Yu-Gi-Oh! World Championship competitor and multiple YCS winner Jesse Kotton from Toronto, Canada is one of the most accomplished Duelists of all time. He’s off to a rocky start this weekend with a 3-1 record, but is entrusting his Tearlaments Deck to take him into tomorrow’s Top Cut. Now he’s Dueling YCS First-Timer Trent McDougall from Cincinnati, Ohio! McDougall is using a Dragon Link Deck. Dragon Link Decks have gained quite a bit of popularity since the June 5th Forbidden & Limited List took effect, and McDougall is hoping that his Dragon Link Deck will bring him into Day 2 of the YCS. McDougall’s Bystial monsters can be used to stop the effects of the Tearlaments monsters that activate in Kotton’s Graveyard, which could give McDougall the edge in this matchup. It’s time to Duel!

Duel One

Kotton activated the effect of Tearlaments Scheiren by sending Tearlaments Reinoheart from his hand to his Graveyard and then sent Agido the Ancient Sentinel, Tearlaments Scream, and Destiny Hero – Malicious from the top of his Deck to his Graveyard with Scheiren’s effect. He used the effects of Agido, Scream, and Reinoheart. First, he sent the top 5 cards of both Decks to the Graveyard, then used Scream’s effect to add Tearlaments Sulliek to his hand, and then Special Summoned Reinoheart from his Graveyard and sent Sulliek from his hand to his Graveyard. In a new Chain, Kotton activated the effects of Reinoheart and Sulliek, and McDougall Chained the effects of the Absorouter Dragon and Bystial Saronir that had been sent to his Graveyard with Agido’s effect. Both players resolved the effects of their cards, and then Kotton activated the effect of Tearlaments Havnis from his Graveyard in a new Chain. He Fusion Summoned Garura, Wings of Resonant Life and then activated the effect of Tearlaments Kashtira in his hand. He banished Tearlaments Scream from his Graveyard and sent the top 3 cards of his Deck to his Graveyard, including a Kelbek the Ancient Vanguard. He used Kelbek’s effect to send the top 5 cards of each player’s Deck to the Graveyard once again and then used the effect of a Tearlaments Kashtira he had just sent to the Graveyard. He banished Trivikarma from his Graveyard to add Primeval Planet Perlereino to his hand and then used the effect of the Destrudo the Lost Dragon’s Frisson in his Graveyard by targeting Scheiren on his field. He paid half of his Life Points to Special Summon it and then Tuned it with Tearlaments Kashtira to Synchro Summon Baronne de Fleur. He banished Destiny HERO – Malicious from his Graveyard to Special Summon another Malicious from his Deck and then used Reinoheart and Malicious to Link Summon Cross-Sheep. He used his Baronne de Fleur’s effect to destroy his own Scheiren next, and then used Scheiren’s effect to fuse it with the King of the Swamp in his Graveyard and Summon Tearlaments Rulkallos linked to Cross-Sheep. He activated Cross-Sheep’s effect next, but lost out to McDougall’s Infinite Impermanence. Next, Kotton Normal Summoned Destiny HERO – Denier. He banished a Malicious from his Graveyard to Special Summon another from his Deck and then combined Malicious and Garura to Xyz Summon Beatrice, Lady of the Eternal. He detached Garura from Beatrice to send Mudora the Sword Oracle from his Deck to his Graveyard and then drew a card with Garura’s effect. Next, Kotton sent Cross-Sheep and Denier to the Graveyard to Link Summon Spright Sprind and used its effect to send Tearlaments Merrli from his Deck to his Graveyard. He used its effect to fuse it with Garura and Summon Predaplant Dragostapelia. Next, he activated Perlereino to add Tearlaments Havnis from his Deck to his hand. He Kotton Set a card face-down before passing his turn.

McDougall drew a card and Kotton used his Beatrice’s effect in the Draw Phase. He sent Keldo the Sacred Protector from his Deck to his Graveyard and then McDougall banished Starliege Seyfert from his Graveyard to try to add The Bystial Lubellion from his Graveyard to his hand; but Kotton Chained Mudora’s effect from his Graveyard and banished it to return Chaos Space, the Lubellion McDougall targeted, and Kotton’s own Cross-Sheep back to the Deck. McDougall activated Chaos Space by sending Rokket Tracer from his hand to his Graveyard next, and added The Bystial Lubellion to his hand. Next, McDougall activated the effect of The Bystial Lubellion from his hand to add Bystial Magnamhut from his Deck to his hand. He Normal Summoned Rokket Caliber and sent it to the Graveyard to Link Summon Striker Dragon. He activated its effect, but Kotton used the effect of his Dragostapelia to target Striker Dragon and negate its effect. McDougall promptly conceded, unable to retaliate against Kotton after Kotton’s incredible first turn!

Kotton creates an insurmountable field on the very first turn to win Duel 1! McDougall chose to go first in the second Duel of the Match!

