Caroyln Colajezzi traveled here this weekend from Philadelphia, and is 6-1 so far with a teched out X-Saber Deck. Her opponent this round is Indianapolis’ Grant Kelly, playing an aggressive Deck that mixes Monarchs and Doomcaliber Knights with X-Saber Airbellums and XX-Saber Darksouls. This one was going to be a unique Match!

Colajezzi opened the Match with Mystical Space Typhoon, Gold Sarcophagus, Book of Moon, XX-Saber Darksoul, Solemn Jdugment, and XX-Saber Boggart Knight. She activated Gold Sarcophagus, removed Rescue Cat from her Deck to claim it 2 turns from now, and Set Darksoul, then Book of Moon, Mystical Space Typhoon, and Solemn Judgment.

Kelly Special Summoned Cyber Dragon, attacked, and destroyed Darksoul. He Set a monster, then Set 3 cards to his back row. Colajezzi got XX-Saber Faultroll in her End Phase with Darksoul’s effect.

She drew Ryko, Lightsworn Hunter, and Set it.

Kelly attacked with Cyber Dragon again, and Ryko flipped to destroy Kelly’s face-down Book of Moon, sending Heavy Storm, Torrential Tribute, and Gottoms’ Emergency Call to the Graveyard. Kelly ended.

Colajezzi took her Rescue Cat from her ‘removed zone’ next turn, and Summoned XX-Saber Boggart Knight. She attacked Kelly’s face-down monster, revealing it to be Gravekeeper’s Spy! He Special Summoned another Spy from his Deck in Defense Position and Colajezzi ended. She lost her Set Solemn Judgment to Dust Tornado in the End Phase.

Kelly attacked Boggart Knight with Cyber Dragon, and Colajezzi activated Book of Moon to turn Cyber Dragon face-down and stop the attack.

She drew XX-Saber Darksoul next turn, attacked Cyber Dragon with Boggart Knight to destroy it, and Set Darksoul.

Next turn Kelly activated Dust Tornado, targeting Mystical Space Typhoon. Colajezzi Chained it, and destroyed Kelly’s Bottomless Trap Hole. He pressed on, taking Boggart Knight with Brain Control, Summoning X-Saber Airbellum, and turning a Spy to Attack Position. The Spy attacked Darksoul, Airbellum struck directly to force Colajezzi to discard Mind Control, and Boggart Knight made a direct attack. Kelly Tuned Airbellum and Boggart Knight to Synchro Summon X-Saber Urbellum, Setting his last card to his back row to finish out.

Colajezzi had XX-Saber Faultroll, Rescue Cat, and another Darksoul in hand. She Summoned Rescue Cat, sent it to the Graveyard to Special Summon 2 Airbellums, and Special Summoned Faultroll. She used its effect to Special Summon Darksoul, and Kelly responded with Torrential Tribute, clearing the field! Colajezzi took XX-Saber Fulhelmknight from her Deck in the End Phase, ending with Darksoul and Fulhelmknight in hand.

He drew and Set a card to his Spell & Trap Card Zone.

Colajezzi drew Starlight Road, Summoned Fulhelmknight, and attacked, but Kelly removed it with Dimensional Prison. She Set Starlight Road and ended.

Kelly passed next turn.

Colajezzi drew XX-Saber Boggart Knight. She Summoned it, Special Summoned XX-Saber Darksoul in Defense Position, and attacked directly with Boggart Knight.

Kelly drew a monster, Set it, and ended.

Colajezzi attacked with Boggart Knight, hitting Ryko. Kelly lost Gorz the Emissary of Darkness and Rescue Cat, along with Smashing Ground, off the top of his Deck to Ryko’s effect. Colajezzi Set a Spell or Trap.

Kelly Set a monster on his next turn.

Colajezzi Summoned XX-Saber Emmersblade, attacking into Gravekeeper’s Spy. But Kelly had nothing to Special Summon with its effect.

Kelly drew Caius the Shadow Monarch next turn, Tributed the Spy, and removed Emmersblade from the game, then attacked Darksoul. He Set a Spell or Trap, and Colajezzi got Fulhelmknight from her Deck with Darksoul’s effect.

She drew Royal Oppression next turn, Summoned Fulhelmknight, and Set Oppression.

Caius attacked next turn, and Colajezzi negated the attack. Kelly Set a second back row card.

Colajezzi drew Faultroll and passed.

Caius attacked, and she blew it off the field it with Compulsory Evacuation Device. Kelly Set a monster and ended.

