Here are the top 4 Duelists from Saturday’s Dragon Duel! In no particular order, they are Kyris To, John Vien, Steven Rorabaugh, and Benton Huynh. Congratulations to these top players!

In the final game, 11-year-old Kyris To and 12-year-old John Vien (both California locals) were undefeated with perfect 4-0 records. Kyris To was armed with a Gladiator Beast Deck, against John Vien’s Machina Gadget Deck.

Vien started off Duel 1 by Summoning Machina Gearframe and activating its effect to search his Deck for a copy of Machina Fortress to add to his hand. He Set 2 cards to his back row before passing to To.

To opened up with Gladiator Beast Hoplomus, Dimensional Prison, Solemn Warning, Trap Stun, Gladiator Beast War Chariot, and Gladiator Proving Ground. He Set the Hoplomus along with his 4 Trap Cards and ended his turn.

Vien Summoned a second Gearframe next turn, and used it to grab another Fortress from his Deck! He attacked To’s Hoplomus with Machina Gearframe and lost 300 Life Points in the exchange. To declined to tag out his Hoplomus, and lost it to Vien’s Smashing Ground in Main Phase 2.

To drew Gladiator Beast Bestiari next turn and then activated Gladiator Proving Ground to search his Deck for Gladiator Beast Laquari and add it to his hand. He Summoned Laquari to the field, and when Vien flipped Bottomless Trap Hole to try to remove it from the Duel, To flipped Trap Stun to negate the Bottomless Trap Hole. To ended his turn without attacking.

Vien attacked Laquari with a Gearframe next turn, and To flipped Dimensional Prison to remove the Gearframe from the Duel. Then the other Gearframe attacked To’s Laquari, destroying both monsters in battle. Vien Set 1 card to his back row and passed.

To drew another Gladiator Beast War Chariot next turn and Set it.

Vien Set a card to his back row and passed.

To drew Test Tiger and ended his turn.

Vien Summoned his third Machina Gearframe next turn! To decided not to negate the Summon with Solemn Warning, and Vien searched his Deck for a copy of Machina Force to add to his hand. Gearframe attacked To directly, and he dropped down to 6200 Life Points.

To drew Gladiator Beast Hoplomus next turn and Set it.

Vien discarded 2 copies of Machina Fortress from his hand to try to Special Summon 1 of them back from his Graveyard, but To paid 2000 Life Points and flipped Solemn Warning to negate the Summon. Next, Vien discarded Machina Force to Special Summon the Fortress back, and then activated Monster Reborn to revive his other Fortress. One Fortress attacked over the Hoplomus and then the combined attacks of Vien’s second Machina Fortress and his Machina Gearframe wiped out To’s remaining 4200 Life Points!

An incredible triple-Gearframe start allows John Vien to dominate the first Duel despite To’s 4 Trap opening. Kyris To will be going first in Duel 2!

To opened up Duel 2 with Solemn Judgment, Gladiator Beast War Chariot, Gladiator Proving Ground, Dark Hole, Gladiator Beast Laquari, and Gladiator Beast Darius. He Summoned Laquari to the field and Set Solemn Judgment and War Chariot in his back row for his initial opening.

Vien activated Mystical Space Typhoon to destroy Gladiator Beast War Chariot, then Special Summoned Cyber Dragon and attacked over Laquari to destroy it. He Set 2 cards to his back row and ended his turn.

To drew Gladiator Beast Hoplomus next turn and Set it.

Vien activated Pot of Duality next turn, revealing Mystical Space Typhoon, Mirror Force, and Red Gadget from the top of his Deck. He added the Mystical Space Typhoon to his hand and shuffled the other 2 cards into his Deck. Cyber Dragon attacked Hoplomus, and To once again chose not to tag out his monster. Vien Set a monster in Main Phase 2 and ended his turn.

To drew Dimensional Fissure next turn and then activated Gladiator Proving Ground to search his Deck for Gladiator Beast Bestiari. He Set the Bestiari and then revealed it to fuse it with Hoplomus and Summon Gladiator Beast Gyzarus! He targeted both of Vien’s back rows, Bottomless Trap Hole and Dimensional Prison, with the effect of Gyzarus, and Vien Chained the Bottomless Trap Hole to remove Gyzarus from the Duel. Next, To activated Dark Hole to destroy Vien’s face-down Legendary Jujitsu Master and Attack Position Cyber Dragon. He activated Dimensional Fissure in Main Phase 2 and ended his turn.

Vien Summoned Red Gadget and activated its effect to grab a Yellow Gadget from his Deck and add it to his hand. Then he attacked directly with his Gadget, dropping To down to 6400 Life Points. Vien Set a card to his back row before passing.

To drew Mystical Space Typhoon next turn and activated it to destroy Vien’s face-down Dimensional Prison. Next, he Summoned Gladiator Beast Darius and used it to attack and destroy Vien’s Red Gadget. He tagged out Darius for Equeste at the end of the Battle Phase, and activated Equeste’s effect to return Gladiator Beast War Chariot from his Graveyard to his hand. To Set the Chariot and passed to Vien, who had no field and only 1 card in his hand.

Vien drew a card for his turn and then Summoned Yellow Gadget to the field. He didn’t activate its effect, because he knew To had the Chariot. He Set a back row and ended his turn instead.

To drew Gladiator Beast Bestiari and Set it. He fused Bestiari with his Equeste in order to Summon Gladiator Beast Gyzarus, and activated Gyzarus’s effect to destroy Vien’s face-up Yellow Gadget and face-down Limiter Removal. Next, he attacked directly with Gyzarus, inflicting 2400 points of damage to Vien and dropping him down to 5200 Life Points. To tagged out Gyzarus to Summon Gladiator Beast Hoplomus in Defense Position and Gladiator Beast Laquari in Attack Position.

