back his Sea Horse, and Goodrich attached Kashtiratheosis to Arise-Heart. He activated Arise-Heart’s effect to banish a card, and that was enough to get Kippenberg to concede.

Joshua Kippenberg nails Colin Goodrich with a big Nibiru, but Goodrich recovers and takes a quick win in the first Duel!

Kippenberg opened Game 2 with a hand of Marincess Wave, Gozen Match, Triple Tactics Talent, Cynet Mining and Called by the Grave. He pitched Wave for Cynet Mining and searched his Deck for Marincess Blue Tang. Kippenberg Normal Summoned it, used its effect, Goodrich responded with Dimension Shifter, and Kippenberg fired back with Called by the Grave! He landed Marincess Sea Horse in the Graveyard, then activated Triple Tactics Talent to look at his opponent’s hand: Ghost Mourner & Moonlit Chill, Kashtira Birth, Scareclaw Kashtira and Pressured Planet Wraitsoth. He sent back the Mourner, then Link Summoned Marincess Blue Slug to excavate three cards, getting another Blue Tang, and got back his Sea Horse. 

Kippenberg Special Summoned the Sea Horse, Linked it off for Marincess Sea Angel, and used that to search Marincess Battle Ocean. He Linked both Link Monsters to Summon Splash Mage, then used it to revive Blue Tang. Kippenberg Linked those two monsters for Marincess Coral Anemone, brought back Splash Mage, activated Marincess Battle Ocean, and Link Summoned Marincess Aqua Argonaut! Kippenberg attached Anemone, Blue Slug, and Sea Angel to Aqua Argonaut and got back Marincess Wave. A set to his back row ended the turn.

Goodrich tried to activate and use Planet Wraitsoth, but Kippenberg Summoned Marincess Coral Anemone off Aqua Argonaut to negate Planet Wraitsoth’s effect. “What’s the attack on that?” asked Goodrich. With all the bonuses on the field, Aqua Argonaut had 3700 ATK, and Goodrich was quick to scoop when the number was confirmed.

Kippenberg evens the score with a commanding win in Game 2! The Marincess combos come in clutch, and Kippenberg unleashes a string of Link Summons all leading to a massive Marincess Aqua Argonaut to take the second Duel! Suddenly he was back in the Match.

Goodrich started Game 3 with Kashtira Unicorn, and Kippenberg blasted it with PSY-Framegear Gamma! He Special Summoned PSY-Frame Driver, and Goodrich activated Pot of Desires to draw two. He Normal Summoned Kashtira Riseheart, targeted it with Kashtiratheosis and Special Summoned Kashtira Ogre. He resolved its effect to get Kashtira Big Bang, used Riseheart’s effect and banished Kashtira Birth. Goodrich overlaid for Kashtira Shangri-Ira, Set three cards to his Spell and Trap Card Zone and ended.

Play was to Kippenberg, who was holding Book of Eclipse, Nibiru, the Primal Being, Triple Tactics Talent, Marincess Blue Tang, and Marincess Pascalus. He started with the Book to try and flip Shangri-Ira face-down, but Goodrich responded with Magic Deflector! Goodrich Summoned Kashtira Fenrir with Shangri-Ira’s effect. 

Kippenberg moved to Main Phase 1, Normal Summoned Pascalus, Special Summoned Blue Tang, and Goodrich had no response: Blue Tang sent Marincess Sea Horse to the Graveyard from Kippenberg’s Deck. Goodrich bumped Blue Tang back to his opponent’s hand, Kippenberg Linked away Marincess Pascalus for Marincess Blue Slug and targeted Sea Horse, getting it back. He followed up with Triple Tactics Talent to draw two cards: Droll & Lock Bird and Ash Blossom & Joyous Spring. 

“Special Summon Marincess Sea Horse?” Goodrich responded to the Summon with Kashtira Big Bang, removing the Link Monster, and Shangri-Ira locked a Monster Zone. Kippenberg Linked for Marincess Sea Angel, searched Marincess Dive, and activated it to target Marincess Sea Horse, Special Summoning it back. He Linked to bring out Splash Mage next, revived Sea Horse, Linked again for Marincess Coral Anemone, and used it to revive Splash Mage just like he did in Game 2. But this time the result was different. 

Kippenberg Link Summoned Worldsea Dragon Zealantis. He used Coral Anemone’s effect to add back Sea Horse, and he used Zealantis’s effect to banish Shangri-Ira and Zealantis itself. When Zealantis’s effect returned the banished monsters to the field, only Zealantis returned:  Goodrich couldn’t get his Shangri-Ira back, because Kippenberg was the one doing the Special Summoning, and he was locked into WATER monsters by Marincess Coral Anemone! Kippenberg attacked into the clear field for 2500 damage and ended.

Goodrich Set a second card to his backrow and passed.

Kippenberg drew Lava Golem and Normal Summoned Marincess Sea Horse: Goodrich flipped it down with Book of Moon. Kippenberg used Zealantis’s effect again, and Goodrich flipped his last Set card, Infinite Impermanence. He took another 2500 from Zealantis.

Goodrich set a card to his backrow, and set a monster in a last ditch effort to protect his Life Points!

Goodrich drew Infinite Impermanence , flipped Sea Horse and Linked it off for Marincess Sea Angel to get Battle Ocean. He activated Zealantis a third and final time, banished everything, and returned Goodrich’s Set Ash Blossom to his opponent’s field in face-up attack! Kippenberg moved to battle and it was all over.

Joshua Kippenberg takes loses Game 1, but takes two straight wins with a spectacular finish featuring Worldsea Dragon Zealantis, capturing the Match and punching his ticket to the Top Cut!