Both of these Duelists had 8-1 records and knew that a win here would guarantee a spot in Day 2.

Paura won the dice roll and chose to go first. He opened up with 2 copies of “Lumina, Lightsworn Summoner,” “Jain, Lightsworn Paladin,” “Mezuki,” “Necro Gardna,” and “Dark Armed Dragon.” He Summoned Jain and sent “Ryko, Lightsworn Hunter” and “Allure of Darkness” to his Graveyard in the End Phase with Jain’s effect

Harrison Set a card to each zone on his first turn of the Duel.

Paura activated “Charge of the Light Brigade” next turn after drawing it to search his Deck for Lyla and add it to his hand. He sent “Goblin Zombie,” “Caius the Shadow Monarch,” and “Bottomless Trap Hole” from the top of his Deck to his Graveyard to pay the cost of Charge. He Summoned Lyla to the field, but lost it when Harrison flipped “Bottomless Trap Hole” to remove it from play. Jain attacked and destroyed a face-down “Necro Gardna” next. In his End Phase, Paura sent “Foolish Burial” and “Chaos Sorcerer” from the top of his Deck to his Graveyard for Jain’s effect.

Harrison Summoned Lumina next turn and attacked Jain with it. He discarded “Honest” to boost it during damage calculation, so Paura’s Jain was destroyed and Paura lost 1000 Life Points. In his End Phase, he sent 3 cards from the top of his Deck to his Graveyard for Lumina’s effect.

Paura activated “Solar Recharge” next turn to draw 2 cards and send 2 cards from the top of his Deck to his Graveyard. Then he Special Summoned “Dark Armed Dragon” and removed Caius from his Graveyard to destroy Harrison’s Lumina. Next, he Summoned Lumina from his hand and discarded “Necro Gardna” to revive Jain in Attack Position. Lumina attacked directly, followed by direct attacks from Jain and Dark Armed Dragon. Harrison dropped down to 2400 Life Points. Paura Set a card to his back row and then ended his turn by sending the top 5 cards of his Deck to the Graveyard for the effects of Lumina and Jain.

Harrison Summoned Lyla next turn and declared an attack against Paura’s Lumina. Lumina was destroyed and Paura lost 700 Life Points. In Main Phase 2, Harrison switched Lyla to Defense Position to destroy Paura’s Set “Mystical Space Typhoon.” He sent 3 cards from the top of his Deck to the Graveyard in his End Phase for Lyla’s effect. On Paura’s next turn, he destroyed Lyla with the effect of “Dark Armed Dragon” by removing a DARK monster from his Graveyard. Then he attacked with “Dark Armed Dragon” but had his attack negated by “Necro Gardna.” “Mezuki” attacked next and Harrison Special Summoned Gorz in Defense Position along with a Token in order to survive the Battle Phase. He only had 700 Life Points left. Jain destroyed the Defense Position token and after sending a few more cards from the top of his Deck to his Graveyard, Paura passed his turn to Harrison.

Harrison activated “Charge of the Light Brigade” next turn by sending a “Necro Gardna” to the Graveyard to pay for part of the cost. He added Lumina from his Deck to his hand with the effect of Charge. He Summoned Lumina to the field and then discarded “Plaguespreader Zombie” to Special Summon Garoth from his Graveyard. Then, he put the last card in his hand on top of his Deck in order to Special Summon “Plaguespreader Zombie.” He Tuned it to Garoth and Lumina in order to Synchro Summon “Mist Wurm.” “Mist Wurm” returned all of Paura’s monsters to his hand and then attacked directly, dropping him down to 3800 Life Points. But Paura Special Summoned a Gorz of his own from his hand! With no cards other than “Mist Wurm” on the field and no cards in his hand, there was nothing Harrison could do to get Gorz off the field. He conceded, knowing that Gorz would finish him off next turn.

Both players Side Decked and Harrison chose to go first in Duel 2. He started things off by activating “Charge of the Light Brigade.” He sent “Honest,” Celestia, and “Solemn Judgment” from the top of his Deck to his Graveyard to pay the cost and then added Lyla from his Deck to his hand with its effect. He Set a monster and a back row before ending his turn.

