Juan Carlos Flores was the only Infernity Duelist to make the Top 16, and now he’s competing here in the Top 8. Flores’ key weapon of choice was triple Threatening Roar, but it may not be nearly as useful against Anthony Meier’s slower-paced Deck. Meier is running a powerful, grinding anti-meta Deck.

Flores opened with a hand of Mystical Space Typhoon, Infernity Necromancer, Infernity Beetle, Infernity Launcher, Threatening Roar, and Infernity Barrier. He Normal Summoned Necromancer, turned it to Defense Position, activated Launcher, and discarded Beetle. He Set his remaining cards, used Necromancer to Special Summon Beetle, and Tributed it to Special Summon 2 more.

Meier Special Summoned Cyber Dragon, then Normal Summoned Banisher of the Radiance! Meier tried to enter his Battle Phase, but Flores cut him off with Threatening Roar. Meier Set 3 back row cards, but immediately lost his Book of Moon to Mystical Space Typhoon.

Flores drew Infernity Archfiend next turn, activated its effect, and Special Summoned it to get Infernity Barrier from his Deck! He Set the Barrier, attacked Banisher with Archfiend, and Meier flipped Sakuretsu Armor. Flores Chained Infernity Barrier, but Meier’s last card was Solemn Judgment, and he Chained it to ensure that Archfiend would be destroyed and removed from the game! In Main Phase 2, Flores used Necromancer’s effect to Special Summon another Beetle, Tuned it to Necromancer to Synchro Summon Ally of Justice Catastor, and ended his turn with his remaining Beetles still in Attack Position.

Meier Normal Summoned Doomcaliber Knight. He attacked one of the Beetles with Doomcaliber, and attacked the second Beetle with Cyber Dragon. In Main Phase 2 he tried to remove Cyber Dragon and Catastor for Chimeratech Fortress Dragon, but couldn’t, as his Banisher was keeping him from sending the necessary Machines to the Graveyard.

Flores drew and Set Bottomless Trap Hole, and attacked over Doomcaliber Knight with Catastor,  the only monster that Catastor could attack without triggering Doomcaliber’s effect.

Meier had to run his Banisher into Catastor next turn to unlock Chimeratech Fortress Dragon, and in Main Phase 2 he sent his Cyber Dragon and Flores’ Catastor to the Graveyard to Special Summon it. Flores blew it away with Bottomless Trap Hole. Meier had just 2 cards left in-hand, and Normal Summoned Thunder King Rai-Oh.

Flores drew his third Barrier and Set it.

Meier hit him for 1900 Battle Damage with Thunder King next turn, and Set a Spell or Trap.

Flores drew Infernity Inferno, Setting it.

Meier dished out another 1900 damage next turn, dropping Flores to 2600 Life Points.

Flores drew another Archfiend! He Special Summoned it, but didn’t activate its effect. When Meier Normal Summoned Banisher of the Radiance next turn, Flores knew it was time immediately concede.

Flores rotated in a whopping 7 cards from his Side Deck: 2 Books of Moon, 2 Ryko, Lightsworn Hunter, 2 Imperial Iron Wall, and a single Cyber Dragon. He’d need to win 2 Duels straight against Meier, who now had the benefit of his own Side Deck, to pull this one out.

Flores opened with Dark Grepher, Ryko, Lightsworn Hunter, Bottomless Trap Hole, Infernity Launcher, Heavy Storm, and Infernity Inferno. He Set Ryko, Set Inferno, and Set Bottomless.

Meier Summoned Doomcaliber Knight, losing it to Bottomless Trap Hole. He Set 2 cards to his back row.

Flores drew Torrential Tribute, and activated Heavy Storm. Meier Chained Compulsory Evacuation Device, and Flores Chained Infernity Inferno. He discarded Torrential Tribute and Grepher, sending Infernity Archfiend and Infernity Beetle to his Graveyard, and Ryko was returned to his hand. Meier’s Book of Moon was destroyed.

