Billy Brake and Ben Haynes made it to the Top 16 with two very different Decks. Brake is running an X-Saber Deck with Thunder King Rai-Oh in it, while his opponent, Ben Haynes, is playing a Frog Monarch Deck with Obelisk the Tormentor. Which Deck will win: Brake’s Deck dependent on Synchro Summons, or Haynes’s Deck dependent on Tribute Summons? Only one of these Duelists can advance to the Top 8, and we’re about to find out which one it will be.

Brake won the dice roll and chose to go first. He opened up with Starlight Road, 2 copies of Bottomless Trap Hole, Mystical Space Typhoon, Rescue Cat, and XX-Saber Darksoul in his hand. He Summoned Rescue Cat and Tributed it to search his Deck for X-Saber Airbellum and XX-Saber Darksoul and Special Summon them to the field. Then he Tuned them together to Synchro Summon XX-Saber Hyunlei, triggering Darksoul’s effect, and Set both copies of Bottomless Trap Hole, Starlight Road, and Mystical Space Typhoon face-down in his back row. He searched his Deck for XX-Saber Faultroll in his End Phase thanks to the effect of Darksoul and Haynes was finally up.

Haynes discarded Treeborn Frog to Special Summon Swap Frog from his hand and send Ronintoadin from his Deck to his Graveyard with Swap Frog’s effect. Then he Tributed Swap Frog to Summon Caius the Shadow Monarch and targeted XX-Saber Hyunlei with Caius’s effect. Brake chained Bottomless Trap Hole to remove Caius from the game and then Caius’s effect removed Hyunlei. He ended his turn.

Brake drew Thunder King Rai-Oh next turn. He Set XX-Saber Darksoul and passed to Haynes.

Haynes Special Summoned Treeborn Frog in his next Standby Phase and Tributed it to Summon Raiza the Storm Monarch. Haynes used Raiza’s effect to send Brake’s Set Darksoul to the top of his Deck and Brake played Bottomless Trap Hole to remove Raiza from play.

Brake Set Darksoul again next turn and passed to Haynes.

Haynes Special Summoned Treeborn Frog again and then removed Swap Frog from his Graveyard to Special Summon Ronintoadin. Then he Tributed both of his monsters to Summon Light and Darkness Dragon. He attacked Brake’s Set Darksoul with Light and Darkness Dragon and the Dragon lost 500 ATK and DEF to negate Darksoul’s effect.

Brake Set a card to his back row after drawing a card next turn, and passed to Haynes.

Haynes attacked for 2300 damage with Light and Darkness Dragon next turn and ended his turn.

Brake drew a card next turn and had Thunder King Rai-Oh, XX-Saber Faultroll, and Gold Sarcophagus in his hand. He passed without making a play.

Haynes attacked with Light and Darkness Dragon again next turn, dropping Brake to 3400 Life Points.

Brake Summoned Thunder King Rai-Oh in Attack Position next turn, but didn’t attack the Light and Darkness Dragon. He Set a back row and ended his turn instead.

Haynes drew to 6 cards in his hand and then attacked Rai-Oh with Light and Darkness Dragon. Brake flipped Trap Stun and Light and Darkness Dragon was forced to negate it, dropping to 1800 ATK. Light and Darkness Dragon was destroyed in battle by Rai-Oh, and Haynes Special Summoned Ronintoadin from his Graveyard in Defense Position with his Dragon’s effect. He Summoned Substitoad in Main Phase 2 and Tributed Ronintoadin with its effect to Special Summon Treeborn Frog. Then he Tributed Treeborn Frog to Special Summon Swap Frog and proceeded to empty his Deck of frogs by Tributing them off with Substitoad one at a time. Eventually, he Tributed Swap Frog with Substitoad to Special Summon Dupe Frog in Defense Position and then Tributed the Substitoad to Special Summon a second copy of Dupe Frog in Defense Position, locking Brake out from attacking.

Brake used Gold Sarcophagus next turn, searching his Deck for Boggart Knight and removing it from the game. Then he Set a monster and ended his turn.

Haynes Special Summoned Treeborn Frog in his next Standby Phase and Tributed it to activate Enemy Controller and take control of Thunder King Rai-Oh. Then he brought the Frog back again, still in his Standby Phase. In Main Phase 1, Haynes Tributed Rai-Oh and Treeborn Frog for Light and Darkness Dragon. Brake activated Mystical Space Typhoon immediately, Light and Darkness Dragon tried to negate it, and Brake chained Torrential Tribute to clear the field! Brake lost his face-down Sangan and searched his Deck for Fulhelmknight and added it to his hand with Sangan’s effect. Haynes Special Summoned Swap Frog from his Graveyard with the effect of Light and Darkness Dragon but didn’t dump any frogs from his Deck with its effect. He activated Swap Frog’s effect to return it to his hand before ending his turn.