Paura opened up with “Kycoo the Ghost Destroyer,” “D.D. Crow,” “Caius the Shadow Monarch,” “Heavy Storm,” “Burial from a Different Dimension,” and “Foolish Burial.” He activated “Heavy Storm” to destroy Harrison’s Set “Bottomless Trap Hole” and then followed up by activating “Foolish Burial.” Paura used “Foolish Burial” to send “Plaguespreader Zombie” from his Deck to his Graveyard. Then he Set a card on top of his Deck to Special Summon it to the field and Tributed it for Caius. Caius removed Harrison’s face-down “Necro Gardna” and then attacked directly. Harrison dropped to 4600 Life Points.

Harrison Set “Plaguespreader Zombie” and a back row next turn before passing back to Paura.

Paura drew the card he Set on top of his Deck and then attacked “Plaguespreader Zombie” with Caius.

Next turn, Harrison tried to Special Summon “Plaguespreader Zombie” from the Graveyard by putting a card on top of his Deck, but Paura removed it from play by discarding “D.D. Crow.” Instead, he Summoned Lyla and ended his turn, sending 3 cards from the top of his Deck to his Graveyard.

Paura Summoned “Mezuki” next turn and used Caius to attack and destroy Lyla. Mezuki attacked directly next and Harrison dropped to 2200 Life Points.

On Harrison’s next turn, he activated “Solar Recharge” by discarding Celestia to draw 2 cards. He sent the top 2 cards of his Deck to the Graveyard. They were Wulf and “Bottomless Trap Hole.” Wulf was Special Summoned to the field in Attack Position. Harrison used it to attack Paura’s “Mezuki” and inflict 400 points of damage to him. In Main Phase 2, Harrison Normal Summoned Lumina and discarded Lumina to Special Summon it back to the field in Defense Position. Harrison Set 1 more card to his back row and then sent the top 6 cards of his Deck to the Graveyard in the End Phase for the effects of his Luminas. One of them was a Wulf, which he Special Summoned in Attack Position.

Paura drew “Chaos Sorcerer” next turn. He activated “Burial from a Different Dimension” to send “Plaguespreader Zombie” back to his Graveyard. Then he removed “Mezuki” from his Graveyard to Special Summon “Plaguespreader Zombie.” But when he tried to Tune it to Caius to Synchro Summon “Stardust Dragon,” Harrison flipped “Royal Oppression” and negated the Summon. Paura Summoned Kycoo next, and used it to declare an attack on Lumina. Lumina was destroyed and Harrison took 800 points of damage. Paura ended his turn.

Harrison flipped “Beckoning Light” next turn and sent “Consecrated Light” to his Graveyard to return Celestia to his hand. He Tribute Summoned Celestia and sent 4 cards, including a Wulf, from the top of his Deck to the Graveyard. Paura’s field was cleared! Paura paid 800 Life Points to negate the Special Summon of the Wulf that Harrison had just sent to the Graveyard with Celestia. But it wasn’t enough to save him! Harrison attacked with all of his monsters, and when Paura drew a “Solar Recharge” that he couldn’t use on his next turn, he conceded the Duel, unable to deal with Harrison’s 2 copies of Wulf and Celestia.

Paura would be going first in the final Duel of the Match. He began with Lyla, “Necro Gardna,” “Torrential Tribute,” “Trap Dustshoot,” “Foolish Burial,” and “Dark Armed Dragon.” He Set “Trap Dustshoot” and “Torrential Tribute” to start his turn. Then he Summoned Lyla and sent “Mezuki,” Burial, and “Brain Control” from the top of his Deck to his Graveyard for Lyla’s effect in the End Phase.

During Harrison’s Draw Phase, Paura flipped “Trap Dustshoot” to reveal Wulf, “Honest,” Ryko, Lumina, “Necro Gardna,” and “D.D. Crow.” Paura sent Lumina back to Harrison’s Deck. Harrison had nothing but monsters in his hand, and Paura knew it. He was in trouble. He Set 1 monster face-down and ended his turn.

Paura drew Lumina next turn. He attacked Harrison’s face-down monster with Lyla and took 200 points of damage when he ran into a Defense Position “Honest.” Then he ended his turn, sending “Goblin Zombie,” “Bottomless Trap Hole,” and “Chaos Sorcerer” from the top of his Deck to his Graveyard with Lyla’s effect.

Harrison returned “Honest” from the field to his hand on his next turn and then Set another monster before passing back to Paura.

