Now that we’re in the playoff rounds, the stakes could not be higher! In order to stay alive right here, in the biggest TCG tournament of all time, each Duelist still remaining in contention will have to win all of their Matches. One of these Duelists will continue on to the Top 16. The other will be headed home. This is a Wind-Up mirror match, so anything could happen, everything can change in an instant, and anybody could win!

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Duel One

Nguyen opened the Match with a hand of Pot of Avarice, Wind-Up Rat, Tour Guide from the Underworld, Monster Reborn, Mystical Space Typhoon, and Wind-Up Rabbit. He Summoned Tour Guide, and when Ngyuen triggered her effect, Badillo Chained Maxx “C”. Nguyen Special Summoned Sangan in Defense Position, and Badillo drew a card for the effect of Maxx “C”.

Badillo Normal Summoned Wind-Up Rat, then Special Summoned Wind-Up Shark. He reduced Shark to Level 3, then Xyz Summoned Wind-Up Carrier Zenmaity, Special Summoning another Rat. The Rat brought back Shark for another Zenmaity, and the Zenmaity let Badillo Special Summon another Rat. The Rat brought back Shark again, Badillo Summoned a third Zenmaity and Special Summoned Wind-Up Hunter. Hunter attacked over Tour Guide for 600 Battle Damage, a Zenmaity attacked Sangan (Badillo searched his Deck to add Wind-Up Shark to his hand), and the remaining pair of Carriers made direct attacks. In Main Phase 2, Badillo Tributed a Zenmaity for Hunter’s effect, sending Nguyen’s Mystical Space Typhoon to the Graveyard. He then Set two cards to his back row.

Nguyen drew another Wind-Up Rat. He activated Monster Reborn, targeting his opponent’s Shark; after some deliberation, Badillo chained Solemn Warning to stop Nguyen from taking Wind-Up Shark. Nguyen pressed on, Summoning Wind-Up Rat and then Special Summoning a Shark from his hand; Badillo flipped Torrential Tribute to stop the situation from getting out of hand.

Badillo passed.

Nguyen drew Maxx “C”. He Summoned his second Rat, used its effect to target his other Rat, and Badillo Chained Maxx “C” to draw a card. Nguyen ended.

Badillo Summoned Sangan, attacking to destroy a Rat.

Nguyen drew Effect Veiler, then Summoned Wind-Up Rabbit. He had four monsters in his Graveyard, with Pot of Avarice in hand. He stacked Rat and Rabbit for Wind-Up Carrier Zenmaity, then detached Rat to place his fifth monster in the yard for Avarice; Badillo Chained Maxx “C” to Zenmaity’s effect, leaving Badillo to Special Summon Wind-Up Rabbit from his Deck.

Badillo activated Dark Hole! Nguyen Chained Rabbit’s effect to banish it and keep it safe, while Sangan and Zenmaity were destroyed. Badillo used Sangan’s effect to Special Summon Tour Guide from the Underworld, and Summoned her to activate her effect; Nguyen countered with Effect Veiler. Badillo activated Monster Reborn to target Wind-Up Rat, but Nguyen Chained the effect of Maxx “C”, drawing a card. Badillo pressed anyways! He Special Summoned Wind-Up Shark, giving Nguyen another draw. Wind-Up Rat Special Summoned another Shark from the Graveyard, and Nguyen drew again. Badillo stacked the Sharks to Xyz Summon Tiras, Keeper of Genesis, then Xyz Summoned Number 30: Acid Golem! When Badillo moved to his Battle Phase with the intent to attack, Nguyen conceded the first Duel.

Jose Badillo plays a strong early game, with triple Wind-Up Carrier Zenmaity seeing the field early on, but gives it all up for a key Torrential Tribute! Rebuilding faster than his opponent, he brings the first Duel home by playing through Maxx “C” and making a string of aggressive Special Summons!

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Duel Two

Nguyen had a hand of Wind-Up Magician, Monster Reborn, Pot of Avarice, Wind-Up Rabbit, Wind-Up Factory, and Effect Veiler. He Summoned Rabbit, activated Factory, and banished Rabbit to search out Wind-Up Shark with the Factory’s effect.

