It’s Round 8! Josiah Ebanks is here from Ft. Lauderdale, FL, while his opponent is Tahmid Zaman from Queens, NY. Both Duelists are undefeated with Mermail Decks today, but only one can move ahead with a perfect record!

Duel 1

Zaman started with Deep Sea Diva, Atlantean Heavy Infantry, Atlantean Marksman, Mystical Space Typhoon, Pot of Avarice, and Genex Undine. He Normal Summoned Undine and sent Atlantean Dragoons to the Graveyard, adding Genex Controller and Mermail Abyssmegalo to his hand. He Set Mystical Space Typhoon.

Ebanks Summoned his own Undine and mirrored Zaman’s move with it, then crashed his Undine into Zaman’s. He Set Salvage, losing it to Mystical Space Typhoon in the End Phase.

Zaman drew Mermail Abysspike. He discarded Infantry and Abysspike to Special Summon Abyssmegalo, and added Abyss-sphere to his hand. He played Diva and brought Marksman to the field. Abyssmegalo Tributed Diva for its effect. Marksman attacked to bring Dragoons to the field and Ebanks played Tragoedia! It had 3000 DEF, too high for Zaman’s monsters. Zaman Set his Abyss-sphere.

Ebanks thought for a while before playing Deep Sea Diva. Its effect brought Marksman to the field. Next, he discarded his own Abyssmegalo for Tragoedia to steal Zaman’s Abyssmegalo! He Tributed his Marksman for Abyssmegalo to attack twice this turn. Marksman targeted the Set Abyss-sphere, and Zaman Chained it to Special Summon Mermail Abysslinde in defense position. Ebanks made Tragoedia Level 7 and stacked it with Abyssmegalo for Number 11: Big Eye, and swiped Abysslinde! He used it and Diva to Synchro Summon Ally of Justice Catastor, which destroyed Dragoons with its effect. He Set a back row card.

Zaman drew Undine and Summoned it. He sent Infantry to the Graveyard to add Genex Controller to his hand and destroy Catastor. Next, he stacked Marksman and Undine for Wind-Up Zenmaines. Zenmaines attacked Big Eye and detached a material to stick around, then destroyed Big Eye in the End Phase.

Ebanks Set a second card to his back row.

Zaman drew Salvage. He Normal Summoned Genex Controller and Ebanks played Torrential Tribute. Zenmaines detached a material. Zaman turned Zenmaines to defense position, and Ebanks played Abyss-sphere in Main Phase 2 to get Abysslinde. In the End Phase Zenmaines had to destroy a Abysslinde, and Ebanks got Abysspike, pitching Infantry for it to destroy Zenmaines. Abysspike’s effect put Marksman into Ebanks’s hand.

Ebanks Normal Summoned it next turn. He attacked with the Marksman to bring Atlantean Dragoons to the field, then Abysspike and Dragoons attacked. In Main Phase 2 he Xyz Summoned Abyss Dweller.

Zaman drew Raigeki Break, In the Draw Phase, Ebanks detached Dragoons from Abyss Dweller for its effect, and Dragoons added Diva to Ebanks’s hand. Zaman played Salvage to add his own Diva and Infantry back to his hand. He Normal Summoned Infantry, then Normal Summoned Diva to bring Marksman to the field. He tuned Diva to Infantry for Armory Arm and equipped it to Marksman. Zaman’s Marksman destroyed Ebanks’s Marksman, and Zaman Special Summoned Dragoons.

Ebanks used Mystical Space Typhoon on Raigeki Break, and it was Chained! Zaman discarded Genex Controller and destroyed Abyss Dweller. Dark Hole wiped the field next, and Ebanks Normal Summoned Diva to bring Infantry out. He stacked them for Daigusto Phoenix and used its effect to attack twice and end the first Duel!

Josiah Ebanks takes the lead in this mirror match! The Duelists remarked that they’d played almost nothing but Mermail mirror matches all day. Hopefully they prepared for it in their Side Decks, because we’re ready for the second Duel!

Duel 2

Zaman started off with Dragoons, Mystical Space Typhoon, Mirror Force, Dark Hole, Undine, and Moulinglacia the Elemental Lord. He used Undine to put Dragoons in the Graveyard, adding Genex Controller and Abyssmegalo to his hand. He Set Mirror Force.

Ebanks blew it away with Heavy Storm, then played Diva to bring out Infantry. He used his extra Normal Summon on Marksman. He tuned Diva to Infantry to Synchro Summon Armory Arm. Marksman destroyed Undine and brought Dragoons to the field. Armory Arm and Dragoons each attacked directly, and in Main Phase 2 he stacked his Armory Arm and Dragoons for Abyss Dweller.

Zaman drew Marksman and Ebanks activated his Abyss Dweller’s effect, detaching Dragoons. He had chosen Dragoons so he could use its effect, and he did so. However, by detaching Dragoons, Abyss Dweller’s only material was Armory Arm, a LIGHT monster, so Dweller’s effect no longer powered up WATER monsters.  Zaman thought a long while before crashing his Genex Controller into Marksman, then Setting Mystical Space Typhoon.

