Top 16 Feature Match: Grant Kelly vs. Carl Waite
Sometimes, competitors in a long tournament will have to play each other in both the Swiss Rounds, and again in the playoff Rounds. As the undefeated field narrows in the Swiss Rounds, it becomes more likely for Duelists with the same record to Duel each other, and make it to the playoffs. That’s the situation we have here, as Caliber Cat Duelist Grant Kelly Duels Gadget Duelist Carl Waite in a rematch of a Round 10 Match that Kelly won just hours before.
Waite got the Match started with a Set card to his Spell and Trap Card Zone.
He activated it next turn: Trap Dustshoot. It revealed Kelly’s hand of 2 Royal Oppressions, Bottomless Trap Hole, Pot of Avarice, Ryko, Lightsworn Hunter, and Sangan. Waite sent Sangan back to Kelly’s Deck, leaving him to Set Ryko and Bottomless. Kelly’s hand wasn’t a very good match against Waite’s Gadget strategy. Waite didn’t need to Special Summon to win, so Royal Oppression would be useful only against Machina Fortress. He’d also might have few opportunities to activate Bottomless, since so many of Waite’s monsters were below 1500 ATK.
Waite passed, and Kelly passed back.
Waite Summoned Green Gadget, got Red Gadget from his Deck, and attacked the Set Ryko. His Gadget was destroyed, and Kelly sent X-Saber Airbellum, Gravekeeper’s Spy, and Dust Tornado off the top of his Deck to his Graveyard. Waite ended.
Kelly drew Smashing Ground and Set Heavy Storm.
Waite flipped his own Heavy Storm next turn, destroying Kelly’s Heavy and Bottomless, before Summoning Red Gadget to get Yellow Gadget! He discarded 2 Machina Fortresses to Special Summon 1 of them, attacked with both of his monsters, and Set a Spell or Trap to end.
Kelly destroyed Fortress with Smashing Ground and Set Royal Oppression next turn. He still didn’t have any way to fight back.
Waite attacked with Red Gadget, then Summoned Yellow Gadget to get Green Gadget.
Kelly destroyed a Gadget with another Smashing Ground next turn, and Set his second Oppression.
Waite attacked him with Yellow Gadget next turn, and Summoned Green Gadget in Main Phase 2. Heb was playing a really focused game, making sure to press for all the damage he could get without risking Torrential Tribute. He got Red Gadget.
Kelly Set Book of Moon, used it to protect himself from Green Gadget, but was conceding a turn later, unable to defend himself against Waite’s Gadget monsters!
A rough hand that was poor for the Gadget matchup dooms Grant Kelly from the get-go, and Carl Waite makes all the right moves to take advantage! Waite was now 1 win away from a seat in the Top 8.
Kelly opened Duel 2 with a hand of Banisher of the Radiance, Ryko, Lightsworn Hunter, Bottomless Trap Hole, Rescue Cat, Heavy Storm, and Dust Tornado. He Set Ryko, Set Bottomless, and ended.
Waite Summoned Green Gadget, getting Red Gadget and attacking with Green into Ryko. Ryko’s effect destroyed Green Gadget, sending Brain Control, Dimensional Prison, and another Ryko to the Graveyard. A Set card to the Spell and Trap Card Zone ended Waite’s turn.
Kelly drew another Banisher. He Normal Summoned it, attacked for 1600 damage, and Set a Spell or Trap.
Waite Summoned Machina Gearframe next turn, getting Machina Fortress and losing Gearframe to Bottomless Trap Hole. He Set Mind Crush, but lost it in the End Phase to Dust Tornado.
Kelly cleared the field with Heavy Storm, Summoned X-Saber Airbellum, and attacked to force Waite to discard Machina Fortress. Banisher made a direct attack next, and Waite was up.
He Summoned Red Gadget, and searched his deck for Yellow Gadget, Setting a Spell or Trap card to finish out.
Kelly drew, now holding a hand of Rescue Cat, Banisher, and Mirror Force. He attacked, but Waite had Mirror Force himself! Airbellum and Banisher were destroyed. But Kelly pressed on, Summoning Rescue Cat to Special Summon XX-Saber Darksoul and X-Saber Airbellum, Tuning them for Goyo Guardian. Darksoul’s effect got him Airbellum in the End Phase.
Waite discarded Machina Fortress and Yellow Gadget to Special Summon Fortress, turned Red Gadget to Defense, and attacked with the Fortress into Kelly’s Mirror Force. He Normal Summoned Machina Gearframe in Main Phase 2, searched his Deck for Machina Force, and equipped Gearframe to Red Gadget.
Kelly drew Pot of Avarice, and activated it to try and send Rescue Cat, 2 Airbellums, Darksoul, and a Ryko back to his Deck. But Waite Chained D.D. Crow’s effect, removing Rescue Cat to stop Pot of Avarice from resolving! Kelly Summoned Banisher, attacked with it to remove Machina Gearframe, and attacked with Goyo to destroy the Gadget that Gearframe had been protecting.
Waite discarded Red Gadget and Yellow Gadget to Special Summon Machina Fortress. He attacked over Banisher.
But a turn later Kelly drew Smashing Ground! He activated it to destroy Machina Fortress and attacked for victory!
Grant Kelly presses this Match to a third Duel! Only the winner would carry on in this tournament!
Waite started off with Red Gadget, getting Yellow Gadget from his Deck. He Set 2 cards to his Spell and Trap Card Zone.
Kelly had Book of Moon, 2 Gravekeeper’s Spies, Gorz the Emissary of Darkness, and 2 Ryko, Lightsworn Hunter. He Set Ryko, Set Book, and lost the Book to Dust Tornado in the End Phase.