Brake Set another card to his back row next turn and passed to Haynes.

Haynes Special Summoned Treeborn Frog in his next Standby Phase. He Tributed his Treeborn Frog to Summon Raiza and used its effect to send a card in Brake’s back row to the top of his Deck. Raiza attacked directly, dropping Brake to 1000 Life Points.

Brake Summoned Boggart Knight next turn and used its effect to Special Summon Fulhelmknight. Then he Special Summoned XX-Saber Faultroll and activated its effect to Special Summon XX-Saber Darksoul. He Tuned Fulhelmknight with Darksoul to Synchro Summon Goyo Guardian and used it to attack and steal Raiza. Haynes Special Summoned Tragoedia from his hand in Defense Position when he took the 400 damage. Haynes had 4 cards left in his hand, bringing Tragoedia upto 2400 DEF and making it strong enough to fend off Brake’s other attacks. Brake searched his Deck for XX-Saber Faultroll and added it to his hand in his End Phase thanks to Darksoul’s effect.

Haynes drew to 5 cards in hand and then Special Summoned Treeborn Frog from his Graveyard. He activated 2 copies of Soul Exchange next, Tributing Brake’s XX-Saber Faultroll and Goyo Guardian to Summon Gorz the Emissary of Darkness from his hand. He ended his turn.

Brake Summoned X-Saber Airbellum next turn and then Special Summoned Faultroll from his hand. He activated Faultroll’s effect to Special Summon XX-Saber Fulhelmknight from his Graveyard. Then he Tuned Airbellum to Faultroll in to Synchro Summon XX-Saber Gottoms. Fulhelmknight attacked and destroyed Treeborn Frog, and Brake Special Summoned XX-Saber Darksoul in Defense Position with Fulhelmknight’s effect. Next up, Gottoms attacked over Gorz, Boggart Knight destroyed Haynes’s Defense Position Tragoedia, and Raiza attacked Haynes directly. At this point, Haynes Special Summoned Battle Fader from his hand to stop the attack. In Main Phase 2, Brake Tributed Darksoul to discard a card from Haynes’s hand with Gottoms’s effect. Haynes lost his Swap Frog. Brake searched his Deck for Faultroll and added it to his hand in his End Phase thanks to the effect of Darksoul.

Haynes drew Creature Swap next turn. He switched Battle Fader to Attack Position and then activated it. Brake gave him a Boggart Knight and took the Fader. Boggart Knight attacked the Fader to try and win the game, but Brake negated the attack with Fulhelmknight. Haynes saw that Brake’s swarm would finish him off next turn, and Haynes conceded.

Brake makes a huge comeback to win a close first Duel!

Haynes started off Duel 2 by Summoning Substitoad and Tributing it to Special Summon Swap Frog. He used Swap Frog to dump Treeborn Frog from his Deck to his Graveyard. Then he returned Swap Frog to his hand by activating its effect and ended his turn.

Brake opened up with Torrential Tribute, Bottomless Trap Hole, Royal Oppression, Gottoms’ Emergency Call, XX-Saber Darksoul, and Gorz the Emissary of Darkness. He Set XX-Saber Darksoul and Torrential Tribute before passing to Haynes.

Haynes chose not to Special Summon Treeborn Frog next turn. In Main Phase 1, he Normal Summoned Swap Frog and sent Ronintoadin from his Deck to his Graveyard with its effect. Then he Set a card to his back row and returned Swap Frog from his field to his hand by activating its effect, ending his turn.

Brake Set Bottomless Trap Hole next turn and lost it to Haynes’s Dust Tornado in the End Phase.

When Haynes was up, he Normal Summoned Swap Frog again, sending another Swap Frog from his Deck to his Graveyard. Once again, he returned Swap Frog to his hand before ending his turn.

Brake Set another Bottomless Trap Hole next turn and passed to Haynes.

Haynes activated the Heavy Storm he had previously Set, to destroy the Torrential Tribute and Bottomless Trap Hole Brake had face-down. Haynes discarded Treeborn Frog next, to Special Summon Swap Frog and send a Frog from his Deck to his Graveyard. Then he removed Swap Frog from his Graveyard and Special Summoned Ronintoadin, before Tributing his 2 monsters to Summon Light and Darkness Dragon! Light and Darkness Dragon attacked and destroyed Darksoul, dropping by 500 ATK and DEF to negate Darksoul’s effect.

Brake drew a card before quickly passing his next turn.

Haynes attacked with Light and Darkness Dragon again next turn and Brake tried to Special Summon Gorz! Light and Darkness Dragon negated Gorz, leaving it in Brake’s hand. Light and Darkness Dragon dropped down to 1800 ATK after dealing 2300 points of damage.

Brake passed his next turn without making any plays.

Haynes attacked again next turn with Light and Darkness Dragon. Brake tried to Special Summon Gorz once again, revealing it and allowing it to have its effect negated by Light and Darkness Dragon.

