Round 4 Feature Match: Jesse Kotton vs. Hamzah Malik
Jesse Kotton and Hamzah Malik are two Duelists from Toronto, Canada and they’re both currently 3-0 in this weekend’s YCS. Jesse Kotton is one of the most accomplished Duelists in the world with 6 YCS victories, an Ultimate Duelist Series victory, and an Undisputed Ultimate Duelist Series Championship win. He is also a reigning Yu-Gi-Oh! MASTER DUEL World Champion. Jesse Kotton is always looking for new ways to challenge himself in the Dueling arena, and this weekend he chose to compete with a massive disadvantage. Kotton intentionally entered the tournament without a Side Deck. When he submitted his Decklist online, he deliberately clicked through the warning that he was missing a Side Deck. He has his Main Deck and his Extra Deck – but that’s it. From now until the end of the tournament, he won’t be able to make any alterations to his Deck.
Hamzah Malik is using a Tenpai Dragon Deck. Tenpai Dragon Decks typically have a focused strategy that wipes out opponents in a single Battle Phase. Many Duelists use cards from the Side Deck to prevent that from happening, but Kotton’s inability to do so in this Match may give Malik the advantage. It’s time to Duel!
Duel One
Kotton started off the Match by activating Bonfire, but lost out to Malik’s Ash Blossom & Joyous Spring. Next, Kotton Normal Summoned Snake-Eyes Poplar and used its effect to add Original Sinful Spoils – Snake-Eye to his hand. He sent Poplar to the Graveyard to Link Summon Relinquished Anima and used Poplar’s effect to put the Poplar into his back row. He activated Original Sinful Spoils – Snake-Eye next by sending Poplar to the Graveyard, but lost out to Malik’s Dominus Impulse! Next, Kotton activated the effect of the Fire King High Avatar Kirin in his hand. He destroyed another Fire King High Avatar Kirin from his hand to Summon it and then sent his Kirin and Anima to the Graveyard to Link Summon S:P Little Knight. He banished Dominus Impulse from Malik’s Graveyard with Little Knight’s effect and then passed his turn.
Malik activated Pot of Prosperity by banishing 6 cards from his Extra Deck face-down. He excavated the top 6 cards of his Deck and added a Sangen Summoning to his hand before returning the other 5 cards to his Deck. All damage that he inflicted for the rest of the turn would be halved due to the effect of Pot of Prosperity. Next, he activated Lightning Storm to destroy Kotton’s Little Knight. He activated Sangen Summoning next and used its effect to add Tenpai Dragon Chundra from his Deck to his hand and discard a Dimension Shifter from his hand. He Summoned it and then entered his Battle Phase and attacked with Chundra. Kotton activated the effect of the Mulcharmy Fuwalos in his hand. Malik Special Summoned Tenpai Dragon Paidra with Chundra’s effect before inflicting 750 points of damage, allowing Kotton to draw a card from Fuwalos’s effect. Malik used Paidra’s effect to add Sangen Kaimen from his Deck to his hand and then attacked directly with Paidra. Next, he used Chundra’s effect to Tune it with Paidra and Summon Sangenpai Bident Dragion. He used its effect to Special Summon Paidra back and then attacked directly with Paidra and Bident Dragion, dropping Kotton down to 4250 Life Points. Next, he used Paidra’s effect to Tune it with Bident Dragion and Summon Sangenpai Transcendent Dragion. Kotton drew a card off of the Summons of Bident Dragion and Transcendent Dragion, but the newly drawn cards were no help. He conceded the Duel, realizing he would be defeated moments later.
Malik dipped into his Side Deck while Kotton began shuffling up for Duel 2.
Duel Two
Kotton chose to go second in Duel 2.
Malik started off Duel 2 by activating Pot of Desires. He banished the top 10 cards of his Deck face-down and then lost out on its effect to Kotton’s Ash Blossom & Joyous Spring. Malik Chained the effect of Dimension Shifter from his hand and then passed his turn with no cards on his field.
Kotton activated Bonfire and added Snake-Eyes Poplar from his Deck to his hand. He Special Summoned it with its effect and then used its on-field effect to add Original Sinful Spoils – Snake-Eye from his Deck to his hand. He used his Poplar as a Link Material to Link Summon Relinquished Anima and Malik Special Summoned Fantastical Dragon Phantazmay from his hand. He drew 2 cards and returned 1 card from his hand to his Deck with its effect. Next, Kotton Normal Summoned Snake-Eye Oak and used its effect to Special Summon Poplar. He used Anima and Poplar to Link Summon Dharc the Dark Charmer, Gloomy and used Dharc’s effect to Special Summon Dimension Shifter from Malik’s Graveyard to his field. He Link Summoned Promethean Princess, Bestower of Flames next and used its effect to Special Summon Ash Blossom from his Graveyard in Defense Position. He attacked and destroyed Phantazmay with his Princess, then attacked directly with Dimension Shifter. Next, he sent Promethean Princess and Ash Blossom to the Graveyard to Link Summon Salamangreat Sunlight Wolf, and used Sunlight Wolf and Dimension Shifter as Link Materials to Link Summon S:P Little Knight.
Malik activated Dark Hole to destroy S:P Little Knight and then Normal Summoned Tenpai Dragon Genroku. He entered his Battle Phase, attacked with Genroku, and then used its effect to Special Summon Tenpai Dragon Chundra from his Deck. He attacked with it, but Kotton flipped Infinite Impermanence to negate its effect first! Kotton took the 1500 points of damage, and then Malik Set a card to his back row in Main Phase 2.
Kotton activated Fire King Island and then activated Original Sinful Spoils – Snake-Eye by sending the Island to the Graveyard. He lost out on its effect to Malik’s Ash Blossom & Joyous Spring. Kotton conceded, unable to take down the Chundra and knowing that he wouldn’t last another turn.
Hamzah Malik takes a quick 2-0 victory over Jesse Kotton with his Tenpai Dragon Deck and advances with a 4-0 record!