Waite Summoned Doomcaliber Knight! It attacked Ryko to destroy it, and negated its effect. Red Gadget made a direct attack, and Kelly Special Summoned Gorz! Waite Set a second Spell or Trap again.
Kelly kept Gorz in Defense Position, attacked Red Gadget with his Emissary of Darkness Token, and Set a monster and a Spell or Trap. He turned Gorz to Attack Position to end his turn.
Waite Summoned Machina Gearframe, searching out Machina Fortress. It attacked into Kelly’s second Ryko, which destroyed Waite’s Bottomless Trap Hole. Waite Set another Spell or Trap.
Kelly Set another back row card, Set a monster, and ended.
Waite Summoned Yellow Gadget, got Green Gadget from his Deck, and discarded it and Machina Fortress to Special Summon Fortress. He attacked Gorz with Fortress, and Kelly responded with Dimensional Prison, removing it. Gearframe attacked Kelly’s Set Gravekeeper’s Spy, and he Special Summoned a second copy in Defense Position.
Kelly Set Bottomless Trap Hole.
Waite Summoned Green Gadget. He got Red Gadget, and Set a third back row card, unable to get through Kelly’s wall of monsters.
Kelly Set another monster.
Waite Summoned Red Gadget, getting another Yellow Gadget from his Deck. He shifted Yellow and Green Gadget to Defense Position, then sent Red Gadget to attack Kelly’s face-down monster: XX–Saber Darksoul. Waite ended, and Kelly got X-Saber Airbellum from his deck.
Kelly Summoned X-Saber Airbellum next turn, but before he could Synchro Summon, Waite responded with Book of Moon, turning Airbellum face-down.
Next turn, Waite attached Gearframe to Yellow Gadget, turned Red Gadget to Defense Position, and Summoned another Gearframe to get Machina Fortress. He attached that second Gearframe to Red Gadget and ended.
Kelly drew Doomcaliber Knight. He Summoned it, turned Gorz to Defense Position, and attacked Green Gadget to destroy it.
Waite Set a third card to his Spell and Trap Card Zone.
Kelly attacked Red Gadget with Doomcaliber Knight, knocking Machina Gearframe off of Red Gadget instead of destroying it.
Waite Summoned Yellow Gadget, didn’t activate its effect, and responded with Torrential Tribute! He cleared the field, except for his one Gadget that had been equipped with Gearframe. Yellow Gadget made a direct attack, and Waite Set another Spell or Trap.
Kelly Set a monster, then Set a third back row card.
Waite discarded 2 Fortresses next turn, Special Summoned 1, and lost it to Bottomless Trap Hole. Yellow Gadget attacked, hit Kelly’s Gravekeeper’s Spy, and he Special Summoned Gravekeeper’s Guard from his Deck in Defense Position.
Kelly Sumoned X-Saber Airbellum, but that too was swallowed up by a Bottomless Trap Hole. He Set another back row card.
Waite discarded Machina Force, Special Summoned Machina Fortress, and turned Yellow Gadget to Defense Position. When Fortress attacked Spy Waite lost out to Dimensional Prison. He lost Royal Oppression in the End Phase to Kelly’s Dust Tornado.
Kelly drew and Summoned Doomcaliber Knight, attacked Yellow Gadget, and Waite flipped Dimensional Prison. Kelly Chained Book of Moon, keeping his Doomcaliber on the field.
Waite passed next turn, Kelly attacked, and Waite forced Doomcaliber to Tribute itself by activating D.D. Crow. Kelly Summoned another Doomcaliber Knight.
Waite Summoned Machina Gearframe, but couldn’t activate its effect, as he had nothing left to take from his Deck. He’d been trying to beat that Doomcaliber, but couldn’t quite manage it.
Doomcaliber attacked Gearframe next turn, destroying it.
Waite Set 2 more cards to his back row.
Kelly attacked Yellow Gadget with Doomcaliber, but Waite flipped Limiter Removal! Both monsters were eventually destroyed.
Waite passed.
Kelly turned Gravekeeper’s Spy to Attack Position, attacked with it, and Summoned Airbellum in Main Phase 2. He Tuned it to Gravekeeper’s Guard, Synchro Summoned Arcanite Magician, and used its effect to destroy Waite’s Set Smashing Ground and Mirror Force!
Waite Set a Spell or Trap.
Kelly attacked for 1200 damage with his Spy.
Waite passed.
Kelly Summoned Banisher of the Radiance, attacking with that and Spy to lower Waite to 1700 Life Points.
Waite Set 2 more cards to his Spell and Trap Card Zone.
Kelly turned Spy to Defense Position, and Arcanite to attack. Arcanite made a successful direct attack, but Banisher was bumped away by Compulsory Evacuation Device. Kelly then had to discard it to Mind Crush. It was all over a turn later as Kelly drew Sangan to attack for the win!
Grant Kelly is headed to the Top 8!
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)
Kelly was one of many Duelists playing Banisher of the Radiance in their Side Decks at this event. It’s a powerful card to stop Herald Duelists from activating Advanced Ritual Art. In this Match we saw Kelly use it to stop Waite from Special Summoning Machina Fortress. If Waite tried to discard Machina Fortress to Special Summon it, it would get removed from the game by Banisher’s effect before it could hit the field. Since Banisher is useful against several different strategies, you should definitely consider it for your Side Deck.
Michael Kohanim (2009 World Championship Competitor)
In Duel 2, Kelly opened up by Setting Ryko, Lightsworn Hunter in Defense Position before Waite had any cards on the field. This was a risky play because it allowed Waite to Summon an expendable Gadget and attack Ryko, forcing Ryko to destroy the Gadget instead of a more valuable card. Kelly may have been better off Summoning Banisher of the Radiance on his first turn, backed by Bottomless Trap Hole, and waiting for Waite to commit more cards to the field before Setting Ryko.
