Round 3 is now here; both Duelists are currently undefeated. Matthew Kim, from Chandler, Arizona, is starting his tournament this round, as he earned VIP Status for the event! Donovan Nguyen, from Santa Ana, California, has already played through two rounds so far today. Both Duelists are geared up and ready to go. 

Nguyen is using a Primite Dracotail Deck that runs the Ultimate Wizard in terms of attack and defense, Dark Magician! He uses it to Fusion Summon Red-Eyes Dark Dragoon! Matthew Kim is using Sky Strikers to maneuver his way to victory!

Duel 1

Nguyen won the dice roll and opted to start the Duel. He started with Ketu Dracotail, Dracotail Urgula, Dracotail Pan, Dracotail Mululu, and Mulcharmy Purulia.

Nguyen started the Duel by activating Ketu Dracotail. He added Dracotail Faimena from his Deck to his hand. Nguyen then activated Faimena and used Urgula and Pan to Fusion Summon Dracotail Arthalion.

Nguyen activated Arthalion’s effect and targeted his Faimena and Pan, he then Chained Urgula and Pan as Chain Links 2 and 3. He Set a copy of Rahu Dracotail and Dracotail Flame and added back Pan and Faimena with Arthalion.

He continued his turn by Normal Summoning Dracotail Mululu. He chose not to activate its effect and proceeded to Link Summon Hieratic Seal of the Heavenly Spheres. He activated Rahu Dracotail and sent Faimena from his hand and Dracotail Phryxul from his Deck to Fusion Summon Dracotail Gulamel. He activated Faimena and Phryxul to Set Dracotail Horn and Ketu from his Deck. 

Urgula effect added back Faimena and put Urgula on the bottom. He passed his turn with an impressive starting field!

Kim drew to start his turn and went into the Main Phase. He activated Raigeki! Nguyen Chained Spheres and returned his Gulamel to the deck. Raigeki resolved and didn’t destroy anything. Nguyen used Sphere’s effect to Special Summon Mululu from his Deck. 

Kim activated Triple Tactics Thrust and added Sky Striker Mobilize – Engage! to his hand. He Normal Summoned Sky Striker Ace – Raye, and Nguyen activated Mululu’s effect on the Normal Summon to Fusion Summon using itself and Mulcharmy Purulia. 

Nguyen Fusion Summoned Dracotail Gulamel, and activated Mululu’s effect, Kim Chained Raye’s effect, and Special Summoned Sky Striker Ace – Kaina. Nguyen set Rahu and negated the Kaina on Kim’s field. 

Nguyen then flipped Dracotail Horn and targeted the Kaina! He returned it to Kim’s extra deck and returned Ketu to the bottom of the deck to draw a card. Kim activated Raye’s effect in the Graveyard and Special Summoned it back ot the field. 

Kim used Raye to Link Summon Sky Striker Ace – Hayate and tried to end his Main Phase, but Nguyen activated Faimena’s effect in the hand! He used his Gulamel on the field with Pan from the hand to Fusion Summon Dracotail Arthalion. He activated Arthalion and targeted his Faimena, then used Pan as Chain Link 2. Kim Chained with Sky Striker Mecha – Eagle Booster to protect his Hayate! Nguyen Chained Dracotail Flame and targeted the Eagle Booster, and Kim Chained Forbidden Droplet and sent his Eagle Booster to the Graveyard to negate Arthalion! Flame could no longer negate Eagle Booster, so Hayate was safe from Pan’s effect. Nguyen Set Ketu Dracotail with Pan’s effect.

Kim continued his Main Phase by activating Sky Striker Mobilize – Engage!, he added Sky Striker Mobilize – Linkage! and drew 1 card. Kim activated another Engage and added Sky Striker Special Maneuver – Lemnisgate! and drew another card! 

He then activated Radiant Typhoon Vision to draw 2 cards, and he discarded Lemnisgate. He activated Reinforcement of the Army and added Sky Striker Ace – Roze to his hand. Kim then activated Pot of Desires! He banished 10 cards from his Deck and drew 2 more cards.

Kim activated his third copy of Sky Striker Mobilize – Engage! He added another Lemnisgate and drew another card. Kim activated Lemnisgate and targeted Engage and Raye. He shuffled them back into the deck, then looked at his hand to figure out his next play. 

Kim activated Triple Tactics Talent and took the Arthalion! He used both monsters to Link Summon Sky Striker Ace – Zeke. Nguyen activated Gulamel’s effect and Special Summoned itself back to the field. Kim Set 1 card, then used Zeke’s effect and boosted Zeke’s attack by sending his newly Set card. He attacked over Gulamel with Zeke, then used Sky Striker Mobilize – Linkage! to exchange Zeke for Sky Striker Ace – Kagari!

