17-year-old Tyler Nolan from New Jersey is an aspiring writer who recently submitted an application to the Konami Strategy Site. He’s the last remaining T.G. Duelist in the tournament, and now he’s facing off against Canadian Duelist and YCS first-timer Kyle Kuhn, the only remaining Anti-Monster Duelist. T.G. Rush Rhino will be critical for Nolan in this Matchup, since it allows Nolan to attack over Kuhn’s strongest monsters; but Kuhn’s Thunder King Rai-Oh can spell trouble for Nolan’s T.G. Monsters.

Kuhn started off Duel 1 by activating Pot of Duality to reveal Trap Dustshoot, Elemental HERO Neos Alius, and Hero Blast from the top of his Deck. He added Trap Dustshoot to his hand and shuffled the other 2 cards back into his Deck. He Summoned Thunder King Rai-Oh and Set 3 cards to his back row before ending his turn.

Nolan drew a card and then was struck by Kuhn’s Trap Dustshoot! Nolan revealed his hand of Beast King Barbaros, Torrential Tribute, Mirror Force, TG1-EM1, Horn of the Phantom Beast, and T.G. Rush Rhino. Kuhn sent Rush Rhino back to Nolan’s Deck and then Nolan proceeded to his Main Phase. He Normal Summoned Barbaros and Set Horn, Mirror Force, and Torrential Tribute before ending his turn.

Kuhn Set a card to his back row and passed.

Nolan drew T.G. Striker. He declared an attack with Barbaros, but lost his monster to Dimensional Prison. In Main Phase 2, Nolan Normal Summoned T.G. Striker and Set TG1-EM1.

Kuhn Set a card to his back row and Set a monster. Nolan flipped TG1-EM1 in the End Phase, trading his Striker for Kuhn’s Rai-Oh.

Nolan drew Solemn Warning next turn. He attacked and destroyed Kuhn’s face-down Effect Veiler with Rai-Oh and then Set Solemn Warning in Main Phase 2.

Kuhn Set a monster and passed.

Nolan drew Dark Bribe. He attacked Kuhn’s face-down Effect Veiler with Rai-Oh to destroy it and Set Dark Bribe before passing.

Kuhn passed with a Defense Position T.G. Striker.

Nolan drew Monster Reborn next turn! He attacked T.G. Striker, destroying it in battle. He wasn’t able to use its effect due to Rai-Oh’s ability.

Kuhn Set a monster and passed.

Nolan drew Pot of Duality. He attacked Kuhn’s face-down Honest with Rai-Oh, and both monsters survived the battle.

Kuhn activated Honest’s effect to return it to his hand and then Normal Summoned Elemental HERO Neos Alius; but Nolan flipped Torrential Tribute to clear the field! Kuhn activated E – Emergency Call next, adding Elemental HERO Stratos from his Deck to his hand. Next, he activated Monster Reborn to try to revive Thunder King Rai-Oh; but Nolan flipped Solemn Warning and gave up 2000 Life Points to negate the Reborn.

Nolan drew Book of Moon next turn. He activated a Monster Reborn of his own, but Kuhn flipped his own Solemn Warning and gave up 2000 Life Points to negate it! Since the activation of Monster Reborn was negated, Nolan activated Pot of Duality, revealing Dark Hole, Bottomless Trap Hole, and Solemn Warning from the top of his Deck. He added Solemn Warning to his hand and shuffled the other 2 cards back into his Deck. He Set Solemn Warning and Book of Moon before ending his turn.

Kuhn activated Pot of Duality next turn, revealing Fossil Dyna Pachycephalo, Doomcaliber Knight, and Dark Hole from the top of his Deck. He added Dark Hole to his hand and shuffled the other 2 cards back into his Deck. Next, he attempted to Normal Summon Elemental HERO Stratos. Nolan flipped Solemn Warning to negate the Summon; Kuhn flipped Solemn Judgment and paid 3000 Life Points to try to negate the Solemn Warning, but Nolan flipped Dark Bribe to negate the Solemn Judgment! Kuhn drew a card and his Stratos was sent to the Graveyard. Kuhn activated Reinforcement of the Army to search his Deck for Elemental HERO Neos Alius before ending his turn.

