We’re almost there! It’s Round 9 here at YCS Indianapolis, and players are hopeful that by the end of this round, they will have the 19 points needed to qualify for Day 2. Matthew Ray and Reda Mrani Alaoui each have 18 points, so they’re competing for the privilege of playing on Day 2 and hopefully making it into the top 32. Who will come out on top? Let’s find out!

Duel One

Ray chose to go first, and his opening hand consisted of Book of Eclipse, Barrier of the Voiceless Voice, Effect Veiler, Ostinato, and Forbidden Droplet. Ray started by activating Ostinato, sending two copies of Refrain the Melodious Songstress from his Deck to the Graveyard to Fusion Summon Bacha the Melodious Maestra. He activated the effect of Bacha, but Mrani Alaoui responded with Effect Veiler. Ray then activated Barrier of the Voiceless Voice, searching for Saffira, Dragon Queen of the Voiceless Voice, then discarded Saffira to send Prayers of the Voiceless Voice to the Graveyard and add Skull Guardian, Protector of the Voiceless Voice. Next, he banished Saffira to Tribute Bacha and Ritual Summon Skull Guardian. He used Bacha’s effect in the Graveyard to Special Summon Refrain, and he used Skull Guardian to search for Lo, the Prayers of the Voiceless Voice. He Normal Summoned Lo and placed Radiance of the Voiceless Voice to his Spell/Trap Zone, then Set one more card to his backrow, and ended his turn. 

Mrani Alaoui started by activating Bonfire and searching for Snake-Eye Ash. He Normal Summoned Ash and attempted to use its effect, but Ray responded with Effect Veiler. Mrani Alaoui then activated Divine Temple of the Snake-Eye, but Ray responded with Radiance, destroying both Radiance and Temple. Mrani Alaoui ended his turn. 

Ray drew Pre-Preparation of Rites. He activated the effect of his face-up Barrier, but Mrani Alaoui negated it with Ash Blossom & Joyous Spring. Next, Ray activated Pre-Preparation, adding Prayers of the Voiceless Voice and Sauravis, the Ancient and Ascended to his hand. Ray then activated Prayers, Tributing Lo to Ritual Summon Sauravis, and activated Lo’s effects to Special Summon it back to the field and place a Blessings of the Voiceless Voice from his Deck onto the field. Ray proceeded to the Battle Phase, with Refrain attacking Snake-Eye Ash, and Sauravis and Skull Guardian attacking directly. During Main Phase 2, Ray used Blessing to add Radiance back to his hand, Set a card to his backrow, and ended his turn. 

Mrani Alaoui started by Normal Summoning Snake-Eyes Poplar, but when he attempted to use its effect, Ray responded with Forbidden Droplet, sending a Book of Eclipse from his hand to the Graveyard. He used Poplar to Link Summon Relinquished Anima, and placed Poplar in the Spell/Trap Zone. Next, Mrani Alaoui Special Summoned Diabellstar the Black Witch by sending Snake-Eyes Flamberge Dragon from his hand to the Graveyard. However, Ray used Sauravis to negate the Summon of Diabellstar and banish it, and so Mrani Alaoui conceded the first Duel. 

Duel Two
Mrani Alaoui started by activating Bonfire, searching for Snake-Eye Ash. He Normal Summoned the Ash, and Ray attempted to use Ash Blossom & Joyous Spring, but Mrani Alaoui responded with Crossout Designator! He was able to resolve Ash, searching for Poplar, Summoning it out, and searching for Divine Temple of the Snake-Eye. Next, he Summoned Diabellstar the Black Witch by discarding Snake-Eyes Diabellstar, and set Original Sinful Spoils – Snake-Eye from the Deck. He then used Diabellstar, Poplar, and Ash to Link Summon Selene, Queen of the Master Magicians and used Poplar to place Snake-Eyes Diabellstar to the Spell/Trap Zone. He used Selene to Special Summon back Diabellstar, and used the two monsters to Link Summon Apollousa, Bow of the Goddess. 

