We’ve reached the Top Cut here at the 300th YCS in Richmond, Virginia! In this Top 8 Feature Match, we have two Duelists that are no stranger to the Top Cut. On one hand, we have Kamal Crooks Valdez, playing the Tri-Brigade Radiant Typhoon Deck, looking for his 7th YCS win. On the other hand, we have David Gabriel Mendoza, hoping for his 2nd YCS win with the Lunalight Deck! However, only one of these Duelists will make it on to the top 4; let’s find out who it will be! It’s time to Duel!

Duel 1

Crooks opened with Ash Blossom & Joyous Spring, Cupsy☆Yummy, Radiant Typhoon Ascendance, Radiant Typhoon Swen, and Radiant Typhoon Chant. 

Mendoza won the die roll and chose to go first! He started by activating Lunalight Masquerade and sending Lunalight Silver Hound to the Graveyard, but when he activated its effect, Crooks responded with the effect of Ash Blossom & Joyous Spring! Mendoza then Special Summoned Lunalight Yellow Marten by returning Masquerade to hand. He Normal Summoned Mulcharmy Purulia, then used Purulia and Yellow Martin to Xyz Summon Number 41: Bagooska the Terribly Tired Tapir. He then ended his turn.

Crooks drew another Ash Blossom & Joyous Spring for turn! He began by activating Radiant Typhoon Chant, searching for Radiant Typhoon Eldam. He Special Summoned Eldam and Swen from hand, then used the two to Link Summon Radiant Typhoon Varuroon, the Marine Eidolon and search for Mystical Space Typhoon. Next, he activated Radiant Typhoon Ascendance and searched for another copy of Mystical Space Typhoon. This allowed him to activate the effect of Varuroon and place Radiant Typhoon Mandate to his Spell/Trap Zone! He then used Varuroon’s other effect, placing Varuroon and Mendoza’s Bagooska to the Spell/Trap Zone. 

Next, Crooks Normal Summoned Cupsy☆Yummy and searched for Yummy☆Surprise. He used Cupsy to Link Summon Yummy☆Snatchy and place Yummyusment☆Mignon to the field. He activated Mignon’s effect to Special Summon back Cupsy, then used Cupsy and Snatchy to Synchro Summon Cupsy☆Yummy Way. He searched for Marshmao☆Yummy and Lollipo☆Yummy, then discarded Marshmao. He then activated Surprise, Special Summoning back Marshmao and adding Surprise back to his hand, then Special Summoned Lollipo☆Yummy and shuffled Mendoza’s Yellow Marten back to the Deck. Mendoza knew that he could not stop Crooks from flooding the field with Yummy monsters, and conceded the first Duel.

Duel 2

Crooks opened with Yummy☆Surprise, Cupsy☆Yummy, Lollipo☆Yummy, Marshmao☆Yummy, and Ghost Belle & Haunted Mansion. 

Mendoza began by Normal Summoning Lunalight Gold Leo, searching for Lunalight Black Sheep and discarding Lunalight Silver Hound. He then Special Summoned Lunalight Kaleidochick from the Deck. Next, he discarded Black Sheep, searching for Polymerization, then used the effect of Gold Leo to add Black Sheep back to hand. He activated Kaleidochick’s effect, sending Lunalight Tiger to the Graveyard, and activated Polymerization, using Black Sheep and Kaleidochick to Fusion Summon Lunalight Perfume Dancer! He added Polymerization and Lunalight Tiger back to hand and searched for a copy of Luna Light Perfume. Next, he activated Perfume, Special Summoning back Kaleidochick, and activated Kaleidochick’s effect to send Lunalight Leo Dancer to the Graveyard. He activated Lunalight Tiger in the Pendulum Zone, and activated its effect to Special Summon Lunalight Gold Leo from the Graveyard. He used Perfume Dancer’s effect to add Tiger back to hand, then activated Polymerization, using all 4 monsters on his side of the field to Fusion Summon Lunalight Liger Dancer! 

Mendoza activated Tiger once again, Special Summoning back Kaleidochick, then banished Perfume from his Graveyard and discarded Ghost Belle & Haunted Mansion to search for Lunalight Wolf. He activated Kaleidochick’s effect once again to send Lunalight Yellow Marten from his Deck to the Graveyard, then placed Lunalight Wolf in the Pendulum Zone. He Pendulum Summoned Gold Leo from hand, then used Gold Leo and Kaleidochick to Xyz Summon Brotherhood of the FIre Fist – Tiger King. He Set Fire Formation – Tenki to his backrow, then activated it to search for Lunalight Emerald Bird. Mendoza then used Yellow Marten’s effect to return Tiger back to hand, then used Tiger King and Yellow Marten to Link Summon I:P Masquerena. He activated Tiger once more time, Special Summoning back Lunalight Kaleidochick, and activated its effect, sending another Lunalight Gold Leo to the Graveyard. Mendoza activated the effect of Wolf, attempting to Special Summon another Liger Dancer by banishing the Fusion materials from his Graveyard, but Crooks Chained the effect of Ghost Belle & Haunted Mansion, so Mendoza ended his turn. 

