Matthew Bauer from Portland, Oregon and Peter Brown from Orlando, Florida both finished yesterday’s Advanced Swiss Rounds with a 7-2 record. Now, they’re facing off in this Round 10 Feature Match! Both Duelists are using strategies built around Light and Darkness Ritual, but Bauer combined his with Mitsurugi cards, while Brown is supplementing his strategy with the new Ars Magna cards from Beyond the Brave. Both of these Duelists have made the Top Cut of a YCS in the past, and now they’re looking to repeat that success. It’s time to Duel!

Duel One

Bauer opened up Duel 1 with Diabellstar the Black Witch, Skull Archfiend of Chaos, Griffoh, Ragged Records of Rites, and The Hallowed Azamina.

In the Draw Phase, he activated the effect of Griffoh to Set Mind Shuffle from his Deck. He immediately flipped it face-up and activated its effect to add Black Chaos from his Deck to his hand and discard his Skull Archfiend. He sent Light and Darkness Ritual from his Deck to his Graveyard to activate its effect and added Magician of Dark Chaos – Black Chaos from his Deck to his hand. He entered Main Phase 1 and used the effect of the Light and Darkness Ritual in his Graveyard to return it to his hand along with Griffoh. He sent Griffoh to the Graveyard to Special Summon Diabellstar from his hand and then used Diabellstar’s effect to Set Deception of Sinful Spoils from his Deck, prompting Brown to activate the effect of Mulcharmy Fuwalos from his hand. He flipped up the Deception and then activated Light and Darkness Ritual. He banished Griffoh from his Graveyard to Special Summon Magician of Dark Chaos – Black Chaos and used its effect to return Light and Darkness Ritual from his Graveyard to his hand. He banished his Magician of Dark Chaos to Special Summon Dark Magician of Destruction, allowing Brown to draw a card from his Deck with Fuwalos’s effect. Bauer used the effect of Dark Magician of Destruction to add Magicians’ Souls from his Deck to his hand. He Special Summoned it from his hand by sending Illusion of Chaos from his Deck to his Graveyard and then activated its effect on the field. He sent Light and Darkness Ritual from his hand and Deception of Sinful Spoils from his field to the Graveyard to try to draw 2 cards, but lost out to Ash Blossom & Joyous Spring. Bauer activated Ragged Records of Rites next. He revealed Mitsurugi Ritual from his Deck to add Ame no Habakiri no Mitsurugi from his Deck to his hand. He activated its effect by revealing it and Special Summoned Mitsurugi no Mikoto, Saji from his Deck and Tributed it. Brown drew a card and Bauer used Saji’s effect to add Mitsurugi Ritual from his Deck to his hand. He activated the Mitsurugi Ritual and Special Summoned Habakiri from his hand by Tributing Ame no Murakumo no Mitsurugi from his Deck. He used Murakumo’s effect to add Mitsurugi Mirror from his Deck to his hand. Next, he activated the Mirror and Tributed Habakiri to Special Summon Murakumo from his Graveyard. He used the effect of Habakiri to Special Summon the Habakiri back from the Graveyard and add Mitsurugi Prayers from his Deck to his hand. Bauer sent Habakiri and Souls to the Graveyard to Link Summon Cross-Sheep, allowing Brown to draw another card. Next, Bauer Special Summoned Skull Archfiend of Chaos from his Graveyard by returning his banished Griffoh and Magician of Dark Chaos to the Deck along with the Fuwalos in Brown’s Graveyard. After the Skull Archfiend was Summoned to the field, Brown activated the effect of Nibiru, the Primal Being! Bauer Chained the effect of Mind Shuffle by returning Diabellstar to the field. He Special Summoned Black Chaos from his hand, which was unaffected by card effects, and then Nibiru Tributed all other monsters on the field and Special Summoned itself! Bauer received a Primal Being Token in Defense Position with 9200 ATK and 4600 DEF. Bauer used the effect of the Mitsurugi Mirror in his Graveyard to shuffle it back into his Deck and then Set Mitsurugi Prayers to his Spell & Trap Card Zone before moving into his End Phase. In the End Phase, he Set Deception from his Graveyard face-down to his field.

