Six friends from Philadelphia traveled here this weekend to run the Gravekeeper Deck they developed together for this event. Of the six, 4 made the Top 32, and 3 have made the Top 4. Three Gravekeeper Decks and 1 X-Saber Deck are all that’s left in this tournament, and now, friends Sean McCabe and Ronald Mack must play a Gravekeeper Mirror Match. McCabe took third place six weeks ago at YCS Philadelphia. This time, he was aiming for the Finals.

Mack started off with 2 Gravekeeper’s Descendant, Pot of Duality, Bottomless Trap Hole, Torrential Tribute, and Gravekeeper’s Stele. He activated Duality, revealing Dimensional Prison, Dark Hole, and Royal Oppression. He took Dark Hole. He Summoned Descendant, and Set Torrential and Bottomless.

McCabe activated Necrovalley, Set a Spell or Trap, and Set a monster.

Mack drew Necrovalley, and his Descendant was bumped back to his hand by McCabe’s Compulsory Evacuation Device. He destroyed McCabe’s Gravekeeper’s Spy with Dark Hole, activated his own Necrovalley, and attacked for 2000 Battle Damage with Descendant.

McCabe Sumoned his own Descendant, but lost it to Bottomless Trap Hole!

Mack drew Gravekeeper’s Spy, attacked for another 2000 Damage with Descendant, and Set Spy.

McCabe drew Gravekeeper’s Assailant, attacked Descendant, turned it to Defense Position, and destroyed it.

Mack drew Royal Tribute, Flip Summoned Spy, Special Summoned Gravekeeper’s Recruiter, Summoned Gravekeeper’s Descendant, and Tributed Recruiter to destroy Assailant and get another Recruiter from his Deck. Spy attacked for 1700 Battle Damage, and Descendant attacked to drop McCabe to 300 Life Points. A Main Phase 2 Royal Tribute had McCabe conceding the first Duel!

Ronald Mack plays an explosive handful of turns, and bolstered by superior Trap Cards, cleaves through Sean McCabe to quickly win the first Duel! Both competitors were methodical in how they used their Side Decks.

McCabe opened with a Set monster and 4 Set cards to his Spell and Trap Card Zone.

Mack had 2 Royal Tributes, Necrovalley, Gravekeeper’s Stele, Gravekeeper’s Descendant, and Gravekeeper’s Spy. He Set Spy, both Royal Tributes, and Stele.

McCabe Set a fifth Spell or Trap.

Mack drew Pot of Duality. He activated it, revealed Dimensional Prison, Book of Moon, and Mind Control from the top of his Deck, and took Mind Control, a big card in this matchup! He Set another monster.

McCabe matched him, setting a second monster.

Mack drew Divine Wrath. He activated Mind Control to take McCabe’s newest Set monster; it was Gravekeeper’s Recruiter. He tried to Flip Summon Descendant, but McCabe negated the Summon with Solemn Warning. Mack then tried to Flip Summon Gravekeeper’s Spy, but another Warning shut him down! He activated Gravekeeper’s Stele, took back his Descendant and Spy, and Set Spy, then Set a card to his Spell and Trap Card Zone. McCabe took back his Recruiter.

McCabe Set a monster.

Mack Summoned Descendant, Flip Summoned Spy, and Special Summoned Recruiter. He Tributed it to destroy McCabe’s Spy, getting another Recruiter from his Deck. He Tributed Spy next, destroying McCabe’s Recruiter, and McCabe got Gravekeeper’s Descendant from his Deck. Mack discarded Gravekeeper’s Commandant, got Necrovalley from his Deck, and activated it. McCabe Chained Mystical Space Typhoon destroying Necrovalley. But Mack activated a second Necrovalley, activated Royal Tribute, and discarded his Recruiter while McCabe lost Cyber Dragon and Descendant!

McCabe passed.

Mack passed.

McCabe passed again.

Mack Summoned Descendant, Tributed it for the other Descendant’s effect, but lost out to McCabe’s Effect Veiler. Royal Tribute made McCabe discard another Veiler.

McCabe passed.

Mack passed.

