San Jose native Jerry Tran is 2-0 so far in this tournament, piloting a successful Scrap Monster Deck! His opponent Steffon Rice hails from Oakland, and is also undefeated so far with his Debris Princess Deck. With lots of emphasis on Special Summoning from the Graveyard, this should be a cool Match to watch.

Rice started the Match with a Set card to his back row, and a Set monster.

Tran had a hand of Scrap Goblin, Ryko, Lightsworn Hunter, Scrap Beast, Super-Nimble Mega Hamster, Cyber Dragon, and Scrapstorm. He Special Summoned Cyber Dragon, attacked, and hit Rice’s face-down Ryko, Lightsworn Hunter. Rice sent Dandylion, Cold Wave, and Bottomless Trap Hole to the Graveyard, destroying Cyber Dragon and Special Summoning 2 Fluff Tokens. Tran Set his Hamster and ended.

Rice Tributed a Fluff Token for Caius the Shadow Monarch, removing Super-Nimble Mega Hamster from the game and attacking for 2400 Battle Damage. He Set a second Spell or Trap.

Tran Set a monster, then Set a card to his Spell and Trap Card Zone.

Rice Normal Summoned Lonefire Blossom, Tributed it to Special Summon another from his deck, and Tributed that to Special Summon Tytannial, Princess of Camellias. Tran tried to destroy her with Bottomless Trap Hole, but it was negated by a Chained Trap Stun. Caius attacked into Tran’s Ryko, Ryko’s effect activated targeting Tytannial, and Rice Tributed his Fluff Token to negate Ryko’s effect with Tytannial’s ability. Tytannial then attacked for 2800 Battle Damage.

Tran Set Scrap Goblin and Scrapstorm.

Rice attacked Scrap Goblin with Caius the Shadow Monarch, flipping it face-up.

Tran drew, holding 2 Scrap Beasts and Gravekeeper’s Spy. He Set Scrap Beast.

Rice Normal Summoned Debris Dragon, Special Summoned Dandylion, and Tuned them together for Black Rose Dragon. He didn’t activate its effect, and Special Summoned 2 Fluff Tokens. He removed Lonefire Blossom from his Graveyard, turned Scrap Beast face-up and to Attack Position with Black Rose Dragon’s effect (reducing its ATK to 0), and attacked with Tytannial! Tran countered the move by responding with Scrapstorm, targeting his Scrap Beast. He drew Scrapyard, sent Scrap Chimera to his Graveyard, and got back Scrap Chimera with Scrap Beast’s effect. Black Rose Dragon attacked Scrap Goblin, and the Goblin was destroyed by its effect. Tran didn’t return Scrap Beast to his hand, wanting to keep it for his Scrap Chimera next turn.

Tran drew. Now he had Giant Trunade, Scrap Chimera, Scrap Beast, Scrapyard, and Gravekeeper’s Spy. He activated Trunade to clear Rice’s 1 Set Spell or Trap, then Normal Summoned Scrap Chimera. He activated its effect, Special Summoned Scrap Beast, and attacked with Chimera and Scrap Beast to destroy Rice’s Fluff Tokens. He Synchro Summoned Scrap Dragon in Main Phase 2, then Set Scrapyard. But he couldn’t use the Dragon’s effect with Tytannial on the field.

Rice Tributed Caius for Jinzo next turn, turned Scrap Dragon face-down with Book of Moon, then removed another Plant from his Graveyard for Black Rose Dragon’s effect! Scrap Dragon was turned face-up, its ATK was reduced to 0, and Rice was free to attack with everything for victory!

Steffon Rice makes creative use of Black Rose Dragon’s effect not once, but twice to take the first Duel! Both Duelists did extensive Side Decking before Duel 2.

Tran started the second Duel with Trap Stun, Book of Moon, 2 Gravekeeper’s Spies, Pot of Avarice, and Scrap Beast. He Set Spy, Book, and Trap Stun.

Rice Set a monster and a card to his Spell and Trap Card Zone.

