Both of these competitors are undefeated, seated at Table 1. The twist? Both Duelists are playing extremely similar Decks: an anti-meta Beatdown strategy with Doomcaliber Knight, Thunder King Rai-Oh, Banisher of the Radiance, and King Tiger Wanghu, backed up by a variety of simple removal Spells and Traps.

Meier started the Match with a hand of Doomcaliber Knight, Cyber Dragon, Fossil Dyna Pachycephalo, Spirit Reaper, Royal Oppression, and Enemy Controller. He Summoned Doomcaliber Knight, Set Oppression and Controller, and ended.

Jehanzab Set 4 cards to his Spell and Trap Card Zone as his only move.

Meier drew Sakuretsu Armor, and Normal Summoned Fossil Dyna. He attacked for 1200 Battle Damage, then attacked with Doomcaliber, and Jehanzab flipped it face-down with Book of Moon. Meier Set Sakuretsu Armor to finish his turn.

Jehanzab Summoned King Tiger Wanghu, attacked Fossil Dyna, and when Meier flipped Sakuretsu Armor, Jehanzab saved it by Chaining Compulsory Evacuation Device.

Meier Flip Summoned Doomcaliber Knight, lost it to Bottomless Trap Hole, and Normal Summoned Spirit Reaper. It attacked into Dimensional Prison, and Fossil Dyna did another 1200 damage. Meier Set another Sakuretsu.

Jehanzab Summoned King Tiger, attacked into Sakuretsu Armor, and activated Compulsory Evacuation Device to save his King Tiger again!

Meier Summoned Thunder King Rai-Oh, attacked, and ran into Mirror Force! “That’s a good Mirror Force,” he remarked, sucking in his breath.

Jehanzab attacked directly with King Tiger next turn.

Meier Special Summoned Cyber Dragon, attacked, lost it to another Dimensional Prison, and Summoned Doomcaliber Knight in Main Phase 2. Both Duelists were getting low on cards. Meier ended with Doomcaliber on the field, 2 Set cards in his back row, and nothing in hand.

Jehanzab drew to 1 card in-hand, with King Tiger on the field and a Set Spell or Trap. He Set a monster.

Meier attacked over King Tiger with Doomcaliber Knight.

Jehanzab Summoned Thunder King, attacked Doomcaliber Knight, and Meier stopped the attack with Enemy Controller. He Flip Summoned Banisher of the Radiance in Main Phase 2.

Meier Normal Summoned his own King Tiger next turn, and attacked to wipe Meier’s monsters off the field!

Jehanzab Summoned another Thunder King, attacked over King Tiger, and ended.

Meier destroyed the Thunder King with Smashing Ground and attacked with Doomcaliber Knight for 1900 Battle Damage. Meier had 6100 Life Points to Jehanzab’s 1300, and Jehanzab conceded after seeing his draw next turn.

“Those Sakuretsu Armors helped you so much,” remarked Jehanzab.

“Yeah, nobody sees it coming! With Banisher out, it’s almost like more copies of Dimensional Prison.” More conversation ensued between the two Duelists, mostly revolving around how good Sakuretsu Armor was.

Jehanzab started Duel 2 by Setting a monster.

Meier had Heavy Storm, Banisher of the Radiance, Doomcaliber Knight, Thunder King Rai-Oh, and 2 Books of Moon. He Summoned Doomcaliber, attacked into D.D. Warrior Lady, and both monsters wound up in the Graveyard thanks to Doomcaliber’s effect. He Set Book of Moon.

Jehanzab attacked into the Book next turn with Thunder King Rai-Oh, and Set a Spell or Trap.

It was Mirror Force, and Meier destroyed it with Heavy Storm next turn. He Summoned Thunder King, attacked Jehanzab’s Defense Position Thunder King, and Set his second Book.

Jehanzab blasted Meier’s Thunder King with Smashing Ground, then Set his last 3 cards to his back row.

Meier Summoned King Tiger Wanghu, attacked for 1700 Battle Damage, and ended.

Jehanzab flipped his Set Heavy Storm next turn, willing to give up his 2 other Set cards, but Meier Chained Starlight Road! He Special Summoned Stardust Dragon and Jehanzab Set the rest of his hand. He’d had his own Starlight Set, but couldn’t activate it because Meier had beaten him to the punch!