Kim used Kagari’s effect and added Linkage back; he attacked directly with Kagari, then used Linkage with Kagari for  Sky Striker Ace = Zero. Kim used Zero’s effect to add back Linkage. He attacked directly again and then used Linkage again! The next Sky Striker monster he would Special Summon would have an extra 1000 Attack, so it, plus Sky Striker Ace – Roze would be enough to seal the first duel!

Matthew Kim wins the first duel with a Spell-filled Sky Striker turn!

Duel 2:

Both duelists sided and shuffled in silence as they went into the second Duel.

Nguyen chose to go first. He started with two copies of Fantastical Dragon Phantazmay, Rahu Dracotail, D.D. Crow, and Primite Lordly Lode.

Nguyen started his turn by activating Primite Lordly Lode! He used the effect to get Primite Deragon Ether Beryl. He Normal Summoned it and used the effect to Set Primite Drillbeam from his Deck. Nguyen then activated Lordly Lode’s effect and declared Dark Magician! He Special Summoned Dark Magician from his Deck, then used it to Link Summon Imduk the World Chalice Dragon. He Link Summoned Hieratic Seal of the Heavenly Spheres with Imduk and Ether Beryl. 

Nguyen continued his turn by activating Rahu Dracotail, using a Phantazmay from his hand and Dracotail Faimena from his Deck to Fusion Summon Dracotail Gulamel. He activated Faimena to Set Dracotail Flame, then ended his turn. 

Kim started his turn with Super Polymerization! He discarded Dimensional Barrier to Fusion Summon Magistus Chorozo using Nguyen’s monsters. he then Normal Summoned Sky Striker Ace – Raye and used Chorozo and Raye to Link Summon Sky Striker Ace – Azalea. He activated Azalea’s effect and targeted the face-down Dracotail Flame. Nguyen Chained Phantazmay, then Chained Flame! Flame targeted the Lordly Lode and put Rahu at the bottom of the deck and drew a card.

Fantastical Dragon Phantazmay was Special Summoned to the field, and more cards were drawn by Nguyen. Flame was destroyed, and Azalea was sent to the Graveyard.

Kim activated Triple Tactics Talent to draw 2 cards, then he activated Triple Tactics Thrust to add Sky Striker Mobilize – Engage! to his hand! He activated Engage and added Sky Striker Mobilize – Linkage! and drew a card. 

Kim activated Radiant Typhoon Vision, drew 2 more cards, and discarded a Super Polymerization. Kim then activated Sky Striker Mecha – Widow Anchor and tried to take the Fantastical Dragon Phantazmay. Nguyen Chained Phantazmay’s effect, Kim Chained Linkage, and sent his Widow Anchor to the Graveyard. He Special Summoned Sky Striker Ace = Zero, then tried to use its effect to add a card, Nguyen Chained Effect Veiler, but Kim had Called by the Grave! 

Kim added back Sky Striker Mobilize – Engage!, then activated it and added another Linkage and drew another card. He Set 1 card, then had sent Zero to attack over Phantazmay. Kim then used his Linkage to exchange Zero for Sky Striker Ace – Kagari. He activated Kagari to try to add back Engage, but it was banished by Nguyen’s D.D. Crow!

Kim counted the number of Spells in his Graveyard, 14, and then attacked directly with Kagari for 2900 damage!

In the Main Phase 2, he Link Summoned Sky Striker Ace – Shizuku using his Kagari, Set 1 more card. He moved to his End Phase and activated Shizuku’s effect. He added a copy of Sky Striker Special Maneuver – Lemnisgate! from his Deck to his hand. 

Nguyen had 4500 LP, while Kim had 8000 LP.

Nguyen drew Dracotail Mululu for his turn. In his Standby Phase, he added back Ether Beryl. In the Main Phase, he Normal Summoned Dracotail Mululu and activated its effect to Fusion Summon with the Ether Beryl to bring out Dracotail Arthalion. He activated Arthalion and targeted his Faimena, then activated Mululu’s effect in the Graveyard, and added Dracotail Gulamel’s effect as Chain Link 3. Kim Chained Forbidden Droplet! He sent his Set Triple Tactics Thrust to negate the Arthalion. 

Nguyen Special Summoned his Gulamel, Set Ketu Dracotail, and negated the effect of Shizuku. He flipped the newly set Ketu and added Dracotail Lukias. He Fusion Summoned Secretarion Dragon with Ketu’s second effect. He activated Lukias and Set Rahu. Nguyen activated Secretarion Dragon’s effect to Special Summon back Lukias and put Dark Magician back into the Deck. Then, he used Rahu Dracotail with Faimena and Urgula from his deck to Fusion Summon another Gulamel. 

