Wilson Tsang went undefeated in the Swiss rounds of last month’s YCS Providence, and finished in the Top 16 with an innovative Water Synchro Deck.  He earned his first of five invites this year through a Regional in San Diego.  His opponent is Jakob Friedrich, who got his invite to today’s competition through a Regional Qualifier in Utah.  Tsang is playing his signature Water Synchro strategy again, and Friedrich is running a LIGHT/HERO Deck.  While Friedrich will play to an aggressive pace, Tsang will try to take advantage of his strong defense to buy him time so he can build big combos.

Tsang started us off with a hand of Genex Controller; Tragoedia; Effect Veiler; and 3 Genex Undine!  He Summoned an Undine, getting another Controller and sending Treeborn Frog to his Graveyard.

Friedrich activated Pot of Duality, revealing Bottomless Trap Hole; Gemini Spark; and Elemental HERO Neos Alius from the top of his Deck.  He took Spark, adding it to his hand, and shuffled the other cards back.  He Summoned an Alius to attack over Genex Undine, and Tsang dropped to 7300 Life Points: he didn’t Summon Tragoedia.  Friedrich Set 3 cards to his back row.

Tsang drew Reinforcement of the Army and Special Summoned Treeborn Frog from his Graveyard.  He Normal Summoned Effect Veiler, Tuning it to Treeborn to try and Synchro Summon Formula Synchron.  Friedrich shut him down with Royal Oppression!  The Summon was negated.  That left Tsang to activate Reinforcement, getting Doppelwarrior from his Deck.  He had zero followup.

Friedrich Normal Summoned Thunder King Rai-Oh, and attacked with it.  When Tsang took the damage, he Special Summoned Tragoedia, stopping Alius from attacking.  Friedrich Tributed Alius for Gemini Spark, destroying Tragoedia and drawing a card.

Tsang drew Mystical Space Typhoon and Special Summoned Treeborn Frog.  He Special Summoned it, then activated Doppelwarrior’s effect to try and Special Summon that.  Friedric Chained Royal Oppression’s effect, paying 800 Life Points, and Tsang Chained Mystical Space Typhoon to force the Summon through! Tsang Summoned Genex Controller, but Friedrich activated HERO Blast, taking back his Neos Alius and destroying the Tuner! Without a Tuner, Tsang had to end his turn.

Friedrich attacked with Neos Alius and Thunder King next turn, destroying Doppelwarrior and Treeborn Frog.

Tsang Special Summoned Treeborn Frog; Normal Summoned Genex Controller; and took Thunder King Rai-Oh with Mind Control.  He Tuned everything together to try for Stardust Dragon, but Solemn Warning negated that Summon too!  Tsang just couldn’t catch a break.

Friedrich activated E – Emergency Call next turn to get another Alius, and activated Pot of Duality to reveal Bottomless Trap Hole; Gemini Spark; and Thunder King Rai-Oh: he took Gemini Spark again.  He Summoned his second Alius and both attacked, dropping Tsang to 1600 Life Points.  A Set Spell or Trap ended the turn.

Tsang drew Junk Synchron.  He Special Summoned Treeborn Frog, then Normal Summoned Junk Synchron to Special Summon Doppelwarrior.  When it hit the field, Friedrich destroyed Junk Synchron with Gemini Spark.

Friedrich attacked Doppelwarrior next turn, and Set 2 cards to his back row.

Tsang drew Foolish Burial, and activated it to send Fishborg Blaster to his Graveyard.  He discarded an Undine to Special Summon Fishborg, then Tuned it to Treeborn for Formula Synchron.  That got him Mystical Space Typhoon, and he added it to his hand (which had nothing but his last Genex Undine).  He activated Mystical Space Typhoon to destroy Friedrich’s own Typhoon, and then Normal Summoned Undine to Tune it to Formula Synchron. He Synchro Summoned Ally of Justice Catastor and ended without attacking.

Friedrich drew to 3 cards in hand, with 1 more Set in his Spell and Trap Card Zone, and Alius in Attack Position.  He Set another Spell or Trap.

Tsang drew Treacherous Trap Hole.  He Special Summoned Treeborn Frog, then attacked with Catastor into Mirror Force.  Catastor was destroyed, and Tsang Set Treacherous.

Friedrich used Reinforcement of the Army to get Elemental HERO Stratos from his Deck, and he used its effect to destroy Treacherous Trap Hole: Tsang Chained it to destroy Stratos and Alius!  But Friedrich had Miracle Fusion, and he used it to Special Summon Elemental HERO The Shining.  Shining attacked Treeborn Frog, and Tsang was one attack away from losing the Duel.

Tsang drew One for One with nothing to discard for it.  He Special Summoned Treeborn Frog, then Special Summoned Fishborg Blaster by discarding One for One.  He made Formula Synchron, and ripped Pot of Avarice as his draw!  Tsang activated it and sent 2 Formula Synchron; Catastor; Stardust; and Junk Synchron back to his Decks.  Tsang’s future in this Duel would hinge on his draws, and with a trembling hand he took his 2 cards… Junk Synchron and Lonefire Blossom!  He Summoned Junk Synchron, Special Summoning Doppelwarrior from his Graveyard, and Tuned them together to bring out T.G. Hyper Librarian.  He Special Summoned 2 Doppel Tokens and ended.

