One year ago, Billy Brake won his first Yu-Gi-Oh! Championship right here in Toronto!  He went on to take back-to-back victories when he won YCS Columbus weeks later, winning both tournaments with a Deck based on Synchro Summoning.  This weekend he’s playing a brand new Geargia Deck that splashes some Karakuris to kick out big Synchro and Xyz Monsters. He’ll have his work cut out for him – Toronto local Ronald Fang is his Round 1 opponent, and Fang is playing one of the most devastating Decks of the last format: Dino Rabbit.  It’s new versus old, as a Championship-winning strategy goes up against a new Deck that only became legal four days ago!

Brake opened the Match with a hand of Bottomless Trap Hole; Gorz the Emissary of Darkness; Neo-Spacian Grand Mole; Karakuri Strategist mdl 248 “Nishipachi”; Effect Veiler; and Geargiarsenal.  He Summoned Arsenal, and Tributed it to Special Summon Geargiarmor from his Deck, which was flipped face-down with its own effect.  He Set Bottomless.

Fang Set a monster, then Set two cards to his back row.

Brake drew Pot of Avarice. He Summoned Nishipachi, and used it to flip Geargiarmor to activate its effect.  He got Geargiaccelerator from his Deck.  He Special Summoned it, then Tuned it to Nishipachi for Karakuri Shogun mdl 00 “Burei”, Special Summoning Karakuri Watchdog mdl 313 “Saizan” from his Deck!  He activated Geargiarmor’s effect to flip it face-down, then Flip Summoned it to get another Geargiaccelerator.  He Special summoned the second one, then Tuned Watchdog to Geargiarmor to bring out Karakuri Steel Shogun mdl 00X “Bureido”!  That got him another Watchdog, which he shifted with Burei to Attack Position, drawing with Bureido.  He Synchro Summoned Stardust Dragon next, then activated Pot of Avarice to shuffle back two Geargiacellerators, Strategist, Watchdog, and Geargiarmor, drawing Heavy Storm and Dark Hole.  He activated Storm, destroying his own Bottomless, as well as Fang’s Book of Moon and Mirror Force: Fang Chained the Book, turning Bureido face-down. Burei attacked to destroy Fang’s Sangan, which got him Tour Guide from the Underworld from his Deck.  He didn’t attack with Stardust. It seemed like unfamiliarity with Brake’s strategy had kept Fang from using Book of Moon on the Tuner that started all of this.

Fang Summoned Tour Guide from the Underworld next turn, but lost out to Brake’s Effect Veiler.  He Set a Spell or Trap.

Brake drew Karakuri Watchdog mdl 313 “Saizan” and Flip Summoned Bureido. He put Burei in Defense Position, drawing Solemn Judgment with Bureido’s ability.  Burei’s effect put itself back in Attack Position, and Brake Summoned Geargiarmor. Bureido attacked over Tour Guide; Geargiarmor made a direct attack; and it was followed by Burei and Stardust to end the Duel!

An explosive flurry of Karakuri and Geargia plays let Billy Brake accrue a massive hand and an even bigger field, winning the first Duel of the day!  Could Brake make a clean sweep with Geargias, or was Fang going to mount a 2-0 comeback?  Brake still didn’t know what Fang was playing.

Fang Summoned Sabersaurus and Set three cards to his back row.  Brake gave an appreciative nod, now glad to at least know what he was up against.

Brake had Geargiarsenal; Giant Rat; Karakuri Watchdog mdl 313 “Saizan”; Geargiano Mk-II; Monster Reborn; and Dimensional Prison.  He Set Giant Rat and Prison.

Fang Summoned Jurrac Guaiba and attacked into Dimensional Prison.  Then, Sabersaurus attacked to destroy Giant Rat, getting Brake Geargiarsenal from his Deck in attack position.

Brake drew Neo-Spacian Grand Mole, and Tributed Geargiarsenal to Special Summon Geargiarmor.  He Normal Summoned Watchdog, and Synchro Summoned Stardust Dragon.  Fang responded with Torrential Tribute, and Brake Chained Stardust’s effect to negate it.  Monster Reborn let Brake bring back Geargiarmor, and he flipped it-facedown.  He Special Summoned Stardust in the End Phase.

Fang Set a monster.

Brake drew Pot of Avarice.  He Flip Summoned Geargiarmor, but Fang responded with Fiendish Chain to negate Geargiarmor’s search effect.  Brake pressed on, Summoning Geargiarsenal and Tributing it to search his Deck for another Geargiarmor.  He stacked it with the first to try and Xyz Summon Gear Gigant X, but Fang negated the Summon with Solemn Judgment!  Brake activated Pot of Avarice, returning Gear Gigant X, Giant Rat, Watchdog, and two Geargiarmor back to his Deck.  That got him Maxx “C” and another Geargiarmor.  He had four cards in hand, to Fang’s Set monster, Sabersaurus, one set backrow card, and one in-hand card.

Fang drew and passed.

Brake drew Geargiano Mk-II and used it to Special Summon Geargiarsenal from his Graveyard.  Fang activated Macro Cosmos, but it couldn’t stop Brake from Tributing Geargiarsenal to Special Summon another Geargiano Mk-II.  “It’s Tour Guide from the Machine World,” grinned Brake.  “What do I want to overlay for…” He thought a moment, then stacked the Mk-II’s for Wind-Up Zenmaines.  Zenmaines attacked into Sabersaurus and detached a Material to survive, destroying Sabersaurus in the End Phase with Zenmaines’ effect.

Fang drew and Set another card to his back row.

Brake drew another Geargiarsenal and Summoned Neo-Spacian Grand Mole, attacking into Fiendish Chain.  Zenmaines attacked, banishing Fang’s Set Sangan, and he opted not to attack with Stardust.

Fang drew and Summoned Rescue Rabbit, Special Summoning two Kabazauls from his Deck!  He Xyz Summoned Gem-Knight Pearl, attacking over Stardust Dragon!

Brake drew Solemn Warning.  Zenmaines attacked into Gem-Knight Pearl; detached its last material to survive; and Brake Set a monster and Warning.  In the End Phase Zenmaines’ ability destroyed Pearl.

Fang set a monster.

Brake drew Compulsory Evacuation Device.  He Flip Summoned Geargiarmor, getting another Geargiaccelerator from his Deck, and Special Summoned it to overlay it with Geargiarmor and unleash Gear Gigant X!  Fang banished it with Bottomless Trap Hole.  Brake Normal Summoned Geargiarsenal, attacked, banishing Fang’s Set Effect Veiler, and made a direct attack with Zenmaines.  In Main Phase 2 Brake brought out Geargiarmor with Geargiarsenal, and flipped Geargiarmor face-down.  When Fang lost his Tour Guide from the Underworld to Solemn Warning next turn, he offered the handshake!

Billy Brake takes a fast 2-0 win in the first Round of this tournament, racking up his first win with Geargias!