Duel Two

McDougall started off Duel 2 by activating the effect of The Bystial Lubellion to add Bystial Magnamhut to his hand. He Normal Summoned Starliege Seyfert and used its effect to send the Seyfert itself to the Graveyard and add Rokket Tracer from his Deck to his hand. He banished Seyfert from his Graveyard to Special Summon Black Dragon Collapserpent and then Link Summoned Striker Dragon. He used the effects of Striker Dragon and Collapserpent to add Boot Sector Launch and White Dragon Wyverburster from his Deck to his hand and then banished Collapserpent to Special Summon Wyverburster. He used his 2 monsters to Link Summon Dragunity Knight – Romulus and then used Romulus’s effect to add Dragon Ravine from his Deck to his hand. He activated the effect of the Magnamhut in his hand next in order to Special Summon it, and then Tributed Magnamhut to Special Summon The Bystial Lubellion from his Graveyard in Defense Position. He used the effect of The Bystial Lubellion to place Branded Beast face-up in his Spell & Trap Card Zone and then sent both of his monsters to the Graveyard to Link Summon Hieratic Seal of the Heavenly Spheres. He activated Boot Sector Launch next and used its effect to Special Summon Rokket Tracer from his hand. He used Tracer’s effect to destroy the Boot Sector Launch and Special Summon Rokket Recharger from his Deck. He Synchro Summoned Borreload Savage Dragon next and used its effect to equip it with the Romulus in the Graveyard and gain 2 Borrel Counters. In the End Phase, McDougall added Bystial Druiswurm to his hand with the effect of Magnamhut.

Kotton started off his first turn of the Duel by Normal Summoning Diviner of the Herald and using its effect to send Kelbek the Ancient Vanguard from his Deck to his Graveyard. He used Kelbek’s effect to send the top 5 cards of both Decks to the Graveyard. Kotton sent Destiny HERO – Malicious and Trivikarma to his Graveyard in those 5 cards. He banished Trivikarma from his Graveyard to activate its effect and add a Tearlaments Scream from his Deck to his hand. Next, he banished Destiny HERO – Malicious from his Graveyard to Special Summon another copy from his Deck. He followed up by activating Super Polymerization! He discarded Agido to fuse McDougall’s Borreload Savage Dragon with his Malicious and Summon Mudragon of the Swamp. He used the effect of Agido to send the top 5 cards of both Decks to the Graveyard, including Kotton’s Tearlaments Kashtira and Tearlaments Scheiren. He activated both effects, and McDougall Chained the effect of the Druiswurm in his hand to banish Scheiren. Tearlaments Kashtira’s effect sent Tearlaments Scream and Mudragon of the Swamp to the Graveyard, and then Kotton used Scream’s effect to add Tearlaments Sulliek from his Deck to his hand. Next, Kotton Tuned his Diviner with his Mudragon to Synchro Summon Baronne de Fleur. Kotton activated its effect to destroy Branded Beast. McDougall Chained the effect of Branded Beast to Tribute Druiswurm and try to destroy the Baronne, and Kotton used the effect of his Baronne to negate the activation of Branded Beast’s effect and destroy it. In a new Chain, Druiswurm’s effect activated to send Baronne de Fleur to the Graveyard. Next, Kotton activated Terraforming to add Perlereino to his hand and activated it to add Tearlaments Havnis from his Deck to his hand. He activated Tearlaments Scream next, and then activated the effect of the Tearlaments Kashtira in his hand to Special Summon it. He used the effects of Scream Tearlaments Kashtira to send the top 5 cards of his Deck to his Graveyard in total. Next, he entered his Battle Phase and attacked Hieratic Seal of the Heavenly Spheres. McDougall Chained the effect of his Seal by Tributing it, and Kotton Chained the effect of the Tearlaments Havnis in his hand. Kotton then Chained the effect of the Keldo in his Graveyard to banish it and return 2 Seyferts and a Hieratic Seal back to McDougall’s Deck from his Graveyard. Kotton sent Reinoheart, Druiswurm, and Merrli to his Graveyard in resolving Havnis’s effect and Heavenly Seal resolved to return Tearlaments Kashtira to Kotton’s hand. Kotton activated the effects of Merrli and Reinoheart, and McDougall Chained the effect of the Bystial Saronir in his hand to banish Merrli and Special Summon the Saronir. Kotton resolved the effect of his Reinoheart to Special Summon it and send Tearlaments Kashtira from his hand to his Graveyard. In Main Phase 2, Kotton paid half of his Life Points to Special Summon Destrudo from his hand, targeting his Reinoheart. He Link Summoned Dharc the Dark Charmer, Gloomy, used its effect to Special Summon Magnamhut from McDougall’s Graveyard, and activated Magnamhut’s effect. He sent Dharc and Magnamhut to the Graveyard to Link Summon Cross-Sheep and then Set a card to his back row. He added Druiswurm to his hand in the End Phase with Magnamhut’s effect.

