There are two anti-meta Decks here in Day 2, and both competitors made it to the Top 4. We saw Anthony Meier and Jehanzab Siddiqui Duel it out yesterday in our Round 8 Feature Match. Both competitors have had a night’s rest and more than twelve hours to contemplate the matchup – could Siddiqui redeem himself?

Siddiqui started with a hand of 2 Fossil Dyna Pachycephalos, 2 Books of Moon, Solemn Judgment, and Dark Bribe. He Set a Fossil Dyna, Set all his Spells and Traps, and ended.

Meier Summoned Banisher of the Radiance, attacked, and Siddiqui blocked it with Book of Moon. Meier Set 3 cards to his back row.

Siddiqui Flip Summoned Fossil Dyna, attacked into Dimensional Prison, Set Mirror Force, and Set his other Fossil Dyna.

Banisher of the Radiance was Flip Summoned next turn, Meier attacked, Siddiqui flipped Book of Moon, and Meier Chained Magic Drain! The Fossil Dyna was destroyed and removed from play! He Summoned his own Fossil Dyna in Main Phase 2.

Siddiqui Set another Spell or Trap.

Meier attacked and ran right into Mirror Force! He lost his 2 monsters, and Summoned another Fossil Dyna in Main Phase 2.

Siddiqui Set another Spell or Trap.

Meier Summoned Banisher of the Radiance, attacked with both of his monsters, and Siddiqui was down to 5200 Life Points.

Siddiqui drew Doomcaliber Knight, Summoned it, and attacked into Book of Moon.

Meier Tributed Fossil Dyna for Cyber Dragon, but Siddiqui negated the Summon with Solemn Judgment! Banisher attacked Doomcaliber Knight, Meier took 200 Battle Damage, and when he tried to activate Smashing Ground Siddiqui negated it with Dark Bribe.

Siddiqui turned Doomcaliber Knight to Attack Position, attacked to destroy Banisher. He then Set 1 Spell or Trap, and Set a monster.

Meier blasted Siddiqui’s Set Trap Dustshoot with Mystical Space Typhoon, then attacked Siddiqui’s Set monster, which turned out to be D.D. Warrior Lady. Siddiqui activated her effect, and both Doomcaliber Knights were Tributed to negate it!

Siddiqui drew Fossil Dyna Pachycephalo, Summoned it, and attacked.

Meier drew a monster and Set it.

Fossil Dyna Pachycephalo attacked Meier’s Spirit Reaper next turn.

Meier Set a Spell or Trap.

Siddiqui Summoned King Tiger Wanghu, then destroyed Reaper with Smashing Ground. He attacked into Mirror Force, Chained Starlight Road, and Meier Chained Royal Oppression! Siddiqui lost his monsters to the Mirror Force!

Meier drew a Spell or Trap and Set it.

Siddiqui drew King Tiger and attacked with it.

Meier Set a Spell or Trap.

Siddiqui ran King Tiger Wanghu into Dimensional Prison.

Meier Summoned Thunder King Rai-Oh and attacked.

Siddiqui Summoned Banisher of the Radiance.

Meier Summoned King Tiger Wanghu, attacked with it to destroy Banisher, and went for victory with Thunder King Rai-Oh, but was denied by Compulsory Evacuation Device!

Siddiqui Set a monster, but conceded next turn when Meier Summoned the Thunder King again!

Anthony Meier wins the first Duel, emerging the victor from a huge back-and-forth beatdown exchange! Side Decking was quick and the second Duel began moments later.

Siddiqui started the second Duel with a hand of 2 Banishers of the Radiance, Bottomless Trap Hole, Thunder King Rai-Oh, King Tiger Wanghu, and Hanewata. (Yes, Hanewata: Siddiqui had sided it in because it was a Tuner.) He Summoned Thunder King and Set Bottomless.

Meier Normal Summoned Doomcaliber Knight, but lost it to Bottomless Trap Hole. He Set 3 cards to his back row.

Siddiqui attacked into Book of Moon with Thunder King on the following turn, and Normal Summoned King Tiger Wanghu, losing it to Bottomless Trap Hole.

Meier Summoned Banisher, attacked and destroyed Thunder King, and ended.

Siddiqui Summoned Banisher himself, but it was removed by Bottomless Trap Hole. He Set Dimensional Prison.

Meier Summoned Spirit Reaper, attacked, lost Reaper to Prison, and dealt 1600 damage with Banisher.

Siddiqui drew, holding Smashing Ground, 2 Banishers, and Hanewata. He Summoned Banisher and crashed it into Meier’s. Both were destroyed.

Meier passed.

Siddiqui drew Dark Bribe and Set it.

Meier passed.

Siddiqui activated Mystical Space Typhoon, destroying Meier’s Enemy Controller. He still had 1 face-down card Set, but Siddiqui pressed, Summoning Banisher of the Radiance for 1600 damage.

Meier Summoned Thunder King Rai-Oh, attacked over Banisher, and ended.