McCabe Summoned Gravekeeper’s Assailant, attacked, and turned Gravekeeper’s Descendant to Defense Position to destroy it.

Mack drew Gravekeeper’s Spy, holding Dark Hole. He activated it to clear the field, and McCabe got Commandant from his Deck. Mack Set Spy.

McCabe activated Mystical Space Typhoon, destroying Divine Wrath. “I knew you sided that in!” laughed McCabe.

Mack tried to Flip Summon Gravekeeper’s Spy, but was shut down by Solemn Judgment.

McCabe wad down to 2000 Life Points. He Summoned Commandant and attacked into Dimensional Prison.

Mack Set Gravekeeper’s Spy.

McCabe removed it, and many more copies, from the game with Nobleman of Crossout! He Set a Spell or Trap.

Mack Summoned Recruiter, and attacked into Dimensional Prison.

McCabe passed.

Mack Set a Spell or Trap.

McCabe Summoned Commandant and ran it into Mirror Force.

Mack Summoned Commandant, and he attacked into another Mirror Force!

McCabe Summoned Descendant and attacked directly.

Mack Summoned his Descendant and attacked into Dimensional Prison, but Mack Chained Deck Devastation Virus! McCabe had nothing in hand but an unaffected Cyber Dragon.

He drew Gravekeeper’s Recruiter next turn, discarding it for the Virus. The Duel stood at 2000 Life Points to 4000 after McCabe’s attack, with Mack leading. McCabe Tributed Descendant for Cyber Dragon.

Mack drew and Set a Spell or Trap.

McCabe hit him with Cyber Dragon and Set a back row.

Mack drew Pot of Duality and activated it, revealing 2 Book of Moon and Gravekeeper’s Assailant. He chose Book, and Set it.

McCabe attacked into Book, then used Gravekeeper’s Stele to get back Spy and Commandant. He Set Spy.

Mack drew Solemn Warning, with nothing but another Warning Set, and conceded the second Duel!

One more Duel would decide the winner of this Match, and would decide who would head to the Finals!

Mack had Book of Moon, Gravekeeper’s Assailant, Torrential Tribute, Dimensional Prison, Royal Tribute, and Gravekeeper’s Descendant. He Set 3 cards to his back row, and Set a monster.

McCabe used Pot of Duality to choose between Dark Hole, Dimensional Prison, and Gravekeeper’s Recruiter: he took Dark Hole. He Set a monster, Set a card to his Spell and Trap Card Zone, and ended.

Mack drew another Book of Moon. He Summoned Descendant, Flip Summoned Assailant, and Tributed Assailant to destroy McCabe’s Recruiter. That got him his own Descendant. Mack’s Descendant then attacked directly, and he Set a fourth Spell or Trap.

McCabe Summoned his Descendant, destroyed Mack’s with Smashing Ground, and attacked into Dimensional Prison. He Set another Spell or Trap.

Mack drew Gravekeeper’s Spy and Set it.

McCabe Set another Spell or Trap.

Mack drew another Assailant. He Flip Summoned Spy, but Effect Veiler negated its effect. He Summoned Assailant, attacked and dished out a total of 2700 Battle Damage.

McCabe was down to 3800 Life Points. He flipped Mystical Space Typhoon to destroy Mack’s Torrential Tribute, then activated Dark Hole. He Summoned Gravekeeper’s Commandant, attacked for 1600 Battle Damage, and Set a third Spell or Trap.

Mack drew another Royal Tribute he couldn’t use!

McCabe hit him with Commandant again, and Set a mosnter.

Mack drew and Set Solemn Warning.

McCabe flipped Gravekeeper’s Spy, but lost it to Solemn Warning. Commandant attacked, and Mack blocked with Book of Moon.

Mack Set another Spell or Trap.

McCabe hit him for another 1600 with Commandant.

Mack Set a monster.

McCabe Summoned Assailant, attacked, and rammed into Gravekeeper’s Spy. Solemn Warning destroyed it and negated its effect. Commandant attacked into another Book, but McCabe Chained Solemn Judgment!

Sean McCabe is headed to the Finals! Though he took third place in Philadelphia, he’d now play for the Championship here in Atlanta!