The stakes are going up here at YCS Philadelphia! Even in these early Rounds, Duelists are giving it their all to secure the wins they’ll need to make it to Day 2.

Among the top competitors at this event: Paulie Aronson, the recent winner of the 250^th YCS in Los Angeles! He’s here in Philadelphia this weekend with Kashtira, hoping to take the theme’s powerful Xyz and Main Deck Monsters all the way to another Championship title! His opponent is Vincent Liu, who’s piloting a Labrynth build stacked with Trap Cards selected specifically to beat the Kashtira match-up. Will those traps be enough to give Liu a fighting chance against one of this weekend’s most popular Decks? Let’s find out!

Liu started the Duel by Normal Summoning Arianna the Labrynth Servant, and Aronson negated its effect with Ash Blossom & Joyous Spring. Liu Set 3 cards to his Spell & Trap Card Zone and ended his turn.

Aronson opened with Kashtira Unicorn and activated its effect; Liu activated Skill Drain in response by paying 1000 Life Points. Aronson then activated Kashtiratheosis, targeting Unicorn, but Liu responded with Compulsory Evacuation Device to return Unicorn to the hand. Liu Summoned the Unicorn again, then Normal Summoned Droll & Lock Bird. He Link Summoned Donner, Dagger Fur Hire with Unicorn and Droll, then played Kashtira Birth to Summon Unicorn back from the Graveyard. He entered his Battle Phase and attacked Arianna with Unicorn. Liu responded with Labrynth Big Welcome, Summoning Lady Labrynth of the Silver Castle from his deck. Arianna was returned to the hand via Big Welcome Labrynth effect.

Liu Normal Summoned Arianna and activated its effect, then chained Big Welcome by banishing it from the Graveyard and targeting Arianna. Aronson had seen enough and conceded, realizing he couldn’t beat Liu’s Skill Drain!

Aronson went first in Game 2. He started with Pressured Planet Wraitsoth, Kashtira Riseheart, Kashtira Unicorn, Pot of Prosperity, and Kashtira Fenrir. He Special Summoned Kashtira Unicorn from his hand and activated its effect, searching Kashtira Birth. He played Kashtira Birth in his Spell & Trap Zone, then Normal Summoned Kashtira Fenrir, then used Birth’s effect to search for Scareclaw Kashtira. 

Aronson Special Summoned Kashtira Riseheart in Defense Position, then overlayed Fenrir and Unicorn for Kashtira Shangri-Ira. He used Riseheart’s effect to banish Kashtira Big Bang from his Deck, knocking 3 cards off the top of Liu’s Deck. Those banished cards triggered Shangri-Ira’s ability, letting Aronson lock down one of Liu’s Spell & Trap Card Zones.

Next, Aronson activated Pressured Planet Wraitsoth, using its effect to target Shargri-Ira, but he kept it from being destroyed by detaching an Xyz Material. Aronson activated Scareclaw Kashtira, banishing Unicorn to Special Summon Scareclaw Kashtira from his hand, then used Kashtira Birth’s effect to Summon Unicorn back from the banished area. He overlayed Scareclaw Kashtira and Unicorn for another Kashtira Shangri-Ira, then overlayed Fenrir and Riseheart for Number 89: Diablosis the Mind Hacker.

He activated Diablosis and banished Divine Arsenal AA-ZEUS – Sky Thunder from Liu’s Extra Deck face-down. Diablosis’ second effect kicked in, banishing four more cards face-down from Liu’s Deck. Both copies of Shangri-Ira resolved after to lock down 2 more of Liu’s Spell and Trap Zones. After resolving Shangri-Ira a few more times, all of Liu’s Spell & Trap Card Zones were locked out of play.

Aronson activated Pot of Prosperity, banishing six cads from his Extra Deck face-down to excavate 2 copies of Kashtira Birth, plus a Pot of Desires, Kashtiratheosis, Terraforming, Ghost Mourner & Moonlit Chill, and Book of Moon. He took Pot of Desires and the rest went to the bottom of his Deck to end his turn.

Liu drew, and during his Standby Phase Aronson activated Kashtira Shangri-la to Special Summon Kashtira Fenrir from the Deck. By this point, with no remaining Zones to play Spell or Trap Cards, Liu was ready to move onto Game 3 and conceded the second Duel!

Liu started the next game by Normal Summoning Arianna the Labrynth Servant and activating its effect. Aronson negated it and destroyed it with PSY-Framegear Gamma, Special Summoning PSY-Frame Driver alongside it. Liu Set 4 cards to his Spell & Trap Card Zone and passed his turn. Both Driver and Gamma were banished in the End Phase.

Aronson started with Pot of Desires, Kashtira Fenrir, Pot of Prosperity, Kashtira Birth, and PSY-Framegear Gamma. He drew Kashtira Birth, and during the Standby phase Liu activated Anti-Spell Fragrance. Aronson Special Summoned Kashtira Fenrir, then activated its effect to search his Deck. Liu stopped him with Skill Drain. Aronson entered the Battle Phase and attacked directly with Fenrir to bring Liu to 4600 Life Points, then he Set 3 cards to his backrow: Pot of Prosperity, Pot of Desires, and Kashtira Birth.

Liu drew and passed his turn.

Aronson drew Triple Tactics Talent, then flipped his face-down Pot of Desires. He banished ten cards off the top of his Deck and drew Terraforming and Infinite Impermanence. He entered the Battle Phase and attacked again with Kashtira Fenrir. Liu fell to 2200 Life Points. He Set Terraforming and Triple Tactics Talent before ending his turn.

Liu drew his last card looking for a monster, couldn’t find one, and conceded!

After taking a quick loss in Game 1, Aronson turned the Match around with huge Kashtira plays courtesy of Kashtira Shangri-Ira! Kashtira continues to be a massive force at YCS Philadelphia as players leverage the incredible control offered by the Deck’s signature monsters. The question now was this: can Aronson take another YCS win so soon after his victory in Los Angeles?