Oscar Renderos traveled to Dallas this weekend from California, to compete with a well-teched version of X-Sabers. His secret weapon? Double Maxx “C”! They’ve served him well thus far, but they may not be so useful in this matchup. Duc Quang Luu is here today, undefeated with Gadgets: a Deck that may give Renderos some serious trouble.

Luu got the Match started with Green Gadget, getting Red Gadget from his Deck to his hand. He Set 2 cards to his Spell and Trap Card Zone.

Renderos had Giant Trunade, Mirror Force, Maxx “C”, Solemn Warning, XX-Saber Boggart Knight, and Dark Hole. He Set Mirror Force and Warning, unwilling to risk his Boggart Knight.

Luu Summoned Red Gadget, this time getting Yellow Gadget from his Deck. He attacked, and Renderos responded with Mirror Force: Luu Chained Seven Tools of the Bandit to negate it, and connected with both Gadgets. Renderos was down to 5300 Life Points, and Luu Set another card to his back row.

Renderos drew XX-Saber Fulhelmknight. He activated Giant Trunade, cleared the Spell and Trap Card Zones, and activated Dark Hole to destroy Luu’s Gadgets! He Summoned Boggart Knight, Special Summoned Fulhelmknight, and attacked with both monsters for a combined total of 3200 Battle Damage. He Set Warning.

Play was to Luu, who activated a Trunade of his own! Smashing Ground destroyed Fulhelmknight, and Luu Summoned Yellow Gadget; got Green Gadget; and attacked over Boggart Knight with the aid of Solidarity. He Set 2 Spell or Trap Cards.

Renderos Set a monster and a card to his back row.

Luu tried to Summon Green Gadget, but the Summon was negated with Solemn Warning. Yellow Gadget attacked to destroy Maxx “C”, and Luu Set a Spell or Trap.

Renderos passed.

Luu attacked with Yellow Gadget.

Renderos Set Solemn Warning and a monster.

Luu Summoned Machina Gearframe. Renderos responded with Solemn Warning, but Luu had Solemn Judgment for yet another negation! Gearframe got him Machina Fortress, he discarded another Fortress to Summon it, and moments later he was attacking for the win. Renderos’ Set Boggart Knight couldn’t save him.

Duc Quang Luu dominates in the first Duel, as a steady stream of Gadgets overcome a sparse hand of X-Sabers and leave Luu just 1 Duel away from his fourth Match-win! Renderos would have to dig deep into his Side Deck to take 2 consecutive Duels. “I’m really nervous!” remarked Luu with a smile. “This is just my second big tournament.”

“What was your first big tournament?” asked Renderos.

“Nationals,” replied Luu. This was his first YCS, and a win here in his first Feature Match would give him even more momentum.

Renderos opened with G.B. Hunter, Seven Tools of the Bandit, Cold Wave, Giant Trunade, Call of the Haunted, and My Body As A Shield. He Set Hunter, and Set 3 more cards to his Spell and Trap Card Zone.

Luu activated Nobleman of Crossout next turn, but Renderos negated it with My Body As A Shield. Luu Summoned Red Gadget, used its effect to search his Deck for Yellow Gadget, and attacked into G.B. Hunter to take 700 Battle Damage. Luu then Set 3 cards to his back row.

Renderos drew Solemn Warning and Set it.

Luu Set a fourth Spell or Trap, then Sumoned Yellow Gadget to get Green Gadget from his Deck. He turned Red Gadget to Defense Position.

Renderos got X-Saber Pashuul in his next Draw Phase, Setting it to keep his defense strong.

Luu attacked into the Pashuul next turn with Yellow Gadget, then Set a fifth Spell or Trap.

Renderos’ next draw was Bottomless Trap Hole. He activated Cold Wave, but Luu Chained Rivalry of Warlords, and Renderos Chained Seven Tools of the Bandit to negate it! He then Tuned Pashuul and G.B. Hunter together for Naturia Barkion! It could shut down the majority of Luu’s Trap Cards, but for now, Renderos just used it to run over Yellow Gadget.

Luu Summoned another Yellow Gadget, and nabbed Green Gadget from his Deck. He couldn’t get over Barkion quite yet.

Renderos drew Mirror Force. He sent Barkion to attack Yellow Gadget, destroying it and knocking Luu down to 4700 Life Points. In Main Phase 2 Renderos Set 2 cards to his back row.

