The latest Forbidden & Limited List update weakened lots of popular Decks, and one of those weakened Decks was Maliss. In the latest update, Maliss <P> White Rabbit went from Semi-Limited to Limited, allowing players to use fewer copies than they could before. As a result, many Duelists counted Maliss out of the metagame. Michael Gold and Matthew Bishop, however, did not. Both of these Duelists are using Bystial @Ignister Maliss strategies, and both of them are currently 6-1 in the Advanced Format Main Event at YCS Columbus. Since Maliss Decks mostly use DARK monsters, Dominus Spark from Blazing Dominion fits naturally into the Deck, and gave Maliss Decks a boost that many Duelists didn’t see coming. Bishop used 3 copies of Dominus Spark in his Deck to help him secure the 6-1 record that he currently holds, and Gold used a pair of Dominus Sparks as well. Now they’re Dueling against one another. Only one of these Duelists will be able to advance with a 7-1 record. It’s time to Duel!

Duel One

Bishop started off Duel 1 by Normal Summoning Maliss <P> Chessy Cat and activating its effect, and Gold activated the effect of Mulcharmy Fuwalos. He banished a Chessy Cat from his hand to draw 2 cards and then paid 300 Life Points to Special Summon his banished Chessy Cat. He activated Maliss in Underground next and used its effect to banish Maliss <P> Dormouse from his Deck. He paid 300 Life Points to Special Summon it from banishment and then activated its effect on the field to banish Maliss <P> White Rabbit from his Deck and increase the ATK of his monsters. He paid 300 Life Points to Special Summon White Rabbit and activated its effect to Set Maliss <C> MTP-07 from his Deck. He sent Dormouse, White Rabbit, and Chessy Cat to the Graveyard to Link Summon Maliss <Q> Hearts Crypter, allowing Gold to draw a card due to the effect of Fuwalos. He Set a card to his back row and then activated the effect of Wizard @Ignister in his hand by targeting the Dormouse in his Graveyard. He Special Summoned both of them, then sent them to the Graveyard to Link Summon I:P Masquerena. Gold drew another card due to Fuwalos’s effect. Bishop ended his turn, and Gold activated Dominus Spark in the End Phase to banish I:P Masquerena and allow Gold to Special Summon a monster from his hand. The Masquerena was banished, but Gold declined to Special Summon a monster.

Gold drew Bystial Magnamhut and added it to his hand of Maliss in Underground, 2 copies of Backup @Ignister, Maliss <P> March Hare, and Dominus Impulse. He Normal Summoned Backup @Ignister and activated its effect to add Maliss <P> White Rabbit from his Deck to his hand and discard it. Next, he sent Backup @Ignister to the Graveyard to Link Summon Linguriboh. He activated the effect of Magnamut in his hand next, targeting the White Rabbit in his Graveyard. He Special Summoned Magnamhut after banishing White Rabbit, then activated the effects of Magnamhut and White Rabbit. He paid 300 Life Points to Special Summon the White Rabbit and used Magnamhut’s effect so that he could get a Dragon from his Deck in the End Phase. He activated the White Rabbit’s effect on the field and Bishop Chained Super Polymerization by discarding Fuwalos. He fused Linguriboh with White Rabbit to Summon Garura, Wings of Resonant Life and Gold Set Maliss <C> TB-11 from his Deck to his field with White Rabbit’s effect. Gold activated the effect of March Hare in his hand. Bishop Chained the effect of Bystial Baldrake from his hand, targeting the White Rabbit in Gold’s Graveyard for banishment; but Gold Chained Dominus Impulse from his hand to try to negate Baldrake’s effect, and since he had Dominus Spark in his Graveyard, destroy the Baldrake. Bishop Chained MTP-07 to add March Hare from his Deck to his hand and banish the face-down TB-11. Then Impulse resolved to negate Baldrake’s effect and destroy it. Finally, Gold Special Summoned March Hare by banishing White Rabbit from his Graveyard. He sent March Hare to the Graveyard to Link Summon Link Disciple next, and then attempted to enter his Battle Phase. Bishop kept him in the Main Phase and Special Summoned March Hare from his hand by banishing White Rabbit from his Graveyard. Then, he paid 300 Life Points to Special Summon White Rabbit from banishment. He used its effect to Set TB-11 from his Deck and then activated TB-11 by banishing his Chessy Cat. He Special Summoned March Hare from his Deck with its effect. Gold entered his Battle Phase and attacked Hearts Crypter with Magnamhut. Bishop used his Hearts Crypter’s effect to banish Magnamhut and then Gold entered Main Phase 2. He activated Maliss in Underground and banished Dormouse from his Deck. He paid 300 Life Points to Special Summon it from banishment and then activated its effect to banish Chessy Cat from his Deck and increase his monsters’ ATK. He Special Summoned the Chessy Cat by paying 300 Life Points and then Special Summoned Backup @Ignister from his hand. He sent Backup and Link Disciple to the Graveyard to Link Summon Haggard Lizardose and then sent Lizardose and Dormouse to the Graveyard to Link Summon Maliss <Q> Red Ransom. He activated its effect to add Maliss in the Mirror from his Deck to his hand and then sent Red Ransom and Chessy Cat to the Graveyard to Link Summon Accesscode Talker. He targeted Red Ransom with its effect to increase his Accesscode’s ATK and then started destroying cards with it. He banished Lizardose from his Graveyard to destroy Hearts Crypter; banished Link Disciple from his Graveyard to destroy White Rabbit; and then banished Red Ransom from his Graveyard to destroy one of Bishop’s March Hares. He paid 900 Life Points to Special Summon Red Ransom from banishment and banish March Hare from his Deck. He paid 300 Life Points to return the banished March Hare to his hand and then Set Maliss in the Mirror before ending his turn. In the End Phase, he added Bystial Baldrake from his Deck to his hand with the Magnamhut’s effect he activated earlier in the turn.

