Semifinals: Commander Billy Brake VS Aquatic Nicky Lacaille
Billy Brake just came from a Top 8 victory over Fish, but now he’d have to repeat his success: Nicky Lacaille is playing the same deadly strategy as Brake faced last Round.
Lacaille got things started with Gold Sarcophagus, removing Giant Trunade from his Deck so he could add it to his hand 2 turns from now. He discarded Dupe Frog to Special Summon Swap Frog, sending Ronintoadin to his Graveyard. He removed Dupe Frog to Special Summon Ronintoadin, then Tribute Summoned Light and Darkness Dragon! Not bad for a first turn.
Brake had a hand of XX-Saber Faultroll; X-Saber Airbellum; X-Saber Pashuul; Gottoms’ Emergency Call; Solemn Warning; and Effect Veiler. He Set Pashuul, then Set Warning and Call.
Lacaille attacked into Pashuul next turn, flipping it face-up.
Brake drew Seven Tools of the Bandit and Summoned Airbellum, Special Summoning Faultroll. He Tuned them for XX-Saber Gottoms and ran over Light and Darkness Dragon: Lacaille tried to Special Summon Swap Frog, but Brake denied him with Solemn Warning! He Tributed Pashuul for Gottoms’ effect, making Lacaille discarded Enemy Controller. Gottoms’ Emergency Call let him discard the rest of Lacaille’s hand: Moray of Greed and Oyster Meister. Brake Set a Spell or Trap.
Lacaille got his Trunade, then Summoned Swap Frog to send Treeborn Frog to his Graveyard. He returned Swap Frog to his hand, then removed a Frog to Special Summon Ronintoadin.
Brake got Pot of Duality, and activated it to get Monster Reborn! He attacked Ronintoadin to destroy it.
Lacaille Special Summoned Treeborn Frog, then Normal Summoned Swap Frog to send Dupe Frog to his Graveyard. He took Swap Frog back to his hand and Special Summoned Ronintoadin.
Brake drew Mystical Space Typhoon. “There are so many chances for this game to just end…” He attacked to destroy Ronintoadin, then Set Typhoon.
Lacaille activated Moray of Greed next turn, sending Swap Frog and Snowman Eater back to his Deck to draw 3 cards! Was it possible to recover after losing his whole hand? Lacaille pressed on, activating Gold Sarcophagus to remove Coelacanth from his Deck. He Normal Summoned Swap Frog, kicked a Dupe Frog to his Graveyard, and took back Swap Frog: he’d needed that Dupe Frog, since he was out of Frogs to use with Ronintoadin. He removed Dupe Frog to Special Summon Ronintoadin and ended.
Brake drew XX-Saber Emmersblade! He brought back X-Saber Airbellum with Monster Reborn, Summoned Emmersblade, and made attacks to clear the field before attacking with Airbellum. Lacaille Special Summoned Tragoedia, then lost his Swap Frog to Airbellum’s effect. He dropped to 6100 Life Points. Brake briefly debated discarding Lacaille’s Giant Trunade, before deciding just to end his turn.
Lacaille Special Summoned Treeborn Frog, then activated Trunade. He Summoned his last card – Fishborg Blaster! He Tuned it to Treeborn Frog, Synchro Summoned Formula Synchron, and drew a card for its effect. He could change Tragoedia’s Level with its effect, but could only choose Level 2 or Level 3 given the monsters in his Graveyard. He chose Level 3 (mimicking Oyster Meister), and Synchro Summoned Ally of Justice Catastor. But Brake negated its effect with Effect Veiler! Lacaille made the only attack he really could, destroying Airbellum and dishing out 600 Battle Damage. He Special Summoned Ronintoadin again.
Brake drew Book of Moon! He attacked with Gottoms to destroy Ronintoadin, then tributed Emmersblade to make Lacaille discard Swap Frog. Brake Set his remaining 3 cards to his back row.
Lacaille Special Summoned Treeborn Frog and took his Coelacanth to his hand. He discarded Dark Hole to bring up Fishborg Blaster, Synchro Summoned Formula Synchron, and drew a card. Lacaille then attacked with Catastor to destroy Gottoms, and ended.
Brake passed.
Lacaille Special Summoned Treeborn Frog, then discarded Gold Sarcophagus for Fishborg Blaster. Another Formula Synchron got him another draw, and he Tuned it to Catastor for Black Rose Dragon, clearing the field! He removed Swap Frog to Special Summon Ronintoadin, discarded for Fishborg, and Tribute Summoned Coelacanth! With 1 card left in hand, he activated Monster Reborn to Special Summon XX-Saber Gottoms, and attacked to win the Duel!
Nicky Lacaille fights back from an empty hand, overcoming XX-Saber Gottoms and eventually turning it back on Brake to achieve victory! What an unbelievable comeback! Brake was eager to get to the second Duel.
Brake had Torrential Tribute; Pot of Duality; XX-Saber Fulhelmknight; Gozen Match; Dark Hole; and Reinforce Truth. He activated Pot of Duality, rvealing Fossil Dyna Pachycephalo; XX-Saber Darksoul; and Book of Moon. Brake added Pachycephalo to his hand, then Set 3 cards to his back row. He Set Pachycephalo and ended.
Lacaille shuffled back Oyster Meister and Swap Frog into his Deck with Moray of Greed, then Set a monster.
Brake drew Trap Dustshoot and Flip Summoned Pachycephalo, attacking into Dupe Frog. Brake Set Trap Dustshoot…
… Then flipped it next turn to reveal Lacaille’s hand of 3 Enemy Controller, Fishborg Blaster, Moray of Greed, and Gorz the Emissary of Darkness. He sent Fishborg Blaster back to Lacaille’s Deck, and Lacaille passed.
Brake drew XX-Saber Darksoul. He turned Fossil Dyna Pachycephalo to Defense Position and Set Darksoul.
Lacaille Set a Spell or Trap.
Brake drew Chain Disappearance. He activated Dark Hole to destroy Dupe Frog, Darksoul, and Pachycephalo, giving Lacaille Swap Frog. He Normal Summoned Fulhelmknight and attacked: out of nowhere, Lacaille flipped Malevolent Catastrophe to wipe Lacaille’s field clean! Lacaille had drawn the Catastrophe the turn previous, so Brake had no knowledge of it even though he’d played Trap Dustshoot! He Special Summoned Gorz the Emissary of Darkness and its Emissary of Darkness Token! Brake Set a Spell or Trap, and got XX-Saber Emmersblade from his Deck.
Lacaille Summoned Swap Frog, and used its effect to send Ronintoadin to his Graveyard. He removed Dupe Frog to Special Summon Ronintoadin, and Brake responded with Chain Disappearance to remove the Ronintoadin. Lacaille Tributed his Emissary of Darkness Token to take control of Fulhelmknight with Enemy Controller, then attacked for a total of 5000 Battle Damage. Brake was down to 2200 Life Points. Lacaille Tuned Fulhelmknight to Swap Frog and Synchro Summoned Ally of Justice Catastor, and Set a Spell or Trap.
Brake Set a monster.
Lacaille Summoned D.D. Crow! He used it to attack and flip over Emmersblade, then rammed it with Catastor to destroy it with Catastor’s effect! Gorz then attacked for game!
Montreal’s Nicky Lacaille is headed to the Finals with Fish!