Friedrich moved to his Main Phase, and Tsang Tuned all of his monsters together for Trishula, Dragon of the Ice Barrier!  He banished Elemental HERO The Shining from the field; Bottomless Trap Hole from Friedrich’s hand; and Elemental HERO Neos Alius from Friedrich’s Graveyard!  Friedrich had 2 cards left in hand, and Set 1 of them to his back row.  Suddenly Tsang was back in this!

Tsang drew another Treeborn Frog, and Special Summoned the Frog in his Graveyard.  He discarded the second Frog for Fishborg, and Synchro Summoned another Formula Synchron to draw Dark Hole.  Tsang Normal Summoned Lonefire Blossom and tribute it to Special Summon another, then Tributed that for Dandylion.  He Tuned it to Formula Synchron to unleash Ally of Justice Catastor, and Special Summoned 2 Fluff Tokens.  Catastor attacked into Dimensional Prison, and when Trishula attacked Friedrich Special Summoned Gorz the Emissary of Darkness!  Friedrich Special Summoned a 2700 ATK Emissary of Darkness Token, and Tsang ended with his Dark Hole still in hand.  For a moment, it had really looked as if Tsang was going to make a miraculous comeback, but now it seemed his hopes were dashed.

Friedrich attacked with Gorz and his Emissary Token to destroy Tsang’s Fluff Token and Trishula.  He lost his Token, but Gorz survived.

Tsang drew his own Gorz.  He Special Summoned Treeborn Frog, and discarded Gorz to Special Summon Fishborg.  Once again, Tsang’s fate would be decided by a topdeck: he made another Formula Synchron, then drew Reborn Tengu!  Dark Hole cleared the field and Tsang attacked with Tengu for game!

Wilson Tsang makes an incredible comeback, ripping Pot of Avarice off of Formula Synchron and then scoring a clutch Junk Synchron and Lonefire Blossom off the Avarice!  Tsang battles back from an opening hand of Genex Controller, and triple Genex Undine!  “I can’t believe I won that,” laughed Tsang, getting up to stretch for a moment.  Play moved to the second Duel.

Friedrich activated Pot of Duality, revealing Compulsory Evacuation Device; Dimensional Prison; and Gemini Spark from the top of his Deck.  He took Compulsory and shuffled the other cards back into his Deck. He Summoned Thunder King Rai-Oh and Set 3 cards to his back row.

Tsang had Fairy Wind; 2 Mystical Space Typhoon; Monster Reborn; Tragoedia; and Torrential Tribute.  He Set both Traps.

Friedrich drew and Set a fourth Spell or Trap.

Tsang drew Compulsory Evacuation Device and passed.

Friedrich attacked with Thunder King Rai-Oh, and when Tsang tried to Special Summon Tragoedia, Friedrich stopped the Summon with Solemn Warning.

Tsang drew Foolish Burial, and Special Summoned Tragoedia with Monster Reborn.  Friedrich reeled, “Ohhhh, I had D.D. Crow for that.  I’m so bad at this game.”  Tragoedia attacked over Thunder King Rai-Oh, and Tsang Set everything but 2 cards to his back row.

Friedrich activated another Pot of Duality next turn, revealing Chain Disappearance; Miracle Fusion; and Dark Hole.  He took Dark Hole and activated it, but Tsang Chained Compulsory Evacuation Device to return his Trageodia to his hand!  Friedrich Summoned Honest and attacked for 1100 Battle Damage: he bounced Honest back to his hand.

Tsang drew Lonefire Blossom!  He Set Mystical Space Typhoon.

Friedrich Summoned Thunder King Rai-Oh: Tsang activated Torrential Tribute, and Friedrich saved his Thunder King by Chaining Compulsory Evacuation Device.

Tsang Drew Mind Control and activated Foolish Burial, sending Dandylion to his Graveyard.  Friedrich gave a long, low whistle, and Tsang Special Summoned 2 Fluff Tokens.  He tried to Summon Lonefire Blossom, but Friedrich negated the attempt with Solemn Judgment.

Friedrich Summoned his Thunder King Rai-Oh again, attacking a Fluff Token. In the End Phase, Tsang destroyed Friedrich’s Set Chain Disappearance with Mystical Space Typhoon.  Friedrich gave a wince.

Tsang drew Junk Synchron.  He Summoned it, but had nothing to Special Summon.  Still, that left him free to take Thunder King with Mind Control, and Friedrich immediately offered the handshake!

Wilson Tsang has one of the worst openings of his life in the first Duel, but powers through it thanks to the defensive power of the Water Synchro strategy and a bevy of good fortune!  Tsang continues on, still alive in this tournament with a 2-1 record.