Charley Futch from Indianapolis, Indiana is one of the most accomplished Duelists in the room. He competed in the Yu-Gi-Oh! Dragon Duel World Championship in 2017 and got second place, then won the 2018 Yu-Gi-Oh! Dragon Duel World Championship and was invited back to compete in the 2019 Yu-Gi-Oh! TRADING CARD GAME World Championship. That means he has played in the last three World Championships. Now, he’s determined to make it four in a row. Charley Futch was in first place for number of points for the 2022-2023 season, with a whopping 623 points, proving himself to be one of the most consistently successful Duelists in North America over the past year. He made it his mission to qualify for this World Qualifying Points Playoff by competing in as many events as possible and achieved his goal. Although the Duelists who qualified for the World Qualifying Points Playoff are all just 4 consecutive Match wins away from an invitation to compete in the 2023 Yu-Gi-Oh! TRADING CARD GAME World Championship, competition is as fierce as imaginable. Brian Chen from San Jose, California is a YCS Champion (an accomplishment that Charley Futch has not yet attained), and he has his sights on competing in his first Yu-Gi-Oh! TRADING CARD GAME World Championship. Now Futch and Chen are facing off in a Match that will instantly eliminate one of these two Duelists! Futch is using a Kashtira Deck, while Chen is counting on his Labrynth Deck. It’s time to Duel!

Duel One

Futch opened up with Kashtira Riseheart, Kashtira Big Bang, Book of Moon, Pot of Prosperity, and Pressured Planet Wraitsoth.

He activated Wraitsoth first and used its effect to add Kashtira Unicorn to his hand. He Special Summoned it and then activated its effect to add Kashtira Birth to his hand. Next, he Special Summoned Riseheart from his hand and used its effect. He banished Kashtira Fenrir from his Deck to banish the top 3 cards of Chen’s Deck face-down and change Riseheart’s Level to 7. He activated Birth next and used its effect to Special Summon his banished Fenrir. Next, he used his Fenrir’s effect to add another Fenrir from his Deck to his hand. Next, he combined all 3 of his monsters to Xyz Summon Kashtira Arise-Heart in Defense Position in the Extra Monster Zone. Futch activated Pot of Prosperity next, banishing 6 cards from his Extra Deck to excavate Infinite Impermanence, Terraforming, Kashtiratheosis, Riseheart, Book of Moon, and Pot of Prosperity from the top of his Deck. He added the Kashtiratheosis to his hand and then used Arise-Heart’s effect to attach a banished Infinitrack Goliath to it as an Xyz Material. Next, he activated Kashtiratheosis to Special Summon a Fenrir from his Deck in Defense Position and used the effect of Arise-Heart to attach a banished Kashtiratheosis to his Arise-Heart. Futch Set Book of Moon and Kashtira Big Bang before ending his turn.

Chen activated the effect of the Lord of the Heavenly Prison in his hand and then Set 4 cards to his back row. In the End Phase, Futch detached a Unicorn, Kashtiratheosis, and Riseheart from Arise-Heart to banish a card from Chen’s back row face-down. Futch used the effect of his Arise-Heart to attach it with a banished Garura, Wings of Resonant Life.

Futch Normal Summoned a Fenrir from his hand with some help from his face-up Kashtira Birth and then used its effect to add a Kashtira Unicorn to his hand. Next, he switched his other Fenrir and his Arise-Heart into Attack Position. He entered his Battle Phase and attacked directly with his first Fenrir. Chen flipped Welcome Labrynth to Special Summon Arianna the Labrynth Servant. Futch used his Arise-Heart’s effect to give it an Xyz Material, and Chen used the effects of Arianna and Lord of the Heavenly Prison. Lord of the Heavenly Prison’s effect Special Summoned it to the field and Set Big Welcome Labrynth from his Deck, and Arianna added Lady Labrynth of the Silver Castle to his hand. On resolution, Futch used his Fenrir’s effect targeting Lord of the Heavenly Prison, and Chen flipped Eradicator Epidemic Virus! He Tributed the Lord of the Heavenly Prison and declared Spells!

