Ryan Spicer is undefeated here in Round 7 with his Caliber Cat Deck. A Synchro Cat variant with multiple copies of Doomcaliber Knight, we showed you Spicer’s creation earlier today in a Deck Analysis feature. Now, with the Deck a proven success so far in the tournament, it’s time for a Feature Match!

Steven Martinez is Spicer’s opponent this round, and is so far undefeated with Quickdraw Dandywarrior! Will Martinez end Spicer’s undefeated streak? We were about to find out!

Spicer opened the match with D.D. Crow, Caius the Shadow Monarch, Dimensional Prison, Starlight Road, Gorz the Emissary of Darkness, and X-Saber Airbellum. He Set Airbellum, Set Road, and Set Prison.

Martinez activated Foolish Burial, sending Treeborn Frog to his Graveyard. He Set a card to his Spell & Trap Card Zone.

Spicer drew Mind Control. He Flip Summoned Airbellum, attacked, and Martinez responded with Dimensional Prison to remove the Airbellum from play. Martinez attempted to activate Treeborn Frog’s effect during his turn, but and Spicer Chained D.D. Crow’s effect to remove the Frog from the game! Martinez Set 3 cards to his back row.

Spicer drew and Set Sangan. Martinez passed, and Spicer Tributed Sangan for Caius the Shadow Monarch! Martinez negated the Summon with Solemn Judgment, dropping to 4000 Life Points while Spicer searched his Deck for Rescue Cat with Sangan’s effect. Spicer had to love seeing that huge dip in Life Points with Cat in his hand. A third set card to his Spell & Trap Card Zone finished Spicer’s turn.

Martinez passed, and lost his Dimensional Prison to Dust Tornado in the End Phase. He had just 1 Spell or Trap left. Spicer Summoned Rescue Cat, Special Summoned 2 Airbellums from his Deck with the Cat’s effect – Martinez had no response, which meant that if he had Mirror Force Set, Spicer would win this turn.

Sure enough, when the first Airbellum attacked Martinez flipped Mirror Force, Spicer Chained Starlight Road, and he attacked with the 2 Airbellums and Stardust Dragon for victory. “That’s exactly what I was hoping for,” noted Spicer.

The first Duel is in the books in a matter of turns, as Spicer forces a 4000 Life Points Solemn Judgment and rides Starlight Road and Rescue Cat to victory! Both competitors made quick use of their Side Decks before starting the second Duel.

Martinez got the second Duel started with a Set card to his Spell & Trap Card Zone. Spicer had Smashing Ground, X-Saber Airbellum, Heavy Storm, Starlight Road, Ryko, Lightsworn Hunter, and Brain Control. He Set Ryko and ended. Martinez passed.

Spicer drew Gravekeeper’s Spy, then Flip Summoned Ryko, Lightsworn Hunter to destroy Dimensional Prison and send Summoner Monk, Doomcaliber Knight, and another Ryko to his Graveyard. He Summoned Airbellum, attacked, but Martinez denied him his attack with Battle Fader! Spicer moved to Main Phase 2 and Tuned his 2 monsters for Magical Android. He activated Smashing Ground to destroy Battle Fader, Set Starlight Road and Heavy Storm, and gained 600 Life Points in his End Phase.

Martinz Set a monster, Set a Spell or Trap, and ended. Spicer drew Rescue Cat, attacked with Magical Android, and Martinez revealed Sangan. Sangan was destroyed and its effect got Dandylion from Martinez’s Deck to his hand. Spicer Set Spy, ended, and gained another 600 Life Points.

Martinez Set a second Spell or Trap, Set another monster, and ended. Spicer drew Doomcaliber Knight, Summoned it, and attacked Martinez’s face-down monster, but Martinez blocked Doomcaliber by flipping it down with Book of Moon. Spicer attacked with Magical Android, destroyed Martinez’s Ryko, and Martinez used it to destroy Spicer’s Heavy Storm, sending Light and Darkness Dragon, Torrential Tribute, and Nobleman of Crossout to his Graveyard.

