The YCS in Sheffield this weekend is the start of something new.  It’s going to be the first-ever Yu-Gi-Oh! Championship Series to use the Battle Pack Sealed format instead of  Advanced Constructed.  Instead of building and honing their Decks before the event, Duelists will create their Decks the morning of the event, from a pool of ten Battle Packs.   Want more details about this unprecedented tournament?  Click here for the official YCS Sheffield page.

Sealed play is really different from Advanced Format constructed, so if you’re going to YCS Sheffield or even just following the coverage, you should take the time to prepare for it.  Learn how sealed events work, learn what the cards do, and play some 30-card sealed yourself to get a feel for how Duels will play out. If the North American and European Ultimate Challenge tournaments are any indicator, the most successful Duelists at Sheffield are going to be those who know the format the best and practiced ahead of time!

Know The Format:

There are lots of different ways to play Battle Pack Sealed or Battle Pack Draft, but YCS Sheffield will be played with 30-card minimum Decks.  That means you’ll open up ten packs’ worth of cards; build your Extra Deck; and then create a Main Deck of 30 cards or more.  If you’ve only played Battle Pack Sealed with 40 card Main Decks, know that 30 card Sealed is more challenging. It’s tougher to trim down your Sealed pool into a 30-card Deck than a 40-card Deck, because you have to make more decisions about what to drop.  Every card counts, so think carefully about your choices.

Research The Cards:

Not everybody has a ton of experience with Battle Pack Sealed yet, and a lot of Duelists are going to show up to Sheffield not knowing what all the cards do.  If you know them inside out, you’ll have a big competitive advantage.  Not only will you make the most of your cards, you’ll also be able to make better reads and figure out your opponents’ plans.

Knowing Battle Pack: Epic Dawn really well is going to help you build the best Deck possible, and let you make better decisions on the table.  It’s also going to make you feel more confident, so you won’t psych yourself out.  If you can’t stay focused and don’t have faith in your own skills, you won’t make game-winning decisions when the pressure’s on.  Remember too that just knowing what the cards are isn’t enough: you need to understand how they work and how to use them.

Does Horn of the Unicorn go back on top of your opponent’s Deck if you negate its activation with Magic Drain? (No.)  Who chooses the effect of Changing Destiny and who does it apply to? (The attacking player chooses to either increase his or her own Life Points or inflict damage to the defending player.) You need to know how things work if you want to make the right plays.

Play Some Sealed:

Researching cards is key, but there’s no replacement for real experience: get out there and play!  If you still haven’t tried Battle Pack Sealed yourself, you’re going to want to put in some time to get familiar with the flow of the format.  If you’ve only played 40-card Sealed, 30-card Sealed is a different beast, so you’ll want to get some experience with this more challenging version.

There are lots of things about Battle Pack competition that aren’t obvious; some of them are tricky to adjust to if you’ve only played Constructed.  Monsters with high DEF are important; removal effects often decide who wins; and games tend to be far longer, since there are fewer Special Summons.  It all adds up to a very different game, and the top finishers at Sheffield aren’t going to be the Duelists who just open the best pile of cards.  Experience will play a huge role.

Learn About Deck Swap:

To ensure fair play, lots of Sealed tournaments use a system called Deck Swap to keep things secure.  Here’s how it works:

-Before Deck building begins, you’ll be given ten Battle Packs and a Deck Swap registration sheet.

-Open the packs when prompted, and then catalogue the cards on the registration sheet.  There’ll be a complete list of every card in Epic Dawn, with little boxes for you to write the number you opened.

-Once the registration sheet is completed, you’ll give both the sheet and the cards to a Judge.

-Soon after, you’ll be given 50 cards another Duelist registered, as well as the matching registration sheet.

-Build your Deck, and indicate which cards you used on the sheet.  The registration sheet doubles as your Deck list.

Why is this system important?  A Deck Swap helps to ensure that each Duelist only uses cards from one Sealed pool, opened at the event.  This system can be a little confusing if you’ve never heard of it before, so get familiar with the idea before you show up to a major Sealed event.  That way you’ll understand what’s going on, and you won’t make any mistakes filling out your registration sheet.

Because YCS Sheffield is so critically important, it’s going to be handled with extra security. Instead of using the Deck swap system, all of the Battle Packs have been opened and pre-registered by an independent third party ahead of time. You can learn more about it and what exactly you’ll see at Sheffield here.

Pack The Essentials:

Just because you aren’t playing with a Deck you built at home doesn’t mean you should show up empty-handed.  You’ll want to take everything you’d normally bring with you to a tournament: pen and paper to keep track of your Life Points; tokens, counters, and dice; and especially sleeves and a deck box to protect the new cards you’ll be playing.  You’re responsible for keeping your Sealed Deck in playable condition, so keep it safe just like you would any other Deck.

YCS Sheffield is going to be an incredible landmark event!  This is a tremendous first in the history of Dueling, so be sure to take all the necessary steps to enjoy it.  Everyone competing at YCS Sheffield will be part of something special; make the most of it, and remember that a little preparation goes a long way.