Colajezzi drew another Boggart Knight, with that Faultroll still in her hand! She Summoned Boggart Knight, but lost it to Bottomless Trap Hole. She attacked Kelly’s face-down monster with Fulhelmknight, but he activated Dimensional Prison to remove it!

Kelly Flip Summoned Ryko, destroyed Colajezzi’s Starlight Road, and sent Sangan, Heavy Storm, and Dimensional Prison to the Graveyard. He Tributed Ryko for Caius, and removed Royal Oppression.

Colajezzi top-decked Level Limit – Area B next turn! She activated it, turning Caius to Defense.

Kelly Summoned Doomcaliber Knight, turning it to Defense Position due to Level Limit’s effect.

Colajezzi Set a Spell or Trap.

Kelly passed in his turn.

Colajezzi Summoned X-Saber Airbellum, and attacked to destroy Caius.

Kelly Set a Spell or Trap, and ended.

Colajezzi drew Mind Crush. She Set it, but couldn’t get through Doomcaliber Knight’s 1800 DEF.

Kelly Summoned his own Airbellum, losing it to Bottomless Trap Hole!

Colajezzi drew Gottoms’ Emergency Call, holding Faultroll, with Mind Crush Set. She Set the Emergency Call.

Kelly passed again on his turn.

Colajezzi drew Cold Wave! She took a moment to double check her Graveyard and Kelly’s, then passed.

Kelly Set a second Spell or Trap.

Colajezzi drew another Faultroll before passing.

Kelly passed back.

Colajezzi Set Trap Dustshoot next turn, flipping it a turn later to reveal Kelly’s hand of Mystical Space Typhoon, Ryko, Lightsworn Hunter, Doomcaliber Knight, Dark Armed Dragon, and XX-Saber Darksoul. She sent Ryko back to Kelly’s Deck. Mind Crush then let her discard Kelly’s in-hand Doomcaliber. Kelly blasted Level Limit – Area B with Mystical Space Typhoon. Doomcaliber attacked Airbellum, Colajezzi responded with Gottoms’ Emergency Call, and she Special Summoned Airbellum and Darksoul in Defense Position. Airbellum was then destroyed in battle, and Colajezzi dropped to 1000 Life Points. Kelly Set Darksoul.

With Level Limit gone, Colajezzi finally activated that Cold Wave! She Special Summoned Faultroll, then Summoned her second copy. She Tuned Airbellum and Darksoul together to Synchro Summon XX-Saber Hyunlei. Doomcaliber Knight negated Darksoul’s effect, and Hyunlei swept out Kelly’s face-down Mirror Force and Book of Moon! After a flurry of Faultroll effects and Brionac hitting the table alongside a flood of X-Sabers, Kelly conceded!

Grant Kelly takes an early lead over Carolyn Colajezzi, but she plays hard to her one big out: Level Limit – Area B! Level Limit keeps her in the Duel, and clever, patient play eventually makes her the victor! Both competitors made quick use of their Side Decks before moving to the second Duel.

Kelly started Game 2 with a Set monster.

Colajezzi opened with a hand of Cold Wave, Level Limit – Area B, XX-Saber Boggart Knight, XX-Saber Faultroll, Heavy Storm, and Mystical Space Typhoon. She Set Typhoon.

Kelly Summoned X-Saber Airbellum, attacked, and forced Colajezzi to discard XX-Saber Faultroll. He then Flip Summoned Gravekeeper’s Spy, Special Summoned another Spy in Defense Position, and Synchro Summoned Arcanite Magician. He removed a Spell Counter to destroy Mystical Space Typhoon and ended.

Colajezzi drew another Boggart Knight. She Summoned it, destroyed Arcanite in battle, and debated a bit before activating Level Limit. Boggart Knight went to Defense Position.

Kelly Set a monster and passed.

Colajezzi drew and Set XX-Saber Emmersblade.

Kelly Flip Summoned Ryko, Lightsworn Hunter to send Bottomless Trap Hole, Cyber Dragon, and Dimensional Prison to his Graveyard, destroying Level Limit. He Tributed Ryko for Caius the Shadow Monarch, removed XX-Saber Emmersblade from the game, and ran over Boggart Knight! A big turn for Kelly.

Colajezzi drew Brain Control and passed.

Kelly Summoned Doomcaliber Knight, attacked for 1900 Battle Damage, and scored 2400 more damage with a direct attack from Caius.

Colajezzi drew X-Saber Airbellum! She Summoned Airbellum, took Gravekeeper’s Spy with Brain Control, and Tuned them together for Arcanite Magician. But Doomcaliber’s effect resolved to destroy Arcanite Magician and Colajezzi conceded the second Duel.

