Over a thousand Duelists have been whittled down to just eight.  The Top 8 decks of YCS Providence are two Karakuri Geargia; two Agents; a Gravekeeper Deck; Chaos Dragons; Dino Rabbit; and Zombie Monarchs!  This Match pits the last two from that list head-to-head, as Nareg Torossian takes his Zombie Monarch variant Bo Tang’s Dino Rabbit build!

 

Torossian opened the Match with a hand of two Solemn Warnings; Monster Reborn; Call of the Haunted; Effect Veiler; and Dark Armed Dragon.  He Set a Warning.

 

Tang tried to Summon Kabazauls, but Torossian flipped Warning.  Tang Set five cards to his Spell and Trap Card Zone!

 

Torossian drew Torrential Tribute and Set it, along with Warning and Call.  An End Phase Mystical Space Typhoon cost him the Warning.

 

Torossian drew Black Luster Soldier – Envoy of the Beginning and passed.

 

Tang Set a fifth Spell or Trap.

 

Torossian tried to Summon Sangan, but now it was Tang’s turn to activate Warning.  Torossian Special Summoned the Sangan back with Monster Reborn and attacked for 1000 Battle Damage!

 

Tang passed.

 

Torossian drew Ryko, Lightsworn Hunter and made another attack with Sangan, taking Tang down to 4000 Life Points!  He Set Ryko.

 

Tang Summoned Sabersaurus and attacked to destroy Sangan, letting Torossian get Card Trooper from his Deck. 

 

Torossian drew another Torrential Tribute and tried to Summon Card Trooper.

 

“Should I Warning it?” asked Tang.

 

“No, because I have Ring of Destruction,” quipped Torossian with a grin.  Tang didn’t have Warning, but he did have Solemn Judgment, and he flipped it to negate Torossian’s Summon!  Torossian Flip Summoned Ryko, but when he picked his target Tang Chained the ability of Effect Veiler to negate it.  Torossian tried to activate Call of the Haunted for Card Trooper, but Tang Chained Mystical Space Typhoon!  “You just have answers after answers, don’t you,” remarked Torossian, reeling.

 

Tang attacked over Ryko with Sabersaurus next turn, lowering Torossian to 3400 Life Points.

 

Torossian drew Mystical Space Typhoon: Tang still had two Set backrow cards, with two cards in hand and Sabersaurus on the field.  Torossian had two Torrential Tributes Set, with a hand of Mystical Space Typhoon, Black Luster Soldier – Envoy of the Beginning, Dark Armed Dragon, and Effect Veiler.  He used the Typhoon to destroy Tang’s Set Compulsory Evacuation Device, then banished his Sangan and Ryko for Black Luster Soldier!  But Tang had Bottomless Trap Hole, and Torossian Chained Torrential Tribute to try and make the most of the situation by clearing Sabersaurus.

 

Tang Set a monster.

 

Torossian drew and Set Mystic Tomato.

 

Tang drew.  “What are you playing?”

 

“A bunch of good commons!” Torrosian smiled and shrugged.  Tang laughed as Torossian continued.  “No, seriously!  This is what happens when you sell all your cards three years ago and then randomly decide to show up to a tournament!”  Both Duelists laughed, and Tang Flip Summoned Kabazauls.  He Normal Summoned Sabersaurus, then overlaid his Dinosaur-Types for Evolzar Dolkka.  Since Torossian had Tomato Set, he had to flip Torrential Tribute to clear the field.  Tang was visibly confused at seeing the Tomato.  Now he really had no idea what Torossian was up to.

 

 

Torossian drew a second Effect Veiler, adding it to his hand of another Veiler and Dark Armed Dragon.

 

Tang passed.

 

Torossian drew another Mystic Tomato.  He Summoned it and made a direct attack, dropping Tang to 600 Life Points.  But Tang dropped Gorz!  He Special Summoned Gorz the Emissary of Darkness and an Emissary of Darkness Token with 1400 ATK and DEF!

 

Tang Summoned Rescue Rabbit next turn and Torossian negated its ability with Effect Veiler.  “What are you PLAYING?” wondered Tang aloud, getting more vexed.

 

 

“You’re not gonna believe it once you see it,” replied Torossian, grinning again.  “I’m past bluffing at this point.”

 

Tang regained his composure, trying to puzzle it out.  “What could you Summon with the Tomato?”  Tang labored over the possibilities, then attacked with Gorz to destroy the Tomato.

 

“Should I unveil it,” asked Torossian?  “My secret strategy!”  He Special Summoned… “Goblin Zombie!  There, now you know what I’m playing!”  Tang reeled briefly, kind of amused, and Set a Spell or Trap card.  He banished the Rabbit for the cost of its effect, just to get it off the field.

 

Torossian Summoned Effect Veiler and Tang started laughing.  “What?”  Torossian pretended as if  what he was doing wasn’t anything out of the ordinary.  “What, do you have a response?”

