No two Yu-Gi-Oh! Championship Series tournaments are alike: formats are different, trends change at the drop of a dime, and in many cases, the Dueling landscape of the hosting city itself shapes the tournament.  Here in Toronto we are in Kalin Kessler country: Infernities may be more popular here in Toronto than anywhere else, thanks to big Championship wins in the hands of Torontonian Duelists last year.  While Infernities fell off the competitive map many months ago, the new September 1st Advanced List has opened the gates once again, and Duelists like Jason Larabee are capitalizing on one of the biggest new tournament powerhouses to take the strategy to new heights.
Read more…

It’s early here Saturday, but most Duelists are already anticipating Agents and Plant Synchro variants to be the two most important match-ups of the day. The stage is set for innovation, and Toronto’s own Bobby Barone is rising to the challenge! His strategy? A HERO Beatdown Deck that borrows from the Gemini HERO Decks of old, but that adds a fistful of new twists hinging on the new Spell Card, Mask Change. The surprise all-star of the strategy? None other than Elemental HERO Ice Edge, a pint-sized direct attacker that’s taken on a whole new role as of September 1st. Read more…

Nordics are back, and better than ever! With Debris Dragon now Limited and the Lonefire Blossom engine taking a hit from the new Advanced List, a handful of Duelists are exploring Tanngnjostr of the Nordic Beasts once again, getting easy access to high-Level Synchro Monsters.  When Tanngnjostr is changed from Defense Position to Attack Position, it Special Summons another Nordic Beast from its controller’s Deck, and the prime candidate is the Level 4 Tuner monster, Guldfaxe of the Nordic Beasts.  Tuned to Tanngnjostr, Guldfaxe unleashes Black Rose Dragon to wipe the field, or Ancient Sacred Wyvern to strike for huge damage.
Read more…