Nolan activated Pot of Duality next turn, revealing T.G. Warwolf, T.G. Rush Rhino, and Starlight Road from the top of his Deck. He added T.G. Rush Rhino to his hand and shuffled the other 2 cards back into his Deck. Nolan Normal Summoned Rush Rhino and attacked directly for 2000 points of damage, dropping Kuhn down to 1000 Life Points.

Kuhn activated Dark Hole to destroy Rush Rhino and then Summoned Elemental HERO Neos Alius. He tried to attack with Neos Alius, but Nolan flipped Book of Moon to put Alius face-down. Nolan searched his Deck for T.G. Warwolf in the End Phase thanks to the effect of his Rhino.

Nolan drew T.G. Rush Rhino next turn. He Normal Summoned Warwolf and attacked the face-down Neos Alius. He flipped Horn of the Phantom Beast in the Damage Step to gain 800 ATK and destroy it, drawing him a Call of the Haunted from his Deck. He Set the Call before ending his turn.

Kuhn Set a monster and passed.

Nolan drew Bottomless Trap Hole next turn. He Normal Summoned T.G. Rush Rhino and then attacked Kuhn’s face-down monster with Warwolf. Kuhn’s face-down Fossil Dyna Pachycephalo was destroyed! One direct attack later, T.G. Rush Rhino finished off Kyle Kuhn’s last 1000 Life Points!

Tyler Nolan wins Duel 1 with his T.G. Deck thanks to his self-replacing T.G. Monsters! Kyle Kuhn will be going first in Duel 2!

Kuhn started off Duel 2 by Summoning Elemental HERO Stratos and activating its effect to add Elemental HERO Neos Alius from his Deck to his hand. He Set 2 cards to his back row before ending his turn.

Nolan opened up with Solemn Warning, Mystical Space Typhoon, Reborn Tengu, 2 copies of T.G. Warwolf, and Beast King Barbaros. Kuhn flipped Trap Dustshoot in his Standby Phase, forcing Nolan to return Tengu to his Deck. Nolan activated Mystical Space Typhoon to destroy Kuhn’s face-down Solemn Warning and then Set his Warwolf along with a Mystical Space Typhoon.

Kuhn Normal Summoned Neos Alius and then attacked Nolan’s face-down Warwolf in to destroy it. Next, he discarded D.D. Crow from his hand to banish the Warwolf so that Nolan wouldn’t get its effect, and he attacked directly with Neos Alius. Kuhn Set a card to his back row before ending his turn.

Nolan drew Reborn Tengu next turn. He tried to Normal Summon Beast King Barbaros, but lost out to Kuhn’s Solemn Warning. He ended his turn and play passed to Kuhn.

Kuhn tried to Normal Summon Elemental HERO Neos Alius, and Nolan flipped Solemn Warning by giving up 2000 Life Points to negate the Summon. Next, Kuhn attacked directly with Stratos and Neos Alius to drop Nolan down to 400 Life Points.

Nolan drew Mind Crush next turn and Set it along with a Tengu.

Kuhn attacked the face-down Tengu with Stratos and Nolan Special Summoned another one from his Deck in Defense Position. Alius destroyed it and Kuhn Special Summoned a third copy. Kuhn Set a card to his back row before ending his turn.

Nolan drew Pot of Duality. He activated it to reveal TG1-EM1, Pot of Duality, and Horn of the Phantom Beast from the top of his Deck. He added the Horn to his hand and Set it along with a Warwolf before ending his turn.

Kuhn switched his Stratos to Defense Position and then attacked Tengu with Neos Alius. Nolan flipped Horn of the Phantom Beast in the Damage Step in an attempt to win the battle, but Kuhn trumped it with Honest, gaining enough ATK to defeat the Reborn Tengu and wipe out the rest of Nolan’s Life Points!

