Toronto’s one of the Dueling world’s biggest and most respected hubs, and every YCS event here in Niagara Falls always serves as a showcase for some of Toronto’s biggest talents. In this Feature Match, we’ll see Torontonians John Wilkin and Bert Balogh go head-to-head, as Wilkin brings his Snake-Eye Fire King deck into battle against Balogh’s Yubel build.

The Fire King deck got a significant boost from Rage of the Abyss with the release of Fire King Courtier Ulcanix and Dominus Impulse, so watch for those cards to make an impact in this Feature. Are Fire Kings back on top? Or will the unstoppable run of Yubel continue? We were about to find out.

Wilkin opened the first Duel with just one Set card.

Balogh had Yubel, Infinite Impermanence, Ash Blossom & Joyous Spring, Nightmare Pain, and two copies of Gruesome Grave Squirmer. He moved to his Main Phase, considered his options for a moment, and shuffled back Squirmer and Yubel back into his deck to Special Summon Phantom of Yubel. He activated Pain, used it effect, destroyed a Grave Squirmer, and searched Samsara D Lotus from his Deck. Balogh Normal Summoned it, Wilkin considered a response, passed, and Balogh used the Lotus’ effect to Special Summon Spirit of Yubel.

That got Balogh a second Nightmare Pain from his Deck, which he Set. “Thinking here…” Balogh riffled his hand for a moment… “Use effect,” he banished Grave Squirmer to revive the Lotus in defense mode, Set Infinite Impermanence and ended.

Wilkin had some work to do. “Standby Phase, Main Phase 1… Cards in hand?”

“One,” answered Balogh.

“Thank you.” Wilkin activated Bonfire and lost out to Balogh’s Ash Blossom & Joyous Spring. “No response.” Wilkin thought a moment, then Set a card to his backrow to end his turn. This was going downhill fast.

Balogh drew another Grave Squirmer and used Nightmare Pain to search his Deck for another Spirit of Yubel. He used Samsara D Lotus’ effect to Special Summon Yubel from his Deck, then activated Gave Squirmer to Special Summon it, popped one of the two Yubels, and Special Summoned Terror Incarnate. He Linked away Yubel and Grave Squirmer for Unchained Soul Lord of Yama, and used its effect t search Unchained Soul of Sharvara. He banished Gruesome Grave Squirmer to Special Summon a second Spirit of Yubel, overlaid to Xyz Symmon Varudras, the Final Bringer of the End Times, then contact fused for a second Phantom of Yubel!

Sharvara’s effect targeted the Phantom of Yubel so Balogh could Special Summon it, and he attacked with everything to knock Wilkin down to 1000 Life Points! In Main Phase 2 Balogh Linked off Sharvara and Yama for Unchained Soul of Rage, and used Sharvara’s effect to Set Abominable Chamber of the Unchained. “I’ll activate the second Nightmare Pain and pass to you.”

Wilkin blew through his Standby Phase and Main Phase, and activated Fire King Sanctuary. Balogh detached to respond with Varudras’ effect, and Wilkin flipped Forbidden Droplet, sending his other Set Droplet to the Graveyard for cost, as well as a Snake-Eyes Flamberge Dragon and Ash Blossom & Joyous Spring from his hand. Wilkin negated all of Balogh’s monsters’ effects, then played Fire King Island.

He destroyed Fire King High Avatar Kirin for the Island’s effect, searched his Deck, and came back with a Fire King Avatar Garunix. He then resolved the effect of Kirin to Summon the Garunix and destroy Balogh’s Infinite Impermanence.  Wilkin searched his Deck for Fire King Courtier Ulcanix to Special Summon Fire King High Avatar Garunix from is Deck, then overlaid both forms of Garunix to Xyz Summon The Zombie Vampire.

Wilkin used The Zombie Vampire’s effect, sending the top four cards of both players’ decks to the Graveyard, and Special Summoned Balogh’s Fabled Lurrie. Wilkin Linked it with the Vampire to Link Summon for Dharc the Dark Charmer, Gloomy, and then used that to Special Summon Balogh’s Samsara D Lotus. He Linked those off next for Promethean Princess, Bestower of Flames!

Wilkin used Promethean Princess’ effect, Special Summoning Snake-Eyes Flamberge Dragon from his Graveyard, and used its effect targeting Soul of Rage, kicking it to the Spell and Trap Card Zone. Wilkin then Link Summoned again, this time bringing out Amphibious Swarmship Amblowhale. He considered his options very carefully, saw no way out, and Nightmare Pain forced him to attack into Phantom of Yubel! The win was Balogh’s!

John Wilkin gets stuck with a slow-moving first turn, Bert Balogh punishes him for it with big Yubel moves plus a crippling Ash Blossom, and it’s all downhill from there! One more win like that for Balogh would see him moving into Round 5, feeling pretty good. Wilkin would need to pull out all the stops to take two wins back-to-back. “That Ash just crushed me there,” remarked Wilkin. “I’ll start,” he announced, moving to the second Duel.