Spicer Flip Summoned Gravekeeper’s Spy in Main Phase 2, Special Summoning Gravekeeper’s Descendant. He Tributed Spy for Descendant’s effect, targeting Martinez’s Book of Moon, and he Chained it to turn Descendant face-down. Spicer Set a Spell or Trap and went to 9800 Life Points. He had 2 face-down monsters, Android, and 2 Set Spell or Trap Cards with 1 card left in hand. Martinez drew to 5 cards in-hand next turn with a blank field.

He activated Mystical Space Typhoon, destroying Spicer’s face-down Brain Control. Heavy Storm destroyed Spicer’s Starlight Road, and Martinez discarded Dandylion to Special Summon Quickdraw Synchron! He Special Summoned 2 Fluff Tokens and had 1 card left in his hand. He Tuned a Token to Quickdraw and Synchron Summoned Turbo Warrior!

Turbo Warrior attacked Magical Android, dealing 100 Battle Damage, and Martinez ended with nothing in his back row. Spicer borrowed Turbo Warrior for a moment, carefully reading its effect, and eyed his hand: he had Solemn Judgment and Rescue Cat. He still had 2 Airbellums and a Ryko left in his Deck for the Cat to Summon.

He Flip Summoned Gravekeeper’s Descendant, Normal Summoned Rescue Cat, and used it to Special Summon Ryko and Airbellum. He Tuned all three together, Synchro Summoned Mist Wurm, and cleared away Martinez’s Fluff Token and Turbo Warrior! Mist Wurm made a direct attack, Doomcaliber Knight struck next, and Martinez was down to 3600 Life Points. Spicer Set Solemn, Martinez drew and revealed his hand: useless copies of Light and Darkness Dragon and Caius the Shadow Monarch. He immediately conceded.

Ryan Spicer is 7-0 here today, with Caliber Cat!

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

Jason Grabher-Meyer (The Old Man of Dueling)
Ryan Spicer showed how Starlight Road can be played both as a defensive card, and as an offensive weapon. When he opened the Match, Spicer Set Dimensional Prison and Starlight Road, then Set X-Saber Airbellum, a monster with just 200 DEF. He was using Prison to defend Airbellum, and Starlight Road to defend the Prison. The gambit paid off, since Martinez didn’t even attack.
Later, with Martinez’s Life Points cut in half, Spicer made an aggressive move with Rescue Cat. This time he knew that not only was his attack protected by Starlight Road, but in the case of Mirror Force, the Road would let him Summon Stardust Dragon and attack for the win.

Michael Kohanim (2009 World Championship Competitor)
Spicer’s Deck features Doomcaliber Knight, which has recently gained a lot of power. In the past, Necro Gardna was a popular card that could take down Doomcaliber Knight at any time just by removing itself from the Graveyard. With Necro Gardna limited to 1 and seeing much less use in Decks, Doomcaliber Knight is usually able to attack popular face-down monsters like Super-Nimble Mega Hamster, Gravekeeper’s Spy and Ryko, Lightsworn Hunter, depriving Spicer’s opponents of the effects they need to get their Decks running.

Michael McTavish (Top 8 Finalist – 2009 Canadian National Championship)
Knowing how to hold on to your key cards is always incredibly important. While many players will see an opening and immediately use a Rescue Cat they’ve got in their hands, the best players will eye the situation, and decide if it would be worth it. That’s exactly what Spicer did in this Match. Despite having Starlight Road down for protection, he decided to hold his Rescue Cat until he needed it most. Because of that, he was able to win using Mist Wurm.

P.J. Tierney (Duelist from across The Pond)
Mirror Force is a powerful card that almost every Duelist uses in their Decks, but there are times when you’ll lose even if you have it ready. Spicer just needed Martinez to flip his Mirror Force so that he could win the Duel with his Starlight Road. When Spicer Summoned Rescue Cat and used its effect to Special Summon 2 copies of X-Saber Airbellum, Martinez had no choice but to flip his Mirror Force or else he’d lose 2 cards in his hand to the Airbellums. When he did flip the Mirror Force though, Spicer used his Starlight Road to seal the Duel.