Kyle Kuhn applies constant pressure in Duel 2 with his Elemental HERO monsters to quickly defeat Tyler Nolan! Nolan will be going first in Duel 3!

Nolan opened up Duel 3 with Torrential Tribute, Beast King Barbaros, Call of the Haunted, Pot of Duality, TG1-EM1, and Mind Crush. He activated Pot of Duality to reveal T.G. Warwolf, T.G. Rush Rhino, and Solemn Judgment from the top of his Deck, and chose to add the Rush Rhino to his hand. He shuffled the other 2 cards back into his Deck. Nolan Normal Summoned Rush Rhino and Set Torrential Tribute and Mind Crush before ending his turn.

Kuhn activated Heavy Storm! Nolan decided not to Chain his Mind Crush, and lost it along with Torrential Tribute. Next, Kuhn Special Summoned Cyber Dragon. He followed up by Normal Summoning Elemental HERO Neos Alius. Neos Alius attacked and destroyed T.G. Rush Rhino and then Cyber Dragon scored a direct hit. Kuhn Set a card before ending his turn. In his End Phase, Nolan forgot to use his Rhino’s effect.

Nolan drew Mystical Space Typhoon next turn, and used it to destroy a Set Hero Blast. He Normal Summoned Barbaros and attacked Neos Alius with it, destroying both monsters. Nolan Set Call of the Haunted and TG1-EM1 before ending his turn.

Kuhn activated Pot of Duality next turn, revealing Honest, Cyber Dragon, and Thunder King Rai-Oh from the top of his Deck. He added Rai-Oh to his hand and shuffled the other 2 cards back into his Deck. He Summoned the Rai-Oh and then tried attacking with Cyber Dragon, but Nolan flipped Call of the Haunted to Special Summon Beast King Barbaros from his Graveyard! Kuhn didn’t realize Barbaros had 3000 ATK and continued his attack, losing his Cyber Dragon and 900 Life Points!

Nolan drew T.G. Rush Rhino next turn. He attacked and destroyed Rai-Oh with Barbaros and then attacked directly with his Rhino. Kuhn dropped down to 4000 Life Points and Special Summoned Gorz the Emissary of Darkness from his hand in Defense Position, along with a 2000 DEF Emissary of Darkness Token.

Kuhn Normal Summoned Elemental HERO Stratos and activated its effect to add Elemental HERO Neos Alius from his Deck to his hand. He switched Gorz into Attack Position and then attacked Rush Rhino with Gorz. Nolan lost 1100 Life Points and his Rhino was destroyed in battle. Next, Kuhn discarded D.D. Crow to banish the Rhino so that Nolan couldn’t use its effect.

Nolan drew Dimensional Prison next turn. He attacked Gorz with Barbaros to destroy it and then Set his Prison.

Kuhn activated Mystical Space Typhoon to destroy Nolan’s Call of the Haunted, finally taking down the Barbaros! Then he entered his Battle Phase and attacked directly with Stratos, dropping Nolan down to 2700 Life Points.

Nolan drew T.G. Warwolf next turn and Summoned it. He flipped TG1-EM1 to trade his Warwolf with Kuhn’s Token and then switched the Token into Attack Position. He attacked T.G. Warwolf with the Token and grabbed a T.G. Rush Rhino with the effect of his Warwolf in the End Phase.

Kuhn Normal Summoned Elemental HERO Neos Alius and then stacked his Stratos and Alius to Xyz Summon Number 39: Utopia. He attacked the Token with Utopia, but Nolan flipped Dimensional Prison to banish it.

Nolan drew Solemn Warning next turn and then Normal Summoned T.G. Rush Rhino. Direct attacks from the 2000 ATK Emissary of Darkness Token and T.G. Rush Rhino wiped out Nolan’s last 2900 Life Points!

Tyler Nolan turns the Duel around with a 3000 ATK Beast King Barbaros to advance to the Top 8!