The field has narrowed once again here in the Top 32, and Duelists are making every play count: just a single misstep could knock them out of the tournament! 

Denis Nadas is used to the pressure, having topped Remote Duel Invitations and last year’s YCS Minneapolis. He’s here in the Top 32 of YCS Philadelphia with Kashtira, while his opponent, Alex Mondlak, is playing the same Deck. We featured Mondlak earlier in Round 12 when he played against Gold Pride P.U.N.K., so let’s see how he fares in the mirror Match.

Mondlak played first in the Duel. He entered his Main Phase and activated Pressured Planet Wraitsoth, searchingKashtira Unicorn. He activated Unicorn’s effect, but Nadas Chained Infinite Impermanence to negate it. Mondlak then activated Pot of Prosperity, banishing 6 cards to excavate the same number from his Deck. He added Kashtira Fenrir from among the excavated cards, then Set one card to his backrow.

Nadas started his turn with a hand that included Kashtira Birth, Kashtiratheosis, Triple Tactics Talent, Kashtira Big Bang, and Ash Blossom & Joyous Spring. He passed through his Standby Phase and Main Phase on his way to his Battle Phase in a move that seemed to telegraph Evenly Matched, but he then exited to his Main Phase 2 and passed turn after Mondlak failed to take the bait.

Mondlak drew and activated Unicorn. It was negated by Nadas’ Ash Blossom, Mondlak banished Nadas’ Number 11: Big Eye with Unicorn’s effect. Mondlak activated Triple Tactics Thrust, using its effect to find a Spell Card and Setting Infinite Impermanence to his field. He then activated Triple Tactics Talent to draw two cards. He attacked with Unicorn to bring Nadas down to 5400 Life Points.

Nadas drew Nibiru, the Primal Being during his turn. He Set a card and passed turn.

Mondlak activated Unicorn and searched for Kashtira Birth, then he activated Birth. Fenrir was Normal Summoned thanks to Birth, and Mondlak used its effect to search his Deck for Kashtira Riseheart. He activated Riseheart to Summon itself from his hand, then used its other effect to banish Fenrir from the Deck, plus three face-down cards off the top of Nadas’ Deck. Birth Summoned a banished Fenrir, and Mondlak attacked with everything to end the game!

Nadas tried to bluff Evenly Matched to make the most of his starting hand, but when his opponent didn’t take the bait there was no coming back. Both players prepared their Side Decks for the Kashtira mirror Match and proceeded to Game 2.

Mondlak started Game 2 by Summoning Kashtira Unicorn and using its effect to find Kashtiratheosis. Mondlak played Kashtiratheosis to Summon Kashtira Fenrir from his Deck, then activated Fenrir to search Kashtira Riseheart. He activated Pressured Planet Wraitsoth and used its ability to add Scareclaw Kashtira from the Deck. He Summoned Riseheart, then Xyz Summoned Kashtira Shangri-Ira. He used Riseheart to banish Kashtira Big Bang and 3 cards off the top of Nadas’ Deck. Big Bang detached, returned to hand, and eventually Summoned the Unicorn from under Shangri-Ira. 

Shangri-Ira activated, locking down Nadas’ right Pendulum Zone. Mondlak targeted Shangri-Ira with Pressured Planet Wraitsoth, and detached a material to keep it on the board. He then Summoned Scareclaw Kashtira from his hand by banishing a Fenrir, and Summoned back the Fenrir with Kashtira Birth. Mondlak Xyz Summoned Number 89: Diablosis the Mind Hacker with Riseheart and Fenrir, and then Xyz Summoned Kashtira Shangri-Irawith Scareclaw and Unicorn. At this point Nadas Summoned Nibiru, the Primal Being to clear the board! The Primal Being Token hit the field with 2800 ATK. Mondlak Set one card and passed his turn.

Nadas started the Duel with Nibiru, the Primal Being, Pot of Prosperity, Book of Moon, Kashtira Fenrir, and Enemy Controller. He activated Prosperity, banishing 6 to excavate 6. He revealed Book of Moon, Ash Blossom & Joyous Spring, Terraforming, Pot of Prosperity, Kashtiratheosis, and Kashtira Riseheart. He took Terraforming and immediately activated it to find Pressured Planet Wraitsoth, and used it to get Kashtira Riseheart. He Normal Summoned Riseheart, then Link Summoned Donner, Dagger Fur Hire with Nibiru and Riseheart. He used Dagger’s ability to destroy itself and Nibiru. Fenrir was Summoned, but Mondlak stopped it with Infinite Impermanence. He attacked directly with Fenrir to bring Mondlak down to 5500 Life Points. He Set 2 cards to his backrow and passed.