Crooks drew Radiant Typhoon Chant for turn! He started by Special Summoning Marshmao☆Yummy from hand, then used it to Link Summon Yummy☆Snatchy and place Yummyusment☆Mignon to his side of the field. He then used the effect of Mignon, Special Summoning back Marshmao from the Graveyard. Next, he Special Summoned Lollipo☆Yummy rom hand, returning Mendoza’s Lunalight Silver Hound from the Graveyard back to the Deck. He used Lollipo to Link Summon Linkuriboh, then used Linkuriboh and Marshmao to Link Summon S:P Little Knight and banish Mendoza’s Lunalight Wolf! Crooks then Normal Summoned Cupsy☆Yummy and searched for Cooky☆Yummy. He used Cupsy to Link Summon Salamangreat Almiraj, then entered the Battle Phase. He attacked Mendoza’s I:P with his S:P and Mendoza’s Kaleidochick with his Snatchy, then proceeded to Main Phase 2. He Special Summoned Cooky, then used it and Snatchy to Synchro Summon Lollipo☆Yummy Way! He Special Summoned Cupsy☆Yummy and Cooky☆Yummy from the Graveyard, then used Cupsy and Cooky to Link Summon Tri-Brigade Arms Mouser. However, when he activated its effect, Mendoza Chained the effect of Ash Blossom & Joyous Spring, negating Mouser’s effect! He used Mouser and Lollipo☆Yummy Way to Link Summon Spright Sprind and send Tri-Brigade Kitt to the Graveyard, then activated its effect to send Tri-Brigade Springans Kitt to the Graveyard and Special Summon back Tri-Brigade Kitt. 

Here, Mendoza activated the effect of Lunalight Liger Dancer, and Crooks Chained the effect of S:P, banishing itself and Sprind until the end of the turn, as well as the effect of Almiraj, preventing Tri-Brigade Kitt from being destroyed. Crooks activated the effect of Kitt, banishing 4 monsters from his Graveyard, but Mendoza Chained Dominus Impulse, negating Kitt’s effect! Crooks followed up by activating Yummy☆Surprise and Special Summoning back Marshmao, then adding Surprise back to hand. He used Marshmao and Kitt to Link Summon Tri-Brigade Ferrijit the Barren Blossom. He next activated Radiant Typhoon Chant, searching for Radiant Typhoon Eldam, then used Ferrijit’s effect to Special Summon Eldam from hand. He activated Eldam’s effect to search for Radiant Typhoon Krosea, then activated Surprise once again, this time to return Yummyusment☆Mignon to his hand. This allowed him to Special Summon Krosea and search for Mystical Space Typhoon and Radiant Typhoon Vision. He activated Mystical Space Typhoon, destroying Mendoza’s Tenki, then activated Vision to search for another copy of Mystical Space Typhoon. Finally, he Set a card to his backrow and proceeded to the End Phase, and S:P and Sprind returned to his side of the field.

Mendoza began his turn by Normal Summoning Lunalight Emerald Bird and activating its effect; Crooks Chained the effect of S:P, banishing Eldam and Emerald Bird as Mendoza discarded Silver Hound to draw a card. He then activated the effect of the discarded Silver Hound, Special Summoning Lunalight Gold Leo from the Deck and searching for then discarding Kaleidochick. He used Gold Leo to add Kaleidochick back to hand, then banished Lunalight Sabre Dancer from his Graveyard to increase the ATK of Liger Dancer by 3000! Crooks saw that he would be able to end the game shortly, and conceded.

Duel 3

Crooks opened with Mystical Space Typhoon, Ash Blossom & Joyous Spring, Radiant Typhoon Mandate, Tri-Brigade Kitt, and Tri-Brigade Oath. He started by Normal Summoning Tri-Brigade Kitt and using it to Link Summon Salamangreat Almiraj. This allowed him to activate Kitt’s effect, sending Tri-Brigade Springans Kitt to the Graveyard, but when he activated Springans Kitt’s effect, Mendoza Chained Dominus Impulse! Crooks Set 3 cards to his backrow, then ended his turn. 

Mendoza began his turn by activating Fire Formation – Tenki, but Crooks Chained Mystical Space Typhoon, destroying Tenki before it could resolve! Mendoza then Normal Summoned Lunalight Yellow Marten and entered the Battle Phase; however, in response to the attack, Crooks activated Tri-Brigade Oath to Special Summon Tri-Brigade Springans Kitt from his Graveyard. When Mendoza attacked Almiraj, Crooks activated the effect of Almiraj, Tributing it to prevent his Kitt from being destroyed for the rest of the turn. Mendoza then ended his turn. 

Crooks drew Tri-Brigade Nervall for turn! He used Springans Kitt to Link Summon Yummy☆Snatchy, then placed Yummyusment☆Mignon to his Field Spell Zone and Special Summoned Tri-Brigade Kitt from the Graveyard. He activated Kitt’s effect, banishing Springans Kitt to Special Summon Scareclaw Light Heart from his Extra Deck, then used Light Heart and Kitt to Link Summon Tri-Brigade Ferrijit the Barren Blossom. He activated Ferrijit’s effect, Special Summoning Tri-Brigade Nervall from hand, then used Nervall’s effect to Special Summon Ancient Warriors Oath – Double Dragon Lords. Next, he used Snatchy and Nervall to Synchro Summon Cupsy☆Yummy Way, searching for Marshmao☆Yummy and Cupsy☆Yummy then discarding Marshmao. He Special Summoned Cupsy and searched for Yummy☆Surprise, then activated Surprise to Special Summon Marshmao and add Surprise back to hand. He used Cupsy☆Yummy to Link Summon Linkuriboh, used Linkuriboh and Marshmao to Synchro Summon Lollipo☆Yummy Way, Special Summoned back Marshmao and Cupsy, then proceeded to the Battle Phase. Mendoza couldn’t prevent Crooks from attacking with all of his monsters for massive damage, and so he conceded. 

With the victory, Crooks move onto the Top 4!