Luu Summoned Green Gadget, grabbing Red Gadget, and discarded it along with Machina Fortress to Special Summon the Fortress. When Fortress hit the field Renderos activated Bottomless Trap Hole: Luu Chained Dust Tornado, and Renderos negated it with Barkion’s effect. Luu flipped Solidarity.

Renderos attacked over Green Gadget with Barkion and Set XX-Saber Darksoul.

Luu removed it next turn with Nobleman of Crossout.

Renderos drew Dark Hole, and attacked Red Gadget. Barkion was just wrecking house againt Luu’s Trap-heavy strategy.

Luu Set a monster.

Renderos drew another G.B. Hunter. He tried to Summon her, and drew out a Solemn Warning from Luu. Barkion attacked to destroy Luu’s Set Green Gadget, and Luu conceded moments later.

“Tell me you had a bunch of Dimensional Prisons,” smiled Renderos.

Luu nodded. “One Prison, one Mirror Force, one Bottomless Trap Hole.”

Oscar Renderos battles back! Another tough opening gives way to a Duel-changing Synchro Summon, and Naturia Barkion lasts longer than perhaps even Renderos had thought possible. The winner of the next Duel would move on with a 4-0 match record.

“This is the most nervous I’ve been all day,” commented Renderos.

“Why’s that?”

“Because! The matchup’s fifty-fifty.” Truly, this was anybody’s game.

Luu started with 4 cards Set to his Spell and Trap Card Zone.

Renderos had 2 G.B. Hunters, Pot of Duality, Solemn Judgment, Monster Reborn, and X-Saber Airbellum. He activated Duality to reveal My Body As A Shield, Solemn Warning, and XX-Saber Boggart Knight from the top of his Deck: he added Solemn to his hand and shuffled the remaining cards back into his Deck. He Normal Summoned Airbellum, attacked, and hit to rob Luu of 1600 Life Points and a card from his hand! Luu discarded Cyber Dragon! A bold move from Renderos, against a 4-card Spell and Trap Card Zone. He Set 2 cards to his back row to end his turn, but lost his Solemn Judgment to a fast Mystical Space Typhoon from Luu.

Luu revealed Limiter Removal, Machina Gearframe, and Torrential Tribute from the top of his Deck with Pot of Duality next turn, adding Gearframe to his hand! He tried to Normal Summon it; Renderos responded with Solemn Warning, but once again Luu had the Solemn Judgment! He got Machina Fortress from his Deck with Gearframe’s ability, then swung over Airbellum to destroy it in battle. He Set another Spell or Trap.

Renderos Set G.B. Hunter.

Luu activated Monster Reborn to Special Summon Renderos’ Airbellum, but when he attacked with Machina Gearframe, it couldn’t destroy G.B. Hunter. Luu was left to destroy it in Main Phase 2 with Smashing Ground.

Renderos Normal Summoned Boggart Knight, activated its effect to try and Special Summon Fulhelmknight, and succeeded! But Luu activated Rivalry of Warlords! He gave up the pilfered Airbellum, while Renderos lost Fulhelmknight. Boggart Knight attacked to destroy Gearframe.

Luu Summoned Green Gadget to get Red Gadget, then discarded it and Fortress to Special Summon Fortress. The Fortress attacked to destroy Boggart Knight in battle, and Green Gadget made a direct attack.

Renderos activated Monster Reborn, targeting his opponent’s Cyber Dragon. Luu shut him down with Magic Drain! Renderos Set X-Saber Pashuul.

Fortress rammed into it next turn, and Luu Set another Spell or Trap. Both Duelists were low on cards.

Renderos Summoned G.B. Hunter; Tuned it to Pashuul; and Synchro Summoned Goyo Guardian! Goyo attacked to destroy Green Gadget, and Renderos Set his last card to his back row.

Luu Set a Spell or Trap and turned Fortress to Defense Position.

Renderos drew and Set Solemn Warning.

Luu Set another Spell or Trap.

Renderos attacked to destroy Fortress, and both monsters were destroyed. He Normal Summoned Boggart Knight in Main Phase 2. The Duel stood at 3800 Life Points to 1500, with Renderos leading.

Luu Set a fifth Spell or Trap.

Renderos Set a third Spell or Trap.

Luu drew and passed.

Renderos attacked with Boggart Knight, trying for the win, and Luu conceded!

Oscar Renderos wins a hard-fought Match and scores the comeback, taking 2 straight Duel-wins after a harsh loss in the first confrontation! A big match comes to a daring finish, and Oscar Renderos moves on with a 4-0 record.