Badillo destroyed Factory with Mystical Space Typhoon, and normal Summoned Tour Guide from the Underworld; Nguyen negated her effect with Effect Veiler, leaving Badillo to Set two cards to his back row.

Nguyen drew another Shark. He Normal Summoned Wind-Up Magician, then activated Shark’s Special Summon effect, triggering Magician’s ability and Special Summoning another Magician. When Magician hit the field, Nguyen retained priority to activated the Shark’s effect, and when Badillo responded with Torrential Tribute, Nguyen Chained Rabbit’s effect to banish it and keep it from being destroyed. Monster Reborn let him Special Summon back Magician, and he Special Summoned his second Shark from his hand! Doing so triggered the Magician’s ability, Special Summoning Wind-Up Hunter. Nguyen Tributed Magician for hunter’s effect, costing Badillo Cyber Dragon from his hand! He had one card left in hand, with one set. Nguyen stacked both of his monsters to Xyz Summon Wind-Up Carrier Zenmaity, then used it to Special Summon Rat, then Hunter. He Tributed Zenmaity to make Badillo pitch Wind-Up Shark from his hand, and activated Pot of Avarice; he returned two Wind-Up Sharks, two Magicians, and Effect Veiler to his Deck, drawing Shark and Factory. He activated Factory, but Badillo destroyed it with Mystical Space Typhoon, his last card. Nguyen Xyz Summoned Wind-Up Carrier Zenmaity, Special Summoned Rat, to bring back Hunter, then Xyz Summoned another Zenmaity. That one Special Summoned Wind-Up Magician from Nguyen’s Deck, and Nguyen Special Summoned Shark from his hand; he Summoned another from his Deck with the Magician. He stacked both Sharks to make Tiras, Keeper of Genesis, and attacked for a combined total of 5600 Battle Damage! Badillo conceded moments later, when he failed to topdeck a Cyber Dragon for Chimeratech Fortress Dragon!

Multiple Special Summon plays, largely fueled by a remarkable number of Wind-Up Magicians, allow Mitchell Nguyen to win the second Duel with authority! That one was really all about Pot of Avarice; Nguyen put himself in a great position right from the first turn with that Factory / Rabbit combo, and the Avarice gave him the longevity he needed to capitalize, and keep his momentum. One more Duel remained!

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Duel Three

Badillo started the last Duel with Wind-Up Rabbit.

Nguyen was holding Solemn Judgment, Tour Guide from the Underworld, Sangan, Wind-Up Factory, Fiendish Chain, and Pot of Avarice. He Summoned Tour Guide, but lost her effect to Effect Veiler. He activated Factory to try and restrain his opponent next turn, then Set Solemn and Chain.

Badillo blasted him with Heavy Storm next turn, which Nguyen negated with Solemn Judgment! Badillo Normal Summoned Wind-Up Magician, and Special Summoned Wind-Up Shark from his hand to trigger the Magician’s ability; Nguyen made no response. Badillo Special Summoned another Magician from his Deck, then reduced Shark to Level 3 to Special Summon Wind-Up Hunter with the second Magician. Badillo Tributed a Magician for Hunter’s effect, sending Nguyen’s Pot of Avarice to the Graveyard! Nguyen used his Factory to get a Shark from his Deck. Badillo Xyz Summoned Wind-Up Carrier Zenmaity, Special Summoning Rat and then going for Hunter; Fiendish Chain shut down the Rat’s effect! But Badillo Xyz Summoned another Zenmaity, got another Rat, and brought back Hunter as planned. He Tributed his second Magician to make Nguyen pitch Sangan, then Xyz Summoned his third Zenmaity to Special Summon his last Rat. That got him back his Hunter again, and when he activated Pot of Avarice, Nguyen just offered a respectful handshake!

Jose Badillo is headed to the Top 16, escaping a perilous Wind-Up mirror match!