Round 1 Feature Match: Billy Brake Versus Paul Levitin
What a way to kick off YCS Seattle! Billy Brake and Paul Levitin have each won two YCS tournaments in their prestigious Dueling careers, and today they’re both running brand new decks with clutch cards from Abyss Rising. Brake has thrown in his lot with the uber-popular Mermail Atlantean strategy, a fast, deadly combo deck that’s seeing a ton of representation here this morning. Levitin is running Prophecy with the new Spellbook of Fate and The Grand Spellbook Tower. He’s running an exciting build that combos Breaker the Magical Warrior with Apprentice Magician, along with tech cards like Copycat. This has the potential to be an incredible Match!
Brake opened the Match Summoning Genex Undine, sending Atlantean Dragoons to the Graveyard to get his Genex Controller. Dragoons’ effect got him Mermail Abyssmegalo, and he discarded Deep Sea Diva and another Atlantean Dragoons to Special Summon it. Abyssmegalo’s effect got Brake Abyss-sphere from his Deck, and the second copy of Dragoons got him Atlantean Marksman.
“Why do you have to do this to me, Billy?” laughed Levitin. “It had to be that hand.”
Brake Set two cards to his back row. He had four cards in hand.
Levitin had a hand of Breaker the Magical Warrior; Tragoedia; Wonder Wand; Copycat; Dark Hole; and Maxx “C”. He took a moment to try and consider how he’d play his turn, then settled on Summoning Breaker the Magical Warrior to target Brake’s Set Raigeki Break for destruction. Brake Chained it, discarding Genex Controller to destroy Breaker. Levitin blasted Abyssmegalo and Undine with Dark Hole and ended. When Brake responded with Abyss-sphere, Levitin Chained Maxx “C”. Levitin drew another Maxx “C” when Brake Special Summoned Mermail Abysspike. It was destroyed at the end of the turn (Brake couldn’t use its effect, and had no intention of doing so, since Abyss-sphere negates it).
Brake drew to four cards in hand: Levitin had four himself, and the fields were bare. He activated Pot of Duality revealing Tragoedia; Allure of Darkness; and Genex Controller. He took his Allure. Did he have another Undine? Nope, Brake just Set one card to his back row.
Levitin drew Apprentice Magician and Summoned it. Brake activated Abyss-sphere to Special Summon Mermail Abysslinde, letting her be destroyed so he could Special Summon Mermail Abysspike. He discarded Atlantean Heavy Infantry for Abysspike’s effect, destroying Apprentice and getting another Undine. Levitin drew two cards with Maxx “C”.
Brake Normal Summoned Undine, getting Controller and kicking Dragoons to the Graveyard to fetch another Mermail Abyssmegalo. He drew two cards with Allure of Darkness, banishing his controller, and then attacked for 1200 Battle damage with Undine: Levitin Special Summoned Tragoedia in Defense Position.
Levitin drew another Tragoedia, now holding Monster Reborn; Wonder Wand; Copycat; and another Apprentice Magician. Brake had five cards in hand, with Abysspike and Undine on the field. Levitin Summoned Copycat to copy Abysspike, then played Wonder Wand to swing over Undine. Tragoedia attacked over Abysspike, and in Main Phase 2 Levitin sent Copycat to the Graveyard to draw Treacherous Trap Hole and Spellbook of Secrets with Wonder Wand.
“Your deck hasn’t DONE anything,” opined Brake, sympathetically.
“I know. I’m aware.” Levitin laughed. “You look at my Graveyard and there’s no Prophecy or Spellbook stuff there! It’s like I’m playing a Breaker Wonder Wand Deck!” Both duelists laughed.
Brake Summoned Deep Sea Diva to Special Summon Atlantean Heavy Infantry from his Deck, then used his extra Normal Summon to Summon Atlantean Marksman. He followed up by discarding Moulinglacia the Elemental Lord and his third Deep Sea Diva to Special Summon another Abyssmegalo! He Tributed Heavy Infantry to allow Abyssmegalo to attack twice, and destroyed Tragoedia with the Heavy Infantry’s effect in the process. Levitin had 6800 Life Points left. Brake attacked once with Abyssmegalo, drawing out Levitin’s second Tragoedia. Brake clucked his tongue: “You don’t do anything, but you stop EVERYTHING!” He moved to Main Phase 2. “What’s the best choice here…” He Set a single Spell or Trap.