Flores Set Ryko, then activated his Launcher. He brought back Beetle and Archfiend, activated Archfiend’s effect, and got another Launcher. He activated it, then activated Beetle’s effect, Tributing it to Special Summon 2 more. He Tuned a Beetle to Archfiend, Synchro Summoned Gaia Knight, the Force of Earth, and Tuned Beetle to that to Summon Infernity Doom Dragon. He sent the second Launcher to the Graveyard, Special Summoned Beetle and Archfiend again, and got his third Launcher. He Tuned Beetle to Archfiend for Goyo Guardian, and his last Launcher brought back the Beetle and Archfiend a third time. Archfiend got him Infernity Barrier, which he Set. Beetle attacked for 1200 damage, Archfiend attacked for 1800, Goyo attacked for 2800, and Meier conceded.

Juan Carlos Flores battles back, making short work of the second Duel! The winner of the next one would move on to the Top 4. Meier would have the definite advantage going first. Just 1 King Tiger Wanghu, Fossil Dyna Pachycephalo, or Banisher of the Radiance could give him the win – if he could protect it.

Meier opened with Doomcaliber Knight and a Set Spell or Trap.

Flores had Ryko, Lightsworn Hunter, Book of Moon, 2 Bottomless Trap Hole, Infernity Mirage, and Imperial Iron Wall. He Set Ryko, Set Bottomless, and Set Book.

Meier Summoned Thunder King Rai-Oh, and Flores blasted it with Bottomless. Doomcaliber Knight attacked, Flores considered his Book of Moon, and eventually activated it to turn Doomcaliber face-down. Meier Set 2 more cards to his back row.

Flores drew Torrential Tribute. He Flip Summoned Ryko, targeted Meier’s first Set card (Dimensional Prison), and destroyed it. Ryko sent Book of Moon, Infernity Inferno, and Infernity Barrier to the Graveyard. Flores Set 3 cards to his back row, including the Torrential.

Meier Flip Summoned Doomcaliber, losing it to Bottomless Trap Hole. He Normal Summoned Fossil Dyna Pachycephalo, and lost that to Torrential Tribute. Meier finished his turn by Setting another back row card.

Flores Set another Spell or Trap.

Meier Summoned another Fossil Dyna and attacked.

Flores passed.

Meier attacked with Fossil Dyna again! He Set a Spell or Trap.

Flores drew, holding Infernity Inferno, Infernity Launcher, and Infernity Mirage. He passed.

Meier hit him with Fossil Dyna again, and Set a fifth Spell or Trap.

Flores drew and set Dark Grepher.

Fossil Dyna rammed into it next turn, bouncing off Grepher’s higher DEF.

Flores drew and Set Trap Dustshoot, but Meier had just 2 cards in-hand.

Meier passed.

Flores drew Infernity Beetle, Summoning it. He attacked Fossil Dyna, trying to trade monsters in battle, but Meier stopped the attack with Enemy Controller.

Meier drew, and Flores flipped Trap Dustshoot, revealing Meier’s hand of Heavy Storm, Smashing Ground, Enemy Controller, and Cyber Dragon. The Dragon was sent back to the Deck. Flores destroyed Beetle with Fossil Dyna, then destroyed Grepher with Smashing Ground.

Flores drew Cyber Dragon, but couldn’t Special Summon it due to Fossil Dyna’s effect.

Meier attacked for 1200 damage again. The Duel stood at 3200 Life Points to 7500, with Meier leading. Meier Set another back row card.

Flores Set Infernity Necromancer.

Meier attacked it with Fossil Dyna, bounced off a high DEF again, and Meier dropped to 6700 Life Points.

Flores Set another monster.

Meier attacked the Necromancer, and used Enemy Controller to turn it to Attack Position, destroying it. He Set a fifth Spell or Trap.

Flores Summoned Infernity Beetle, but lost it to Solemn Judgment. Meier dropped to 3350 Life Points.

Meier attacked once again with Fossil Dyna Pachycephalo, this time hitting another Necromancer. He destroyed it with Smashing Ground in Main Phase 2.

Flores drew and had 2 Infernity Launchers, Infernity Mirage, Cyber Dragon, and Infernity Inferno. He Set Mirage and ended.

Meier took it all next turn! He Normal Summoned Thunder King Rai-Oh, then revealed Compulsory Evacuation Device. Flores knew the Device would bounce away his last monster, and immediately conceded!

A hard-fought trio of Duels leads to victory for Anothony Meier, who moves onto the Top 4 with his anti-meta deck!