The last time we saw Abel Carrasco, it was in March of 2010, when he took his Lightsworn Deck to a Top 16 finish at YCS Nashville. Today he’s back and playing an unexpected strategy: Worms. “I just started running Worms a couple weeks ago at my locals,” he explained. “I went undefeated in the first tournament I played it in, and I think the Deck really has potential this weekend.” We’ve seen a number of Duelists attempt Worm Decks before – including Jake Johnson’s successful Feature Match weeks ago at YCS Dallas – but we’ve never seen it quite like this. A few tech cards and a new approach makes Carrasco’s Deck a whole new type of threat.

Monsters: 18

2 Cyber Dragon

1 Effect Veiler

2 Evil Dragon Ananta

1 Honest

3 Worm Cartaros

3 Worm Linx

3 Worm Xex

3 Worm Yagan

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Spells: 10

3 Pot Of Duality

1 Book of Moon

1 Dark Hole

2 Stumbling

1 Monster Reborn

2 Mystical Space Typhoon

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Traps: 12

2 Dimensional Prison

1 Torrential Tribute

1 Mirror Force

3 Offering to the Snake Deity

1 Royal Oppression

1 Dark Bribe

1 Solemn Judgment

2 Solemn Warning

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Most Worm Decks use Worm Xex and Worm Yagan in conjunction with Offering to the Snake Deity to control the field. Worm Cartaros helps them get to their key Worm monsters, and Evil Dragon Ananta can be Special Summoned by removing all Reptiles from its controller’s Graveyard and field. Ananta gains 600 ATK x the number of Reptiles removed, and since all of the key Worms are Reptile-Type monsters, most Worm Duelists use her as a big finisher. They’ll clear the field, then make a single big attack with Ananta to try and end it.

But Carrasco’s Deck is very different. Ananta has another effect: during each of its controller’s End Phases, Ananta destroys 1 card on the field. That makes it a powerful play even early in the game: so long as Carrasco can protect Ananta from destruction, he’ll destroy 1 of his opponent’s cards every turn, for free.

To protect Ananta (and the rest of his strategy), Carrasco runs an old school card: Stumbling! Stumbling is a Continuous Spell that turns any monster that’s Summoned to Defense Position, making it really tough for Carrasco’s opponents to attack him. “I would use it when I’m about to Set a monster like Worm Yagan, Worm Cartaros, or Worm Linx,” explained Carrasco. Yagan’s effect will let Carrasco bounce away a monster that was Summoned and then turned to Defense Position, while Cartaros and Linx each get him more cards from his Deck. Linx isn’t as commonly played in Worm Decks as the other Worms in Carrasco’s lineup, but it’s great here because it lets him draw a card in every End Phase where Linx is face-up. That draw power makes it really tough to overcome Carrasco’s defenses, and if he’s ever outmatched and his Worms are threatened with an attack, he can Tribute a Worm for Offering to the Snake Deity. Doing so usually neutralizes whatever threat he was facing.

Carrasco’s favorite play? “When I go first and can Normal Summon Worm Xex, I can search for Yagan and send it to my Graveyard. Then I use Yagan’s effect to Special Summon it face-down.” If he follows up with Stumbling, Carrasco can use Yagan on his second turn to bounce away an opposing monster, then attack with Worm Xex.

We’ve seen Worm Decks in YCS competition once or twice before, but never with such a focus on controlling the Duel. The builds we’ve seen were always more aggressive. Time will tell if Carrasco’s strategy will pay off, but with so many little tricks he may surprise a lot of his opponents here in Day 1!