Brake Set 3 cards to his back row and a monster in Defense Position before ending his next turn.

Haynes tried to Special Summon Treeborn Frog next turn and his Light and Darkness Dragon negated its effect. Then he tried to Special Summon it again. This time, it hit the field because Light and Darkness Dragon could no longer negate it. Haynes Tributed Treeborn Frog to Summon Caius, and targeted Brake’s face-down Boggart Knight with Caius’s effect to remove it from play. Caius and Light and Darkness Dragon attacked directly, dropping Brake to 700 Life Points. Haynes Set 2 cards to his back row before ending his turn.

After drawing his next card, Brake conceded.

Billy Brake will be going first in Duel 3!

Brake opened up with Sangan, Mask of Restrict, Trap Dustshoot, Mind Control, Book of Moon and Torrential Tribute. He Set Trap Dustshoot and Torrential Tribute along with Sangan, ending his turn.

He flipped Trap Dustshoot in the Draw Phase, revealing 2 copies of Cyber Dragon, 2 copies of Raiza, Light and Darkness Dragon, and Battle Fader. He sent Battle Fader back to Haynes’s Deck. Haynes wasn’t happy.

Haynes Special Summoned Cyber Dragon and Brake flipped Torrential Tribute to destroy Sangan and Cyber Dragon. Brake searched his Deck for Summoner Monk with the effect of Sangan and added it to his hand. Haynes ended his turn, and Brake knew there was no other play Haynes was able to make.

Brake drew Fulhelmknight next turn. He Summoned Summoner Monk and it switched to Defense Position with its effect. Then he discarded Mind Control to activate its effect and Special Summon Rescue Cat from his Deck. He Tributed Rescue Cat and Special Summoned 2 copies of X-Saber Airbellum. They attacked Haynes directly, dropping him to 4800 Life Points and forcing him to discard Cyber Dragon and Raiza from his hand. Brake Tuned X-Saber Airbellum with Summoner Monk in Main Phase 2 to Synchro Summon Arcanite Magician in Attack Position. He Set Book of Moon and Mask of Restrict before letting his Airbellum get destroyed in the End Phase due to the effect of Rescue Cat.

Haynes Summoned Substitoad next turn. He Tributed it to Special Summon Swap Frog from his Deck, and used its effect to send Treeborn Frog from his Deck to his Graveyard. Then he used the effect of Swap Frog to return it back to his hand before ending his turn.

Brake Summoned Fulhelmknight next turn and attacked directly with both Arcanite Magician and Fulhelmknight. He passed to Haynes.

Haynes Special Summoned Treeborn Frog in his Standby Phase and Brake chained Mask of Restrict to its effect. Haynes Normal Summoned Swap Frog from his hand next, only to reveal the cards in his hand that he couldn’t play. Haynes offered the handshake and conceded.

Billy Brake is moving on to the Top 8 with his X-Saber Deck!

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

Jason Grabher-Meyer (The Old Man of Dueling)
Clever play in the face of Light and Darkness Dragon saved the first Duel for Brake. When he was up against the first Dragon with Gold Sarcophagus and Thunder King Rai-Oh in-hand, many Duelists would have given up the Sarcophagus to bring the Dragon to 1800 ATK, letting Thunder King attack it. Instead, Brake Summoned Thunder King and ended, shrinking the Dragon next turn by activating Trap Stun in response to its attack. That bought Brake time, and it let him use his Gold Sarcophagus to get XX-Saber Boggart Knight later – a card that was key to his comeback.

Michael Kohanim (2009 World Championship Competitor)
In Duel 3, Brake used Trap Dustshoot to take a look at Haynes’s hand and send back Battle Fader. This allowed Brake to score 2 direct hits with X-Saber Airbellum and nail 2 more cards in Haynes’s hand. But the Trap Dustshoot did much more than that – it showed Haynes’s hand to Brake, enabling him to play around Haynes’s cards. Brake was able to decisively choose the best play thereafter, knowing Haynes didn’t have the cards to stop it. After getting a glimpse at your opponent’s hand with Trap Dustshoot, you should always keep in mind which cards your opponent definitely has, and make plays based on that knowledge.

P.J. Tierney (Duelist from across The Pond)
Light and Darkness Dragon is one of the toughest monsters to get rid of since it can negate any of your cards. However, the Dragon has one key weakness though, it can only negate once in any Chain (otherwise it would try to negate itself over and over). If you’re planning on destroying Light and Darkness Dragon, the best way to do it is to play another card first, allow the Dragon to activate its effect, and then Chain your other card to destroy it. That’s exactly what Brake did in Duel 2 when Light and Darkness Dragon was Summoned. He activated Mystical Space Typhoon, the Dragon tried to negate it, and then he responded with Torrential Tribute to destroy it. 

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