Wilkin opened Game 2 with Heat Wave, and Balogh took a moment to borrow it and read it: neither player would be able to Normal or Special Summon effect monsters until Wilkin’s next Draw Phase. Wilkin followed through with Bonfire to search his deck for Snake-Eye Ash, Set a card to his Spell and Trap Card Zone and ended.

Balogh had Super Polymerization, Fiendsmith Engraver, Opening of the Spirit Gates, Spirit of Yubel, Nightmare Throne, and Gruesome Grave Squirmer. He activated Opening to search Dark Beckoning Beast, Set it, and Set Super Poly to finish.

Play was back to Wilkin. He Summoned Snake-Eye Ash, searched his Deck for Snake-Eyes Poplar, used its ability to search Original Sinful Spoils – Snake-Eye, and Linked Poplar off for Relinquished Anima. He placed Poplar in his back row, then used Ash and Poplar to search and Summon Snake-Eyes Flamberge Dragon. He used Flamberge’s effect to place Snake-Eye Ash in his backrow, then sent it to the Graveyard for Original Sinful Spoils – Snake-Eye to Special Summon Fire King Ponix . The Ponix got Wilkin Fire King Sanctuary: he activated it to go get Fire King Island, used that to trade his Ponix for Garunix, and Summoned it. He sent Kirin from his Deck to the Graveyard and Balogh lost his Super Polymerization.

Wilking continued, Linking away everything but Snake-Eyes Flamberge Dragon for Promethean Princess, Bestower of Flames, and he used Promethean Princess, to bring back some kindling to Link Summon Salamangreat Raging Phoenix, then Worldsea Dragon Zealantis! Wilkin used the effect to banish and return Dark Beckoning Beast in face-up attack. He destroyed it with Promethean Princess: moments later he was attacking with everything backed by a Dominus Impulse and Balogh was scooping up!

John Wilkin unleashes a blazing inferno of FIRE monsters and peels away Bert Balogh’s defenses, making a huge push for game! Both competitors swiftly Side Decked and shuffled.

Balogh opened the third and final Duel with a hand of Yubel – Terror Incarnate, Kashtira Fenrir, Samsara D Lotus, Infinite Impermanence, and Skull Meister. He Special Summoned Fenrir, Normal Summoned Samsara, and used its effect… for nothing, as Wilkin Chained Dominus Impulse. Balogh contact fused with Terror Incarnate to Summon Phantom of Yubel, used Fenrir’s effect, and searched his Deck for another copy to add to his hand.

Nex turn Wilkin played Infinite Impermanence from his hand, targeting Phantom of Yubel. “No response,” replied Balogh. Wilkin Summoned Fire King Courtier Ulcanix, pitched Garunix to get Ponix, Summoned it, and Balogh flipped his own Impermanence to negate Ponix’s effect. Wilkin Chained Forbidden Droplet in response, sending Ponix to the graveyard to negate the effect of Kashtira Fenrir: that preserved Ponxy’s effect. He searched his Deck for Fire King Sanctuary and he activated it to get Fire King Island. Wilkin played it, used it to send Fire King Courtier to the Graveyard, and added Kirin to his hand.

Wilkin’s two resolving effects got him Fire King High Avatar Garunix and Sacred Fire King Garunix to the field, and from there he sent another Kirin to the Graveyard, Special Summoning back Ulcanix to destroy Fenrir. He overlaid the pair of Garunix monsters for The Zombie Vampire!

Wilkin used the Vampire’s effect to flip four cards from each Deck, Special Summoned his Snake-Eye Ash, used its effect to search Snake-Eyes Poplar. Wilkin used that to go get Original Sinful Spoils – Snake-Eye. He Linked Summoned I:P Masquerena, brought out Snake-Eyes Flamberge Dragon, Linked it away along with Masquerena for Promethean Princess, Bestower of Flames, then brought back Snake-Eyes Poplar and Snake-Eye Ash.

Snake-Eyes Flamberge Dragon was revived, he Linked Poplar and Promethean Princess, Link Summoned Salamangreat Raging Phoenix, and Linked that away Phoenix for Worldsea Dragon Zealantis. The Worldsea Dragon’s effect let him banish, bring everything back, and return Balogh’s Phantom of Yubelface-down.

Wilkin now controlled Worldsea Dragon Zealantis, Snake-Eye Ash, Snake-Eyes Flamberge Dragon, and The Zombe Vampire. He tried to destroy the Phantom with Princess but lost out as Balogh activated the effect of Skull Meister. Wilkin pressed on! He Linked Vampire and Ash to Link Summon Dharc the Dark Charmer, Gloomy, Special Summoned Balogh’s Skull Meister, activated Original Sinful Spoils, sent Sanctuary to the Gaveyard, Special Summoned, brought back Ash, and made S:P Little Knight. It was all over moments later, and Balogh was giving the handshake!

Bert Balogh takes an early lead winning the first Duel with Yubel, but John Wilkin battles back to take a scrappy Game 2 and 3, saving the win here in Round 4!