Maryland’s 16-year-old Naveen Shankar was the winner of the Dragon Duel WCQ in 2009, and as a result of that victory, earned the honor of attending a special tournament in Japan. Now, 4 years later, he’s undefeated in the main WCQ tournament, Dueling against undefeated 17-year-old Griffin Gamrat from Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. This is Gamrat’s first WCQ, so Shankar has experience on his side. Will that be enough to bring Shankar the victory? It’s time to Duel!

Duel One

Gamrat Started off Duel 1 by Summoning Kycoo the Ghost Destroyer and Setting 3 cards to his back row.

Shankar opened up with Dark Hole, Book of Moon, Gold Sarcophagus, Redox, Dragon Ruler of Boulders, Burner, Dragon Ruler of Sparks, and Effect Veiler. He activated Dark Holeto destroy Kycoo, and Gamrat Chained Forbidden Dress to protect his monster. Next, Shankar activated Gold Sarcophagus to banish Redox, Dragon Ruler of Boulders from his Deck, and used its effect to add Reactan, Dragon Ruler of Pebbles to his hand. He Summoned Reactan and attacked Kycoo; but Gamrat flipped Compulsory Evacuation Device to return Reactan to Shankar’s hand. Shankar discarded Burner, Dragon Ruler of Sparks and Redox, Dragon Ruler of Boulders from his hand to Special Summon Blaster, Dragon Ruler of Infernos from his Deck in Attack Position. Gamrat Chained Maxx “C” to Burner’s effect to draw a card when Blaster was Summoned. Shankar Set Book of Moon before ending his turn.

Gamrat Summoned Evilswarm Heliotrope and then passed his turn. Shankar returned Blaster to his hand in the End Phase.

Shankar tried to Summon Reactan next turn; but Gamrat flipped Spellbook of Judgment and paid 4000 Life Points to negate its Summon. Next, Shankar banished Tempest and Blaster from his hand to Special Summon Redox, Dragon Ruler of Boulders from his Graveyard.Shankar added Lightning, Dragon Ruler of Drafts and Blaster from his Deck to his hand with the effects of Tempest and Blaster. Next, he discarded both of them to Special Summon Tempest, Dragon Ruler of Storms from his Deck. Shankar combined his Tempest with Redox to Xyz Summon Mecha Phantom Beast Dracossack. He detached an Xyz Material from it to Special Summon 2 Mecha Phantom Beast Tokens, and then attacked Evilswarm Heliotrope to destroy it and deal 650 points of damage to Gamrat.

Gamrat Special Summoned 2 copies of Evilswarm Mandragora next turn. He used both of them to attack and destroy Shankar’s Tokens and then combined both of them to Xyz Summon Diamond Dire Wolf in Defense Position in Main Phase 2. Next, he used the effect of Diamond Dire Wolf; but Shankar discarded Effect Veiler to negate its effect!

Shankar drew Gold Sarcophagus next turn. He detached an Xyz Material from Dracossack to Special Summon 2 Mecha Phantom Beast Tokens and then Tributed one of his Tokens to destroy Kycoo with Dracossack’s effect. Next, he banished Blaster and Redox from his Graveyard to Special Summon Tempest from his Graveyard. Then, he used the effects of Blaster and Redox to add another Redox and a copy of Burner from his Deck to his hand. He discarded Burner and Redox to Special Summon Blaster from his Deck and then combined Blaster and Tempest to Xyz Summon Number 11: Big Eye. He activated the effect of Big Eye to take control of Diamond Dire Wolf and then switched it into Attack Position. Next, he used Gold Sarcophagus to banish Tidal from his Deck, and activated the effect of Tidal to add Stream, Dragon Ruler of Droplets from his Deck to his hand. He Summoned Steam, and then direct attacks from Diamond Dire Wolf and Steam finished off Gamrat’s last 3350 Life Points.

Duel Two

Gamrat started off Duel 2 by Summoning 2 copies of Evilswarm Castor and combining them to Summon Evilswarm Ophion. He activated its effect by detaching an Xyz Material, but lost out to Shankar’s Effect Veiler. He Set 2 cards to his back row before ending his turn.

Shankar started off his first turn with Book of Moon, 2 copies of Super Rejuvenation, Gold Sarcophagus, and Effect Veiler. He activated Gold Sarcophagus to banish Redox from his Deck and used Redox’s effect to add Reactan from his Deck to his hand. He tried to use Book of Moon to put Ophion face-down; but Gamrat Chained Infestation Pandemic to stop it.

