Round 1 Feature Match: Marcus Carisse vs. Daniel Kitsko

Table 32
Marcus Carisse (Gravekeeper) vs. Daniel Kitsko (Blackwing)

This Round 1 feature pits Marcus Carisse vs. Daniel Kitsko. Carisse has decided to enter with a Wonder Wand Gravekeeper deck packing mained Starlight Road, a deck choice that is seeing a surprisingly low amount of play in this tournament. Kitsko is also using a very under the radar deck, Blackwings. Kitsko is packing some Anti-Meta tech with mained copies of Thunder King Rai-Oh and hopes to ride them to victory alongside Icarus Attack. Both these decks are seeing very little usage in this tournament so it would be up to each of these players to prove their choices right. Let's see which player gets 1 step closer to putting their deck back on the map!

Game 1
Marcus Carisse going first

Carisse opens with Pot of Duality, revealing Starlight Road, Gravekeeper's Descendant, and Royal Tribute; he keeps Starlight Road. Carisse then sets a monster and 3 cards to his backrow before ending.

 

Carisse gets Starlight Road turn 1 off of Pot of Duality, allowing him to protect his backrows from Heavy Storm!

Kitsko summons Thunder King Rai-Oh, then attacks with it into a set Gravekeeper's Spy. Kitsko takes 100 and Spy special summons a Gravekeeper's Descendant from the deck in attack. Kitsko sets 1 card to his backrow and ends.

Carisse: 8000
Kitsko: 7900

Carisse normal summons Gravekeeper's Recruiter, tributing it with priority for Descendant to destroy Rai-Oh; Carisse searches out another Recruiter with the effect. Descendant attacks directly for 1500, then Carisse sets a backrow and ends.

Carisse: 8000
Kitsko: 6400

Kitsko summons Blackwing - Shura the Blue Flame but Carisse pays 2000 to negate the summon with Solemn Warning. Kitsko passes with no further plays.

Kitsko: 6400
Carisse: 6000

Carisse summons another Recruiter, tributing it off with Descendant to destroy Kitsko's set Trap Dutshoot. Carisse searches out Gravekeeper's Commandant with Recruiter, then immediately pitches it to search out Necrovalley and activate it. Carisse turns Spy to attack and swings with Spy for 1700, then Descendant for 2000. After Descendant's attack Kitsko drops Gorz the Emissary of Darkness in attack and an Emissary of Darkness Token in defense. Carisse tributes Spy to destroy Gorz with Descendant, then ends.

Would an unexpected Gorz be enough to let Kitsko back into the game?

Carisse: 6000
Kitsko: 2700

Kitsko turns his token to attack, then slams it into Descendant to destroy both monsters. Kitsko ends after setting 2 cards to his backrow.

Carisse summons another Recruiter, attacks directly for 1700 then sets a backrow and ends.

Carisse: 6000
Kitsko: 1000

Kitsko activates Dark Hole next turn to destroy Recruiter, allowing Carisse to search out Gravekeeper's Assailant with the effect. Kitsko then sets 2 cards to his backrow before ending.

Carisse summons Assailant next turn but Kitsko activates Solemn Judgment, paying 500 to negate the summon. Carisse passes.

Carisse: 6000
Kitsko: 500

Kitsko draws Pot of Duality and activates it, revealing Blackwing - Bora the Spear, Blackwing - Gale the Whirlwind, and another Pot of Duality; he keeps Bora. Kitsko normal summons Bora but Carisse uses Bottomless Trap Hole to banish it from play. Kitsko passes.

Carisse sets a backrow and ends.

Kitsko sets a backrow and ends.

Carisse sets a fifth card to his backrow and passes.

Kitsko passes, and Carisse passes back.

Finally something interesting happens next turn when Kitsko normal summons Thunder King Rai-Oh, although Carisse gives up 2000 Life Points to negate the summon with Solemn Warning. Kitsko ends.

Carisse: 4000
Kitsko: 500

Carisse normal summons Gravekeeper's Spy and attempts to attack for game but Kitsko uses Book of Moon to turn the Spy face-down. Carisse ends.

Kitsko draws and scoops, revealing 3 set copies of Icarus Attack that were pinned down the entire game by Starlight Road!

 

Kitsko has 3 Icarus Attack but is unable to use any of them because of Carisse's turn 1 Starlight Road!

 

Game 2
Marcus Carisse leading 1-0
Daniel Kitsko going first

Kitsko opens with Pot of Duality, revealing Blackwing - Shura the Blue Flame, Effect Veiler, and Blackwing - Kalut the Moon Shadow; he keeps Kalut. Kitsko then normal summons Blackwing - Shura the Blue Flame, then sets 1 card to his backrow and ends.