 

Tang kept laughing.  “I’m thinking!” 

 

“See?  I run bad cards and play bad Decks and I win anyways!”  Tang laughed again, kind of befuddled, before stating that the Summon of Veiler was alright.  Torossian Synchro Summoned Magical Android and used Goblin Zombie’s effect to get Spirit Reaper.  “What about Dark Armed Dragon, would that be alright?” 

 

Tang laughed once more.  “Really, Dark Armed Dragon?”

 

Torossian jokingly feigned confusion.  “What?  What?!”  Torossian laughed along with Tang.  “Hey, I have three DARKs!  I could have a Dark Armed Dragon!”  Tang grinned right along with Torossian.

 

And then Torossian Summoned Dark Armed Dragon.

 

The laughter suddenly dropped from Tang’s face as he realized he was in serious danger.  He wound up flipping his one Set card, Book of Moon, to turn the Dragon face-down and keep Torossian from using its effect, but he suddenly very looked worried.  Torossian Set his Book and ended.  The tone of the Match had changed in an instant and playtime was clearly over.

 

Tang attacked Dark Armed with Gorz next turn, desperate to get the Drago off the field.  “What goes around comes around,” quipped Torossian, coolly flipping Book to stop the attack.

 

“I was stupid,” commented Tang.  “Go ahead.”

 

Torossian drew a second Spirit Reaper, and Flip Summoned Dark Armed Dragon to banish Tomato in an effort to destroy Gorz.  Tang held out, playing Veiler to negate Dark Armed’s effect, but Torossian Summoned Spirit Reaper; pressed over Gorz with Dark Armed; and attacked for game with Magical Android! 

 

 

Torossian takes Game 1!  “So…” he looked at Tang.  “Now that you know what I’m playing, are you gonna tell me what you’re playing?”  Tang gave another laugh and went straight for his Side Deck.  Now that the cat was out of the bag, the pressure was on and Tang had to win two games back-to-back. 

 

Tang Summoned Tour Guide from the Underworld and Special Summoned Sangan.  He Set two cards to his back row.

 

Torossian had Caius the Shadow Monarch; Spirit Reaper; Tour Guide from the Underworld; Torrential Tribute; Chaos Sorcerer; and Dark Armed Dragon.  He Set Reaper and Torrential, but lost Torrential to Mystical Space Typhoon in his End Phase.

 

Tang took Spirit Reaper next turn with Mind Control, Flip Summoning it and overlaying it with Tour Guide to Xyz Summon Wind-Up Zenmaines.  Sangan and Zenmaines both made direct attacks.

 

 

Torossian drew Card Trooper and Summoned Tour Guide, Special Summoning another copy from his Deck: Tang responded with Torrential Tribute, destroying everything but his own Zenmaines (which he detached a Material from to keep it on the field and threaten any additional cards Torossian was considering playing).  Tang took Rescue Rabbit from his Deck with Sangan’s ability.  Pinned under the Zenmaines effect, Torossian ended, and Zenmaines shed its second Xyz Material when it protected itself from its own destruction effect.

 

Tang Summoned and banished Rescue Rabbit, Special Summoning two Sabersaurus.  He Xyz Summoned Evolzar Dolkka to erase any possibility of Gorz or Tragodeia, then attacked to drop Torossian to 1700 Life Points.

 

 

Torossian drew another Caius – not much help there, but he did now have three DARKs in his Graveyard!  Torossian sent Dark Armed Dragon to attack over Dolkka, destroying it, and Torossian banished one of his Tour Guides in Main Phase 2 to destroy Zenmaines.  He Set a monster.

 

Tang had Pot of Avarice!  He activated it to send two Sabersaurus; Tour Guide; Zenmaines; and Dolkka back to his Deck, then drew two cards.  He Summoned Tour Guide and Special Summoned another from his hand, laughing with slight embarrassment.  He still had four cards in hand, and he Xyz Summoned Number 30: Acid Golem of Destruction to attack over Dark Armed.  He Set one Spell or Trap.

 

Torossian ripped Monster Reborn!  He had 1500 Life Points to Tang’s 7500.  He Flip Summoned Trooper to send Allure of Darkness, Effect Veiler, and Ryko to his Graveyard, then banished Ryko and Spirit Reaper to Special Summon Chaos Sorcerer.  Torossian tried to use Sorcerer to banish Acid Golem, but Tang fended it off with Effect Veiler.  Torossian’s hand was Reborn, Caius, Caius.  He Tributed Trooper for a Caius; banished Acid Golem; and attacked with Caius.

 

Tang Set a monster.

 

Torossian ripped Mystical Space Typhoon!  He used it to destroyed Tang’s last Set card (another Typhoon), and with his opponent’s hand empty, Torossian Tributed his first Caius for his second, banished Tang’s face-down Snowman Eater, and attacked to win the Duel and the Match! 

 

 

Nareg Torossian moves on to the Top 4 with Zombie Monarchs!