Brian Jones, from Florida, and James Quick from North Carolina are currently 7-2 with their Blackwing Decks, so a win here will give one of these Duelists a shot at a Top 32 finish. But with a Blackwing mirror-Match about to start, it’s anyone’s game.

Jones won the dice roll and opened up with Pot of Duality, 2 copies of Mystical Space Typhoon, Black Whirlwind, Bottomless Trap Hole, and Blackwing – Bora the Spear. He activated Pot of Duality, revealing Blackwing – Blizzard the Far North, Blackwing – Sirocco the Dawn, and Solemn Warning from the top of his Deck. He added Blizzard to his hand and shuffled the other 2 cards back into his Deck. Then he activated Black Whirlwind and Normal Summoned Bora. He used Whirlwind’s effect to search his Deck for Blackwing – Kalut the Moon Shadow and added it to his hand. He Set Bottomless Trap Hole and both copies of Mystical Space Typhoon before ending his turn.

Quick Summoned Blackwing – Shura the Blue Flame next turn, but Jones activated Bottomless Trap Hole to try to remove it from the game. Quick Chained Book of Moon from his hand to put it face-down and save it. He Set 2 back rows and passed. In his End Phase, he lost both cards, Mirror Force and Mystical Space Typhoon, to Jones’s 2 copies of Mystical Space Typhoon.

Jones drew Blackwing – Vayu the Emblem of Honor next turn. He Summoned it and then attacked over the face-down Shura with Bora. Next, Vayu attacked directly, dropping Quick down to 6700 Life Points.

Quick Summoned Bora next turn. He Set a card to his back row and ended his turn.

Jones drew Book of Moon. He attacked Bora into Bora, but Quick flipped Icarus Attack, Tributing his own Bora to destroy Jones’s Bora and Black Whirlwind. Vayu attacked directly. Jones Set Book of Moon before ending his turn.

Quick Summoned Blizzard next turn! He Special Summoned Shura from his Graveyard with its effect and then Tuned his 2 monsters together to Synchro Summon Brionac, Dragon of the Ice Barrier. Brionac attacked, but it was put face-down by Book of Moon.

Jones drew and activated Allure of Darkness next turn. He drew Icarus Attack and Vayu with the effect of Allure of Darkness and removed Vayu from his hand. He Summoned Blizzard and Special Summoned Bora in Defense Position with its effect. He Tuned Blizzard with Bora to Synchro Summon Blackwing Armed Wing. Armed Wing attacked over Brionac, destroying it and inflicting 1400 points of damage to Quick’s Life Points. Then Vayu attacked directly, dropping Quick to 3700 Life Points. Jones Set Icarus Attack and ended his turn.

Quick Summoned Blackwing – Sirocco the Dawn next turn. He activated its effect to boost it up to 5100 ATK. Then he Special Summoned Dark Armed Dragon. He removed a DARK monster from his Graveyard to destroy Jones’s face-down Icarus Attack, but Jones Chained it, Tributing Vayu to destroy Quick’s Sirocco and Dark Armed Dragon.

Jones attacked directly with Blackwing Armed Wing next turn, discarding Blackwing – Kalut the Moon Shadow from his hand to boost its attack and deal exactly enough damage to wipe Quick out of the Duel! James Quick will be going first in Duel 2!

Quick started off Duel 2 by Setting a card to each zone.

Jones opened up with Blackwing – Bora the Spear, Snowman Eater, Cyber Dragon, Dimensional Prison, Mystical Space Typhoon, and Solemn Judgment. He activated Mystical Space Typhoon to destroy Mirror Force, then Special Summoned Cyber Dragon. Cyber Dragon attacked a face-down Snowman Eater, and both monsters were destroyed. Jones Set Dimensional Prison, Solemn Judgment, and Snowman Eater before ending his turn.

Quick Summoned Blackwing – Shura the Blue Flame next turn. He attacked Jones’s face-down Snowman Eater, but Jones flipped Dimensional Prison to remove Shura from the game. Quick Set a back row and passed.

Jones drew Blackwing – Blizzard the Far North and passed.

Quick Summoned Blackwing – Sirocco the Dawn. He attacked Jones’s face-down Snowman Eater, and both monsters were destroyed.

Jones drew Icarus Attack. He Summoned Bora and attacked directly, dropping Quick down to 6300 Life Points. He Set Icarus and ended his turn.

Quick activated Smashing Ground to destroy Bora. Then he Summoned Blackwing – Kalut the Moon Shadow and attacked directly, dropping Jones down to 6600 Life Points. Quick Set 2 back rows.

Jones drew Cyber Dragon, but when he tried to Special Summon it, Quick flipped Royal Oppression and paid 800 Life Points to negate the Summon. Jones Summoned Blizzard next and activated its effect. Quick paid 800 Life Points to try to negate the effect, but Jones Chained Icarus to destroy Royal Oppression and Kalut. Blizzard’s effect resolved to Special Summon Bora from the Graveyard in Defense Position.

Quick drew a card and passed.

Jones drew Sirocco, switched Bora into Attack Position, and attacked directly with Bora.

Quick Set a card to his back row and then activated Allure of Darkness with no other cards in his hand. He drew Bora and Kalut. He removed Kalut from his hand and Summoned Bora to the field.

Jones drew and Set Seven Tools of the Bandit. In his End Phase, Quick flipped Delta Crow – Anti Reverse to wipe out Seven Tools of the Bandit and Solemn Judgment.

Quick attacked his Bora into Jones’, then Summoned another one to the field in Attack Position.

Jones drew Dark Hole and tried to Summon Sirocco, but Quick flipped Solemn Warning to negate the Summon.

Quick attacked directly with Bora next turn.

Jones drew Mirror Force and Set it.

Quick attacked with Bora, but lost it to Mirror Force. He Set a back row and ended his turn.

Jones drew Blackwing – Shura the Blue Flame, but lost it to Quick’s Torrential Tribute.

Quick Summoned Blackwing – Shura the Blue Flame, then Special Summoned Blackwing – Gale the Whirlwind. He attacked with both monsters, dropping Jones down to 1800 Life Points, and then Tuned his monsters together to Synchro Summon Blackwing Armor Master.

Jones drew Solemn Warning next turn. He activated Dark Hole to destroy Blackwing Armor Master, then Set Solemn Warning, even though he didn’t have enough Life Points left to activate it.

Quick drew Pot of Duality! If it could grab him a monster with over 1800 ATK that he could Summon, he’d be able to win the Duel. He activated it, revealing Monster Reborn, Dark Armed Dragon, and Icarus Attack from the top of his Deck – none of them were an immediate help. He added Monster Reborn to his hand and shuffled the other 2 cards back into his Deck.

Jones drew Blackwing – Shura the Blue Flame next turn! He Summoned it to the field and attacked directly, wiping out Quick’s remaining 1000 Life Points before Quick could use Monster Reborn!

Brian Jones takes a 2-0 victory over James Quick in a Blackwing mirror-Match, to finish the Swiss rounds with an 8-2 record and a shot at the Top 32!