Welcome to the Top 32! Our field of 1220 players has been reduced to a select few. Chris Welch is a local Duelist, using a Dragunity Deck. His Deck includes some choices not commonly seen, like Garuda the Wind Spirit, to help him extend his combos. He’s facing off with Kritin Deo, who’s using Dragon Rulers. He’s one of many Duelists banking on the popular new variant of the Deck, which essentially works like it always did, but now can throw down multiple Ancient Fairy Dragons for some big combos! Only one Duelist can move on from here! Duel 1

Welch began the top cut with Dragunity Dux, Blaster, Dragon Ruler of Infernos, Terraforming, Vanity’s Emptiness, Sacred Sword of Seven Stars, and Compulsory Evacuation Device. He played Terraforming to get Dragon Ravine. He played Sacred Sword next, banishing Blaster to draw Terraforming and Mirror Force. Blaster searched out another Blaster. He played Terraforming to get another Ravine and played it. Ravine let him pitch Mirror Force to add Dragunity Phalanx to his hand. He played the second Ravine, discarding Phalanx to send Tempest to the Graveyard. Welch played Dux next, and equipped it with Phalanx from the Graveyard. He Special Summoned Phalanx, and Synchro Summoned Dragunity Knight – Gae Dearg! Its effect added Garuda the Wind Spirit to his hand, and he discarded Blaster. He Special Summoned Garuda, banishing Tempest, and added Dragunity Mystletainn to his hand. He sent Gae Dearg to the Graveyard to Special Summon Mystletainn, and equipped it with Phalanx. He Special Summoned Phalanx, tuned it to Garuda for Dragunity Knight – Vajrayana, and equipped Phalanx again. He Special Summoned it, and stacked Mystletainn with Vajrayana for Hieratic Dragon King of Atum! Atum Special Summoned Red-Eyes Darkness Metal Dragon from the Deck, and it revived Gae Dearg. He searched with Gae Dearg, adding Blackwing – Zephyros the Elite to his hand and discarding it. He bounced Red-Eyes to bring back Zephyros, and banished Atum to Special Summon Red-Eyes again. Red-Eyes Special Summoned Vajrayana, and he stacked his Dragunity Knights for Constellar Ptolemy M7! He detached Vajrayana for Ptolemy M7’s effect to add Garuda to his hand, and he banished Dux to Special Summon Garuda again. He stacked Garuda and Zephyros for Queen Dragon Djinn! The Queen Special Summoned Mystletainn, and he tuned it to Phalanx for Stardust Dragon. Finally, he Set Compulsory Evacuation Device and Vanity’s Emptiness to finish. What a turn! [oh snap pic here] Deo banished Blaster for Sacred Sword of Seven Stars, and searched out Trigon. “Show me the Emptiness, I’ll scoop,” Deo said. When Welch revealed it, Deo conceded immediately! Chris Welch has a ridiculous opening turn, thanks to the combined power of Dragunity, Dragon Rulers, and Garuda the Wind Spirit! The Duelists carefully used their Side Decks. Would Welch be able to do the same thing, this time after Deo has a chance to prepare himself by going first?

Duel 2 Deo played Dragon Ravine, discarding Tempest, Dragon Ruler of Storms to put Trigon in the Graveyard. He Special Summoned Redox, Dragon Ruler of Boulders next, banishing Tidal, Dragon Ruler of Waterfalls from his hand and Tempest from the Graveyard. He added Debris Dragon and Tidal to his hand. He Normal Summoned Debris, revived Trigon, and Synchro Summoned Ancient Fairy Dragon. It destroyed his Ravine to get another copy, and Deo gained 1000 Life Points. He played the new Ravine, discarded Tidal, and added Dragunity Corsesca to his hand. Ancient Fairy Dragon’s other effect let him Special Summon it, and he stacked Ancient Fairy Dragon and Redox for Mecha Phantom Beast Dracossack. He made a pair of Mecha Phantom Beast Tokens, then tuned Corsesca to the Tokens for another Ancient Fairy Dragon. He blew up Ravine again for more Life Points and a new Ravine, and used Ravine to discard Tidal and put Blaster, Dragon Ruler of Infernos in the Graveyard. He banished Corsesca and Ancient Fairy Dragon from the Graveyard to revive Blaster, and stacked it with Ancient Fairy Dragon for another Dracossack! He made two Tokens. This is almost as good as Welch’s opening last game!

Welch had Upstart Goblin, Compulsory Evacuation Device, Imperial Iron Wall, 2 Tempest, and Vanity’s Emptiness. Upstart Goblin gave him another Upstart Goblin, which gave him Electric Virus, and Deo was up to 12,000 Life Points! Welch discarded both Tempest to search out Phalanx. Electric Virus let him steal Dracossack, and he gave himself 2 Tokens. He Normal Summoned Phalanx and tuned it to the tokens for Scrap Dragon! Scrap and Dracossack attacked Deo’s Tokens, then Scrap destroyed both Dracossacks! Welch Set all his traps. In Deo’s Draw Phase, he flipped Imperial Iron Wall! Deo only Set a back row card.

Welch drew Blaster and attacked with Scrap Dragon. Deo Set a monster. Welch drew Terraforming and got himself a Dragon Ravine. He played it, discarding Blaster to add Dragunity Dux to his hand. He played Dux, and Deo flipped Skill Drain. Scrap Dragon destroyed Deo’s Ryko, Lightsworn Hunter, and Dux attacked directly. Deo passed. Welch drew another Dux. He played it, flipped Vanity’s Emptiness, and Deo offered the handshake! Chris Welch overcomes a double Dracossack opening with Electric Virus, and is moving on to the Top 16 with Dragunity!