Top 16 Feature Match: Michael Joseph Gold vs. Darmond Dixon
Michael Gold from Louisville, Kentucky has made it to the Top Cut of a YCS once before, securing fourth place at Team YCS Las Vegas in 2023. Now, he’s up against Darmond Dixon from Austin, Texas who just made it into his first YCS Top Cut this weekend! Gold is using a Fiendsmith Maliss strategy this weekend, while Dixon is using a Ryzeal Deck. Maliss and Ryzeal Decks are two of the most popular Decks this weekend, and this Top 16 Feature Match pits the two strategies against one another. One Duelist will be eliminated, and the other will advance to the Top 8. It’s time to Duel!
Duel One
Dixon won the die roll and chose to go first. He Special Summoned Ext Ryzeal from his hand by sending Eclipse Twins from his Extra Deck to his Graveyard and then used the effect of Ext to add Sword Ryzeal to his hand.
He Special Summoned it and then used Sword’s effect to add Ice Ryzeal from his Deck to his hand. Gold activated the effect of Mulcharmy Fuwalos, but Dixon negated it with Ash Blossom & Joyous Spring. Dixon combined Sword and Ext to Xyz Summon Ryzeal Duo Drive and then used its effect. He detached both Xyz Materials from it to add Ryzeal Cross and Ryzeal Plugin from his Deck to his hand and then activated the Cross. He Normal Summoned Ice next and used its effect to Special Summon Ryzeal Node from his Deck. He used Node’s effect and sent Duo Drive to the Graveyard to Special Summon Sword. He used Sword, Node, and Ice as Xyz Materials to Xyz Summon Ryzeal Detonator and used its effect to attach Eclipse Twins from his Graveyard to his Detonator as an Xyz Material. Next, he activated Pot of Desires by banishing the top 10 cards of his Deck face-down and drew 2 cards. He Set 3 cards to his back row and then ended his turn.
Gold drew a Mulcharmy Fuwalos and added it to his hand of Fabled Lurrie, Fiendsmith’s Tract, and 2 copies of Maliss <P> Dormouse. He activated the Tract to add a Fiendsmith Engraver from his Deck to his hand and then discarded Lurrie from his hand. He used Lurrie’s effect to Special Summon it and then sent it to the Graveyard to Link Summon Fiendsmith’s Requiem. He Tributed it to Special Summon Lacrima the Crimson Tears from his Deck and activated its effect. He sent another Engraver from his Deck to his Graveyard. Next, he activated Engraver’s effect in his Graveyard by returning Lurrie to his Deck, and Dixon used the effect of Ryzeal Cross to negate it. Gold promptly conceded.
Darmond Dixon takes a decisive win with his Ryzeal Deck in Duel 1!
Duel Two
Gold opened up Duel 2 with Terraforming, Maliss in Underground, Ash Blossom & Joyous Spring, Fiendsmith in Paradise, and Maliss <P> White Rabbit.
In the Draw Phase, Dixon activated the effect of Mulcharmy Meowls and Gold Chained the effect of Ash Blossom & Joyous Spring to negate it. Gold activated Maliss in Underground and banished Dormouse from his Deck. He paid 300 Life Points to Special Summon it and then Set a card to his back row. He activated the effect of Dormouse, but Dixon Chained the effect of Artifact Lancea in his hand! Next, Gold Normal Summoned White Rabbit from his hand and activated its effect. He Set Maliss <C> GWC-06 from his Deck to his field. He sent White Rabbit and Dormouse to the Graveyard to Link Summon Moon of the Closed Heaven and then sent it to the Graveyard to Link Summon Requiem. He Tributed Requiem to Special Summon Lacrima from his Deck and used Lacrima’s effect to send Engraver from his Deck to his Graveyard. He Special Summoned Engraver back from his Graveyard with its effect and then sent Engraver and Lacrima to the Graveyard to Link Summon I:P Masquerena.
Dixon drew a card and Gold activated the effect of Lacrima in the Draw Phase. Dixon Chained the effect of another Meowls and Gold Chained GWC-06 to Special Summon White Rabbit. Requiem returned to the field, and Dixon drew a card. Gold used White Rabbit’s effect to Set Maliss <C> MTP-07 from his Deck to his field. Next, Dixon Special Summoned Ext Ryzeal from his hand by sending Mereologic Aggregator from his Extra Deck to his Graveyard. He activated the effects of Ext as Chain Link 1 and Aggregator as Chain Link 2, targeting I:P Masquerena. Gold Chained Masquerena’s effect and sent it to the Graveyard along with White Rabbit to Link Summon S:P Little Knight. Ext’s effect resolved to add Sword Ryzeal to Dixon’s hand. In a new Chain, Little Knight banished Ext. Then, Gold used his Requiem’s effect to Tribute it and Special Summon Lacrima from his Deck. He used Lacrima’s effect to send an Engraver from his Deck to his Graveyard. Dixon Normal Summoned Ext and then Special Summoned Sword from his hand. He activated its effect, and Gold Chained his Little Knight’s effect to banish the Little Knight and the Sword. Dixon added Ice Ryzeal to his hand with Sword. Next, Dixon Special Summoned Ice from his hand by sending a Solemn Strike from his hand to his Graveyard. He used Ice and Ext to Xyz Summon Ryzeal Duo Drive and then activated its effect. He detached both Xyz Materials from it to add Node Ryzeal and Ryzeal Plugin from his Deck to his hand. He activated Ryzeal Cross from his hand and then Special Summoned Node. He attacked Lacrima with Node to destroy it, and then attacked directly with Duo Drive, dropping Gold down to 5200 Life Points. In Main Phase 2, Dixon used his Node’s effect. He sent Duo Drive to his Graveyard to Special Summon Ice Ryzeal from his Graveyard. He used Ice and Node to Xyz Summon Ryzeal Detonator and used Detonator’s effect to attach the Aggregator from his Graveyard to it as an Xyz Material. He then used Cross’s effect to return 2 cards in his Graveyard back to his Deck and draw a card. He Set a card to his back row before ending his turn. In the End Phase, Little Knight and Sword returned to the field.
