Charley Futch made his name winning the 2018 Dragon Duel World Championship, and since then he’s topped Yu-Gi-Oh! Championship Series tournaments and last year’s North America Yu-Gi-Oh! TCG Championship. His last big showing was at Team YCS Las Vegas where he took a 2^nd Place finish alongside Ryan Yu and John Wilkin, but he’s back today, piloting the same strategy he played in Vegas: Branded Despia. 

Coming into this event Futch was the first seed player, now sitting at Table 1. But if he wanted to get any further, he’d have to make it through Christopher Ho, piloting a Kashtira Deck with Main Deck picks like Forbidden Lance.  Branded Despia didn’t take as many spots in the Top 64 as some may have expected, so this could be interesting.

Ho opened the Match with a hand of Ash Blossom & Joyous Spring, Forbidden Lance, KashtiraPreparations, Kashtira Riseheart and Pressured Planet Wraitsoth. He played the Planet, searched his Deck for Kashtira Unicorn and Special Summoned it to search his Deck for Kashtiratheosis. He activated it to Special Summon Kashtira Fenrir, searched Scareclaw Kashtira, and Special Summoned Riseheart. He overlaid Unicorn and Fenrir to Xyz Summon Kashtira Shangri-Ira, used Riseheart to banish Kashtira Big Bang from his Deck, then used Big Bang to target Shangri-Ira and Special Summon Fenrir. 

Continuing on, Ho overlaid Shangri-Ira with Kashtira Arise-Heart, activated the effect of Scareclaw and banshed Kashtiratheosis. He made Riseheart’s effect Chain Link 1, Kashtiratheosis Chain Link 2, and targeted the Big Bang. He got his Big Bang back and Summoned another Kashtira Arise-Heart, then Set three cards to his back row to end. Woof.

Futch was up. He activated Infinite Impermanence targeting one of Ho’s Arise-Hearts, but Ho answered it with the Set Forbidden Lance. Futch conceded then and there: he had no way to get through Ho’s pair of massive Xyz Monsters. 

An explosive opening sees Christopher Ho start the Match with two boss monsters and a Forbidden Lanceto back them up, and Futch wastes no time moving to Game 2! The former World Champion would have the advantage of going first in the second Duel.

Game 2 started moments later after some quick Side Decking and shuffling. Futch extended a friendly handshake and then got started: he opened up with Albion the Shrouded Dragon, sending Branded Retribution from his Deck to the Graveyard.  He activated Branded Fusion, sent Fallen of Albaz and Gimmick Puppet Nightmare to the Graveyard, and Fusion Summoned Lubellion the Searing Dragon. Ho blasted it with Infinite Impermanence. Futch banished Retribution to get back his Branded Fusion, Set two cards and ended.

Ho had two copies of Kashtira Unicorn, a Kashtiratheosis, Kashtira Birth and Kashtira Big Bang. He Summoned a Unicorn, activated its effect, and Futch negated it flipping a Set Impermanence. Ho activated Kashtiratheosis, targeting Unicorn to search his Deck for Kashtira Fenrir and Special Summoned it. Ho used its effect to fetch Kashtira Riseheart from his Deck, Special Summoned it, and used its effect to banish three cards and banish his own Kashtira Ogre from his Deck.  Ho activated Kashtira Birth to bring back his Ogre, used its effect to get Kashtira Preparations, then overlaid everything but the Ogre to make Kashtira Arise-Heart. He Summoned another Unicorn, moved to the Battle Phase and used Arise-Heart’seffect to target Lubellion for banishing.

That was all Futch needed to see, and he immediately scooped his cards and offered the handshake.

What appears to be a streak of bad luck for Charley Futch leads to two quick wins for Christopher Ho, who moves onto the Top 32 with Kashtira!