Ten weeks ago at YCS Orlando, Alex Vansant made the Top 32 with an aggressive Gadget Deck featuring Ultimate Offering. His strategy in that tournament centered on combining a flood of Gadgets with a flood of Level 1 Tuners, kicking out Synchro after Synchro without emptying his hand. But today that strategy takes on a new dimension! The debut of Number 39: Utopia takes the Deck to a totally different level. Now, Vansant can use his Gadget / Ultimate Offering combo to unleash an army of attack-negating 2500 Xyz Monsters!

His opponent is William Presser, a Plant Synchro Duelist with a deadly Side Deck. Presser’s Side lets him move from a Synchro-driven strategy to something completely different: Anti-Monster. He may be at a bit of a disadvantage in the first Duel, but with the right Side Deck decisions he could really catch Vansant off-guard.

Vansant opened the Match with a hand of Solemn Warning, Giant Trunade, Fiendish Chain, Machina Fortress, and 2 Mystical Space Typhoon. Not a great start! He Set everything but Trunade and Fortress.

Presser Set a monster.

Vansant drew Yellow Gadget, and suddenly things were looking up. He Summoned it to get Green Gadget from his Deck, then attacked to destroy Presser’s face-down Sangan. The Sangan was destroyed, and its effect got Presser his Dandylion.

Presser Set a monster.

Vansant drew Fiendish Chain and Summoned Green Gadget, getting Red Gadget. Yellow Gadget attacked to destroy Dandylion, Presser Special Summoned 2 Fluff Tokens, and Vansant ran over a Token with Green Gadget. Presser had one Token left.

Presser drew and shook his head. He activated Giant Trunade, then Summoned Lonefire Blossom to Tribute a Fluff Token. He brought out a second Lonefire, then Tributed the first to get Glow-Up Bulb from his Deck in Defense Position. He Tuned them together to Synchro Summon Armory Arm, then sent Effect Veiler from his Deck to his Graveyard to Special Summon Glow-Up Bulb. He Tuned it to Armory Arm for T.G. Hyper Librarian, then attacked over Yellow Gadget. “This is very disappointing,” Presser noted, as Yellow Gadget went down. “End my turn.”

Vansant drew Monster Reborn and Summoned Red Gadget. Presser pitched Effect Veiler to negate the Gadget’s effect, and Vansant couldn’t get another Gadget. He piled the Gadgets together, and Xyz Summoned Number 39: Utopia! Utopia attacked over Hyper Librarian, and Vansant Set 4 cards to his Spell and Trap Card Zone. This was our first-ever YCS Feature Match Xyz Monster!

Presser activated Pot of Avarice, targeting Hyper Librarian, Armory Arm, Sangan, Dandylion, and a Lonefire Blossom. He shuffled them all back into his Deck to draw 2 cards. He activated Mystical Space Typhoon blind to destroy Vansant’s Set Fiendish Chain, then Summoned Tour Guide from the Underworld. Vansant Chained another Fiendish Chain to her effect, shutting her down! All Presser could do was end his turn.

Vansant drew Solemn Judgment. He activated Monster Reborn to target Yellow Gadget, and Presser Chained the effect of Maxx “C”. Vansant got his Yellow Gadget, searched a Green Gadget, and Presser drew with Maxx’s effect. He Summoned Green Gadget to get Red Gadget, and attacked with both Gadgets and Utopia. Another Set card to the back row finished Vansant’s turn.

Presser Set a monster, and Set 2 cards to his back row. In the End Phase, Vansant flipped Mystical Space Typhoon to destroy Presser’s Set Solemn Warning.

Vansant drew Karakuri Watchdog mdl 313 “Saizan”, and activated another Mystical Space Typhoon. That was enough for Presser, who conceded the Duel! Play quickly moved to the second Duel.

Presser Summoned Thunder King Rai-Oh and Set 2 cards to his back row to start.

Vansant had Call of the Haunted, Rivalry of Warlords, 2 Fiendish Chain, Karakuri Watchdog mdl 313 “Saizan”, and Machina Fortress. He Set 4 everything but the monsters, and Presser hit him with Royal Decree in the End Phase!

Presser attacked with Thunder King Rai-Oh next turn, scoring a quick 1900 Battle Damage.