Mrani Alaoui then activated Original, sending Poplar to the Graveyard and Special Summoning Snake-Eye Oak, and used Oak to Special Summon back Ash. He used the effect of Snake-Eye Diabellstar, Special Summoning it and placing Poplar in the Spell/Trap Zone. Next, he activated Ash’s effect, sending itself and Poplar to the Graveyard to Special Summon Snake-Eyes Flamberge Dragon. He used Oak and Flamberge to Link Summon I:P Masquerena, and Flamberge Dragon Special Summoned Oak and Poplar out of the Graveyard. He used I:P and Poplar to Special Summon Promethean Princess, Bestower of Flames, and used Princess to Special Summon back Flamberge Dragon. Next, he used Flamberge to place I:P in the Spell/Trap Zone, and then used Oak’s effect, sending it and Princess to the Graveyard to Special Summon another Flamberge Dragon! Finally, he used Flamberge and Snake-Eyes Diabellstar as Xyz Material to Xyz Summon Number 38: Hope Harbinger Dragon Titanic Galaxy!

Ray drew Diviner of the Herald for turn, but looked at his opponent’s field and conceded. Onto the decisive third Duel!

Duel Three
Ray started with an opening hand of Ostinato, Deck Lockdown, Diviner of the Herald, Forbidden Droplet, and Saffira, Dragon Queen of the Voiceless Voice. Ray started by activating Ostinato, sending two copies of Refrain the Melodious Songstress from his Deck to the Graveyard to Fusion Summon Bacha the Melodious Maestra. He then used Bacha’s effect to Special Summon a third Refrain from the Deck, and used its effect to search for Couplet the Melodious Songstress. He used the effect of Couplet to Special Summon another Refrain from the Graveyard, then placed Couplet in his Pendulum Zone, and used its Pendulum effect to search for Melodious Concerto. He activated Concerto, using the Couplet in his Pendulum Zone and a Refrain on the field to Fusion Summon another Bacha! He placed Refrain and Couplet to the Pendulum Zones, and then used the two Bacha to Xyz Summon Odd-Eyes Absolute Dragon. He used Absolute Dragon and Refrain to Link Summon I:P Masquerena, and used Absolute Dragon to Special Summon Odd-Eyes Vortex Dragon, Bacha to Special Summon Refrain, and Concerto to draw a card. Next, he used I:P and Refrain to Link Summon Exceed the Pendulum, used Exceed to add a Refrain back to his hand and Special Summon it, and used the two to make Apollousa, Bow of the Goddess. 

Ray continued his turn by Pendulum Summoning two Refrains from his Extra Deck and a Diviner from his hand, using Diviner to send Trias Hierarchia to the Graveyard. He activated Trias’ effect in the Graveyard, Tributing Diviner, and Mrani Alaoui responded with Bystial Druiswurm, targeting the Diviner. Ray thought he was safe, attempting to negate Druiswurm’s effect with Apollousa, but Mrani Alaoui also had Ghost Ogre & Snow Rabbit in hand! Apollousa was destroyed and unable to negate Druiswurm’s effect, so Druiswurm hit the field and Ray’s Diviner was banished before it could activate its effect. Fortunately, Ray was still able to discard Saffira, sending Prayers of the Voiceless Voice to the Graveyard and adding Skull Guardian, Protector of the Voiceless Voice to his hand. He then banished the Saffira and Tributed Trias to Ritual Summon the Skull Guardian! He used Skull Guardian to search for Lo, the Prayers of the Voiceless Voice, Normal Summoned Lo, and placed Barrier of the Voiceless Voice to his Spell/Trap Zone, and activated Barrier’s effect to search for Radiance of the Voiceless Voice. Ray used the two Refrains to Link Summon another I:P Masquerena. Finally, Ray Set a card, and concluded his turn by activating Deck Lockdown. 

Mrani Alaoui started his turn by activating Mind Control, attempting to take control of Ray’s Vortex Dragon, but Ray used Vortex Dragon to negate it. Mrani Alaoui then used Druiswurm to Xyz Summon Super Starslayer TY-PHON – Sky Crisis, but in response to the Summon, Ray activated Radiance to destroy TY-PHON. Mrani Alaoui was unable to activate any of the other cards in his hand, thanks to Ray’s Deck Lockdown. 

Ray wins the Duel and will advance to Day 2 with 21 points!