Gold drew Terraforming next turn and Dixon immediately activated the effect of Artifact Lancea from his hand by Tributing it! Gold Normal Summoned White Rabbit and then sent White Rabbit and Little Knight to the Graveyard to Link Summon Maliss <Q> White Binder. He activated its effect to Set a Trap Card from his Deck and Dixon Chained his Detonator’s effect and detached an Xyz Material to destroy White Binder. White Binder went to the Graveyard and then Gold Set Maliss <C> GWC-06 from his Graveyard to his field.
Dixon drew Bonfire! He activated it to add Ice Ryzeal from his Deck to his hand and then Normal Summoned the Ice and activated its effect. He Special Summoned Sword from his Deck and used Sword’s effect to add Ext Ryzeal from his Deck to his hand. He used both Swords as Xyz Materials to Summon Ryzeal Duo Drive and used Duo Drive’s effect to attach a Node Ryzeal from his Graveyard to it as an extra Xyz Material. Gold used the effect of Lacrima’s effect in his Graveyard to return it to his Deck and Special Summon Requiem. He Tributed Requiem to Special Summon another Lacrima from his Deck and used Lacrima’s effect to send an Engraver from his Deck to his Graveyard. Next, he flipped Maliss <C> MTP-07 and Chained Maliss <C> GWC-06. Dixon Chained his Detonator’s effect and detached Aggregator to destroy Lacrima. GWC-06 resolved to Special Summon White Binder and give Gold 2300 Life Points and then MTP-07 resolved to add Dormouse from Gold’s Deck to his hand and banish Duo Drive. In a new Chain, Gold activated White Binder’s effect to try to banish Dormouse and White Rabbit from his Graveyard, and Node Ryzeal from Gold’s Graveyard; but Dixon negated the effect of White Binder with Cross, giving up Detonator’s last Xyz Material. Next, Dixon used his Ryzeal Cross to return 2 cards from his Graveyard to his Deck and draw a card. He flipped Plugin next. He Special Summoned Sword from his Graveyard and attached Ext Ryzeal from his Deck to Detonator as an Xyz Material. He used Sword and Ice to Xyz Summon Ryzeal Duo Drive and then used Duo Drive’s effect to detach both Xyz Materials from it and add Ryzeal Node and Ryzeal Cross from his Deck to his hand. He Special Summoned Node Ryzeal from his hand and then entered his Battle Phase. He attacked White Binder with Duo Drive to destroy it and then attacked directly with Detonator to drop Dixon down to 4300 Life Points. In Main Phase 2, Dixon used Node’s effect to send Duo Drive to the Graveyard and Special Summon Sword. He used Sword and Node to Xyz Summon Number 60: Dugares the Timeless. He detached both Xyz Materials from it to draw 2 cards and discard Ryzeal Cross. He Special Summoned Ice from his hand by sending Dugares to the Graveyard and then Special Summoned Ext from his hand by sending Eclipse Twins from his Extra Deck to the Graveyard. He used the Twins’s effect to Special Summon Duo Drive with Dugares attached as an Xyz Material. Next, he combined Ice and Ext to Xyz Summon Abyss Dweller and then Set a card to his back row before ending his turn.
Gold drew Triple Tactics Thrust and Dixon used the effect of Abyss Dweller in the Draw Phase. Gold used Terraforming to add Maliss in Underground from his deck to his hand and then activated Triple Tactics Thrust to add Gold Sarcophagus from his Deck to his hand. He activated it to banish Maliss <P> Chessy Cat from his Deck and then paid 300 Life Points to try to Special Summon it; but Dixon negated its effect with Cross. Next, Gold Normal Summoned Dormouse and activated its effect, but lost out to Infinite Impermanence. Gold activated Maliss in Underground next, and when Dixon Chained his Detonator’s effect to destroy it, Gold offered the handshake in concession.
Darmond Dixon wins 2-0 and is advancing to the Top 8!