Siddiqui blew away Thunder King with Smashing Ground.

Meier Set a Spell or Trap.

Siddiqui passed.

Meier Set another card to his back row.

Siddiqui passed, still unable to do anything.

Meier Summoned another Banisher, attacked, and Siddiqui was down to 4500 Life Points. Meier had 6400.

Siddiqui drew Book of Moon. He had Book, Smashing Ground, Mirror Force, Heavy Storm, and Hanewata. He Set Mirror Force.

Meier hit him down to 2900 Life Points next turn, attacking with Banisher. He Set a fourth Spell or Trap.

Siddiqui drew Starlight Road. He activated Smashing Ground, Meier Chained Magic Drain, and Siddiqui ended.

Meier Summoned Thunder King Rai-Oh, attacked with Banisher, and Siddiqui flipped Mirror Force. Meier Chained Solemn Judgment, but Siddiqui Chained Dark Bribe, and Meier lost his monsters!

Siddiqui activated Heavy Storm, destroying Meier’s Trap Hole and Dimensional Prison. He Summoned his freshly-drawn Doomcaliber Knight, attacked, and Meier was down to 1300 Life Points. He Set 2 cards to his back row.

Meier activated Heavy Storm, and Siddiqui Chained Starlight Road! He Special Summoned his Stardust Dragon. Meier Summoned Banisher, activated Smashing Ground, and Siddiqui Chained Book of Moon, turning Stardust Dragon face-down and losing Doomcaliber Knight. But Meier attacked with Banisher, revealing Stardust Dragon, and activating Smashing Ground in Main Phase 2, his last card!

Siddiqui drew and Set Spirit Reaper.

Meier Summoned Doomcaliber Knight. He attacked with Banisher, hit Reaper, and ended.

Siddiqui drew Book of Moon, still holding that Hanewata. He Set Book.

Meier activated Smashing Ground, but Siddiqui’s Chained Book of Moon saved his Reaper from being destroyed, and Doomcaliber Knight attacked it to flip it face-up again.

Siddiqui drew and Summoned King Tiger, attacking over Banisher.

Meier attacked King Tiger Wanghu with Doomcaliber Knight, and Set a spell or trap.

Siddiqui Summoned Thunder King Rai-Oh, and attacked into Sakuretsu Armor.

Meier Set Trap Hole, still unable to get his Doomcaliber through Spirit Reaper.

Siddiqui summoned his own Doomcaliber, but lost it to Trap Hole.

Meier Set a Spell or Trap.

Thunder King took out Doomcaliber.

Meier Set a Spell or Trap.

Siddiqui turned Reaper to Attack Position, and attacked. Meier was down to 500 Life Points. He set Compulsory Evacuation Device, but he lost it to Dust Tornado.

Meier Set a Spell or Trap.

Siddiqui attacked again with Reaper. He Set another Spell or Trap Card.

Meier Summoned King Tiger Wanghu, but Siddiqui had another Bottomless Trap Hole! King Tiger was removed, and Reaper struck for victory next turn!

In Duel 3, Meier got things started with Doomcaliber Knight, and Set 4 cards to his back row.

Siddiqui had Thunder King Rai-Oh, Snowman Eater, Doomcaliber Knight, Torrential Tribute, Spirit Reaper, and Book of Moon. He Set Torrential, Book, and Reaper, and lost Book of Moon to Dust Tornado in his End Phase.

Meier Normal Summoned King Tiger Wanghu, attacked with Doomcaliber Knight, and ran into Spirit Reaper yet again. He destroyed it with Smashing Ground in Main Phase 2.

Siddiqui drew another Thunder King. He Summoned it, attacked King Tiger, and Thunder King was destroyed by Sakuretsu Armor.

Meier attacked directly with King Tiger and Doomcaliber next turn.

Siddiqui drew Fossil Dyna Pachycephalo. He Summoned another Thunder King, attacked King Tiger again, and this time Meier stopped him with Book of Moon.

Meier Summoned Banisher of the Radiance, Siddiqui flipped Torrential Tribute, and Meier Chained Solemn Judgment! Meier attacked with Banisher, destroyed Thunder King, and made 2 direct attacks with King Tiger and Doomcaliber. He Set a Spell or Trap.

Siddiqui Set Book of Moon and Snowman Eater.

Meier turned Doomcaliber Knight to Defense Position, attacked with Banisher, and hit the Snowman. With Banisher’s attack deflected, Siddiqui was free to use Snowman Eater’s effect to destroy King Tiger.

Siddiqui Summoned Doomcaliber Knight, and Meier destroyed it with Trap Hole.

Meier Flip Summoned Doomcaliber Knight, activated Book of Moon on Snowman Eater, attacked with Doomcaliber Knight, and Tributed Doomcaliber to destroy Snowman Eater when its effect activated. That cleared the way for Banisher, and Meier made a direct attack for the win!

Anthony Meier was taking his anti-meta Deck to the Finals to face Matt Hoey’s X-Sabers!