Carisse draws and Kitsko flips Trap Dustshoot, getting a nice look at Carisse's hand before sending Gravekeeper's Assailant back to the deck. Carisse sets 1 card to his backrow and ends.

Kitsko opens with the devastating Trap Dustshoot turn 1. Would his knowledge of Carisse's cards be enough to let him even up the match?

Kitsko swings for 1800 with Shura then ends.

Kitsko: 8000
Carisse: 6200

Carisse sets a monster then 1 card to his backrow and ends.

Kitsko activates Allure of Darkness next turn, drawing 2 cards then banishing a Blackwing - Shura the Blue Flame from hand. Kitsko sets 1 card to his backrow and ends.

Carisse activates Pot of Duality next turn, revealing Gravekeeper's Stele, Pot of Duality, and Heavy Storm; he keeps the Duality then ends his turn.

Kitsko activates a Pot of Duality of his own, revealing Thunder King Rai-Oh, Black Whirlwind, and Blackwing - Blizzard the Far North; he keeps Rai-Oh. Kitsko then activates Icarus Attack, tributing his Shura to destroy Carisse's set Gravekeeper's Spy and Bottomless Trap Hole. Thunder King Rai-Oh is summoned next, and it attacks into a Mirror Force. Kitsko ends with no further plays.

Carisse activates Pot of Duality, revealing Mystical Space Typhoon, Necrovalley, and Gravekeeper's Descendant; he keeps Descendant and summons it. Descendant hits direct for 1500, then Carisse moves to his Main Phase 2 and equips Descendant with Wonder Wand. Carisse sends Wand and Descendant to the graveyard to draw 2 cards, then sets 1 card to his backrow and ends.

Wonder Wand makes an appearance in Game 2, allowing Carisse to tribute off his Descendant for 2 new cards!

Kitsko: 6500
Carisse: 6200

Kitsko activates Monster Reborn next turn to special summon Thunder King Rai-Oh, but Carisse flips Bottomless Trap Hole to banish it. Kitsko normal summons another Thunder King Rai-Oh, which attacks directly for 1900. Kitsko ends.

Kitsko: 6500
Carisse: 4300

Carisse activates Gravekeeper's Stele next turn, adding Spy and Descendant to his hand. He then sets 1 card to each zone before ending.

Kitsko normal summons Breaker the Magical Warrior, then removes the counter from it to destroy Carisse's set Mystical Space Typhoon. Breaker swings into the set Gravekeeper's Spy and Kitsko takes 400; Carisse special summons another Spy to the field in defense. Kitkso sets 1 card to his backrow and ends.

Kitsko: 6100
Carisse: 4300

Carisse summons Gravekeeper's Descendant next turn, tributing a Spy off with priority to destroy Thunder King Rai-Oh. Kitsko has no response so Carisse tributes the remaining Spy to destroy Kitsko's set Solemn Judgment. Carisse then equips Descendant with Wonder Wand and attacks over Breaker for 400. Carisse ends with Descendant and Wand on the field.

Kitsko: 5700
Carisse: 4300

Kitsko summons Blackwing - Gale the Whirlwind, using the effect to reduce Descendant to 1000 attack. Gale swings over Descendant for 300 and Kitsko ends.

Kitsko: 5700
Carisse: 4000

Carisse discards Gravekeeper's Commandant to add Necrovalley to his hand, then activates Gravekeeper's Stele to return Spy and Commandant to his hand. Carisse activates Necrovalley, then sets a monster and ends.

Kitsko sets 1 card to his backrow and ends.

Carisse normal summons Gravekeeper's Recruiter for 400 next turn, attacking over Gale with it for 400. In his Main Phase 2 Carisse equips Recruiter with Wonder Wand, then sends both to the graveyard to draw 2 cards and add Gravekeeper's Assailant to his hand. Carisse then activates Pot of Duality, revealing Solemn Warning, Torrential Tribute, and Cyber Dragon; he keeps Warning then sets 1 card to his backrow before ending.

Kitsko passes with no plays.

Carisse flip summons Gravekeeper's Spy but Kitsko activates Solemn Warning, paying 2000 to negate the summon. Carisse sets a monster and ends.

Kitsko passes.

Carisse flips another Gravekeeper's Spy but Kitsko discards Effect Veiler to negate the effect. Carisse then normal summons Gravekeeper's Assailant and attacks with both monsters to win the match!

 

Carisse's Gravekeeper deck just wears down Blackwings, and he emerges from Round 1 with a 2-0 victory!