Brown activated Dark Magical Curtain in the Draw Phase and Bauer Chained Mitsurugi Prayers to Special Summon Murakumo from his Graveyard and take 800 points of damage. Brown Special Summoned Dark Magician from his Deck with the Curtain’s effect and Bauer Special Summoned Diabellstar the Black Witch from his Deck with its effect. Bauer used his Murakumo’s effect to destroy the Dark Magician and Nibiru on Brown’s field. While still in the Draw Phase, Brown activated The Gaze of Timaeus. Bauer activated Murakumo’s effect to try to negate it, but Brown discarded Infinite Impermanence to resolve the effect of The Gaze of Timaeus and Special Summon Red-Eyes Dark Dragoon. He entered his Main Phase and then activated the effect of his Dragoon to destroy the Primal Being Token. Brown activated the effect of Black Chaos in his hand to place Mind Shuffle face-up on his field. Bauer activated the effect of his face-up Mind Shuffle, and Brown Chained Ghost Ogre & Snow Rabbit’s effect to destroy it. Brown activated his Mind Shuffle’s effect to add Skull Archfiend from his Deck to his hand and discard it. He activated its effect in the Graveyard by sending Light and Darkness Ritual from his Deck to his Graveyard and added Magician of Dark Chaos – Black Chaos from his Deck to his hand. He used the effect of Light and Darkness Ritual to return it to his hand along with a Black Chaos from the Graveyard. He activated Light and Darkness Ritual and banished Nibiru from his Graveyard to Special Summon Magician of Dark Chaos. Next, he used his Magician’s effect to return Dark Magical Curtain from his Graveyard to his hand. He used its other effect to banish Diabellstar face-down. He then banished his Magician to Summon Dark Magician of Destruction and used its effect to add Magicians’ Souls from his Deck to his hand. He Special Summoned it by sending Black Chaos from his Deck to his Graveyard and then sent Souls and Dark Magician of Destruction to the Graveyard to Link Summon Purification Power Patron. He activated the effect of Theorealized Medius to Special Summon it from his hand and then used its effect to add Theorealize from his Deck to his hand. He activated Theorealize by sending Medius the Pure from his Deck to his Graveyard and then Special Summoned Medius the Pure from his Graveyard by returning Black Chaos from his hand to his Deck. Next, he used Medius’s effect to Special Summon Nervedo the Shadebeast Power Patron from his Deck. He sent Medius the Pure and Purification Power Patron to his Graveyard to Link Summon Mediclius the Extraordinary Power Patron linked to two monsters. Medius the Pure was banished by its own effect. Brown used Theorealized Medius’s effect to add Ars Magna the Finite and the Infinite from his Deck to his hand. Bauer finally conceded, realizing he would be defeated during Brown’s turn.

Peter Brown takes the first victory of the Match with his Deck built around Light and Darkness Ritual and the Ars Magna monsters!

