This Round we would see two Toronto natives go head-to-head: Jeff Kolenc was set to take his Gravekeepers against Lazaro Bellido’s Geargia Deck.  Bellido has one National Championship win and three YCS titles under his belt so far, and was banking on the all-new Geargia strategy to bring him a fifth Championship this weekend.  But a lot of the Geargia effects involve reviving or recurring cards from the Graveyard – an early Necrovalley might give Kolenc an important advantage in this match-up.

Kolenc opened things up with two Set cards to his back row.

Bellido had a hand of Mystical Space Typhoon; Dark Hole; Pot of Avarice; Mirror Force; Geargiarmor; and Effect Veiler.  He Set Mirror Force, Typhoon, and Geargiarmor.

Kolenc Set a third spell or trap.

Bellido drew another Mystical Space Typhoon.  He attempted to Flip Summon Geargiarmor; succeeded; and used its effect to search his Deck for Geargiarsenal.  He attacked with Geargiarmor and Kolenc banished it with Dimensional Prison.  In Main Phase 2, Bellido destroyed Kolenc’s Solemn Warning with a from-the-hand Typhoon, then Summoned Geargiarsenal to Tribute it for another Geargiarmor.  He turned it face-down with its ability.

Kolenc Set two more cards to his back row.

Bellido drew Solemn Warning and Flip Summoned his second Geargiarmor, getting Geargaccelerator from his Deck this time.  He now had two monsters in his Graveyard; one on the field; and Geargiaccelerator and Veiler in-hand, getting himself closer being able to activate Pot of Avarice.  He Normal Summoned Geargiaccelerator, flipped Geargiarmor face-down, and made a direct attack for 1400 Battle Damage with Geargiaccelerator.  Bellido Set Warning.

Kolenc didn’t fall for it, at least didn’t have a monster.  He Set a fourth spell or trap.

Bellido drew Maxx “C” and attacked with Geargiaccelerator.  He Flip Summoned Geargiarmor in Main Phase 2, getting Geargiarsenal, and put Geargiarmor back face-down.

Kolenc Set a monster.

Bellido drew Solemn Judgment and used Geargiarmor again, getting another Geargiaccelerator.  He Normal Summoned Geargiarsenal and Kolenc banished it with Bottomless Trap Hole.  Bellido flipped Geargiarmor face-down, and attacked with Geargiaccelerator, hitting Gravekeeper’s Spy.  When its effect activated, Bellido negated it and destroyed the Spy with Warning!  He Set Solemn Judgment.

Kolenc activated Necrovalley, and Bellido chained Mystical Space Typhoon to destroy it.  Kolenc had three cards in hand, with three cards Set.  Bellido had Geargiarmor and Geargiaccelerator on the field, with two cards Set and five cards in hand.  Kolenc Set a monster, and Set a Spell or Trap.

Bellido drew Genex Ally Birdman and Flip Summoned Geargiarmor, again fetching Geargiarsenal from his Deck.  He bounced Geargiarsenal from the field to his hand to Special Summon Birdman, leading Kolenc to activate Compulsory Evacuation Device to bounce away Geargiarmor.  Was Bellido aiming for a backbreaking Black Rose Dragon?  He Normal Summoned back the Geargiarmor, then Special Summoned Geargiaccelerator: Kolen responded with Torrential Tribute, and Bellido lost his field.  Kolenc lost another Gravekeeper’s Spy.  Bellido used Geargiaccelerator’s effect to return Geargiarmor to his hand and Set a Spell or Trap.

Kolenc activated Gravekeeper’s Stele, returning two copies of Gravekeeper’s Spy to his hand from the Graveyard.  Kolenc Set a Spy, then Set a Spell or Trap Card.

Bellido destroyed the Spy with Dark Hole, then Normal Summoned Geargiarmor and Special Summoned Geargiaccelerator.  He flipped Geargiarmor face-down, then attacked with Geargiaccelerator again. (This should have been impossible. Geargiaccelerator must be Special Summoned in Defense Position, but neither player noticed, likely due to how new the card is.)

Kolenc Set a monster.

Bellido drew another Genex Ally Birdman, and Flip Summoned Geargiarmor – it just kept getting him free cards, this time another Geargiaccelerator.  He bounced his on-field Geargiaccelerator back to his hand to Special Summon Birdman, then Special Summoned Geargiaccelerator back to tune it to Birdman, Synchro Summoning Black Rose Dragon!  Kolenc responded with Solemn Judgment, but Bellido Chained his own Judgment, giving up his Geargiarmor, Compulsory Evacuation Device, and Mirror Force to destroy Kolenc’s Mirror Force, Bottomless Trap Hole, and Gravekeeper’s Guard with the Dragon’s ability!  Kolenc only had one card left in hand!  Bellido Normal Summoned Geargiarsenal, Special Summoned Geargiaccelerator, and attacked for game.  (Again, Geargiaccelerator should have been in Defense Position).

Lazaro Bellido plays a long, methodical game to take the first Duel, never playing a Synchro or Xyz Monster until the last turn!

Kolenc Set a monster and three cards to his back row to start off the second Duel.

Bellido had a hand of Dust Tornado; Solemn Warning; Soul Taker; Thunder King Rai-Oh; Geargiaccelerator; and the all-important Geargiarmor.  He Set the latter, then Set Tornado and Warning.  Yikes, playing Thunder King Rai-Oh in a search-driven strategy like Geargias showed confidence on Bellido’s part, who wanted to hinder Kolenc’s use of Gravekeeper’s Recruiter and Gravekeeper’s Commandant.

Kolenc Flip Summoned Recruiter, then responded with Torrential Tribute, destroying his Recruiter and Bellido’s Geargiarmor!  Recruiter got him Gravekeeper’s Commandant from his Deck, and Kolenc pitched it to get Necrovalley. Pot of Duality revealed the top three cards of his Deck: Starlight Road; Rivalry of Warlords; and another Necrovalley.  Kolenc added Starlight to his hand and shuffled the rest back.  He activated Necrovalley, then Set a monster.

Bellido drew Xing Zhen Hu and Set it, along with Geargiaccelerator.

Kolenc Flip Summoned Gravekeeper’s Guard, bouncing away Bellido’s face-down Geargiaccelerator, and tried to Summon Gravekeeper’s Descendant: Bellido denied the Summon with Solemn Warning.  Kolenc attacked with the Guard, but Bellido flipped Dust Tornado to destroy Necrovalley and minimize the damage from Guard’s attack.  Kolenc Set a fourth back row card, and when Bellido flipped Xing Zhen Hu in the End Phase, Kolenc Chained Mystical Space Typhoon to destroy it on the Chain.

Bellido Set a monster, then destroyed Gravekeeper’s Guard with Soul Taker.

Kolenc activated another Necrovalley.

Bellido drew Geargiarsenal, and lost his Set Geargiarmor to Solemn Warning when he tried to Flip Summon it.  He Summoned Thunder King Rai-Oh and attacked for 1900 Battle Damage.

Kolenc passed.

Bellido drew Effect Veiler and Summoned Geargiaccelerator, attacking with both of his monsters to drop Kolenc to 1800 Life Points.  Kolenc Set a third spell or trap, but Bellido was unfazed and attacked again next turn to take the Match!  Kolenc revealed his Set cards: Macro Cosmos and two Starlight Roads.

An odd choice off Pot of Duality lands Jeff Kolenc with two Starlight Roads he couldn’t play, and leaves Lazaro Bellido to capitalize with some simple direct attacks.  Nothing fancy here, as Bellido moves on 3-0 with Geargias!