Both of these competitors were 9-1 headed into this Round: they were shoe-ins for the Top 32, but pride was at stake!  Simon He is playing Agents, while Nicholas Ma is running Wind-Ups.

He opened the Match with a  hand of Heavy Storm; The Agent of Creation – Venus; Dark Hole; Black Luster Soldier – Envoy of the Beginning; Effect Veiler; and Sangan.  He Summoned Venus, then paid 1000 Life Points to Special Summon two Mystical Shine Balls.  He stacked them for Gachi Gachi Gantetsu, then paid another 500 Life Points to bring out a third Shine Ball in Defense Position.

Ma Set a monster, then two cards to his Spell and Trap Card Zone.

He drew The Agent of Mystery – Earth.  He activated Heavy Storm, and Ma Chained Compulsory Evacuation Device to bounce away Gachi Gachi, losing his Solemn Judgment!  He Normal Summoned The Agent of Mystery, getting another Agent of Creation from his Deck, then considered his Summoning options… “Did you Set Magician, thinking if I attacked it wouldn’t go through, or… Alright, I’ll play the safe way.  That might be Sangan.”  He Xyz Summoned Gachi Gachi Gantetsu again.  “I’ll attack into Sangan.” Sure enough, he swung with Venus into Sangan, giving Ma Wind-Up Shark.

Ma Normal Summoned Wind-Up Magician and Special Summoned Shark: He cut off the Magician’s effect with Veiler, forcing Ma to Xyz Summon Number 39: Utopia.  Utopia attacked Venus to destroy it, and Ma Set one of his three remaining cards to his back row.

He drew Effect Veiler and Set Sangan.

Ma attacked into it next turn, letting He search his Deck for Tour Guide from the Underworld. 

He got Maxx “C”.  His first Tour Guide let him Special Summon a second Tour Guide from his Deck, and he Xyz Summoned Temtempo the Percussion Djinn.  He detached a Tour Guide to detach Utopia’s Magician, then ended.

Ma attacked Gachi Gachi with Utopia, and Gachi Gachi survived with its effect.  Ma Set two cards to his back row, and He detached Utopia’s second Material.

He drew Archlord Kristya and Normal Summoned his second Agent of Creation, drawing out Ma’s Torrential Tribute.  Gachi Gachi survived, but was not out of Xyz Materials.  He banished Sangan and a Shine Ball to Special Summon Black Luster Soldier, attacking for 3000 Battle Damage. 

Ma Normal Summoned Wind-Up Rabbit.

He drew Spirit Reaper and Normal Summoned it, attacking with Luster Soldier: Ma banished his Rabbit, and when Black Luster Soldier made a direct attack Ma dropped Tragoedia!

Ma copied Sangan’s level with Tragoedia, and stacked it with Wind-Up Rabbit to Xyz Summon Wind-Up Carrier Zenmaity.  He Normal Summoned Magician, and activated Zenmaity’s effect: He debated between his Veiler and his Maxx “C”, eventually settling on the Veiler.  He negated Zenmaity’s effect, then Chained Maxx “C” to Wind-Up Magician’s ability, drawing Forbidden Lance!  Ma Special Summoned another Magician from his Deck, then shuffled back all five of his monsters for Pot of Avarice.  He drew two cards, then Xyz summoned Maestroke the Symphony Djinn.  Ma attacked Spirit Reaper twice to press through some damage.

He drew Tragoedia and destroyed Ma’s Set Dimensional Prison with Mystical Space Typhoon, leaving Ma with one Set card.  “That seems like game…”  He attacked Zenmaity with Black Luster Soldier, and sure enough Ma conceded.

Simon He captures the first Duel in short order, and both Duelists were eager to get to Game 2!

Ma opened with Pot of Duality, revealing Dark Hole, Wind-Up Magician, and Wind-Up Factory: he took the Factory.  He Set a monster, then Set a Spell or Trap.

He’s hand was Tour Guide from the Underworld; Spirit Reaper; Chaos Sorcerer; Mystical Shine Ball; and two Mystical Space Typhoons.  He Set a Typhoon and Set Reaper.

Ma Flip Summoned Sangan and attacked to reveal Reaper.

He drew Enemy Controller and flipped Mystical Space Typhoon, drawing out Ma’s Compulsory Evacuation Device which bounced Reaper to He’s hand.  He Normal Summoned Tour Guide to Special Summon Sangan, and Tributed his Sangan to take control of his opponent’s with Enemy Controller!  That would let him use Ma’s Sangan as an Xyz Material, stopping Ma from getting its effect.  In the mean time He did get his Sangan’s effect, searching his Deck for Effect Veiler.  He attacked with Tour Guide for 1000 Battle Damage, and Ma Special Summoned Tragoedia.  He Xyz Summoned Wind-Up Zenmaines in Defense Position.

Ma Set a monster.

He drew Thunder King Rai-Oh.  He Summoned it, then attacked He’s Set Wind-Up Rat.  He was boggled: “What?  You want to activate your Rat so badly?”  He Set his second Mystical Space Typhoon.

Ma discarded a Magician to try and take control of Thunder King: he blasted it with Veiler.

He drew Maxx “C” and Special Summoned Chaos Sorcerer, banishing Tragoedia.  He Summoned Reaper and turned Zenmaines to Attack Position.  Reaper attacked to make Ma discarded Wind-Up Factory, and He made direct attacks with Thunder King and Zenmaines.  Ma was down to 3300 Life Points.

Ma drew to four cards in hand and Normal Summoned Wind-Up Rat.  Ma Special Summoned back his second Rat, then tried to Xyz Summon Temtempo the Percussion Djinn: He negated the Summon with Thunder King.  Ma Set 2 cards to his back row, but lost Torrential Tribute in his End Phase to He’s Mystical Space Typhoon. 

Simon He drew Master Hyperion and it was all over a turn later!  Both competitors move on to the Top 32, but Simon He heads there with his head held just a little higher!