Gamrat detached an Xyz Material from Ophion to grab another Pandemic from his Deck. Next, he Summoned Evilswarm Kerykeion and banished a Castor from his Graveyard to activate its effect; but he lost out to Effect Veiler. Gamrat Set 1 card to his back row before passing.

Shankar Summoned Reactan and tried to attack, but lost out to Fiendish Chain. Shankar Set Royal Decree and Super Rejuvenation before passing.

Gamrat Summoned Evilswarm Mandragora and then attacked directly with all of his monsters to finish the Duel.

Griffin Gamrat Summons Evilswarm Ophion on his first turn and leverages it into a quick win in Duel 2! Naveen Shankar will be going first in Duel 3!

Duel Three

Naveen Shankar opened up Duel 3 with Redox, Tempest, Dragon Ruler of Storms, Stream, Mystical Space Typhoon, Psi-Blocker, and Effect Veiler.

He discarded Stream and Tempest to Special Summon Tidal from his Deck and then banished Stream and Tempest from his Graveyard to Special Summon Redox from his hand. Next, he used the effect of Tempest to add Dragunity Corsesca from his Deck to his hand. He Summoned Corsesca next, and Tuned it with Redox to Synchro Summon Thought Ruler Archfiend in Attack Position.

Gamrat Summoned Evilswarm Castor and then Evilswarm O’Lantern. He Tributed O’Lantern to destroy Thought Ruler Archfiend, and then used Monster Reborn to revive the O’Lantern. He combined O’Lantern with Castor to Xyz Summon Ophion next, and detached an Xyz Material from Ophion to add Pandemic to his hand. He Set a card to his back row before ending his turn. Tidal returned to Shankar’s hand in Gamrat’s End Phase.

Shankar drew Super Rejuvenation next turn. He Summoned Psi-Blocker, naming Ophion with its effect, and then banished Redox and Corsesca from his Graveyard to Special Summon Tidal from his Graveyard. Tidal attacked and destroyed Ophion, and then Psi-Blocker attacked directly, dropping Gamrat down to 6750 Life Points. Shankar Set Mystical Space Typhoon before ending his turn.

Gamrat Summoned Evilswarm Castor and then Summoned Evilswarm Heliotrope. He attacked Psi-Blocker with Castor and then combined Castor with Heliotrope to Xyz Summon Evilswarm Nightmare. In Gamrat’s End Phase, Tidal returned to Shankar’s hand.

Shankar discarded Reactan and Tempest from his hand to Special Summon Redox from his Deck in Defense Position, and then Shankar banished Reactan and Psi-Blocker to Special Summon Tempest. Gamrat detached an Xyz Material from Nightmare to put Tempest face-down, and then Shankar Tributed Tempest and Redox to Tribute Summon Tidal. He attacked and destroyed Evilswarm Nightmare. Shankar activated Super Rejuvenation to draw 4 cards in his End Phase.

Gamrat Summoned Evilswarm Castor and then Summoned Evilswarm Kerykeion. He Summoned Evilswarm O’Lantern next, and Tributed it to destroy Tidal. Next, Gamrat combined Evilswarm Kerykeion with Evilswarm Castor to Summon Evilswarm Ophion. He detached an Xyz Material from Ophion to add Infestation Infection from his Deck to his hand. He Set 2 more cards to his back row before passing.

Shankar activated Heavy Storm next turn! Gamrat’s Infection, Forbidden Dress, and Infestation Pandemic were threatened, and Gamrat Chained the Dress, followed by the Pandemic. Shankar Summoned Psi-Blocker next, and named Evilswarm Castor with its effect. Then he activated Sacred Sword of Seven Stars, and banished Tidal from his hand to draw 2 cards. He used the effect of Tidal to add Stream, Dragon Ruler of Droplets from his Deck to his hand. Next, Shankar discarded Stream and Blaster from his hand to Special Summon Tidal from his Deck. He banished Redox and Stream from his Graveyard to Special Summon Blaster next, and used Redox’s effect to add another Redox to his hand. Next, he discarded Lightning and Redox to Special Summon Tempest from his Deck. He combined Tempest and Tidal to Xyz Summon Mecha Phantom Beast Dracossack, and then banished Tidal and Lightning from his Graveyard to Special Summon Tempest. Mecha Phantom Beast Dracossack attacked and destroyed Ophion, and then Psi-Blocker, Blaster, and Tempest attacked directly, dropping Gamrat down to 300 Life Points. In Main Phase 2, Shankar combined Blaster and Tempest to Xyz Summon Dracossack, and detached an Xyz Material to Summon 2 Tokens. He activated Super Rejuvenation next, drawing 4 cards.

Gamrat drew Dark Hole next turn, but it was no help.

Naveen Shankar is moving on with a 7-0 record!