McDougall banished Chaos Space from his Graveyard to return White Dragon Wyverburster to his Deck and draw a card. Next, he Normal Summoned Starliege Seyfert and Kotton used the effect of his Tearlaments Scream, sending Destiny HERO – Denier, King of the Swamp, and Perlereino from his Deck to his Graveyard. He activated Sulliek next, and used it to negate the effect of Seyfert. He sent his Havnis to the Graveyard and then used Havnis’s effect to Fusion Summon Tearlaments Kaleido-Heart linked to Cross-Sheep. He activated the effects of Cross-Sheep and Kaleido-Heart, targeting Seyfert with his Kaleido-Heart. He returned Seyfert to the Deck and Special Summoned Diviner of the Herald from his Graveyard in Defense Position. McDougall activated Chaos Space by sending Rokket Caliber to the Graveyard next. He added White Dragon Wyverburster to his hand. He Special Summoned it by banishing Striker Dragon from his Graveyard and then used his 2 monsters to Synchro Summon Chaos Angel. He activated its effect to banish Sulliek from the field and then attacked Cross-Sheep to destroy it and drop Kotton down to 1700 Life Points.

Kotton Special Summoned Druiswurm from his hand by banishing Lubellion from McDougall’s Graveyard and used Scream to send the top 3 cards of his Deck to his Graveyard. He activated the effect of the Havnis he sent there to Fusion Summon Grapha, Dragon Overlord of Dark World! He used his Perlereino’s effect to destroy his Scream and then used Scream’s effect to add Sulliek from his Deck to his hand. He attacked over Chaos Angel with Grapha and Kaleido-Heart, inflicting damage to McDougall’s Life Points; but the Chaos Angel couldn’t be destroyed by battle due to its effect.

McDougall banished Chaos Space from his Graveyard to return The Bystial Lubellion from his banished zone to his Deck and draw a card. He attacked Kotton’s Kaleido-Heart and Kotton flipped Sulliek. He used its effect to negate the effect of Chaos Angel, and then sent Druiswurm to his Graveyard. Next, he used Druiswurm’s effect to send Chaos Angel to the Graveyard. McDougall Special Summoned Saronir from his hand by banishing Malicious from Kotton’s Graveyard and attacked Diviner to destroy it. Then, McDougall Special Summoned Magnamhut from his hand by banishing Diviner from Kotton’s Graveyard and activated Magnamhut’s on-field effect. McDougall sent his 2 monsters to the Graveyard to Link Summon Hieratic Seal of the Heavenly Spheres next, and then added Druiswurm from his Deck to his hand in the End Phase with Magnamhut’s effect.

Kotton attacked Hieratic Seal of the Heavenly Spheres with his Kaleido-Heart. McDougall used his Seals’s effect, but Kotton stopped it with his Grapha’s effect and discarded Destrudo instead. McDougall then used his Seal’s other effect to Special Summon Druiswurm from his Deck. Kaleido-Heart attacked and destroyed it, and then Druiswurm’s effect sent Grapha to the Graveyard.

McDougall activated the effect of the Druiswurm in his hand to Special Summon it and banish Grapha from Kotton’s Graveyard. Next, he activated the effect of Noctovision Vision to Special Summon it from his hand. He Special Summoned Lubellion from his Graveyard by Tributing Druiswurm next. He Link Summoned Dharc next, and used Noctovision’s effect to draw a card. He used Dharc’s effect to Special Summon Magnamhut and activated its effect. Next, he Link Summoned Knightmare Unicorn and discarded Dragon Ravine to try to return Kaleido-Heart to Kotton’s Extra Deck; but Kotton used Sulliek’s effect. He negated the effect of Knightmare Unicorn and then sent Kaleido-Heart to the Graveyard. He Special Summoned Kaleido-Heart back to the field and sent Havnis from his Deck to his Graveyard with its effect. He used Havnis’s effect to Fusion Summon Predaplant Dragostapelia. McDougall Normal Summoned Seyfert next and then activated Seyfert’s effect to send it to the Graveyard and add Rokket Tracer to his hand. He banished Seyfert from his Graveyard to add The Bystial Lubellion to his hand and then discarded The Bystial Lubellion to add Bystial Baldrake to his hand.

Kotton attacked directly with his Dragostapelia and McDougall Special Summoned Druiswurm from his hand to block the attack. Kotton destroyed Druiswurm instead, and its effect sent Dragostapelia to the Graveyard. Kaleido-Heart attacked next, and McDougall Summoned Baldrake from his hand to protect his Life Points. Kotton destroyed the Baldrake in battle and then Set a card to his back row.

McDougall Normal Summoned Rokket Tracer and then Special Summoned Chaos Dragon Levianeer by banishing 3 LIGHT monsters from his Graveyard. He activated its effect, but Kotton used Sulliek’s effect to negate it and send Kaleido-Heart to the Graveyard. He Special Summoned Kaleido-Heart back to the field by sending Havnis from his Deck to his Graveyard and then used Havnis’s effect and Kaleido-Heart’s effect, targeting Levianeer with the effect of Kaleido-Heart to shuffle it back into McDougall’s Deck. McDougall promptly conceded, seeing no way to win the Duel!

Jesse Kotton takes a 2-0 victory and advances with a 4-1 record using his Tearlaments Deck!