James Wilcox and two of his friends all have 2-0 records here today, all playing one of the breakthrough Decks of the tournament: Wonder Wand Gravekeepers. This new spin on the tried and tested theme plays a lot like its predecessor, but now packs draw power and enough muscle to power over Stardust Dragon, all thanks to the Equip Spell Wonder Wand!

But Wilcox will have his work cut out for him! His opponent is Jamil Pirani, who’s here this weekend playing Frog Monarchs: the Deck Wilcox describes as his worst matchup. With Caius the Shadow Monarch to banish his key cards, and Light and Darkness Dragon to lock down his best effects, Wilcox may find himself the victim of a quick and methodical defeat. Read more…

Matthew Nunn is playing what may become the next great Six Samurai Deck.  Armed with Shien’s Dojo and Asceticism of the Six Samurai in threes, Nunn’s build can Synchro Summon Legendary Six Samurai – Shi En or Naturia Beast with shocking consistency on turn 1.  But Nunn’s opponent won’t make victory easy: Ryan Spicer is a Duelist who’s racked up countless Top 16 and Top 32 appearances over the years.  He happens to be piloting the 1 Deck Nunn’s stated he doesn’t want to face: Monarchs.  Both competitors are 7-1, so a win here is integral to making the playoffs.  The victor will be a near-lock, while the other Duelist will need a win in the last round and some tiebreaker help to make the cut.
Read more…

Oliver Tomajko won the Dragon Duel at YCS Dallas by defeating the legendary Dragon Duelist, Jack Hoyt, in the finals. Now, 10-year-old Oliver is back, and he’s running Machina Gadgets in the Main Event of a YCS! He’s currently 1-0, and facing off against Dylan Lee’s Frog Monarch Deck in Round 2. Read more…

The last time we saw Alexander Thomas, he made it to the Top 32 of YCS Anaheim with an innovative build of Six Samurai, featuring Dimensional Fissure and Legendary Six Samurai – Enishi.  Now he’s back, taking aim at another Day 2: this time he’s playing a T.G. Deck!

Read more…

With most competitors expecting today’s tournament to be slower, more stable, and less centered around One-Turn KO’s than previous Championship events this Summer, many Duelists are taking an interest in Monarch Decks.

Read more…