Round 10 Feature Match: Joe Giorlando Versus Dominic Couch
Day 2 has begun! The top tables are full of Duelists trying their hardest to secure a spot in the Top Cut later today. There are a huge number of Kashtira Decks remaining in the competition, with each Duelist adding their own flair to try to surprise their opponents. Joe Giorlando is no exception—a strong competitor and commentator with several copies of Enemy Controller in his Main Deck.
His opponent, Dominic Couch, has topped every American YCS this season and won the TEAM YCS in Las Vegas earlier this year. He’s playing his own set of Quick-Play Spell Cards in his Kashtira build. Which card will make the biggest difference?

Couch started the match by activating Terraforming to search Pressured Planet Wraitsoth. He activated it, but Giorlando responded with Droll & Lock Bird to keep Couch from searching his Deck for a Kashtira Monster. Couch Set two cards to his backrow and passed.
Giorlando started the Duel with Enemy Controller, Nibiru, the Primal Being, Kashtira Riseheart, and Pressured Planet Wraitsoth. He drew Enemy Controller during his draw phase, activated Wraitsoth, and used Wraitsoth’s effect to search his Deck for Kashtira Unicorn. He Summoned Unicorn and it was immediately flipped face-down by Book of Moon. Giorlando passed.
Couch drew for his turn and activated Pressured Planet Wraitsoth to search his Deck for Kashtira Unicorn. He Summoned it, and Unicorn’s effect got him Kashtira Birth, and he Normal Summoned Kashtira Fenrir thanks to the effect of Birth. Fenrir added Kashtira Riseheart from Couch’s Deck to his hand. Couch Summoned Riseheart with its effect and activated it again on the field to banish Kashtira Fenrir from his Deck along with 3 face-down cards from the top of Giorlando’s Deck. Giorlando banished Kashtira Birth, Kashtira Ogre, and Kashtira Fenrir.
Couch used the effect of Birth to Summon Fenrir from his banished pile. Next, Couch entered the Battle Phase and declared his attacks, using his Kashtira Monsters clear Giorlando’s Set field and attack directly, bringing him to 700 Life Points. Couch also activated Unicorn to banish Divine Arsenal AA-ZEUS – Sky Thunder from Giorlando’s extra. He Set one more card to his backrow.

Giorlando drew Pot of Prosperity for his turn. He activated it, banishing 6 to excavate 6 cards from his Deck. He excavated 2 copies of Pot of Prosperity, Droll & Lock Bird, Triple Tactics Talent, Kashtira Unicorn, and Nibiru, the Primal Being. He added Unicorn and the rest went to the bottom of his Deck. Giorlando then Summoned Unicorn, but Couch hit it with another Book of Moon. Giorlando activated Enemy Controller, Tributing Unicorn to take control of Couch’s Unicorn.
Giorlando activated the effect of the new Unicorn to search his Deck for Kashtira Birth. He then activated Kashtira Riseheart in his hand and Summoned it. Couch used Fenrir’s effect in response to theRiseheart’s Summon to target Riseheart, attempting to banish it. Giorlando chained another Enemy Controller and Tributed Riseheart to take control of Couch’s other Fenrir. Giorlando used Couch’s Fenrir to search his Deck for another Riseheart. He Normal Summoned Riesheart and activated its effect to banish Kashtira Birth from his Deck and three cards face-down off the top of Couch’s Deck.
Giorlando overlayed Riseheart and Unicorn to Xyz Summon Dark Armed the Dragon of Annihilation. Couch flipped Book of Moon – the third one this game – Setting Dark Armed face-down. Next, Giorlando activated Kashtira Birth, and used it to Summon Unicorn from the Graveyard. He overlayed Unicorn and Fenrir for Number 11: Big Eye, then attacked Riseheart. Couch fell to 7600 Life Points. He then Summoned Divine Arsenal AA-ZEUS – Sky Thunder over Number 11: Big Eye and activated its effect, sending everything else on the field the Graveyard.
Couch drew and passed.
Giorlando attacked with Divine Arsenal AA-ZEUS – Sky Thunder, dropping Couch to 4600 Life Points.
Couch drew and Summoned Scareclaw Kashtira, and then Summoned Riseheart. He activated Kashtira Riseheart to banish Kashtiratheosis from his Deck, and Giorlando conceded upon realizing that Zeus wouldn’t be enough to save him from Couch’s Summons!

Three copies of Book of Moon helped Couch stay in control of the Duel! Giorlando fought back with Enemy Controller, but it wasn’t enough to change the outcome of Game 1. Both players dug into their side Decks looking for answers to their opponent’s tech cards.
Couch started Game 2 with Pressured Planet Wraitsoth, searching Kashtira Unicorn. He Summoned Unicorn and activated its ability to search Kashtiratheosis. He activated Kashtiratheosis next, targeting Unicorn and Summoning Kashtira Fenrir from the Deck. He searched Kashtira Riseheart with Fenrir, then Summoned Riseheart with its effect. He overlayed Fenrir and Unicorn for Kashtira Shangri-Ira, and then activated Riseheart to banish Kashtira Birth from the Deck along with three cards from the top of Giorlando’s Deck.
Shangri-Ira’s ability kicked in and locked the center Main Monster Zone, preventing it from being used. Couch then used Pressured Planet Wraitsoth’s effect to target targeted Shangri-Ira, but Shangri-Ira stated on the field by detaching Unicorn. Couch Summoned Kashtira Arise-Heart over Shangri-Ira. Kashtira Scareclaw was Summoned next by banished Kashtiratheosis from the Graveyard, and Kashtiratheosis added the banished Kashtira Birth back to Couch’s hand. Birth Summoned Unicorn back to the field, and Scareclaw, Unicorn, and Riseheart were used to Xyz Summon a second Arise-Heart. He Set 2 cards and ended.
Giorlando started the Duel with 2 copies of Pressured Planet Wraitsoth, Ash Blossom & Joyous Spring, Triple Tactics Talent, Book of Moon, and Kashtira Riseheart. Giorlando activated Pressured Planet Wraitsoth, but Couch’s Ariseheart banished it. Couch’s banished Kashtira Fenrir went back to his hand, and both copies of Arise-Heart picked up an additional Xyz Material from Couch’s pile of banished cards. Giorlando activated Triple Tactics Talent to draw 2 cards, finding Fenrir and Pot of Prosperity. Both copies of Ariseheart gained another Xyz Material.
Giorlando used Book of Moon to Set the Arise-Heart with the most Xyz Materials remaining. Giorlando then Summoned Kashtira Unicorn, and it was hit by an Infinite Impermanence from Couch before it could activate its effects. Infinite Impermanence went under the face-up Arise-Heart. Giorlando activated and Summoned Kashtira Riseheart from his hand, then banished Kashtira Birth with its effect and knocking three cards off the top of Couch’s Deck. Birth was placed under Arise-Heart too. Giorlando used Riseheart and Unicorn to Summon Number 11: Big Eye but, but Couch flipped Dimensional Barrier calling Xyz Monsters, and with all his options exhausted Giorlando had no choice but to concede!

Couch carefully played around the potential Enemy Controller from Giorlando, but the card was nowhere in sight. After a close Game 1 Couch was able to follow up with a decisive Game 2, shutting Giorlando out of the Duel with Dimensional Barrier and moving one step closer to the Top Cut!