We’re in the Top 16, where Isaac Kritz from Kensington Maryland is piloting his Dinomorphia Deck against Denis Nadas, from Dallas Texas, piloting Kashtira! The winner here will move on to the Top 8, while the remaining Duelist will be watching the rest of the tournament from the crowd: a loss here means the end of the road here at YCS Philadelphia.

Both of these competitors are eager to get to the first Duel, where Nadas would be playing first. It’s time to Duel! 

Nadas started the Match with Pressured Planet Wraitsoth, searching and immediately Summoning Kashtira Unicorn. He activated Unicorn’s effect, searched Kashtiratheosis, and when Nadas used Kashtiratheosis, Kritz responded with Ash Blossom & Joyous Spring. Nadas continued, using Unicorn to look at Kritz’s Extra Deck, revealing his powerful Dinomorphia Fusion Monsters and banishing 1 of them. He used Triple Tactics Talent next to view Kritz’s hand, and returned Dinomorphia Frenzy to his Deck. Nadas Set 1 and play was to Kritz.

Kritz’s hand consisted of Fossil Dig, Dinomorphia Frenzy, Dinomorphia Diplos, and Dinomorhpia Alert. He swiftly activated Fossil Dig, grabbing Dinomorphia Therezia to Normal Summon it and activate its effect, Setting Dinomorphia Intact from his Deck. Nadas activated his Kashtira Unicorn afterwards, banishing another Fusion Monster. Kritz Set 2 more face-down cards and passed. 

Nadas drew, activated his Kashtira Unicorn again, and fetched Kashtira Birth.  Kritz activated Dinomorphia Frenzy to Fusion Summon on resolution, and Nadas responded with Ash Blossom & Joyous Spring. Kritz activated Dinomorphia Intact to negate the Ash Blossom! Kritz sent both Dinomorphia Diplos and Dinomorphia Stealthbergia to the Graveyard to Summon Dinomorphia Kentregina. Kritz activated Kentregina to banish Frenzy from his Graveyard and Fusion Summon again for Dinomorphia Rexterm, leaving him with 1000 Life Points but in commanding position. 

Nadas activated Triple Tactics Talent to take control of Dinomorphia Rexterm, then Tributed both monsters for Kashtira Fenrir, only for Kritz to flip Dinomorphia Alert to Special Summon his Dinomorphia Rexterm again. Nadas countered with Book of Moon Setting Rexterm and searched Kashtira Riseheart. He Special Summoned Riseheart, and banished Kashtira Fenrir from his Deck, as well as 3 of Kritz’s cards. Nadas activated Kashtira Birth, Special Summoning Kashtira Unicorn and Summoned Kashtira Arise-Heart with all 3 monsters. He attacked over Rexterm with Arise-Heart and attached a banished card. Nadas banished Dinomorphia Kentreginaface-down. He Xyz Summoned Divine Arsenal AA-ZEUS – Sky Thunder and ended. 

Kritz drew Pot of Duality, then Normal Summoned Dinomorphia Diplos sending Dinomorphia Intact and inflicting 500 damage to Nadas, who was forced to use his Divine Arsenal AA-ZEUS – Sky Thunder, otherwise risking an Xyz Summon. Kritz followed that with Pot of Duality, grabbing Ferret Flames, which he Set before passing. 

Nadas attacked with Divine Arsenal AA-ZEUS – Sky Thunder on his turn, but Dinomorphia Intact saved Kritz from losing any Life Points. Nadas Summoned a second Zeus over the first. He followed up with Pot of Prosperityand got Scareclaw Kashtira. He activated Divine Arsenal AA-ZEUS – Sky Thunder, Kritz chained Ferret Flames, and Nadas activated Kashtira Scareclaw banishing Kashtiratheosis. He returned Riseheart with Kashtiraheosis, which he Summoned, and he banished Kashtira Birth. Nadas combined his 2 monsters into Kashtira Shangri-Iraand Kritz conceded once he saw his next draw.

After an intense back and forth Duel, Denis Nadas emerges victorious in Game 1!

Kritz started the second Duel with a hand of Dinomorphia Domain, Dinomorphia Therezia, Dinomorphia Sonicand 2 Anti-Spell Fragrance. He Summoned Dinomorphia Therezia and Set Dinomorphia Frenzy from the Deck, before Setting his entire hand and passing, in the End Phase Nadas activated Dimension Shifter.

During Nadas’s Draw Phase, Kritz flipped Anti-Spell Fragrance to lock Nadas out. Nadas Summoned Kashtira Fenrir and attacked Dinomorphia Therezia, targeting Anti-Spell to banish it face-down, but when the Battle Phase ended Kritz had that second Anti-Spell Fragrance. Nadas searched Scareclaw Kashtira in Main Phase 2, then activated Kashtira Riseheart. In response to the Summon, Kritz activated Dinomorphia Frenzy dropping to 3550 Life Points and Summoning Dinomorphia Rexterm!