Meier attacked with King Tiger, then attacked with Stardust. Jehanzab blocked the attack with Compulsory Evacuation Device, sending Stardust Dragon back to the Extra Deck.

Jehanzab Set a Spell or Trap.

Meier attacked for another 1700 Battle Damage with King Tiger, and Set another card to his Spell and Trap Card Zone.

Jehanzab Summoned his own King Tiger, but lost it to Trap Hole! (You read that right. Regular Trap Hole. Marvel, as old and busted becomes new hotness once again!)

Meier attacked for another 1700 damage with King Tiger.

Jehanzab Set another Spell or Trap.

Meier tried to attack for the win with King Tiger, but Jehanzab blocked it with Book of Moon.

Jehanzab Set a monster.

Meier Flip Summoned King Tiger Wanghu, Normal Summoned Banisher of the Radiance, and Jehanzab removed Banisher with Bottomless Trap Hole. King Tiger Wanghu attacked, but Jehanzab’s Set monster was Snowman Eater! Its effect destroyed King Tiger. When Meier tried to destroy Snowman Eater with Smashing Ground, Jehanzab saved it with Dark Bribe.

Next turn, Jehanzab Sumoned Breaker the Magical Warrior, and Meier turned it face-down with Book of Moon.

Meier Set a fourth Spell or Trap.

Jehanzab Flip Summoned Breaker the Magical Warrior, attacked, and lost to Sakuretsu Armor.

Meier Set another Spell or Trap.

Jehanzab Summoned Thunder King Rai-Oh, and attacked into Dimensional Prison.

Meier Set Spirit Reaper and a card to his back row.

Jehanzab passed.

Meier Summoned Doomcaliber Knight, attacked Snowman Eater, and Jehanzab responded with Dimensional Prison. “I know you have Enemy Controller,” remarked Jehanzab. Meier ended.

Jehanzab Set a monster.

Meier Summoned Banisher of the Radiance, attacked into D.D. Warrior Lady, and both monsters were removed by her effect.

Jehanzab drew and Summoned a Banisher of his own, attacked into Spirit Reaper, and ended.

Meier drew and Set a Spell or Trap Card.

Jehanzab flipped Smashing Ground, trying to destroy Reaper, but Meier negated it with Magic Drain.

Next turn, Meier turned Reaper to attack position, attacked Snowman Eater, and destroyed it by turning it to Attack Position with Enemy Controller. Jehanzab now had just 900 Life Points, to Meier’s 7800.

Jehanzab passed.

Meier destroyed Banisher with Smashing Ground, then attacked for 300 Battle Damage with Reaper.

Jehanzab Set another Spell or Trap. “You just have so much more monster removal than me, it’s crazy.”

Meier made another attack with Reaper. Jehanzab had just 300 Life Points left.

Meier Summoned Banisher, attacked Jehanzab’s face-down monster, and Jehanzab warded off the attack with Book of Moon. Meier turned Reaper to Defense Position.

Jehanzab Set a Spell or Trap.

Meier attacked with Banisher again, but Jehanzab removed it with another Dimensional Prison. Spirit Reaper attacked, but struck Fossil Dyna! “I had nothing to take that out for in this matchup,” explained Jehanzab. Meier was down to 6800 Life Points. Jehanzab had just 300.

Jehanzab Set another monster.

Meier Tributed Reaper for Cyber Dragon, and attacked to reveal Jehanzab’s Set Spirit Reaper!

Jehanzab passed.

Meier drew Fossil Dyna, holding Mirror Force and Smashing Ground with 3 cards Set: Dimensional Prison, Book of Moon, and Sakuretsu Armor. He activated Smashing Ground, Chained Book of Moon to try and turn Fossil Dyna face-down, and succeeded! Fossil Dyna went face-down, Smashing Ground destroyed Spirit Reaper, and Jehanzab revealed his remaining Set cards: 2 Starlight Road and Trap Dustshoot! He conceded.

A fast-paced Duel between two similar Decks results in a 2-0 win and a near-guaranteed seat in Day 2 for Anthony Meier!