Bishop drew a card and then Gold activated Baldrake’s effect in the Standby Phase. He banished Dormouse from his Graveyard to Special Summon Baldrake and then paid 300 Life Points to Special Summon Dormouse. Bishop activated Terraforming to add Maliss in Underground from his Deck to his hand and then sent his 2 monsters to the Graveyard to Link Summon S:P Little Knight. He activated Little Knight’s effect targeting Baldrake to banish it, and Chained Garura’s effect to draw a card. Gold Chained Baldrake’s effect by Tributing Dormouse in an attempt to banish the Little Knight, and Bishop Chained Little Knight’s effect to try to temporarily banish Little Knight and Accesscode. Gold Chained Maliss in the Mirror by banishing Red Ransom from his field, negating the Little Knight’s effect! Little Knight was banished by Baldrake after its effect was negated, and Bishop drew a card from Garura’s effect. Gold Special Summoned Red Ransom from banishment by paying 900 Life Points and he banished March Hare from his Deck. In a new Chain, he used Red Ransom’s effect to add Maliss in Underground from his Deck to his hand and paid 300 Life Points to return White Rabbit from banishment to his hand with March Hare’s effect. Next, he activated March Hare’s effect in his hand, by banishing White Rabbit, and Special Summoned March Hare. He paid 300 Life Points to Special Summon White Rabbit and used White Rabbit’s effect to Set MTP-07 from his Deck. Finally, Bishop activated the card he drew off of Garura: Allure of Darkness! He drew 2 cards, and with no DARK monsters in his hand to banish, he conceded.

Michael Gold wins the first Duel of the Match!

Duel Two

Bishop started off Duel 2 by Setting 2 cards to his back row and ending his turn.

Gold drew Mulcharmy Purulia and added it to his hand of Wizard @Ignister, Maliss <P> Chessy Cat, Dominus Impulse, Mulcharmy Fuwalos, and another Mulcharmy Purulia. He Normal Summoned Chessy Cat and sent it to the Graveyard to Link Summon Linguriboh. Next, he activated the effect of the Wizard @Ignister in his hand to Special Summon it from his hand along with the Chessy Cat in his Graveyard. Bishop flipped Super Polymerization and fused Chessy Cat with Wizard to Summon Garura to his field. Next, Gold banished Wizard from his Graveyard to switch Garura into Attack Position. He attacked Garura with his Linguriboh to get the Linguriboh off of his field and lost 2400 Life Points. He ended his turn, and Bishop flipped MTP-07 in the End Phase to add Maliss <P> Dormouse from his Deck to his hand.

Bishop drew a card and Gold activated the effects of 2 copies of Mulcharmy Purulia from his hand in the Standby Phase. Bishop Normal Summoned Dormouse, allowing Gold to draw Ash Blossom & Joyous Spring and Dominus Spark from his Deck from the effects of the Purulias. Bishop used his Dormouse’s effect to banish White Rabbit from his Deck and increase his monsters’ ATK. Then, he paid 300 Life Points to try to Special Summon the White Rabbit, and Gold Chained Dominus Impulse to negate White Rabbit’s effect. Bishop activated TB-11 by banishing Dormouse, but lost out to Ash Blossom & Joyous Spring on its effect. Bishop paid 300 Life Points to Special Summon Dormouse from banishment and then attacked directly with Garura and Dormouse, dropping Gold down to 1100 Life Points. Bishop Set a card to his back row before ending his turn.

Gold drew Backup @Ignister and then Normal Summoned Fuwalos. He sent it to the Graveyard to Link Summon Salamangreat Almiraj and then activated the effect of Backup @Ignister in his hand; but Bishop Chained Dominus Impulse, and Gold conceded the Duel!

Michael Gold draws a bunch of Mulcharmy monsters and no way to effectively build a field, allowing Matthew Bishop to take a quick victory in Duel 2! The Match is going to a third and final Duel!