Vien drew a card and Set it in his back row.

To drew Gladiator Beast Hoplomus next turn. He attacked directly with Laquari, dropping Vien down to 3100 Life Points, and then passed.

Vien used Smashing Ground next turn to destroy To’s Gladiator Beast Hoplomus.

To activated Mystical Space Typhoon to destroy Vien’s back row, then Summoned Gladiator Beast Hoplomus to the field. Vien instantly conceded!

Some strong plays with Gladiator Beast Gyzarus give Kyris To the Duel 2 victory! John Vien will be going first in Duel 3!

Vien started off Duel 3 by Setting 2 cards to his back row and Setting a monster.

To opened up with 2 copies of Gladiator Beast War Chariot, Torrential Tribute, Test Tiger, Gladiator Beast Laquari, and Gladiator Beast Darius. He Summoned Darius and then Set all of his Trap Cards, ending his turn.

Vien activated Mystical Space Typhoon to destroy a War Chariot, then Summoned Machina Gearframe and activated its effect; but To flipped his other Chariot to negate the effect and destroy the Gearframe!

To drew Solemn Warning next turn. He Special Summoned Test Tiger and Tributed it to send Darius back into his Deck. He Special Summoned Gladiator Beast Bestiari in its place and used Bestiari’s effect to destroy Vien’s face-down Mind Crush. Next, he Normal Summoned Gladiator Beast Laquari, and fused it with Gladiator Beast Bestiari to Fusion Summon Gladiator Beast Gyzarus from his Extra Deck! Gyzarus destroyed Vien’s face-down Legendary Jujitsu Master with its effect, and then attacked Vien directly, dropping him down to 5600 Life Points. To tagged out his Gyzarus to Summon an Attack Position Laquari and Defense Position Hoplomus in its place. He Set Solemn Warning before ending his turn.

Vien activated Dark Hole to destroy Laquari and Hoplomus. Then he activated Monster Reborn, but To negated it by paying 2000 Life Points and flipping Solemn Warning. Vien Summoned Yellow Gadget next, and activated its effect to grab a Green Gadget from his Deck. He attacked directly with his Gadget, and play passed to To.

To drew Gladiator Beast Darius next turn and Summoned it! He attacked over Vien’s Yellow Gadget with his Darius, and then tagged out Darius to Summon Gladiator Beast Equeste. He used Equeste’s effect to return a War Chariot from his Graveyard to his hand and then Set the Chariot.

Vien Set a card in each zone.

To drew Trap Stun and Set it.

Vien Set a second card in his Spell and Trap Card Zone and passed.

To drew Dimensional Prison and Set it.

Vien Set a third card to his back row and passed.

To drew Dimensional Fissure and ended his turn.

Vien Set a fourth card to his back row and play passed to To.

To drew Dark Hole and passed.

Vien Set a fifth card to his back row and ended his turn.

To drew Gladiator Proving Ground next turn! He flipped Trap Stun to try to pin down Vien’s Trap Cards, but Vien flipped Seven Tools of the Bandit and gave up 1000 Life Points to negate it! Vien activated Gladiator Proving Ground anyway, and searched his Deck for a copy of Gladiator Beast Bestiari to add to his hand. He Set it and then fused it with Equeste to try to Summon Gladiator Beast Gyzarus, but Vien flipped Royal Oppression and gave up 800 Life Points to negate Gyzarus’s Summon! To activated Dimensional Fissure before passing back to Vien.

Vien Summoned Machina Gearframe next turn and activated its effect. To Chained Torrential Tribute, and Vien Chained Forbidden Lance to protect his Gearframe. Vien’s face-down Peacekeeper was removed from the Duel thanks to Torrential Tribute and Dimensional Fissure, and Vien grabbed another Peacekeeper from his Deck with Gearframe’s effect. Gearframe attacked To for 1000 points of damage, dropping him down to 3800 Life Points.

To drew Gladiator Beast Laquari next turn. He activated Dark Hole to destroy Vien’s Gearframe, then Summoned Laquari and attacked with it. But Vien flipped Book of Moon to block the attack and put Laquari face-down.

Vien Summoned Green Gadget next turn and activated its effect to grab a Red Gadget from his Deck. He attacked To’s face-down Laquari with his Gadget, but To flipped Dimensional Prison to protect the Laquari and remove the Gadget from the Duel.

To drew Solemn Judgment next turn. He flipped his Laquari and attacked directly with it, dropping Vien to 1500 Life Points. To Set Solemn Judgment in Main Phase 2 before ending his turn.

Vien Set a monster and passed.

To drew another Dimensional Fissure and then attacked Vien’s face-down monster with his Laquari. Vien activated Mystical Space Typhoon and targeted Dimensional Fissure with its effect in response to the attack, but To flipped Solemn Judgment and paid 1900 Life Points to negate the Mystical Space Typhoon. Laquari destroyed Karakuri Ninja mdl 339 “Sazank”, and To flipped Gladiator Beast War Chariot to negate Sazank’s effect.

Vien Set a monster on his next turn, but it wouldn’t be enough to save him. To picked up Gladiator Beast Darius on his next draw and Summoned it to the field. Vien immediately conceded, realizing that Darius or Laquari would destroy his face-down monster and wipe out his remaining Life Points to finish the Match!

By emerging victorious in a close 2-1 Match, Kyris To has used his Gladiator Beast Deck to become Saturday’s Dragon Duel Champion!