We’re now 4 rounds into the tournament, and 77 Duelists are left with perfect 4-0 records. I gathered 8 of those Duelists for this Round 5 Feature. Take a look at how they fared in this fifth round of the tournament!

At Table 1 Nicolai Howlett’s Inzektors were up against Riley Bennett’s Wind-Ups and lost to them 2-0.

In Duel 1, Howlett used Torrential Tribute to wipe the field clear of Bennett’s Wind-Up Zenmaines, Wind-Up Shark, and Cyber Dragon. Howlett thought he was safe with 4400 Life Points left; but he was wrong. Bennett banished Effect Veiler and Tour Guide From the Underworld from his Graveyard to Special Summon Black Luster Soldier – Envoy of the Beginning and then Normal Summoned Wind-Up Hunter to finish the Duel!

Duel 2 was off to a slow start, but everything went downhill for Howlett when he activated Mystical Space Typhoon on Bennett’s face-down Compulsory Evacuation Device. Bennett Chained the Compulsory Evacuation Device return a Wind-Up Rat he controlled, which was paralyzed by Fiendish Chain. On the next turn, Bennett’s Wind-Up Rat set off a chain that Summoned 3 Wind-Up Carrier Zenmaitys that instantly won the Duel.

After the Match, I asked Howlett if there was anything he wishes he had done differently. He replied, “Instead of MSTing his back row, I should’ve MST’d my Gigamantis.” If Howlett had used Mystical Space Typhoon to destroy his own Gigamantis attached to his Hornet, he could’ve Special Summoned Inzektor Dragonfly and been in much better shape. Whenever you use Mystical Space Typhoon to target an opponent’s back row that wasn’t Set that same turn , you take the risk that the face-down card targeted for destruction will be a Chainable Trap Card that renders the Mystical Space Typhoon pointless.

At Table 2 Ziad Elaawar’s Elemental HERO Deck defeated Phillip Haar’s Dark World Deck 2-1.

In Duel 1, Elaawar was forced to Solemn Judgment Haar’s Card Destruction while at 8000 Life Points. Elaawar knew that once a Dark World Duelist resolves Card Destruction, it’s tough to beat him. He had no choice but to use Solemn Judgment. With only 4000 Life Points left, Haar easily won the Duel by attacking with Grapha, Dragon Lord of Dark World and Trance Archfiend.

In Duel 2, Haar was locked down by Thunder King Rai-Oh. He had 2 copies of Snoww, Unlight of Dark World, but couldn’t use their effects since Rai-Oh was on the field. That gave Elaawar an easy win.

In Duel 3, things were looking good for Haar when he destroyed 3 of Elaawar’s back rows with Heavy Storm, including a Dimensional Fissure. But Haar recovered by activating a second Dimensional Fissure, which Haar couldn’t get rid of it! On his final turn, Elaawar used Heavy Storm to destroy 4 of Haar’s back rows and attacked with Number 39: Utopia to finish the Duel! There are quite a few cards that you can Side Deck against Dark World Decks to gain the upper hand in the second and third Duels of a Match. In fact, Elaawar Sided in eleven cards after the first Duel: 2 Dimensional Fissures, 2 Cyber Dragons, D.D. Crow, 2 Mystical Space Typhoons, 2 Dimensional Prisons, Smashing Ground, and Fossil Dyna Pachycephalo. If you’re prepared for certain matchups when you enter a tournament, you’ll have a much easier time with those matchups.

At Table 3 Branden Buck used his T.G. Deck to defeat Miguel Garcia’s Dino Rabbit Deck 2-1.

In Duel 1, Buck Synchro Summoned 2 Wonder Magicians to win. Garcia tried to negate one of their Summons with Solemn Judgment, but Buck countered with his own Solemn Judgment and used his Magician’s effect to destroy Mirror Force. Direct attacks from both Wonder Magicians and a Reborn Tengu finished Garcia off.

In Duel 2, Garcia Summoned Evolzar Laggia first turn and then Thunder King Rai-Ohs on his second and third turns. With no Trap Cards to contend with them, Buck was quickly defeated.

In Duel 3, Garcia attacked T.G. Rush Rhino with Neo-Spacian Grand Mole while Buck had Skill Drain and Horn of the Phantom Beast face-down. Buck flipped both of his Trap Cards and Garcia never recovered. When facing a T.G. Deck, it’s important to always keep in mind that your opponent might have Skill Drain or Horn of the Phantom Beast face-down. Stepping into either of those Trap Cards while unprepared can be a costly mistake.

At Table 4 Adrew Jeffries used his Elemental HERO Deck to defeat Jacob Taylor’s Scrap Deck 2-0.

Jeffries took a quick victory in both Duels of this Match. He overpowered Taylor’s monsters with his higher attackers and Taylor didn’t stand a chance. In the second Duel, a key play with Super Polymerization won it for Jeffries. He fused his Alius with Taylor’s Scrap Dragon to Summon Dragon Knight Draco-Equiste. Draco-Equiste never left the field, and continued to attack and destroy Taylor’s monsters until it was finally able to take a clear shot at his Life Points. Jeffries’s only regret in this Match was with his decision to use only 1 Super Polymerization in his Main Deck. “I should’ve listened to my friends Mark and Kirk,” he told me. “They told me to play 2 Super Polys.” Super Polymization is a great card for Elemental HERO Decks, since it can tilt the balance of a Duel no matter what’s on an opponent’s field.

Riley Bennett, Ziad Elaawar, Branden Buck, and Adrew Jeffries are moving on in the tournament with 5-0 records!