Duel Three

Gold opened up Duel 3 with Maliss <P> Chessy Cat, Bystial Saronir, Called by the Grave, Droll & Lock Bird, and Bystial Druiswurm.

He Normal Summoned Chessy Cat and sent it to the Graveyard to Link Summon Linguriboh. Next, he activated the effect of a Saronir in his hand by targeting the Chessy Cat in his Graveyard to try to Special Summon the Saronir. Bishop Chained the effect of the Bystial Baldrake in his hand to banish the Chessy Cat and Summon Baldrake, leaving Saronir in Gold’s hand. Gold paid 300 Life Points to Special Summon Chessy Cat and then sent Chessy Cat and Linguriboh to the Graveyard to Link Summon Cyberse Wicckid. He banished Chessy Cat from his Graveyard to Special Summon Druiswurm from his hand and then used Wicckid’s effect by banishing Linguriboh from his Graveyard. He added Backup @Ignister from his Deck to his hand with Wicckid’s effect, prompting Bishop to activate the effect of Droll & Lock Bird. Gold Chained Called by the Grave and banished Droll & Lock Bird in order to avoid being under the influence of its effect for the turn. Gold Special Summoned Backup @Ignister from his hand and used its effect to add Dormouse from his Deck to his hand and discard it. He sent Druiswurm and Backup to Link Summon Haggard Lizardose and used Druiswurm’s effect to send Baldrake to the Graveyard. He used Lizardose’s effect to banish Dormouse from his Graveyard and paid 300 Life Points to Special Summon Dormouse from banishment. He then activated its effect to banish White Rabbit from his Deck and paid 300 Life Points to Special Summon the White Rabbit from banishment. He activated White Rabbit’s effect to Set TB-11 from his Deck and then sent Lizardose and Dormouse to the Graveyard to Link Summon Red Ransom. He used its effect to add Maliss in Underground from his Deck to his hand and then flipped TB-11 by banishing Red Ransom. He Special Summoned Chessy Cat and paid 900 Life Points to Special Summon Red Ransom and banish March Hare from his Deck. He paid 300 Life Points to return March Hare from banishment to his hand. He sent Chessy Cat, Red Ransom, and White Rabbit to the Graveyard to Link Summon Hearts Crypter and then sent Hearts Crypter and Cyberse Wicckid to the Graveyard to Link Summon Firewall Dragon. He activated Maliss in Underground next, and banished Maliss in the Mirror from his Deck. He used the effect of his banished Mirror to banish Crypter from his Graveyard and add March Hare from his Deck to his hand. He paid 900 Life Points to Special Summon Hearts Crypter in a new Chain and then Special Summoned March Hare from his hand by banishing White Rabbit from his Graveyard. He used Hearts Crypter’s effect to return his banished White Rabbit to his Deck and banish his Maliss in Underground. He activated Firewall Dragon’s effect to return Druiswurm from his Graveyard to his hand next, and then sent Hearts Crypter and March Hare to the Graveyard to Link Summon S:P Little Knight. He used Firewall Dragon’s effect to Special Summon March Hare from his hand used Little Knight’s effect to banish the Baldrake in Bishop’s Graveyard.

Bishop drew a card and then activated Allure of Darkness to draw 2 cards and banish White Rabbit from his hand. He paid 300 Life Points to Special Summon the White Rabbit and used its effect. Gold Chained Little Knight’s effect to banish Firewall and White Rabbit, and then Chained Druiswurm’s effect in his hand to banish his Hearts Crypter from the Graveyard and Summon Druiswurm. The Chain resolved, and he paid 900 Life Points to Special Summon Hearts Crypter from banishment in a new Chain. Bishop activated Illusion Gate! Gold Chained Hearts Crypter’s effect to banish March Hare from his field, and Gold destroyed all other monsters before taking Hearts Crypter from the Graveyard with his Illusion Gate. Gold used the effect of Druiswurm to send Hearts Crypter to the Graveyard and used March Hare’s effect to return the March Hare to his hand from banishment by paying 300 Life Points. He then activated March Hare’s effect in his hand by banishing Red Ransom from his Graveyard. He paid 900 Life Points to Special Summon Red Ransom and used its effect to banish White Rabbit. He paid 300 Life Points to Special Summon White Rabbit and added Maliss In Underground to his hand with Red Ransom’s other effect. He used White Rabbit’s effect to Set MTP-07. Bishop activated Gold Sarcophagus to banish Dormouse from the Deck. He paid 300 Life Points to Special Summon it, but then Gold used MTP-07 to banish Dormouse after it hit the field.

Bishop Normal Summoned Backup @Ignister and used its effect to add Wizard @Ignister from his Deck to his hand and discard Illusion Gate. He activated the Wizard’s effect by targeting Backup @Ignister in his Graveyard, and when Gold Chained Saronir’s effect to banish the Backup @Ignister, Bishop conceded!

Michael Gold wins the Match and advances with a 7-1 record using his Bystial @Ignister Maliss Deck!