There’s a lot of cool stuff going on in this tournament, so it was a great time to grab four tables featuring innovative new strategies, and see how they’d do.  This round we’re featuring Prophecy Spellcasters; a Gigant X Gadget Deck; and two Geargia strategies!

Billy Brake with Geargia VS Ervin So with Wind-Ups:
So opened the first Duel with big Wind-Up combos: he would have been able to drop some cards from Brake’s hand with Wind-Up Hunter and establish a strong field of Xyz Monsters if he’d been free to make his plays, but Brake hit him with Maxx “C” to stop So in his tracks.  That left Brake free to use multiple copies of Geargiarmor, and a clutch Monster Reborn on Geargiarmor in the mid-game let Brake unleash a field of Karakuri Shogun mdl 00 “Burei” and Number 16: Shock Master, using Shock Master’s ability to prevent monster effects and win the Duel..

So started the second Duel with a Set monster and a Set card to his back row, and Brake used Mystical Space Typhoon to clear the way for Geargiarsenal, using it to bring out Geargiarmor.  Bottomless Trap Hole let Brake stop So’s Wind-Up Shark play, and So flipped Brake’s Geargiarmor with an attack from Wind-Up Rat.  A couple turns later Brake went off with Geargiano Mk-II’s, bringing out Temtempo the Percussion Djinn to equalize the field (eliminating So’s Wind-Up Zenmaines), and a turn later Brake finished So off with Stardust Dragon, Burei, and Gear Gigant X!

Jarel Winston with Geargia VS Jeffrey Hart with Lightsworn:
Winston took the first Duel by building up his options with Geargiarmor effects, working towards a field of Karakuri Steel Shogun mdl 00X “Bureido”, Stardust Dragon, and Gear Gigant X to take the game.  Hart won Game 2 by using Beckoning Light to return Black Luster Soldier – Envoy of the Beginning to his hand on turn 3, and used the Soldier; Lyla, Lightsworn Sorceress; and Honest to make the Match a one-all affair and push things to a third game.

The last Duel nearly came down to time, with Hart Summoning multiple copies of Judgment Dragon, restricted by Winston’s Number 16: Shock Master.  Winston fired back with Torrential Tribute, keeping his Maestroke the Symphony Djinn on the field with its continuous ability, leaving Hart with one card in hand and two cards left in his deck.  His last in-hand card was Black Luster Soldier – Envoy of the Beginning!  Hart Special Summoned it, and Winston blasted it with Effect Veiler.  It still attacked once though, destroying Maestroke.  Hart had two cards left in his Deck.  Winston drew a spell or trap and set it.  Luster Soldier attacked directly the next turn, bringing Winston into striking distance of defeat.  Winston drew and set a monster.  Hart drew his last card in his deck, and Summoned Lumina, Lightsworn Summoner.  He discarded to try and use her effect, but Winston destroyed her with Solemn Warning.  Still, Winston had nothing but Karakuri Strategist mdl 248 “Nishipachi” face-down, and Black Luster Soldier – Envoy of the Beginning attacked through Strategist and made one more attack to win the Match!

Alex Vansant with Gigant X Gadgets VS Xu He with Agents:
He opened with The Agent of Creation – Venus, Special Summoning two Mystical Shine Balls to Xyz Summon Gachi Gachi Gantetsu.  He Set Pot of Duality.  Vansant Summoned Machina Gearframe to get Machina Fortress, then Set Starlight Road, Torrential Tribute, and Compulsory Evacuation Device.  He Summoned Tour Guide from the Underworld for Sangan; attacked with Venus; and Vansant kicked Gachi Gachi back to the Extra Deck with Compulsory Evacuation Device, letting Gearframe destroy Venus in battle.  He made Wind-Up Zenmaines.  Vansant pitched Green Gadget and Machina Fortress to Special Summon Machina Fortress, then Special Summoned the Gadget back with Monster Reborn.  He Xyz Summoned Number 16: Shock Master that turn, calling monster effects with its ability and attacking.  He tried to Summon Master Hyperion; lost out to Solemn Warning; but had Black Luster Soldier – Envoy of the Beginning.  The Soldier attack over Machina Fortress.  Vansant called monster effects again with Number 16: Shock Master, got over Luster Soldier with Forbidden Lance, and regained control.  When He tried to even things out with Dark Hole, Vansant took the Duel with Starlight Road!

He had to open the second Duel by Special Summoning Sangan from his hand with Tour Guide from the Underworld!  Vansant Summoned Yellow Gadget, but lost its effect to Effect Veiler.  He attacked over Tour Guide and Set two cards to his back row.  He passed, and Vansant attacked Sangan, letting He get The Agent of Mystery – Earth.  Vansant Set Solemn Warning, but lost it to an End Phase Mystical Space Typhoon.  He still had Dimensional Prison and Bottomless Trap Hole.  He Summoned The Agent of Mystery – Earth to get The Agent of Creation – Venus.  A few turns later, Vansant made Gear Gigant X to search Machina Gearframe with Compulsory Evacuation Device Set.  A turn after that, Vansant Summoned Gearframe to get Fortress, Special Summoned it, and bounced He’s Gachi Gachi Gantetsu with Compulsory.  Maestroke the Symphony Djinn let him finish the Match!

Franco Ferrara with Prophecy Spellcasters VS Jacky Tang with HEROes:
Tang won the first Duel, using his back row cards to control the game.  Hero Blast shut down Ferrara’s Temperance of Prophecy, leaving Ferrara open to a series of attacks with Blade Armor Ninja that sealed the Duel.

Ferrara opened the second Duel with a fair hand, and drew out Tang’s Side Decked Cursed Seal of the Forbidden Spell to ward off Ferrara’s early game Heavy Storm.  “I’d been hoping to Curse a Spellbook card,” remarked Tang, laughing.  Ferrara dominated the early game with Strength of Prophecy, but was stymied by Macro Cosmos a few turns later.  He brought out High Priestess of Prophecy with Temperance to eliminate Macro Cosmos with her effect, and attacked with her to take the second Duel.

Game 3 saw Tang Set three cards to his back row, and Summoned Thunder King Rai-Oh to cut off all of Ferrara’s search cards.  Ferrara tried to fight back with Charioteer of Prophecy, but when he tried to attack over Thunder King with Spellbook of Power, he lost out to Dimensional Prison and didn’t have Spellbook of Wisdom to push the attack through..  It was all downhill from there: Ferrara kicked out briefly with a Dark Hole, Special Summoning the Thunder King with Monster Reborn, but another Dark Hole for Tang evened the playing field and let him take the win with Elemental HERO Neos Alius!

Gigant X Gadgets, Lightsworn, Geargias, and HEROes all move on with a 2-0 record!