Ebanks Normal Summoned Abysslinde and attacked directly with it and Abyss Dweller.

Zaman drew Abysspike and Ebanks used Abyss Dweller again. Zaman played Dark Hole, and Abysslinde brought Abyssmegalo to the field. Zaman discarded Marksman and Abysspike to Special Summon his Abyssmegalo, getting Abyss-sphere, and crashed it into Ebanks’s. In Main Phase 2 he Special Summoned Moulinglacia to strip Ebanks of Salvage and Mystical Space Typhoon, then he Set Abyss-sphere and Mystical Space Typhoon.

Ebanks passed and Zaman used Abyss-sphere for Abysslinde. When Abyss-sphere was destroyed in the End Phase, Abysslinde Special Summoned Abysspike. Zaman pitched Dragoons for its effect, adding Diva and Marksman to his hand.

Zaman drew Torrential Tribute. He Normal Summoned Diva and brought out Infantry, then Normal Summoned Marksman. He tuned Diva to Abysspike to Synchro Summon Dewloren, Tiger King of the Ice Barrier. Marksman attacked directly, bringing Dragoons to the field. Dragoons attacked next, and Ebanks played his Tragoedia. Zaman had Moulinglacia destroy it, then attacked directly with Dewloren. He Set Torrential Tribute, then returned Marksman and Dragoons to his hand with Dewloren’s effect.

Ebanks Set a single card to his back row and played Allure of Darkness in a desperation move… He got Genex Controller and Salvage! He banished Controller to complete Allure’s effect, then played Salvage and added Diva and Marksman to his hand. He played the Diva to Special Summon Marksman, then Synchro Summoned Ally of Justice Catastor. It destroyed Dewloren with its effect, and Ebanks lost Mirror Force in the End Phase to Mystical Space Typhoon.

Zaman drew the perfect answer: Book of Moon! He turned Catastor face-down and Normal Summoned Marksman. Marksman destroyed Catastor in battle, and Moulinglacia finished Ebanks off!

Tahmid Zaman evens the score, stopping Ebanks’s comeback attempt cold!

Duel 3

Ebanks Set a card to his back row.

Zaman began with 2 Marksmen, Undine, Mirror Force, Moulinglacia, and Infantry. He played Undine to send Dragoons to the Graveyard, getting Genex Controller and Abyssmegalo. Undine attacked and Ebanks blocked with Abyss-sphere getting Mermail Abysslinde. Zaman Set Mirror Force, and in the End Phase Abyss-sphere destroyed Abysslinde to bring Abysspike out. That discarded Infantry to get Undine and destroy Zaman’s Undine.

Ebanks played Diva and brought Marksman out, but he lost his whole field to Mirror Force! Ebanks was unphased as he Special Summoned Moulinglacia the Elemental Lord in Main Phase 2, taking out Zaman’s Abyssmegalo and Infantry! He Set a back row card.

Zaman drew Salvage to even the odds! He got Undine and Infantry back, then played Undine to ditch Dragoons. He put Abyssmegalo and Genex Controller in his hand. He discarded Marksman and Infantry for Abyssmegalo. He destroyed Moulinglacia and Mystical Space Typhoon, and added Abyss-sphere to his hand. He made matters worse by Special Summoning his own Moulinglacia, robbing Ebanks of Undine and Genex Controller! Finally, he Tributed Undine for Abyssmegalo’s effect. Abyssmegalo attacked twice, along with Moulinglacia, and he Set Abyss-sphere to finish.

Ebanks had only two cards, but one of them was Salvage! He got Undine and Diva back, and Normal Summoned the Undine to put Infantry in the Graveyard, adding Genex Controller to his hand and destroying Moulinglacia. He played Allure of Darkness to draw two cards and banish Genex Controller, then Pot of Avarice put five monsters back to his Deck and gave him two more cards! Ebanks finally passed.

Zaman drew Abysspike. He Set Genex Controller, unable to attack after his Moulinglacia was destroyed.

Ebanks began his turn with Diva to Special Summon Infantry, and he tuned Diva to Infantry and Undine for Gungnir, Dragon of the Ice Barrier! He used Gungnir’s effect to discard Tragoedia and Dragoons, destroying Abyssmegalo and Genex Controller. Dragoons added Moulinglacia to Ebanks’s hand. He Special Summoned it, taking away Abysspike and Marksman from Zaman’s hand. He followed that up with Monster Reborn to revive Zaman’s Abyssmegalo! Abyssmegalo attacked directly, followed by Gungnir. When Moulinglacia attacked, Zaman flipped his Abyss-sphere to bring out Abysslinde in defense position. In Main Phase 2, Ebanks stacked Gungnir and Abyssmegalo for Mermail Abyssgaios! Abyss-sphere was destroyed in the End Phase and Abysslinde brought Abysspike to the field.

Zaman drew and conceded with only a hand of Genex Undine and Genex Controller!

Josiah Ebanks is continuing undefeated with his Mermails after an intense Match!