Stephen Silverman and Jeff Jones are both familiar with the top tables of a YCS. Most recently, Stephen was in the Top 32 of YCS Kansas City, and Jeff took 2^nd at YCS Toronto with his Grandsoil Psychics. Both Duelists are using similar Mermail/Atlantean Decks today. This is looking to be a great Match!

Jones began with Deep Sea Diva, Salvage, Gorz the Emissary of Darkness, Mermail Abysslinde, Genex Controller, and Mermail Abyssmegalo. He Set Abysslinde.

Silverman Normal Summoned Genex Undine. He sent Atlantean Dragoons to the Graveyard to add Genex Controller to his hand, then Dragoons added Atlantean Marksman to his hand. He discarded Diva and Marksman to Special Summon Abyssmegalo from his hand. Abyssmegalo gave him Abyss-sphere, then Marksman destroyed Jones’s Abysslinde. Abysslinde Special Summoned Mermail Abysspike, which added Undine to Jones’s hand by discarding Diva. Silverman had Abyssmegalo destroy Abysspike, then Undine attacked directly, and Jones played his Gorz the Emissary of Darkness and a 1200 ATK Emissary of Darkness Token! Silverman Set two back row cards.

Jones drew Tragoedia. He played Salvage to return Abysslinde and Diva to his hand. He Normal Summoned Diva, and it Special Summoned Atlantean Heavy Infantry from his Deck. He stacked Diva and Infantry for Gachi Gachi Gantetsu. Gorz attacked Abyssmegalo, and Silverman destroyed Gorz with Raigeki Break, discarding Genex Controller. Jones’s Emissary of Darkness Token destroyed Undine in battle. Silverman played Abyss-sphere before the end of the turn, Special Summoning Abysslinde. Abyss-sphere and Abysslinde were destroyed at the End Phase, and Abysslinde brought out Abyssmegalo.

Silverman stacked his 2 Abyssmegalo next turn for Number 11: Big Eye! He used it to steal Gachi Gachi, then Normal Summoned Deep Sea Diva. That brought a Marksman to the field. Marksman destroyed the Emissary of Darkness Token, and Jones Special Summoned Tragoedia in defense position. Marksman’s effect Special Summoned Dragoons, then Diva attacked directly thanks to the Dragoons’s effect. In Main Phase 2, he tuned Diva to Dragoons and Marksman for Mist Wurm! It returned Tragoedia to Jones’s hand.

Jones drew Salvage. He Normal Summoned Undine, sending Dragoons to the Graveyard. Undine and Dragoons gave him Genex Controller and Heavy Infantry. He discarded Infantry and Abysslinde to Special Summon Abyssmegalo. Infantry destroyed Big Eye, and Abyssmegalo gave Jones a copy of Abyss-sphere. Abyssmegalo attacked Gachi Gachi, and it detached Diva to survive the attack. Undine attacked it next, and Jones played Tragoedia when he took the damage. Tragoedia attacked Gachi Gachi next, taking off its last material. In Main Phase 2, he turned Tragoedia to Level 7. He stacked it to Abyssmegalo for Big Eye and stole Mist Wurm! He played Salvage to grab Diva and Heavy Infantry. He Set Abyss-sphere.

Silverman saw his next draw and picked up his cards, knowing he wouldn’t be able to take down Jones’s huge field! Both Duelists moved to their Side Decks and we were quickly underway again.

Duel 2

Silverman Normal Summoned Undine, sending Dragoons to the Graveyard. He added Genex Controller and Marksman to his hand. He played Allure of Darkness, drawing two and banishing the Controller. Finally, he Set three back row cards.

Jones’s hand consisted of Genex Controller, 2 Dragoons, Deep Sea Diva, Abyss-sphere, and Genex Undine. In his Draw Phase, Silverman flipped Spiritual Water Art – Aoi! He Tributed Undine to look at Jones’s hand, choosing to discard Undine. Jones Normal Summoned Diva, and it brought Marksman to the field. Marksman attacked, and Silverman flipped his Abyss-sphere to block the attack with a defense position Abysslinde. Jones stopped attacking, and in Main Phase 2 he Synchro Summoned Ally of Justice Catastor. Abyss-sphere and Abysslinde were destroyed in the End Phase, and Silverman Special Summoned Abyssmegalo.

Silverman Normal Summoned Diva, and it brought Heavy Infantry out. With Infantry, he was able to also Normal Summon Marksman. He used Abyssmegalo’s effect to Tribute Heavy Infantry and destroy Catastor. With the knowledge he gained from Spiritual Water Art, he knew Jones had no Gorz or Tragoedia to stop his attacks, and he finished the second Duel right here!

Stephen Silverman evens the score! The Duelists shook hands and wished each other luck before beginning this final Duel.

Duel 3

Jones started with Abyss-sphere, Maxx “C”, Salvage, Undine, Allure, and Infantry. He played Undine, sending Dragoons to the Graveyard. He searched out Genex Controller and Abyssmegalo. He played Allure next, drawing Maxx “C” and Dragoons, then banishing Controller. He Set Abyss-sphere.