Futch revealed all of his cards and got rid of all of his Spells, and then after the Chain resolved, Futch used the effects of his Arise-Heart and Kashtiratheosis. He added Kashtira Birth back to his hand with the effect of his newly banished Kashtiratheosis and gave his Arise-Heart a new Xyz Material. Fenrir’s attack destroyed Arianna and then direct attacks from Arise-Heart and Fenrir dropped Chen down to 2600 Life Points. Futch detached 3 more Xyz Materials from his Arise-Heart to banish one of Chen’s face-down back row cards and then used his Arise-Heart’s effect to give it another Xyz Material.

Futch Xyz Summoned Divine Arsenal AA-ZEUS – Sky Thunder over Arise-Heart and then used its effect to clear the field! He detached Garura to do so, allowing him to draw Book of Moon with Garura’s effect, but the Book of Moon was sent to the Graveyard immediately by the effect of Eradicator Epidemic Virus. Futch activated Kashtira Birth next and used its effect to Special Summon Kashtira Fenrir. In the End Phase, Chen Special Summoned Lady Labrynth of the Silver Castle from his hand.

Chen switched Lady Labrynth into Attack Position and attacked, prompting Futch to use the effect of his Zeus. Chen banished Big Welcome Labrynth from his Graveyard to return Lady Labrynth to his hand before Zeus’s effect resolved to clear the field! In the End Phase, Chen Special Summoned Lady Labrynth from his hand back to his field in Defense Position.

Futch drew Ash Blossom & Joyous Spring and Normal Summoned it. He sent it to the Graveyard along with Zeus to Link Summon Donner, Dagger Fur Hire and used Donner’s effect to destroy Donner and the Lady Labrynth. Next, Futch Special Summoned Kashtira Unicorn and Kashtira Riseheart from his hand in Attack Position, and Chen conceded!

Charley Futch overcomes Eradicator Epidemic Virus to win the first Duel!

Duel Two

Chen started off Duel 2 by revealing Lord of the Heavenly Prison from his hand with its effect and Setting 4 cards to his back row.

Futch opened up Duel 2 with Terraforming, Kashtiratheosis, Kashtira Fenrir, Dimension Shifter, and Ghost Belle & Haunted Mansion. He drew Forbidden Lance for his turn and then activated Terraforming to add Pressured Planet Wraitsoth to his hand. On the resolution of Terraforming, Chen flipped Welcome Labrynth to Special Summon Lady Labrynth from his Deck. Next, he flipped Big Welcome Labrynth and Futch used Ghost Belle & Haunted Mansion to negate the activation of its effect. Futch Special Summoned Fenrir and activated its effect next. Chen flipped Skill Drain to try to negate it, and Futch Chained Forbidden Lance to make Fenrir unaffected by Skill Drain! He added Riseheart to his hand and then activated Wraitsoth. He used Wraitsoth’s effect to add Scareclaw Kashtira to his hand and then attacked Lady Labrynth with his Fenrir. He used Fenrir’s effect to banish Skill Drain face-down, but his Fenrir was destroyed in battle and he lost 1400 Life Points since his Fenrir was weakened by the Lance. Futch Special Summoned Scareclaw Kashtira from his hand by banishing Kashtira Fenrir from his Graveyard next, and then activated Kashtiratheosis by targeting his Scareclaw Kashtira. Chen Chained  Terrors of the Overroot to swap the Scareclaw with a Ghost Belle in Futch’s Graveyard and then used his Lord of the Heavenly Prison’s effect to Set Eradicator Epidemic Virus from his Deck. Lady Labrynth’s effect Set Welcome Labrynth. Futch passed his turn with just a face-down Ghost Belle on his field.

Chen switched his Lord of the Heavenly Prison to Attack Position and then flipped Welcome Labrynth, prompting Futch to concede.

Brian Chen overwhelms Charley Futch with his Trap Cards to win the second Duel! The Match is going to a third and final Duel!