Tran Flip Summoned Gravekeeper’s Spy and got Graveekeeper’s Descendant from his Deck, Special Summoning it. When Rice had no response, Tran Tributed his Spy for Descendant’s effect, destroying Rice’s face-down Torrential Tribute! Tran Normal Summoned Scrap Beast, attacked to destroy Rice’s Set Sangan, and Rice got Debris Dragon from his Deck. Descendant made a direct attack, and Tran Tuned it to Scrap Beast in Main Phase 2 to Synchro Summon Stardust Dragon!

Rice Normal Summoned Lonefire Blossom. He Tributed it for its effect, Special Summoned another from his Deck, and Tributed that to Special Summon Tytannial, Princess of Camellias. Tytannial attacked Stardust Dragon, Tran didn’t use his Book of Moon, and Stardust Dragon was destroyed.

Tran Set Solemn Warning and Super-Nimble Mega Hamster.

Rice activated Cold Wave. He Normal Summoned Debris Dragon, Special Summoned Lonefire Blossom, and Synchro Summoned Black Rose Dragon to destroy everything on the field! He lost Tytannial and Black Rose Dragon, while Tran’s Super-Nimble Mega Hamster, Book of Moon, Trap Stun, and Solemn Warning were all destroyed!

Tran Set Ryko.

Rice activated Monster Reborn, brought back Tytannial, and Normal Summoned Dandylion to give her some ammunition for her effect. He attacked Ryko, Tran tried to destroy Tytannial with Ryko’s effect, Rice Tributed Dandylion to negate Ryko’s effect, and he Special Summoned 2 Fluff Tokens.

Tran activated Pot of Avarice, sending Stardust Dragon, Ryko, Hamster, Descendant, and Spy back to his Deck to draw Scrap Beast and Ryko. He added them to his hand of Spy and another Ryko, then Set a Ryko.

Rice was next to activate Pot of Avarice, sending Black Rose Dragon, Sangan, Debris Dragon, and 2 Lonefire Blossoms back to his Deck to draw 2 cards. Rice attacked with Tytannial, hit Ryko, and negated its effect by Tributing a Fluff Token. Rice Set a monster and Set a Spell or Trap.

Tran Set Gravekeeper’s Spy and Trap Stun.

Rice activated his own Trap Stun, then Flip Summoned Ryko to destroy Tran’s Gravekeeper’s Spy. He Normal Summoned Debris Dragon, Special Summoned Dandylion, and started running some numbers. He Tuned Debris Dragon to a Fluff Token plus Dandylion for Scrap Dragon, then Special Summoned 2 more Fluff Tokens. He activated Scrap Dragon’s effect to destroy 1 of his Fluff Tokens, plus Tran’s Trap Stun. Ryko, Scrap Dragon, and Tytannial then all made direct attacks. Tran was down to 1900 Life Points.

He drew Royal Oppression, holding Scrap Beast and Ryko. Ryko’s effect wouldn’t work with Tytannial on the field, but he Set it anyways. He Set Oppression to finish his turn.

Rice Tribute Summoned Jinzo, activated Mind Control to take Ryko, and it was all over! A series of direct attacks ended the Duel and the Match.

Steffon Rice takes a fast 2-0 victory with Debris Princess, moving on with a 3-0 record!

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)
Most Duelists play Black Rose exclusively for its 2400 ATK and field-wiping effect, but Rice demonstrated that its second ability (which can turn a Defense Position monster to Attack Position and lower its ATK to 0) is also a force to be reckoned with.  If you run Black Rose Dragon and have even just 1 Plant-Type monster in your Deck, always try to keep that second effect in the back of your mind.  You never know when it could come in handy.

Michael Kohanim (2009 World Championship Competitor)
In Duel 2, Rice attacked Tran’s Stardust Dragon with Tytannial, Princess of Camellias, and Tran held on to his Book of Moon instead of stopping Tytannial’s attack. A lot of Duelists would instinctively protect their Stardust Dragon by using Book of Moon to put Tytannial face-down, but Tran knew that if did it, he’d still be unable to overcome Tytannial’s 2600 DEF. That means his Stardust Dragon would be doomed next turn and he’d be down a Book of Moon. Sometimes, protecting your strongest monster shouldn’t be your highest priority.

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