Silverman played Heavy Storm, and Jones Chained Abyss-sphere, but Silverman Chained Mystical Space Typhoon! He played an Undine of his own, sending Dragoons to the Graveyard to get Controller and Abyssmegalo, mirroring Jones’s play. He crashed his Undine into Jones’s.

Jones drew Abysspike. He discarded Infantry and Dragoons to Special Summon Abyssmegalo. Dragoons gave him Diva, and Abyssmegalo gave him Abyss-sphere. He got Infantry and Undine back with Salvage next, then Normal Summoned Infantry. That let him Normal Summon Diva as well, which got Marksman. Diva and Infantry were stacked for Daigusto Phoenix, which used its effect on itself. Finally, he used a Maxx “C” in preparation of Gorz. Marksman attacked directly, and Silverman did have Gorz! Maxx “C” let Jones draw Gorz and Moulinglacia when Silverman’s Gorz and token were Special Summoned. Marksman Special Summoned Dragoons with its effect, then Phoenix destroyed the Emissary of Darkness Token.

Silverman Normal Summoned Undine and sent Dragoons to the Graveyard. He added Genex Controller and Marksman to his hand. He discarded Dragoons and Marksman to activate Abyssmegalo in his hand, and Jones Chained Maxx “C”! He drew Deck Devastation Virus. Marksman tried to destroy Abyss-sphere, but it was chained to bring out Abysslinde. Dragoons added Moulinglacia to Silverman’s hand. He Special Summoned it, knocking out Jones’s Abysspike and Undine. He Tributed his Undine for Abyssmegalo’s effect. Moulinglacia destroyed Jones’s Abyssmegalo, Gorz destroyed Dragoons, and Abyssmegalo destroyed Phoenix and Marksman. He Set a back row, and in the End Phase, Abyss-sphere and Abysslinde were destroyed, and Jones Special Summoned Abysspike. It discarded Moulinglacia to add Undine to his hand.

Jones drew Abyssmegalo. He Normal Summoned Undine, sending Infantry to the Graveyard. He got a Genex Controller, then destroyed Moulinglacia. He Set Abyss-sphere.

Silverman Set a monster, unable to attack because of Moulinglacia.

Jones drew another Deck Devastation Virus. He Normal Summoned his Controller, then tuned it to Abysspike to Synchro Summon Gungnir, Dragon of the Ice Barrier! Gungnir discarded Abyssmegalo and a Deck Devastation Virus to destroy Gorz and Silverman’s face-down Abysslinde, which in turn Special Summoned Abysspike. He discarded another Abysspike to add Marksman to his hand. Gungnir destroyed Abyssmegalo in battle, then in Main Phase 2 Jones played Abyss-sphere to get Abysslinde from the Deck. He stacked it and Undine for Wind-Up Zenmaines in defense position. As he was declaring he wanted to end his turn, time in the round was called. Jones had 4800 Life Points, while Silverman had 6500.

Silverman Normal Summoned Genex Controller and tuned it to Abysspike for Gungnir, just like Jones had! He discarded Marksman and Infantry to target Zenmaines and Gungnir, and Jones allowed Zenmaines to be destroyed! Because there was nothing else, Infantry was forced to destroy Abyss-sphere. Jones had opened up his field to allow Gorz, but would Silverman walk into it? …No, he would not. He passed without attacking.

Jones drew Salvage! He played it, adding Infantry and Diva to his hand. He Normal Summoned Diva and Special Summoned Marksman. He tuned them together for Ally of Justice Catastor, and it attacked Gungnir, destroying it with its effect.

Silverman played Abyss-sphere and Special Summoned Abysslinde. He Normal Summoned Genex Controller, then Synchro Summoned Dewloren, Tiger King of the Ice Barrier in defense position. He returned Abyss-sphere to his hand with  Dewloren, then Set it again.

Jones drew Pot of Avarice! He returned Diva, Dragoons, Marksman, and 2 Abyssmegalo, then drew Diva and Abyssmegalo. He Normal Summoned Infantry, then Normal Summoned Diva, which Special Summoned Marksman. He tuned Diva to Infantry for Armory Arm, then equipped it to Marksman. Marksman attacked Dewloren, and Silverman took 2000 damage from Armory Arm! Catastor attacked directly, and Jones Set Deck Devastation Virus.

Silverman played Salvage to return Marksman and Infantry to his hand. He played Abyss-sphere next, and Special Summoned Abyssmegalo from his Deck. When he Normal Summoned Infantry, Jones Tributed Catastor for Deck Devastation Virus to destroy it, preventing Silverman from using it for Abyssmegalo’s effect! Silverman could attack Marksman with Abyssmegalo, but couldn’t deal enough damage to win in End of Round procedures!

Jeff Jones is victorious with his Mermail Deck!

After the Match, Jones explained his reasoning for using Deck Devastation Virus in a WATER Deck. There are, of course, Gorz and Tragoedia. However, thanks to Deep Sea Diva (and Dragoons and Salvage to get Diva), you have Catastor or T.G. Hyper Librarian available to you at almost any time you’d wish. It was a surprising choice, and Jones played 2 copies in his Side Deck to beat opposing Mermail Decks, or any Deck with weak monsters such as Wind-Ups.

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