The third Duel began moments later. Colajezzi’s hand was Consecrated Light, XX-Saber Fulhelmknight, Gottoms’ Emergency Call, Cyber Dragon, Solemn Judgment, and Heavy Storm. She Summoned Fulhelmknight, Set Call, and Set Solemn.

Kelly Summoned Doomcaliber Knight, attacked, and Colajezzi activated XX-Saber Fulhelmknight’s effect. Both monsters were sent to the Graveyard due to Doomcaliber’s effect. Kelly Set 2 cards to his back row.

Colajezzi drew XX-Saber Faultroll, Normal Summoned Consecrated Light, and ended.

Kelly Set a monster – was it Ryko?

Colajezzi drew XX-Saber Boggart Knight, turned Consecrated Light to Defense Position, then lost Gottoms’ Emergency Call to Dust Tornado in the End Phase.

Kelly Flip Summoned XX-Saber Darksoul, attacked Consecrated Light, and Set a monster. A Set card to his Spell & Trap Card Zone ended the turn.

Colajezzi drew Book of Moon. She Special Summoned Cyber Dragon, Kelly flipped Royal Oppression, and paid to activate its effect, but Colajezzi’s Solemn Judgment destroyed the Royal Oppression, so the Summon of Cyber Dragon went through okay. Colajezzi Summoned Boggart Knight. She attacked with Cyber Dragon to destroy XX-Saber Darksoul, sent Boggart Knight to attack Kelly’s face-down Ryko, Lightsworn Hunter, and its effect destroyed Cyber Dragon. She Set Book of Moon and ended. Kelly got Airbellum with Darksoul’s effect.

Kelly took Boggart Knight with Brain Control, but Colajezzi flipped Book of Moon to turn Airbellum face-down so Kelly couldn’t Tune it to Boggart Knight. Kelly attacked for 1900 damage instead, and Colajezzi took the Knight back.

She attacked with it moments later, but lost it to Dimensional Prison. She Set Summoner Monk and ended.

Kelly Summoned Doomcaliber Knight, and attacked the Monk to destroy it. Kelly didn’t attack with Airbellum, held back by his own Doomcaliber. Still, he activated Pot of Avarice, drawing to 2 cards in-hand, and Setting a Spell or Trap to finish his turn.

Colajezzi got another Cyber Dragon! She Special Summoned it, attacked Airbellum, and destroyed it.

Kelly Summoned another Airbellum! He Tuned it to Doomcaliber Knight, Summoned X-Saber Urbellum, and attacked over Cyber Dragon.

Colajezzi drew Torrential Tribute, with XX-Saber Faultroll in-hand. She Set Torrential Tribute, but it was destroyed by Dust Tornado in the End Phase.

Kelly attacked again with Urbellum, then Set a monster.

Colajezzi Set Compulsory Evacuation Device, and when Kelly Flip Summoned Ryko, Lightsworn Hunter to try and destroy it, she Chained the Device to get rid of Urbellum! But Kelly Tribute Summoned Cyber Dragon, attacked, and Colajezzi was down to 1700 Life Points.

She drew Giant Trunade next turn and immediately conceded. Grant Kelly moves on to tomorrow with a 7-1 record!

 

Post-Event Analysis!
See what our panel of experts had to say about this Duel after the event was over.  

Michael Kohanim (2009 World Championship Competitor)
In Duel 2, Colajezzi could have Tuned X-Saber Airbellum and Gravekeeper’s Spy together for a different Level 7 Synchro instead of Arcanite Magician, like Black Rose Dragon, and used it to attack over Doomcaliber Knight. Arcanite Magician was destroyed by Doomcaliber Knight too quickly to harm Kelly, since its effect activates to gain Spell Counters as soon as it’s Synchro Summoned. Colajezzi would still be in trouble if she Synchro Summoned Black Rose Dragon and attacked with it instead, since Kelly had a Caius on the field that was strong enough to clash with Black Rose Dragon, but she’d still be in the game.

She also could have used Brain Control to take control of Doomcaliber Knight instead of Gravekeeper’s Spy, and Tuned it with X-Saber Airbellum to destroy all cards on the field with Black Rose Dragon. When given the option between making a long shot play and one that will surely end in defeat, it’s always best to make the move that keeps you in the game.

P.J. Tierney (Duelist from across The Pond)
Since most Decks do most of their attacking with Level 4 and higher monsters, Level Limit – Area B can shut them down entirely until it’s destroyed. Thanks to that one card, Colajezzi was able to hold out until she drew exactly what she needed to turn the Duel around, destroying it with XX-Saber Hyunlei when she was ready to attack.

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