Paura drew “Bottomless Trap Hole” next turn and played “Foolish Burial” to send “Plaguespreader Zombie” from his Deck to his Graveyard. Next, he Special Summoned “Dark Armed Dragon” and removed “Chaos Sorcerer” from his Graveyard to destroy Harrison’s Set Ryko with the effect of “Dark Armed Dragon.” Then he removed “Mezuki” from his Graveyard to try to Special Summon “Plaguespreader Zombie,” but Harrison discarded “D.D. Crow” from his hand to remove the “Plaguespreader Zombie” from the game. Lyla and “Dark Armed Dragon” both attacked directly and Harrison dropped to 3500 Life Points. Paura Set “Bottomless Trap Hole” and then sent “Chaos Sorcerer,” “Necro Gardna,” and “Solar Recharge” to his Graveyard in the End Phase due to Lyla’s effect.

Harrison activated “Charge of the Light Brigade” next turn by sending “Consecrated Light,” “Honest,” and Celestia from the top of his Deck to his Graveyard. He searched his Deck for Lumina and added it to his hand with Charge’s effect. Then he Normal Summoned Lumina and discarded “Necro Gardna” from his hand to activate her effect. He targeted Ryko and Special Summoned it in Attack Position. Lumina attacked “Dark Armed Dragon” and Harrison discarded Honest during Damage Calculation to make sure it got destroyed. When Harrison ended his turn, he sent 2 copies of “Judgment Dragon” and a “Beckoning Light” from the top of his Deck to the Graveyard with the effect of Lumina.

Paura Summoned Lumina next turn and used it to attack Ryko. Ryko was destroyed. Lyla attacked Lumina next, but the attack was negated by Harrison’s “Necro Gardna.” In Paura’s End Phase, he sent 6 cards from the top of his Deck to his Graveyard.

Harrison discarded Wulf to activate Lumina’s effect next turn and Special Summon it. Paura flipped “Bottomless Trap Hole” to remove the Wulf from the game as soon as it hit the field. Then Harrison attacked Lumina with Lumina, but had his attack negated by “Necro Gardna.” Harrison Summoned another Lumina in Main Phase 2, and then discarded a “Necro Gardna” to Special Summon Ryko in Defense Position. In his End Phase, Harrison sent the top 6 cards of his Deck to his Graveyard with the effects of his Lightsworn monsters. One of them was a Wulf that he Special Summoned in Attack Position.

On Paura’s next turn, he discarded “Mezuki” from his hand to Special Summon Lyla from his Graveyard with Lumina’s effect. Then he removed “Mezuki” from his Graveyard to Special Summon “Goblin Zombie.” Paura Tributed Lyla for Caius and activated its effect to remove Harrison’s Wulf from the game. Then he declared an attack on Lumina with Caius, and Harrison negated it with “Necro Gardna.” Both copies of Lyla took out both of Harrison’s Luminas next, along with 1400 Life Points. Then “Goblin Zombie” destroyed Harrison’s Ryko. Harrison was on total topdeck with no hand or field. He drew Lyla next turn and Summoned it. He switched it to Defense Position to destroy Paura’s Set “Torrential Tribute” and as soon as Paura drew his next card, Harrison conceded, knowing Paura’s pair of Lylas, Caius, and “Goblin Zombie” would finish him off.

Jeffrey Paura wins the Match 2-1, assured a seat in the Top 16.

See what our panel of experts had to say after the Duel.

Michael Kohanim (2009 World Championship Competitor)
In Duel 2, “Royal Oppression” foiled Paura’s play and turned the Duel around. With Caius on the field, Paura had the strongest monster in play. He shouldn’t have risked it by Tuning it to “Plaguespreader Zombie.” If he had just Summoned Kycoo to the field and declared attacks with Kycoo and Caius instead, he would have maintained his dominating position in the Duel. It’s important to always be cautious of “Royal Oppression.”

P.J. Tierney (Duelist from across The Pond)

Harrison had a D.D. Crow in his hand at the start of Duel 3. When Paura played “Foolish Burial” to send “Plaguespreader Zombie” to the Graveyard, he could have used the Crow to remove it from the graveyard right away. If he did that, Paura wouldn’t have had enough DARK monsters in his Graveyard to Special Summon “Dark Armed Dragon.”

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