Mondlak drew and activated the effect of Kashtira Birth to Summon Unicorn. He entered his Battle Phase, but Nadas’ Enemy Controller turned Unicorn to Defense Position! In Main Phase 2 Mondlak activated Unicorn to search Kashtiratheosis. Fenrir banished Unicorn face-down. Mondlak Set a card to his backrow and passed his turn.

Nadas activated Fenrir’s effect, searching Scareclaw Kashtira. After some quick math Nadas entered his Battle Phase, attacked directly with Fenrir, and Fenrir’s effect banished Birth. Mondlak dropped to 3000 Life Points. Nadas Set 1 card and passed his turn.

Mondlak drew for turn and flipped Kashtira Birth. He activated it to Summon Fenrir from his Graveyard. Nadas responded with Book of Moon ,but Mondlak Chained Enemy Controller to take Nadas’ Fenrir. Mondlak resolved Birth, banishing Kashtira Riseheart, Donner, Dagger Fur Hire, and Nibiru, the Primal Being from Nadas’ Graveyard. Mondlak activated Kashtiratheosis next, targeting Fenrir, and Summoned Kashtira Unicorn from his Deck. He activated Fenrir’s effect and searched out another copy. Mondlak then used Unicorn and Fenrir to Xyz Summon Dark Armed, the Dragon of Annihilation and used its ability to target Nadas’ Set Infinite Impermanence. Nadas Chained it to negate Dark Armed and prevent Impermanence from being banished. Mondlak Summoned Fenrir and entered his Battle Phase. 

He attacked and banished Nadas’ Pressured Planet Wraitsoth. Nadas fell to 2400 Life Points. Mondlak made Divine Arsenal AA-ZEUS – Sky Thunder over Dark Armed and was hit by Nibiru in the Main Phase 2. Every other monster on the field was Tributed and the Primal Being Token was Summoned with 5400 ATK.

Nadas drew for his turn and Summoned Scareclaw Kashtira by banishing Fenrir from his Graveyard. He Tribute Summoned Unicorn using both Scareclaw and Fenrir, then activated Unicorn to get Kashtira Birth. He Summoned Fenrir with the effect of Birth, then activated Fenrir to get another Fenrir. He Xyz Summoned Number 11: Big Eyewith Fenrir and Unicorn and Mondlak conceded!

Nadas survives Game 2 thanks to two copies of Nibiru, the Primal Being! With the Match tied up, both players prepared to head into the final Duel.

Mondlak opted to go first in the last Duel. He Summoned Kashtira Unicorn, then used Kashtiratheosis to Summon Kashtira Fenrir from his Deck. He used Fenrir to search Kashtira Riseheart. He Summoned Riseheart and activated its ability on the field, banishing Kashtira Birth and 3 cards from the top of Nadas’ Deck. He Xyz Summoned Kashtira Arise-Heart with all 3 monsters in defense mode, then Set 2 cards to his backrow before ending.

Nadas started the Duel with 2 copies of Pressured Planet Wraitsoth, two copies of Enemy Controller, Kashtiratheosis, and Kashtira Birth. He activated Pressured Planet Wraitsoth and used its ability to get Kashtira Fenrir. He Summoned it, and Mondlak targeted it with Book of Moon. Nadas Chained EnemyController, Tributing Fenrir and attempting to take control of Arise-Heart. Finally, Mondlak Chained Arise-Heart to banish itself. The Chain resolved with Arise-Heart banished and Controller missing the mark. 

Nadas activated Kashtira Birth and used it to Summon Fenrir. Fenrir’s effect got Unicorn to Nadas’ hand. Nadas then Normal Summoned Unicorn through Birth’s effect, and searched another copy of Birth with Unicorn. He activated Kashtiratheosis, Summoning Scareclaw Kashtira from the Deck. He prepared to enter the Battle Phase and Mondlak conceded, seeing there was more than enough damage coming from Nadas’ side of the field!

Nadas completely turned the Match around after losing the first Duel, carefully navigating Mondlak’s Set-ups to put game-ending damage on the field. He’s moving on to the Top 16 with just a few more Rounds to go before the Finals!