Kenneth McCarthy traveled here this weekend from New Jersey, and is one of several Scrap Duelists in competition here this morning.  His opponent, Justin Lam, is also playing a new strategy: Naturias, with Naturia Bamboo Shoot.  Neither Duelist knew what his opponent was playing, and odds were good that they weren’t anticipating the matchup they were in.  It’s officially a new format now, as we kick things off with Naturias versus Scraps!

McCarthy opened the day with a hand of Monster Reborn, Scrap Golem, Bottomless Trap Hole, Magic Drain, Spirit Reaper, and Cyber Dragon.  He Set Bottomless Trap Hole and Drain.

Lam Set a monster, then Set a card to his Spell and Trap Card Zone.  He paused, and then Set 2 more Spell or Trap Cards.

McCarthy drew Scrapyard.  He Special Summoned Cyber Dragon, but Lam activated Royal Oppression to negate the Summon!  He Set Spirit Reaper, then Set Scrapyard to finish out.

Lam Tributed his face-down Naturia Cosmobeet for Naturia Bamboo Shoot next turn!  He activated Black Garden, and then activated Compulsory Evacuation Device to return the Set Spirit Reaper to McCarthy’s hand!  Bamboo Shoot attacked for 2000 damage.

McCarthy Set Spirit Reaper again.

Lam Set a monster, attacked into Reaper with Bamboo Shoot, and ended.

McCarthy drew Trap Hole, Tributed his Reaper for Scrap Golem, and Black Garden Special Summoned a Rose Token alfter halving Golem’s ATK.  Golem attacked over the Rose Token.

Lam Flip Summoned another Cosmobeet next turn, attacking Golem with Bamboo Shoot and then making a direct attack with Cosmobeet.  McCarthy conceded after seeing his next draw: another Trap Hole.

Justin Lam hits the ground running, Summoning Naturia Bamboo Shoot on his second turn backed up by Royal Oppression and riding it straight to victory!  McCarthy was clearly surprised by the matchup, and dove to his Side Deck to prepare for Duel 2.

McCarthy started the second Duel with Monster Reborn, Giant Trunade, 2 Bottomless Trap Hole, Mystical Space Typhoon, and Spirit Reaper.  He Set Reaper, Set both copies of Bottomless, and Set Typhoon.

Lam Set 2 cards to his Spell and Trap Card Zone, then activated Mystical Space Typhoon to destroy a Bottomless Trap Hole.  He tried to Summon Cactus Bouncer, but lost it to McCarthy’s second Bottomless, reeling in surprise.  He Set one more Spell or Trap Card, and lost Starlight Road in his End Phase when McCarthy activated Mystical Space Typhoon.  Lam still had 2 cards Set in his Spell and Trap Card Zone.

Next turn McCarthy made a direct attack with Spirit Reaper, forcing Lam to discard Monster Reborn.

Lam Normal Summoned Naturia Cosmobeet to attack Spirit Reaper, pressing home 700 Battle Damage.

McCarthy activated Giant Trunade, summoned Scrap Beast, attacked over Cosmobeet to destroy it, and forced Lam to discard Pollinois with Spirit Reaper.

Lam Set his last 2 cards to his Spell & Trap Card Zones.

McCarthy activated Scrapstorm and targeted his Scrap Beast.  He sent Scrap Chimera to his Graveyard, drew a Scrap Chimera, and destroyed his Scrap Beast.  That triggered its effect, letting him retrieve the other Scrap Chimera he’d sent to the Graveyard!  He Summoned Chimera, activated its effect, and Special Summoned Scrap Beast.  He Tuned them together, trying to Summon Scrap Dragon, but Lam had Royal Oppression once again!  Spirit Reaper attacked for 300 damage.

Lam drew and Set a monster.

McCarthy Summoned Scrap Chimera, activated its effect, and Lam let him Special Summon Scrap Beast.  Scrap Beast attacked Lam’s face-down Koa’ki Meiru Gravirose to destroy it, and McCarthy made direct attacks with Chimera and Reaper.

Lam Set another monster.

McCarthy Tuned his Scrap Beast and Scrap Chimera, Lam tried to activate Royal Oppression’s effect to negate the Summon, and McCarthy Chained Mystical Space Typhoon to destroy Oppression, and Scrap Dragon was Summoned (4+4=8)!  McCarthy activated Monster Reborn, Special Summoned Scrap Beast, and destroyed it and Lam’s face-down Dandylion with Scrap Dragon’s effect.  Lam Special Summoned 2 Fluff Tokens, and McCarthy got back his Chimera with Scrap Beast’s ability.  The Dragon and Reaper then destroyed both Fluff Tokens in battle.

