Welcome to the final round of Swiss-paired play! After this point we’ll be cutting to the top 32 players. Each of these Duelists has two losses so far, so a win is needed in order to have a chance at the finals.

Daniel Ritchie is from nearby Elgin, Illinois. He is here with his Frog Monarch deck, packing Sea Lancer! Last round, he finished his Duel with a massive Sea Lancer, Light and Darkness Dragon, and Gachi Gachi Gantetsu attacking directly while he had only 100 Life Points. That’s a comeback Yugi himself would be envious of!

William Erker is from St. Louis, Missouri. He chose to play Inzektors today and is part of a big swarm of bug Duelists that have descended on Chicago this weekend! Fish normally feed on insects, but Erker’s certainly going to try and turn that around in this match.

.

Duel One

Erker started things off with Pot of Duality, choosing between Book of Moon, Monster Reborn, and Mystical Space Typhoon. “I don’t know what you’re playing! At least you’re not playing Chain Burn,” Ritchie commented.  “I might be! I might just have some weird tech,” Erker shot back. He chose Monster Reborn, and set a monster and a back row.

Ritchie opened with Mystical Space Typhoon, Dark Hole, Enemy Controller, Light and Darkness Dragon, and Sea Lancer. He drew Sangan and set it.

Erker set a back row and ended.

Ritchie drew Mother Grizzly! He set it and ended his turn.

Erker Flip Summoned Sangan, then used Torrential Tribute to destroy everything. Both Sangans activated: Ritchie got a Swap Frog, and Erker got Card Trooper. He summoned the Trooper, sending Inzektor Dragonfly, Heavy Storm, and Mystical Space Typhoon to the Graveyard to boost its ATK, and it attacked directly. He set a back row and ended.

“My buddy said I was going to lose to Frog FTK on the bubble today. That’s what happened at Gencon last year!” Erker laughed.

Ritchie drew Dupe Frog. His Mystical Space Typhoon targeted Call of the Haunted, which was Chained to revive Sangan! Sangan was destroyed along with Call, and its effect got Inzektor Hornet. Dupe Frog was discarded to Special Summon Swap Frog, but the Summon was negated by Solemn Warning.

Card Trooper sent Effect Veiler, Inzektor Sword – Zektaliber, and Gorz the Emissary of Darkness to the Graveyard. Monster Reborn summoned Dragonfly, which equipped Hornet. Hornet was sent to destroy Trooper, and Erker drew a card. Dragonfly’s effect summoned Inzektor Centipede. Centipede equipped Hornet, and Inzektor Giga-Mantis was equipped to Dragonfly. Hornet destroyed Mantis, which allowed Centipede to search out Zektaliber and Mantis summoned Hornet. Hornet and Dragonfly were used to Xyz Summon Number 17: Leviathan Dragon, which sent Hornet to the Graveyard to boost its ATK. Centipede equipped Hornet. Erker Normal Summoned a third Centipede, equipping Mantis. Zektaliber was equipped to the Centipede-holding Hornet. When attacks were declared, Ritchie picked up his cards!

Erker wins in an explosive finish by destroying his own cards with Inzektor Hornet! Both Duelists moved to their Side Decks.

.

Duel Two

Ritchie started Duel 2 with a hand of 2 Effect Veilers, Caius the Shadow Monarch, Salvage, Mystical Space Typhoon, and Treacherous Trap Hole. He passed right away.

Erker summoned Inzektor Dragonfly, and after it equipped Inzektor Hornet Ritchie use Effect Veiler to negate its effect, unequipping the Hornet (It is Dragonfly’s effect which allows it to be equipped with Hornet. By negating it, Hornet is sent to the Graveyard). Erker gave it a Zektaliber, however, Set a back row, and passed his turn.

Ritchie drew and activated Pot of Duality, revealing 2 Light and Darkness Dragons and D.D. Crow. He chose Crow and added it to his hand. He ended his turn.

Erker Set a back row and ended.

Ritchie drew Light and Darkness Dragon. Mystical Space Typhoon destroyed Erker’s set Raigeki Break. He ended his turn.

Erker summoned Card Trooper, sending Solemn Judgment, Dark Hole, and Foolish Burial to the Graveyard. Dragonfly and Trooper attacked directly.

Ritchie drew yet another Effect Veiler! He set Treacherous Trap Hole and ended.

Erker’s Trooper sent Bottomless Trap Hole, Inzektor Giga-Mantis, and Call of the Haunted to the Graveyard. Dragonfly activated, and D.D. Crow was Chained to banish Inzektor Hornet. Treacherous Trap Hole destroyed both monsters in the Battle Phase, and Trooper and Zektaliber both activated. Erker drew a card and added Dragonfly back to his hand with their effects. He set a monster and ended.

Ritchie drew Gorz the Emissary of Darkness and passed.

Erker’s Pot of Duality revealed Hornet, Trooper, and Dragonfly. He chose Hornet, putting it in his hand. He summoned Inzektor Centipede to equip Hornet, and Effect Veiler made Hornet get unequipped. Erker then Flip Summoned Sangan and attacked with it. Gorz the Emissary of Darkness was summoned in defense position! Centipede took down the Emissary of Darkness Token.

Ritchie drew Enemy Controller. He turned Gorz to attack position and sent it at Centipede. Book of Moon tried to turn Gorz face-down, but Enemy Controller tributed it to take Centipede. In Main Phase 2 Caius was summoned, targeting Sangan, but Torrential Tribute wiped the field! Sangan got Erker a Dragonfly. Ritchie ended.

Erker summoned Dragonfly, used its effect and it was negated by Ritchie’s Effect Veiler. Dragonfly attacked directly.

Ritchie drew Ronintoadin. He perused his Graveyard, and passed his turn.

Erker’s Dragonfly activated its effect, equipping Mantis. It attacked, boosted by Mantis, and it was all over!

William Erker’s Inzektors triumph over Daniel Ritchie’s Frogs!

After the match, Ritchie said that he regretted trying to Special Summon Swap Frog in the first Duel. Once it was negated by Solemn Warning, he had no follow-up. If he’d Normal Summoned it, he would have still had the Dupe Frog to make a play with later. “No one Solemn Warnings Swap Frog! The only people who do that are the ones who know exactly what my deck does.”

.