Seated here with 7-1 records, and just one win away from a seat in the Top 16, this Battle of the Dans has both playing X-Sabers! We’ve seen a variety of Decks in our Feature Matches so far today, but as the Swiss Rounds finish out we’ll now see one of the defining matchups of the past three months: the X-Saber mirror Match.

Rose opened the Match with Thunder King Rai-Oh and 2 Set cards to his Spell and Trap Card Zone.

Farina had Mind Control, Scapegoat, Summoner Monk, X-Saber Airbellum, X-Saber Pashuul, and Torrential Tribute. He Summoned Airbellum, then targeted Thunder King with Mind Control, but Rose negated the Spell Card with Solemn Judgment! He dropped to 4000 Life Points. Farina Set Torrential Tribute and Scapegoat.

Rose Summoned XX-Saber Boggart Knight, and activated its effect to Special Summon X-Saber Pashuul, but when Pashuul was Summoned Farina activated Torrential Tribute. But Rose Chained Starlight Road! He Special Summoned Stardust Dragon, Tuned Boggart Knight to Pashuul, Synchro Summoned XX-Saber Hyunlei, and Farina Chained Scapegoat when it was targeted by Hyunlei’s effect! Stardust Dragon attacked X-Saber Airbellum for 900 Battle Damage, Thunder King and Hyunlei each attacked a Sheep Token, and Rose ended.

Farina drew XX-Saber Emmersblade, with Pashuul and Summoner Monk in-hand. He still controlled 2 Sheep Tokens, but nothing else. He Set Emmersblade.

Rose attacked it with Stardust Dragon on the following turn, leading Farina to Special Summon XX-Saber Darksoul from his Deck. It was a long day and both Duelists were clearly tired: Farina had completely forgotten about Thunder King, which immediately attacked Darksoul. Hyunlei attacked another Sheep Token, Rose activated Gold Sarcophagus to remove his Rescue Cat from play, and Farina couldn’t get his Darksoul search in the End Phase.

Farina drew Sangan, and Set Pashuul.

Rose Summoned XX-Saber Fulhelmknight, used it to attack the last Sheep Token, and Special Summoned XX-Saber Boggart Knight from his Graveyard. Thunder King attacked Farina’s face-down Pashuul and Rose couldn’t get through it for the time being. He ended his turn.

Farina drew another Darksoul, and he was now critically aware of Rose’s Thunder King. He Summoned Summoner Monk, turned it to Defense Position with its effect, then Tuned it to Pashuul to Synchro Summon Goyo Guardian. Once again, Thunder King shut him down: Rose Tributed it to negate Goyo Guardian’s Summon. “I was really hoping you’d forget about that,” remarked Farina.

Farina conceded, and both competitors made immediate and practiced use of their Side Decks.

Farina opened Duel 2 with X-Saber Pashuul, Mind Control, XX-Saber Faultroll, Book of Moon, XX-Saber Fulhelmknight, and Mystical Space Typhoon. He Set Typhoon, Set Book, and Set Pashuul.

Rose activated Giant Trunade, then Summoned Thunder King Rai-Oh to attack into Pashuul. He shook his head, clearly sad to have wasted that Trunade. He Set 2 cards to his Spell and Trap Card Zone and ended.

Farina activated Mystical Space Typhoon next turn, destroying Rose’s Set Bottomless Trap Hole. He activated Mind Control, targeted Thunder King, and Rose mistakenly Chained Book of Moon, turning his Thunder King face-down as if Farina had activated Brain Control – Mind Control doesn’t care about the position of its target, and Farina took control of it. He Tuned Pashuul to Thunder King, Synchro Summoned XX-Saber Hyunlei, and then Normal Summoned XX-Saber Fulhelmknight to Special Summon Faultroll. He Tuned Fulhelmknight to Hyunlei for XX-Saber Gottoms, Special Summoned Fulhelmknight with Faultroll, and Tributed Fulhelmknight, then Gottoms for Gottoms’ effect. Rose was left with no cards, and took 2400 Battle Damage from Faultroll. Farina Set a Spell or Trap to end.

Rose drew and passed.

Farina drew X-Saber Airbellum, and Normal Summoned it. He attacked, Rose discarded his D.D. Crow to remove Fulhelmknight from his opponent’s Graveyard (rather than just lose it to Airbellum’s effect), and took a direct shot from Gottoms. In Main Phase 2 Farina Special Summoned Pashuul with Faultroll’s effect, Tuned them together, Synchro Summoned Colossal Fighter, and Set another Spell or Trap. He attacked for victory with Faultroll next turn.

Danny Rose makes a mis-step with his Giant Trunade, then makes a big error in misplaying his Book of Moon, allowing Daniel Farina to press this Match to one more Duel! Both Duelists took a few moments to rest their nerves.

Rose got things started with Gold Sarcophagus, removing Cold Wave from his Deck so he could add it to his hand 2 turns from now. He Set a monster.

Farina had XX-Saber Emmersblade, X-Saber Pashuul, X-Saber Airbellum, Gottoms’ Emergency Call, Royal Oppression, and Thunder King Rai-Oh. He Summoned Thunder King, attacked, and destroyed Rose’s Set XX-Saber Darksoul! He Set Oppression and Emergency Call to finish.

Rose Set a Spell or Trap, then Summoned XX-Saber Fulhelmknight. He seemed to contemplate a further move, but then ended his turn.

Farina drew XX-Saber Faultroll. He Normal Summoned Airbellum, Rose responded with Bottomless Trap Hole, and Airbellum was removed. Thunder King attacked, Rose negated the attack with Fulhelmknight, and Farina was finished for the time being.

Rose drew for his turn and then added his Cold Wave to his hand. He activated it, Normal Summoned Rescue Cat, and Special Summoned Darksoul and Airbellum from his Deck. He Tuned Darksoul and Fulhelmknight together to try and Synchro Summon XX-Saber Hyunlei, and Farina Tributed Thunder King to negate the Summon. Airbellum made a direct attack, Farina was forced to discard Pashuul, and Rose ended his turn. Airbellum was destroyed, and Rose searched his Deck for XX-Saber Boggart Knight with his Darksoul’s effect.

Farina was up. He drew Heavy Storm, with XX-Saber Emmersblade and XX-Saber Faultroll in-hand. He Summoned Emmersblade, attacked for 1300 damage, and ended.

Rose drew, now free of Cold Wave’s effect. He Summoned Boggart Knight, activated its effect, and Farina Chained Royal Oppression! He followed up by Chaining his Gottoms’ Emergency Call, targeting Rose’s Airbellum and his own Pashuul. He Special Summoned both (Rose couldn’t Chain Royal Oppression’s effect himself, since it can only be activated once in the Chain in which it’s first flipped). Rose Set a card to his back row to finish his turn.

Farina activated Giant Trunade next turn, clearing both Duelists’ Spell and Trap Card Zones. He Special Summoned Faultroll, Tuned Pashuul to Emmersblade, and Synchro Summoned Naturia Beast! If Rose could somehow survive this, he’d need to make his comeback without any Spell Cards. Farina Special Summoned Emmersblade with Faultroll’s effect, Tuned it to Airbellum to Synchro Summon Brionac, and attacked with everything for the win!

Daniel Farina loses a rough Duel 1, but fights back to capitalize on Rose’s mistakes in Duel 2, and wins out of the last Duel to head to Day 2!