Lam Summoned Lonefire Blossom, Tributed it for its effect to another from his Deck, and Tributed that to Special Summon Spore in Defense Position.

McCarthy Summoned Scrap Chimera, again Special Summoning Scrap Beast!  He activated Scrap Dragon’s effect, destroyed his Scrap Beast, destroyed Spore, and took back Chimera. Finally, he attacked with Scrap Dragon and Scrap Chimera to end the Duel!

Kenneth McCarthy fights back, destroying Royal Oppression with Mystical Space Typhoon to unleash the might of Scrap Dragon!  Scrap Chimera wins the second Duel for Kenneth McCarthy.

Lam started the last Duel with by Setting 2 Spell or Trap Cards, Summoning Cactus Bouncer, and activating Black Garden.

McCarthy had Breaker the Magical Warrior, Magic Drain, Scrap Golem, Mystical Space Typhoon, Scrap Chimera, and Scrap Beast.  He activated Mystical Space Typhoon, targeted Black Garden, and destroyed it.  He Summoned Breaker and attacked Cactus Bouncer, but lost his Breaker to Dimensional Prison!  McCarthy Set a Spell or Trap and ended his turn.

Lam attacked for 1800 Battle Damage with Cactus Bouncer on the turn that followed.

McCarthy drew Giant Trunade and Set Scrap Beast.

Lam Tributed Cactus Bouncer to Set a monster, then Set a third Spell or Trap.

McCarthy drew Battle Fader, and activated Giant Trunade to clear the field.  He Flip Summoned Scrap Beast, Normal Summoned Scrap Chimera, Synchro Summoned Scrap Dragon (4+4=8), and used its effect to destroy his Magic Drain and Lam’s Naturia Bamboo Shoot.  He attacked directly with Scrap Dragon, dealing 2800 Battle Damage.

Lam Set 3 cards to his back row, and Summoned Botanical Lion.

McCarthy activated Monster Reborn, and Lam Chained Royal Oppression.  He then activated Compulsory Evacuation Device to send Scrap Dragon back to McCarthy’s Extra Deck.  McCarthy ended.

Lam attacked with Botanical Lion, McCarthy tried to Summon Battle Fader, but it was negated by Royal Oppression.  Lam Set a monster.

McCarthy Set a Spell or Trap Card.

Lam destroyed it (Dimensional Prison) with Ryko, Lightsworn Hunter next turn.  Ryko’s effect sent Spore and two more cards to the Graveyard, and Lam tried to Special Summon it.  McCarthy negated the Summon with Royal Oppression, and Lam Tributed Ryko for Naturia Bamboo Shoot.  He then attacked directly with his 2000 ATK Bamboo Shoot, and his 2200 ATK Botanical Lion, and that was enough to end the Duel!

Both competitors make their key plays and combos, but it’s Justin Lam that takes the last Duel, claiming victory in his first Round of the day!

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)
Naturia Bamboo Shoot is a really brutal card, and Lam’s Royal Oppression let him protect it so he could keep using its effect in Duel 1.   The 1 card that could’ve saved McCarthy was Effect Veiler: even though Veiler only negates a monster’s effect for 1 turn, it stops the Shoot from remembering that a “Naturia” monster was Tributed for its Tribute Summon.  That turns its effect off permanently, and that would have let McCarthy fight back.

Michael Kohanim (2009 World Championship Competitor)
When McCarthy Summoned Scrap Golem, McCarthy could have used the effect of Royal Oppression to pay 800 LP and negate the effect of Black Garden when it triggered. This would have left him with a 2300 ATK monster capable of taking down Naturia Bamboo Shoot. If McCarthy had made that play, Lam would need the Compulsory Evacuation Device to protect his Bamboo Shoot.

P.J. Tierney (Duelist from across The Pond)
Naturia Bamboo Shoot’s a fantastic card to have on your side of the field. A Cyber Dragon (now at 3 copies per Deck) or any commonly played Synchro Monster could take it down in battle, freeing up Lam’s opponent’s Spells and Traps again. With Black Garden though, any monsters that are Summoned lose half their ATK, which means they can’t run over Bamboo Shoot like they would normally. Add in the fact that Lam could Tribute the Rose Tokens that are Summoned for Pollinosis (essentially giving him 3 more copies of Solemn Judgment in his Deck), the inclusion of Black Garden makes a lot of sense.

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