Levitin drew Spellbook of Fate – not great with no Spellbooks in his Graveyard, but he aimed to fix that. He activated Spellbook of Secrets to get Spellbook Magician of Prophecy, then Summoned it to get Spellbook of Power from his Deck. He activated it, boosting the Magician’s ATK, and attacked over Atlantean Marksman to destroy it. That triggered Power’s effect, letting Levitin get The Grand Spellbook Tower from his Deck. Now with 3000 ATK, Tragoedia attacked over Abyssmegalo! Brake now had just one card in hand; one card Set; and Diva on the field. Levitin had five cards in hand; Spellbook Magician on the table; and Tragoedia raring to go in Attack Position. He Set Treacherous, Set Fate, and activated The Grand Spellbook Tower!
Brake was suddenly under the gun. He activated Pot of Duality, revealing Dark Hole, Gorz the Emissary of Darkness, and Mermail Abysslinde from the top of his deck. “Dark Hole’s a pretty good card!” Levitin grinned. Brake laughed back: “All you have is two monsters, and one’s Magician!” He ended up taking Gorz: “Not a great card when your opponent knows you have it,” remarked Levitin. Brake turned Diva to Defense Position and ended, leaving Levitin to flip Spellbook of Fate. He banished Spellbook of Power to bounce away Brake’s back row card. Next turn he drew Spellbook of Secrets, then returned Fate to his Deck with Tower to draw High Priestess of Prophecy! He pitched Apprentice Magician to steal Deep Sea Diva with Tragoedia’s effect; Tributed Tragoedia and Magician for High Priestess; then brought back Spellbook Magician with Monster Reborn. He Xyz Summoned Daigusto Phoenix, then got Spellbook of Power with Spellbook of Secrets. He boosted Priestess’ ATK with Power, and when Brake Special Summoned Gorz the Emissary of Darkness and an Emissary of Darkness Token, Levitin played his last card – Treacherous Trap Hole – to finish the Duel!
Billy Brake has an explosive opening with double Atlantean Dragoons and Mermail Abyssmegalo. But Paul Levitin overcomes his slow start to repeatedly batter down Brake’s field, and steal the win with High Priestess of Prophecy and a clutch Treacherous Trap Hole on Gorz! What a Duel! Brake would have to win two games back-to-back, or he’d be on the X-1 bracket for Day 1.
Brake opened Game 2 with Genex Undine, getting Genex Controller and sending Atlantean Dragoons to his Graveyard. He got Mermail Abyssmegalo, then pitched two more Dragoons to Special Summon Abyssmegalo and get Abyss-sphere from his Deck! The Dragoons got him Deep Sea Diva and Atlantean Heavy Infantry. Triple Dragoons! He Set two cards to his back row.
Levitin had Spellbook of Power; Spellbook of Secrets; Spellbook of Life; High Priestess of Prophecy; Breaker the Magical Warrior; and Lyla, Lightsworn Sorceress. He Summoned Breaker the Magical Warrior, but targeted Abyss-sphere for destruction. Brake Chained it, bringing out Mermail Abysslinde to Special Summon Mermail Abysspike, tossing another Heavy Infantry for Abysspike’s effect. That destroyed Breaker and got Brake another Genex Undine. “I Set it there cuz I was like, ‘he’s gonna Break the same spot again’!” Brake laughed. Levitin used Spellbook of Secrets to get Spellbook of Wisdom, then revealed Wisdom, Life, and Power to Special Summon High Priestess of Prophecy! He activated Power to boost up Priestess’ ATK, then attacked over Undine for 2300 Battle Damage. That triggered Power’s effect, getting The Grand Spellbook Tower from his Deck. He banished Secrets to destroy Abyssmegalo in Main Phase 2 with the Priestess’ effect.