Nguyen activated both Faimena and Urgula’s effects. He Set Dracotail Horn and Dracotail Sting from his Deck and Urgula’s effect added back Dracotail Faimena. He then declared Dark Magician with Primite Lordly Lode’s effect and Special Summoned it back to the field! Nguyen moved into the Battle Phase.

Nguyen had Lukias attack over Shizuku. Kim activated Raye’s effect, Nguyen tried to attack Raye with Gulamel, but Kim activated Raye’s effect to Special Summon Sky Striker Ace = Zero. Kim activated Zero’s effect and Special Summoned Raye and Roze from his Deck and destroyed Nguyen’s Dark Magician. Nguyen continued to attack with Gulamel over the Raye, then his other Gulamel over Roze, and finally Secretarion Dragon attacked directly for 2900. Nguyen ended his turn after that.

Kim activated Sky Striker Special Maneuver – Lemnisgate!, and targeted 3 Link Monsters and 3 Spells. Nguyen Chained Dracotail Sting and targeted a Roze in the grave and the Widow Anchor that Lemnisgate targeted. He banished the two and placed Flame on the bottom and drew a card. Nguyen’s Lemnisgate shuffled back the other 4 cards and bounced a Gulamel.

Kim Normal Summoned Sky Striker Ace – Raye. He used Raye’s effect to Link Summon Sky Striker Ace = Zero, he tried to activate its effect, but was stopped by Primite Drillbeam! Nguyen’s Drillbeam banished Kim’s Zero; Kim activated Raye to Special Summon it back from the Graveyard. Nguyen immediately activated Dracotail Horn and Chained Gulamel’s effect to destroy the Raye.

Knowing he was in a bad position and with time running short on the clock, Kim conceded the second game! 

We are going to a third and final Duel!

Duel 3:

Kim chose to go first.

Kim started the final Duel with Pot of Desires! He banished 10 and drew 2 cards. Nguyen activated Droll & Lock Bird!

Kim activated Triple Tactics Thrust and Set Dimensional Barrier. Then, he Normal Summoned Raye and then activated and Special Summoned Roze from his hand; he used both to Link Summon Sky Striker Ace = Zero, then Set 2 cards and passed

Nguyen had Droll & Lock Bird,  Dracotail Lukias, Dark Magician, and Lordly Lode. He drew Dracotail Faimena for his turn.

Nguyen activated Lordly Lode, Kim Chained Zero’s effect and brought back Raye and Roze, then destroyed Lordly Lode. Nguyen Normal Summoned Dracotail Lukias and activated its effect to add Dracotail Pan to his hand.

Nguyen went into the Battle Phase and tried to have Lukias attack the Raye, Kim activated Raye and Special Summoned Hayate, so Nguyen Chained the attack target to Roze. He passed his turn.

Kim drew for his turn. He activated Sky Striker Mobilize – Linkage! by sending Hayate, and Special Summoned Sky Striker Ace = Zero; he activated Zero’s effect, and added Engage from his Deck to his hand.

Moving into the Main Phase, he activated Sky Striker Mobilize – Engage! and added Sky Striker Mobilize – Linkage!, then drew a card, then Nguyen activated another Droll & Lock Bird!

Kim tried to go into the Battle Phase, but Nguyen activated Faimena! He Fusion Summoned Red-Eyes Dark Dragoon using Pan and Dark Magician. He activated Pan’s effect, and Kim Chained Sky Striker Mecha – Eagle Booster to protect his Zero. Kim then activated Super Polymerization! He Fusion Summoned Magistus Chorozo using the Lukias and the Dragoon.

Kim attacked directly with both his monsters, then used Sky Striker Special Maneuver – Lemnisgate! to bounce his Chorozo back to the Extra Deck. He tried to activate Linkage to send his Zero, but couldn’t because of Eagle Booster! He Set 1 card and passed his turn back to Nguyen.

Nguyen drew Dracotail Mululu, Kim activated Zero’s effect but was stopped by Dracotail Sting. Nguyen drew Fantastical Dragon Phantazmay with Sting’s effect. He Normal Summoned Mululu and used it to Fusion Summon Dracotail Arthalion. Nguyen started to activate all of his effects…

While going through his plays, time was called in the round! Because of this, since neither Duelist had two wins, neither one could be declared the winner for the match.

Both Duelists will be 2-1 going into Round 4.