Duel Two

Bauer opened up Duel 2 with Ghost Ogre & Snow Rabbit, WANTED: Seeker of Sinful Spoils, Black Chaos, Habakiri, and Mitsurugi Great Purification. He activated WANTED in his Draw Phase and Brown Chained Ash Blossom & Joyous Spring’s effect to negate it. Bauer entered Main Phase 1 and discarded Black Chaos to place Mind Shuffle from his Deck face-up on his field. Next, he activated the effect of the Habakiri in his hand and Chained the effect of Mind Shuffle. He added Skull Archfiend of Chaos from his Deck to his hand and discarded it, then Special Summoned Saji and Tributed it. He activated the effects of Skull Archfiend and Saji as Chain Links 1 and 2 respectively. He sent Light and Darkness Ritual from his Deck to his Graveyard and added Magician of Dark Chaos – Black Chaos and Mitsurugi Ritual from his Deck to his hand. Next, he activated the effect of the Light and Darkness Ritual in his Graveyard to return it to his hand along with Black Chaos. He activated Mitsurugi Ritual and Special Summoned Habakiri from his hand by Tributing Mitsurugi no Mikoto, Aramasa and Mitsurugi no Mikoto, Kusanagi from his Deck.  He activated the effects of Kusanagi and Aramasa to return Mitsurugi Ritual to his hand and add Futsu no Mitama no Mitsurugi from his Deck to his hand. He activated Mitsurugi Ritual again, this time Tributing Habakiri from his field to Special Summon Murakumo from his Deck. He used Habakiri’s effect to Special Summon it back to his field and add Mitsurugi Prayers from his Deck to his hand. He activated Light and Darkness Ritual next, Tributing Murakumo to Special Summon Magician of Dark Chaos from his hand. He activated the effects of his Magician and Murakumo. He added Prayers from his Deck to his hand and Special Summoned Murakumo and he added Light and Darkness Ritual from his Graveyard to his hand with Magician of Dark Chaos’s effect. He banished his Magician from the field to Summon Dark Magician of Destruction and used its effect to add Dark Magical Curtain from his Deck to his hand. He activated it to add The Gaze of Timaeus from his Deck to his hand and Special Summon Dark Magician. He sent Dark Magician and Dark Magician of Destruction to his Graveyard to Link Summon Cross-Sheep and then activated The Gaze of Timaeus targeting the Dark Magician in his Graveyard. Brown Chained the effect of the Nibiru, the Primal Being in his hand. All monsters on the field were Tributed, and Brown Summoned a Primal Being Token with 6300 ATK and 2600 DEF. Next, Brown Special Summoned his Red-Eyes Dark Dragoon. Bauer used the effect of the Skull Archfiend in his Graveyard to Special Summon it by returning Cross-Sheep, Magician of Dark Chaos, and Brown’s Ash Blossom to the Deck, then Link Summoned Cross-Sheep. Bauer used Prayers to Special Summon Murakumo linked to Cross-Sheep next, and used the effects of Cross-Sheep and Murakumo. He destroyed Nibiru with the effect of Murakumo and then drew 2 cards and discarded 2 cards before Special Summoning Ghost Ogre from his Graveyard. He Set 3 cards to his back row before ending his turn.

Brown drew a card and activated Dark Magical Curtain in the Draw Phase. Bauer Chained Murakumo’s effect and Brown discarded Magician of Dark Chaos – Black Chaos from his hand to resolve the Curtain’s effect. He Special Summoned Dark Magician and added The Gaze of Timaeus to his hand, and Bauer Special Summoned Diabellstar. Next, Brown Special Summoned Magicians’ Souls from his hand by sending Ars Magna the Division and the Union from his Deck to his Graveyard. Bauer activated Prayers by Tributing Murakumo and then Special Summoned Murakumo back with its effect, using its on-field effect to destroy all of Brown’s monsters. Next, Brown activated The Gaze of Timaeus, but Bauer negated its activation with the effect of Dragoon. Finally, Brown activated the effect of the last card in his hand – Griffoh – and Bauer activated the effect of Great Purification to negate it. With no cards left in his hand or on his field, Brown conceded.

The Match is going to a third and final Duel!

Duel Three

Brown started off Duel 3 and activated Dark Magical Curtain in the Draw Phase.