“I hope you don’t have Maxx “C” like a champion,” remarked Brake.
“Hey, hey…” Levitin grinned. “I’m a two-time Champion.” He burst out laughing.
Champion or not, Brake was nowhere near throwing in the towel. He Summoned Deep Sea Diva, and was elated to not see a Maxx “C”! He Special Summoned Atlantean Heavy Infantry from his Deck. He used his extra Normal Summon to bring out another Diva, then used her to Special Summon Atlantean Marksman. Brake started running the numbers: he eventually Tuned Marksman to Diva to Synchro Summon T.G. Hyper Librarian, then tuned Diva and Infantry for Armory Arm, drawing with Librarian’s effect! He equipped Library with Armory Arm; swung over High Priestess; and then made a direct attack with Abysspike to drop Levitin to 3000 Life Points. Brake Set a second spell or trap.
Levitin drew the Maxx “C”, one turn too late, then drew Tragoedia with The Grand Spellbook Tower, again one turn too late! He Summoned Lyla, using her effect to destroy Brake’s Set Pot of Duality: a bluff. He then revealed Spellbook of Wisdom to activate Spellbook of Life, hoping to banish Breaker for High Priestess of Prophecy: Brake Chained Raigeki Break, discarding his Genex Controller to destroy Life before it could resolve. That left Levitin with Wisdom, Tragoedia, and Maxx “C” in hand, with Lyla on the field in Defense Position. Levitin Set Wisdom and sent Copycat, Dark Hole, and Chaos Sorcerer to his Graveyard in the End Phase with Lyla’s ability.
Brake Special Summoned Armory Arm, and Levitin drew Effect Veiler with Maxx “C”. Brake Normal Summoned Genex Undine, sending wanting to send Atlantean Marksman to his Graveyard, but not realizing he’d used them all! He sent Moulinglacia the Elemental Lord to the Graveyard instead, getting Genex Controller, and Levitin was scooping up moments later.
Billy Brake comes out swinging with not one, not two, but three Atlantean Dragoons on the first turn, evening up the Match score to one Duel-win apiece! This last game would decide who would move on with a 1-0 record.
Levitin had two Temperance; two Breaker the Magical Warrior; Dark Hole; and The Grand Spellbook Tower. He Summoned Breaker. “No Undine. For once in life. Please no Undine.”
Nope! Brake Summoned Genex Undine, kicking Atlantean Dragoons from his Deck to get Mermail Abyssmegalo and Genex Controller. He discarded Mermail Abysslinde and Atlantean Marksman to Special Summon Mermail Abyssmegalo, getting Abyss-sphere. Abyssmegalo attacked over Breaker, and Undine made a direct attack. Brake Set a Spell or Trap.
Levitin drew High Priestess of Prophecy. “Man, this is so bad.” He Normal Summoned Breaker, forcing out Brake’s Abyss-sphere, which he played into an Abysslinde to Special Summon another Abyssmegalo. Breaker attacked over Undine to destroy it, and Levitin cleared the field with Dark Hole in Main Phase 2.
Brake drew to five cards in hand. He activated Pot of Avarice to return two Mermail Abyssmegalo; Abysslinde; Undine; and Dragoons back to his Deck, drawing two cards. He drew two more with Allure of Darkness, banishing Controller for it, and then took back his Abysslinde and Marksman with Salvage! Brake now had seven cards in hand!
“Just seven. Just seven cards,” laughed Levitin.
Brake continued on, Summoning Marksman for a direct attack to drop Levitin to 4900 Life Points. That let him Special Summon Atlantean Dragoons for another direct attack, and a Set Spell or Trap finished out his turn.
Levitin drew Spellbook Magician of Prophecy. He Summoned it, and Brake Chained Skill Drain. “What the actual…” Levitin immediately conceded, watching his last hopes wiped away.
Paul Levitin plays an amazing Duel in Game 1, but Billy Brake battles back to take Game 2 and Game 3! Brake just kept hitting those Genex Undines, and knew precisely what to do to shut down Levitin’s strategy. Brake moves on with his first victory of the day, and the tournament’s first win for Mermails!
