Top 32 Feature Match: Michael Shari vs. Alexis Tsokas
Welcome to the Top 32 of the North America Remote Duel YCS! Alexis Tsokas is Remote Dueling from Athens, Greece, and he finished the Swiss Rounds of the event with an 8-1 record using his Kashtira Deck. Tsokas has made it into the Top Cut of a YCS a few times before, but this time he’s hoping for a first-place finish. Michael Shari from Marietta, Georgia is the last Superheavy Samurai Deck remaining in the tournament. He finished the Swiss Rounds with a 6-3 record, narrowly making it into the Top 32, now he’s looking to make Yu-Gi-Oh! ARC-V character Gong Strong proud by taking his Deck as far as he can. Shari is thrilled to have just made it into his first YCS Top Cut ever, but he doesn’t want his Remote Duel YCS journey to end here! The pressure is on! It’s Kashtira versus Superheavy Samurai in this Top 32 Feature Match!
Duel One
Shari started off the first Duel by activating Superheavy Samurai Prodigy Wakaushi in his Pendulum Zone and used its effect to put Superheavy Samurai Monk Big Benkei in his other Pendulum Zone and Special Summon Prodigy Wakaushi. He used Monk Big Benkei’s effect to add Superheavy Samurai Soulpiercer to his hand and then Normal Summoned it, prompting Tsokas to activate the effect of the Dimension Shifter in his hand! Shari activated the effect of Superheavy Samurai Soulgaia Booster to equip it to Soulpiercer and then Special Summoned it to the field with its effect. Next, he combined Soulpiercer with Soulgaia Booster to Xyz Summon Number 41: Bagooska the Terribly Tired Tapir in Defense Position. He banished Shifter from Tsokas’s Graveyard to Special Summon Bystial Druiswurm from his hand next, and then Tuned Druiswurm with Wakaushi to Synchro Summon Baronne de Fleur in Defense Position before passing his turn.
Tsokas activated Pot of Prosperity by banishing 6 cards face-down from his Extra Deck. He added a Kashtiratheosis to his hand with its effect and then activated Dark Ruler No More! The effects of all face-up monsters on Shari’s field were negated! Tsokas Special Summoned Kashtira Fenrir from his hand next, and activated its effect to add Kashtira Ogre to his hand. He activated Kashtiratheosis to Special Summon Kashtira Unicorn from his Deck and used the Unicorn’s effect to add Kashtira Birth to his hand. He activated Birth and then Normal Summoned his Ogre. He used the Ogre’s effect to add Kashtira Preparations to his hand and then Bagooska with his Fenrir. He used Fenrir’s effect to banish Shari’s Pendulum Scale face-down before destroying Bagooska in battle. Next, Ogre attacked Baronne de Fleur, and Tsokas banished Superheavy Samurai Monk Big Benkei face-down from the top 5 cards of Shari’s Deck with his Ogre’s effect. He destroyed the Baronne de Fleur in battle and then entered Main Phase 2. In Main Phase 2, Tsokas combined his 3 monsters to Xyz Summon Kashtira Arise-Heart in Attack Position and Set 2 cards to his back row before ending his turn.
Shari activated the effect of his Superheavy Samurai Motorbike to start off his turn. He added Superheavy Samurai Scales to his hand, and then Arise-Heart’s effect activated to attach a banished Elder Entity N’tss to it as an Xyz Material. Shari thought for a second and then decided to concede, seeing no way to win the Duel.

Alexis Tsokas wins the first Duel of the Match!
Duel Two
Shari started off Duel 2 by activating Superheavy Samurai Prodigy Wakaushi in his Pendulum Zone. He used its effect to Special Summon it and put Big Monk Benkei in his other Pendulum Zone and then used Big Monk Benkei’s effect to add Superheavy Samurai Soulpiercer to his hand. He Normal Summoned Soulpiercer and then Tuned his 2 monsters together to Synchro Summon Tilting Entrainment. He activated the effects of Soulpiercer and Tilting Entrainment as Chain Links 1 and 2 respectively, and Tsokas activated Infinite Impermanence from his hand to negate the effect of Tilting Entrainment. Shari added Superheavy Samurai Stealthy to his hand with the effect of Soulpiercer and then Special Summoned Stealthy to the field. He sent his 2 monsters to the Graveyard to Link Summon Ancient Gear Ballista and used its effect to add Ancient Gear Box from his Deck to his hand. Next, he activated the effect of Ancient Gear Box to add Superheavy Samurai General Coral to his hand. He placed General Coral in his Pendulum Zone and then Pendulum Summoned Wakaushi from his Extra Deck and Ancient Gear Box from his hand. He combined Ancient Gear Box and Wakaushi to Xyz Summon Number 41: Bagooska the Terribly Tired Tapir in Defense Position and then attempted to end his turn; but Tsokas activated the effect of Nibiru, the Primal Being before he could leave his Main Phase! Tsokas Summoned Nibiru to his own field and gave Shari a Primal Being Token with 3600 ATK and 2000 DEF in Defense Position.
Tsokas activated Pressured Planet Wraitsoth, but lost out on its effect to Shari’s Ash Blossom & Joyous Spring. Next, Tsokas Normal Summoned Kashtira Riseheart and activated its effect by banishing a Kashtira Unicorn from his Deck. He banished the top 3 cards of Shari’s Deck face-down and then activated Kashtira Birth! He used its effect to Special Summon the banished Kashtira Unicorn and then attempted to use his Unicorn’s effect; but Shari activated the effect of the Effect Veiler in his hand to negate it! Tsokas attacked and destroyed the Primal Being Token with his Unicorn and then attacked directly with Riseheart and Nibiru. In Main Phase 2, Tsokas combined his Unicorn and his Riseheart to Xyz Summon Kashtira Shangri-Ira in Defense Position and then Set a card to his back row.
Shari drew a card and then Tsokas activated the effect of his Shangri-Ira in the Standby Phase to Special Summon Kashtira Fenrir from his Deck. He then used the effect of his Pressured Planet Wraitsoth to destroy Tsokas’s Monk Big Benkei in the Pendulum Zone. In his Main Phase, Shari activated the effect of the Magical Hound in his hand to return Kashtira Birth to Tsokas’s hand and Special Summon the Magical Hound. Next, he activated the effect of Sauge de Fleur. He targeted Magical Hound and Fenrir to Special Summon Sauge de Fleur and destroy the Hound and Fenrir. Next, he Normal Summoned Superheavy Samurai Wagon. He used his Wagon’s effect to switch it into Defense Position and then tried to use his Wagon’s other effect to switch it back into Attack Position and grab a monster from his Deck; but Tsokas activated Infinite Impermanence to negate it! Shari realized he was out of plays and conceded.

Alexis Tsokas is moving on to the Top 16!