Bauer Chained the effect of Fuwalos, which was negated by Ash Blossom, and then Chained the effect of Mulcharmy Purulia. Brown Special Summoned Dark Magician and added The Gaze of Timaeus from his Deck to his hand and Bauer Special Summoned Diabellstar with the Curtain’s effect. Brown banished his Dark Magician to Special Summon Dark Magician of Destruction and used its effect to add Magicians’ Souls from his Deck to his hand. He Normal Summoned Medius the Pure, allowing Bauer to draw a card from Purulia’s effect. Brown used Medius’s effect to Special Summon Nervedo the Shadebeast Power Patron from his Deck and then sent Medius and Nervedo to the Graveyard to Link Summon Haggard Lizardose. He used Nervedo’s effect to Special Summon Theorealized Medius from his Deck. He activated Ars Magna “Citrinitas” and then used its effect to add Ars Magna the Finite and the Infinite from his Deck to his hand. He activated its effect by banishing it from his hand and added the Division and the Union to his hand. He then used Theorealized Medius’s effect to add Ars Magna the Corruption and the Purification from his Deck to his hand. He banished the Corruption and the Purification from his hand to add another Ars Magna “Citrinitas” from his Deck to his hand. He banished the Division and the Union from his hand to Special Summon the Finite and the Infinite from banishment. He Special Summoned Souls from his hand by sending Black Chaos from his Deck to his Graveyard, allowing Bauer to draw a card. Next, he Link Summoned Zenna’s Deceiving Doll Maidens. He activated a bunch of effects, sending Skull Archfiend from his Deck to his Graveyard and Special Summoning the Corruption and the Purification and the Division and the Union. Bauer Special Summoned Kuriboh – Multiply! From his hand. Brown used Skull Archfiend’s effect by sending Light and Darkness Ritual from his Deck to his Graveyard and added Magician of Dark Chaos to his hand. He activated the effect of the Division and the Unity to draw a card and Bauer Chained the effect of Kuriboh – Multiply! to add Griffoh to his hand. Bauer activated Griffoh’s effect and Brown Chained the effect of The Gaze of Timaeus targeting Dark Magician of Destruction. He Special Summoned Dragoon and Bauer Set Mind Shuffle. Bauer flipped Mind Shuffle. Brown used the effect of the Light and Darkness Ritual in his Graveyard to return it to his hand along with Black Chaos. He then activated Black Chaos’s effect to place Mind Shuffle face-up on his field. He activated Light and Darkness Ritual to Ritual Summon Magician of Dark Chaos, allowing Bauer to draw a card, and Brown returned Dark Magical Curtain from his Graveyard to his hand with the Magician’s effect. Brown activated his Magician’s effect to try to banish Diabellstar. Bauer Chained Mind Shuffle by returning Diabellstar to his hand, and Brown Chained Dragoon’s effect to destroy the Mind Shuffle. Next, Brown Link Summoned S:P Little Knight. He banished Kuriboh – Multiply!, and after a flurry of plays, Link Summoned Mediclius the Extraordinary Power Patron with 3 monsters linked to it. He used Griffoh’s effect to Set Spell Shattering Sword before ending his turn.

Bauer activated Mitsurugi Prayers to add Habakiri from his Deck to his hand and then activated Mitsurugi Ritual to try to Summon from his Deck, but lost out to Dragoon’s effect. Next he revealed Habakiri from his hand to activated its effect. He Special Summoned Saji from his Deck and Tributed it. He used Saji’s effect to Mitsurugi Mirror from his Deck to his hand, prompting Brown to activate the effect of Droll & Lock Bird! Brown Chained the effect of his Mind Shuffle, and Bauer Chained Dominus Spark to banish Magician of Dark Chaos. Brown added Black Chaos from his Deck to his hand and discarded it with Mind Shuffle’s effect. Next, Bauer discarded Black Chaos to place Mind Shuffle on his field. He Special Summoned Diabellstar next by sending Habakiri from his hand to his Graveyard and Set WANTED from his Deck to his field with Diabellstar’s effect. He activated Deception of the Sinful Spoils and then attacked the Finite and the Infinite with Diabellstar. Brown used the effect of the Finite and the Infinite to try to banish Diabellstar. Bauer Chained Mind Shuffle to return Diabellstar to his hand and try to Special Summon a monster from his hand, but Brown Chained the effect of the Corruption and the Purification to banish Mind Shuffle. Completely outmatched by Brown’s cards, Bauer finally conceded.

Peter Brown advances with an 8-2 record in the Advanced Main Event at YCS Houston!