Duel Three

Futch opened up Duel 3 with Kashtira Unicorn, Forbidden Lance, Pressured Planet Wraitsoth, and 2 copies of Kashtiratheosis. He Special Summoned the Unicorn and activated its effect to add Kashtira Birth to his hand. Next, he activated Wraitsoth. He tried to use its effect, but Chen Chained Ash Blossom & Joyous Spring’s effect to stop it! Futch used the effect of his Unicorn after it resolved, banishing a Mudragon of the Swamp from Chen’s Extra Deck face-down. Futch activated Kashtiratheosis to Special Summon Fenrir, used Fenrir’s effect to add Riseheart to his hand and Xyz Summoned Kashtira Shangri-Ira. He Special Summoned Riseheart and used Riseheart’s effect. He banished Kashtira Big Bang from his Deck along with the top 3 cards of Chen’s Deck face-down. He blocked a Spell & Trap Card Zone with Shangri-Ira’s effect and used Big Bang’s effect to Special Summon a Kashtira Unicorn to his field. He combined Unicorn with Riseheart to Xyz Summon another Shangri-Ira and then immediately Xyz Summoned Kashtira Arise-Heart over it in Defense Position.

Chen drew a card and Futch Special Summoned a Fenrir from his Deck with the effect of Shangri-Ira in the Standby Phase. Chen Summoned Arianna and used its effect to add Big Welcome Labrynth to his hand. Next, Chen activated Pot of Prosperity by banishing 6 cards from his Extra Deck. He excavated the top 6 cards of his Deck and added Gadarla, the Mystery Dust Kaiju to his hand. Futch added an Xyz Material to his Arise-Heart with its effect and blocked another Spell & Trap Card Zone with Shangri-Ira. Chen Tributed Arise-Heart to Summon Gadarla to Futch’s field and then Set 3 cards to his back row before passing his turn.

Futch drew a card and then Chen flipped Gozen Match. Futch kept his Shangri-Ira on the field and sent his Gadarla and Fenrir to the Graveyard. He Special Summoned Riseheart from his Deck with Shangri-Ira’s effect in the Standby Phase and used Wraitsoth’s effect to destroy Gozen Match. He used Riseheart’s effect by banishing Kashtira Birth from his Deck, banished the top 3 cards of Chen’s Deck face-down, and blocked a third Spell & Trap Card Zone from Chen’s field. Next, Futch used Kashtiratheosis by targeting his Riseheart. He Special Summoned Fenrir from his Deck in Defense Position and then used Fenrir’s effect to add Scareclaw Kashtira to his hand. He activated Birth and then used its effect to Special Summon a Fenrir from his Graveyard in Attack Position. He switched Shangri-Ira into Attack Position and then Special Summoned Scareclaw Kashtira from his hand by banishing Kashtiratheosis from his Graveyard. He added a banished Kashtira Birth to his hand with the effect of Kashtiratheosis and then attacked with Shangri-Ira. Chen flipped Welcome Labrynth to Special Summon Arianna from his Deck in Defense Position and used Arianna’s effect to add Big Welcome Labrynth to his hand. Shangri-Ira continued its attack on Arianna and Futch took some damage, and then Fenrir attacked and activated its effect targeting Arianna. Chen Chained Big Welcome Labrynth to Summon another Arianna and return the previously on-field Arianna to his hand. Next, Chen used Lord of the Heavenly Prison’s effect to Set Destructive Daruma Karma Cannon and Special Summon the Lord of the Heavenly Prison to his field. In Main Phase 2, Futch Xyz Summoned Dark Armed, the Dragon of Annihilation and used its effect to destroy the newly Set Karma Cannon and the Lord of the Heavenly Prison. Futch Xyz Summoned Mecha Phantom Beast Dracossack next and then immediately Xyz Summoned Divine Arsenal AA-ZEUS – Sky Thunder over it.

Chen Set a monster and 2 cards to his back row, and Futch used his Zeus’s effect to clear the field in the End Phase!

Futch switched Zeus into Attack Position then activated Birth and used it to Special Summon Fenrir. He attacked directly with Fenrir and Zeus with just a minute left in the round and then used Fenrir’s effect to add Kashtira Unicorn to his hand. He Normal Summoned Ash Blossom and then Tuned it with Fenrir to Synchro Summon Baronne de Fleur! This prompted Chen, who had no cards in his hand or on his field, to concede.

Charley Futch is just 3 Match Wins away from competing in his fourth World Championship!