Vansant drew another Rivalry. he discarded his Watchdog to Special Summon Machina Fortress, and Presser turned it face-down with Book of Moon!

Presser Summoned Doomcaliber Knight and attacked into Machina Fortress! Machina Fortress was destroyed, and Thunder King made another direct attack. Presser Set a card to his Spell and Trap Card Zone.

Vansant drew Machina Gearframe and passed.

Presser attacked a third time with Thunder King, dropping Vansant to 2300 Life Points. He Set a second Spell or Trap.

Vansant drew Neo-Spacian Grand Mole and Summoned it.

Presser Summoned another Doomcaliber Knight! He attacked to destroy Neo-Spacian Grand Mole, negating its effect, and attacked again with Thunder King.

With just 400 Life Points left, Vansant drew Red Gadget. He discarded Red Gadget and Gearframe to try and Special Summon Machina Fortress from his Graveyard, and Presser negated the the Summon with Thunder King Rai-Oh. Vansant ended. Next turn Presser had another Thunder King to finish the Duel.

Vansant started the third Duel with Mystical Space Typhoon, Spirit Reaper, Solemn Warning, Fiendish Chain, Karakuri Watchdog mdl 313 “Saizan”, and Royal Oppression. He Set Reaper, then Set everything but Watchdog.

Presser activated Mystical Space Typhoon, again making a blind pick on Fiendish Chain! Another Typhoon destroyed Vansant’s Typhoon, but when Presser tried to Summon Reborn Tengu, Vansant blasted it with Solemn Warning to negate the Summon. Presser Set a single card to his back row.

Vansant drew Blackwing – Gale the Whirlwind. He Flip Summoned Spirit Reaper, and before he could get to his Battle Phase, Presser negated Reaper’s effect with Effect Veiler. That left him with a single in-hand card. Reaper attacked, and Vansant ended.

Presser Summoned Lonefire Blossom, and when Presser went for its effect, Vansant flipped Royal Oppression to negate it! Presser had 1 card Set and 1 card in hand. he Set the remaining card to his back row.

Vansant drew another Warning and Summoned Watchdog. He attacked for 600 Battle Damage with the Karakuri, then 300 more with Reaper, before Setting Warning. He held back on the Gale, knowing it could get him over any of Presser’s larger monsters that might slip past Royal Oppression.

Presser Set a monster.

Vansant drew Green Gadget, Summoning it to get Red Gadget from his Deck. Green Gadget attacked into Dandylion, and Reaper and Watchdog attacked the 2 Fluff Tokens that Presser Special Summoned.

Presser Set another Spell or Trap. he now had 3 Set cards, with an empty hand.

Vansant drew Mystical Space Typhoon. He attacked with Watchdog, Reaper, and Green Gadget, lowering Presser to 4500 Life Points. Vansant had 5200 Life Points, and Set a Spell or Trap.

Presser passed.

Vansant drew Machina Fortress. He attacked again with all three monsters, and this time Presser had a Book of Moon to stop Spirit Reaper. He kept his in-hand card.

Presser Set a monster.

Vansant drew Bottomless Trap Hole and Flip Summoned Reaper. Green Gadget attacked into Presser’s Set Debris Dragon and bounced off harmlessly. “There it is,” remarked Vansant. In Main Phase 2 he Normal Summoned Red Gadget to get Yellow Gadget.

Presser tried to Summon Doomcaliber Knight, and Vansant negated the attempt with Solemn Warning.

Vansant drew Green Gadget, and Tuned Watchdog to Spirit Reaper to try and bring out Black Rose Dragon. Presser had 2500 Life Points to Vansant’s 2600, so Vansant was shifting gears, trying to get Presser to activate Royal Oppression to pay himself down. Vansant had Mystical Space Typhoon Set. Presser activated Solemn Warning instead, paying 2000 Life Points, and that left Vansant to use Typhoon to destroy Presser’s last Set card. One for One. Vansant Summoned Gale to halve Debris Dragon’s ATK and DEF, and then attacked through it! Green Gadget attacked to win the Match!

Alex Vansant never hits the Ultimate Offering, but manages to win a narrow Match 2-1 anyways!