Toronto’s own Ryan Yu is a Dragon Duel World Champion, and a Master Duel World Champion – one of only two competitors in Dueling history to ever win two World titles! That said, his best performance at a YCS was his Runner-Up finish last year at TEAM YCS Las Vegas. YCS title gold has eluded Yu so far, but that might change this weekend – he’s 7-1 heading into this round, and a win here may make him a lock for the Top 32. Oh, and if you missed it in his Feature Match yesterday? He’s playing Sky Strikers.

Yu’s opponent this round is Peter Stamos, a karate instructor who traveled here this weekend from North-East Ohio to play Runick White Forest. This is Stamos’ first-ever YCS event, and now he’s Dueling some of the greatest players in the game today, just two rounds away from the Top 32! Just like Yu, Stamos has a 7-1 record, so this win meant everything to both of these Duelists.

Stamos chose to go first, opening with Runick Tip to search his Deck for Runick Fountain and make Yu banish  Cosmic Cyclone off the top of his Deck. He Summoned Silvy of the White Forest and searched Woes of the White Forest, then activated Fountain and Set 2 cards to his backrow to finish his first turn.

Yu had a hand of Forbidden Droplet, Pot of Desires, Sky Striker Mobilize – Linkage!, Sky Striker Ace – Raye, Sky Striker Mobilize – Engage! and Raigeki. He led with Pot of Desires, banished 10 cards off the top of his Deck and ate an Ash Blossom & Joyous Spring from Stamos for his troubles. Yu activated Raigeki, Stamos Chained Woes of the White Forest, and Special Summoned Elzette of the White Forestto Synchro Summon Rciela, Sinister Soul of the White Forest, which survived the Raigeki. Stamos activated Rciela’s effect in a new Chain sending his Set Woes as cost, getting Elzette back to his hand and searching Rucia of the White Forest. He Set Woes again from his Graveyard.

Free to play again, Yu Normal Summoned Sky Striker Ace – Raye, Link Summoned Sky Striker Ace – Hayate, and made a direct attack with Hayate through Stamos’ Synchro Monster. He sent Linkage from his Deck to his Graveyard, and in Main Phase 2 activated Engage! to search Sky Striker Mecha Modules – Multirole and draw Sky Striker Mecha – Hornet Drones. He activated Drones to Special Summon a Sky Striker Ace Token, Link Summoned Sky Striker Ace – Kagari, got back Sky Striker Mobilize – Engage!and then Linked both Sky Strikers for S:P Little Knight, banishing Stamos’ Runick Fountain.

Yu activated Multirole, played Engage! to get Sky Striker Mecha – Widow Anchor, and drew Upstart Goblin. He played Upstart to give Stamos 1000 LP and drew another one. He played it as well, this time drawing Pot of Desires. Yu Set the Pot, sent it to the GY with Multirole to secure his Spell Cards for the rest of the turn, and took control of Stamos’ Rciela with Widow Anchor. He Linked it off for Sky Striker Ace – Azalea, using her effect to destroy Stamos’ Set Woes. He Link Summoned Sky Striker Ace – Shizuku next, Set Linkage and Droplet, and moved to the End Phase. Shizuku got him Sky Striker Mecha – Shark Cannon, Yu used it to banish Silvy from Stamos’ Graveyard, then used Multirole to Set a card from his Graveyard: Engage!

Play was back to Stamos. He activated the effect of Elzette to search a card from his deck and pitched Runick Flashing Fire as cost, getting another Silvy of the White Forest. Stamos Normal Summoned her, Tuned her to Elzette to Synchro Summon Tri-Edge Master and activated its effect to draw. Yu considered his response for a moment, then flipped Droplet to send his Shizuku to the Graveyard targeting Tri-Edge. Yu then Chained Linkage! sending Droplet to the Graveyard! He Summoned Kagari, used her effect to get back Widow Anchor and let Stamos continue.

Stamos activated Silvy’s effect from the Graveyard targeting Rciela, returning his Synchro to the Extra Deck and Special Summoning Silvy. He tuned Silvy to his Synchro to Synchro Summon Chaos Angel! “Chaos Angel effect, targeting… Multirole to banish it.” The Chaos Angel would be unaffected by monster effects. Pass.

Yu Drew Sky Striker Ace – Raye. He activated his Set Engage! to get Sky Striker Ace – Roze, drew Reinforcement of the Army, and activated Widow Anchor to take Stamos’ Chaos Angel! He Normal Summoned Raye and Special Summoned Roze. He went to is Battle Phase, swung with everything, and with Kagari at a whopping 2600 ATK it was enough to bring Stamos down from 8500 LP to nothing!

Ryan Yu overcomes some flashy early game moves from Peter Stamos to take the win with surgical precision! An aggressive grind game powers the Master Duel World Champion one step closer to the Top 32 here this morning. One win like that and Yu’d be a shoo-in for the Top Cut.

Stamos opened Duel 2 with a fist bump and a Runick Tip… straight into Yu’s  Ash Blossom & Joyous Spring. He pressed on Summoning Rucia of the White Forest , then used her effect to pitch Triple Tactics Talent… And Yu blasted it with Infinite Impermanence. Stamos had just two cards left in hand. He checked his Graveyard a moment, looked through his Extra Deck, and activated Runick Slumber to Special Summon Hugin the Runick Wings. He used her effect to discard his own Ash Blossom, searched RunickFountain, and Synchro Summoned Tri-Edge Master, drawing a card with its effect. He activate the Fountain and ended.

Yu had a hand Triple Tactics Thrust, Upstart Goblin, and two copies of Sky Striker Ace – Raye. He activated Upstart to draw another Thrust, then Normal Summoned Raye to Link Summon Sky Striker Ace – Hayate, again. Yu struck with Hayate for a direct attack, and Yu debated how to use her effect, looking through his Main and Extra Deck before committing: he sent Sky Striker Mecha – Hornet Drones to his Graveyard.

He Link Summoned Sky Striker Ace – Kagari, took back Hornet Drones, Link Summoned Sky Striker Ace – Kaina, and marked Tri-Edge with her effect so it couldn’t attack.  He activated Drones, Special Summoned his Token, Link Summoned Sky Striker Ace – Shizuku, and Linked away both Sky Striker Aces for S:P Little Knight and banished Runick Fountain! “Pass.” Yu had three cards in hand with no backrow.

Play was to Stamos. He drew to two cards in hand, checked his Graveyard, and Normal Summoned Rucia to Synchro Summon Chaos Angel, targeting Little Knight to banish it. He Set one card to his backrow, skipped his Battle Phase and ended.

Yu drew Raye and Normal Summoned her, Link Summoning Hayate for another direct attack: “Effect to send,” Yu kicked Engage! from his Deck to his Graveyard. He Link Summoned Kagari to target Engage, but lost the effect as Stamos flipped Runick Freezing Curses. Yu Linked into Sky Striker Ace – Shizuku, Set a Triple Tactics Thrust, and used Shizuku in the End Phase to get back Widow Anchor.

Stamos drew and Set a card, out of options.

Yu drew Sky Striker Mobilize – Engage! and used it to search Sky Striker Maneuver – Afterburners! He drew Pot of Desires, then played Afterburners targeting Shizuku to destroy Stamos’ Set Scourge of the White Forest. He took Chaos Angel with Widow Anchor, Normal Summoned Raye, attacked with both monsters, Tributed Raye for Kagari, took back Engage, and it was all over!

Ryan Yu moves on to Round 10 with an 8-1 record, now inches away from the Top 32.