He activated Rexterm’s effect, halving his Life Points again and reducing the ATK of Nadas’s monsters to be equal to the remaining Life Points. Rexterm’s effect stopped Nadas from activating monster effects on the field if the monsters had ATK equal to or higher than Kritz’s Life Points, so Nadas was forced to use Scareclaw Kashtira to banish Unicorn from his hand. He Summoned Kashtira Shangri-Ira, Set 2 and passed. 

Kritz drew Dinomorhpia Alert and used Rexterm’s effect to pay half his LP, stopping Nadas from activating Shangri-Ira’s effect. Kritz activated Dinomorphia Domain, paying himself down to 444 Life Points to Fusion Summon Dinomorphia Kentregina. Then he banished Dinomorphia Domain with Kentregina and paid 222 Life Points to Summon another copy of Kentregina. Rexterm attacked Riseheart and both Kentreginas attacked Kashtira Shangri-Ira. He Set 1 and passed.

In Nadas’s Draw Phase, Kritz paid half his Life Points yet again with Dinomorhpia Rexterm, going to 111 LP to shift Kashtira Shangri-Ira to 111 Attack Points. That meant Nadas couldn’t activate Shangri-Ira’s effect. Nadas flipped his Set Pressured Planet Wraitsoth and got Kashtira Fenrir. He Flipped Kashtiratheosis next, targeting the Shangi-Ira, but Kritz countered with Dinomorphia Sonic, which negated Kashtiratheosis. It was destroyed, along with Kritz’s Kentregina. 

Kritz brought back Dinomorhpia Therezia with Kentregina, Setting Dinomorphia Brute with its effect. Nadas switched Kashtira Shangri-Ira to attack mode, and attacked Therezia. Kritz banished Sonic and Summoned Dinomorphia Diplos, which sent Dinomorphia Intact to the Graveyard and dealt 500 damage. Nadas Summoned Zeus In Main Phase 2, and in the End Phase Kritz activated Dinomorphia Alert to Summon Kentregina. 

Kritz drew Solemn Judgement, then flipped Dinomorphia Brute for its effect. Kritz used Dinomorphia Diplos to Summon Dinomorphia Therezia. He banished Dinomorphia Brute with Dinomorphia Kentregina, destroying Therezia and the Divine Arsenal AA-ZEUS – Sky Thunder face-down on Nadas’s field. With the way clear, he attacked for game with his remaining 7 Life Points!

After a flurry of plays, Isaac Kritz throws caution to the wind by paying down his Life Points to the single digits, tying the Match at 1-all!

Nadas started the third Duel by Summoning Kashtira Unicorn, fetching Kashtira Birth. He activated Kashtiratheosis targeting Kashtira Unicorn and was stopped by Kritz’s Ash Blossom & Joyous Spring. Pressured Planet Wraitsoth was next adding Kashtira Fenrir. He activated Kashtira Birth, Normal Summoned the Fenrir and added Kashtira Riseheart. Nadas Special Summoned Kashtira Riseheart, Summoned Kashtira Shangri-Ira and banished Kashtira Big Bang with Riseheart to remove 3 cards from Kritz’s Deck. 

Nadas used Kashtira Big Bang to Summon Fenrir, then brought out Number 89: Diablosis the Mind Hacker. He Summoned Kashtira Arise-Heart with Riseheart, then activated Diablosis, banishing Dinomorphia Rexterm. He Banished 4 more cards from Kritz’s Deck and locked another Zone. Arise-Heart got 2 more materials as well, and 3 of Kritz’s Spell and Trap Zones were locked, limiting his plays. He passed. 

Kritz had a hand of Dinomorphia Brute, Dinomorphia Frenzy, Dinomorphia Alert, Dinomorphia Intact and Radian the Multidimensional Kaiju. in his Standby Phase Nadas Summoned Fenrir with Shangri-Ira. Kritz led with Radian, Tributing Kashtira Shangri-Ira, then Set 4 cards. Nadas banished 1 in Kritz’s End Phase, and Arise-Heart, Diablosis, and Big Bang all activated! Nadas Summoned Unicorn and drew for turn.

Nadas activated Unicorn’s effect to grab Kashtira Birth, and used Fenrir to search Scareclaw Kashtira. He activated Diablosis again, banishing another card from Kritz’s Extra Deck and giving Kashtira Arise-Heart a material. He combined Radian and Unicorn to Summon Dark Armed, the Dragon of Annihilation, and used it to destroy one of Kritz’s traps. He banished Kashtiratheosis, then Summoned Mecha Phantom Beast Dracossackand destroyed another face-down, leaving Kritz with 1 card! That card was switftly targeted with Arise-Heart, and after another Summon Nadas attacked for game! 

Denis Nadas emerges victorious, moving on to the Top 8!