California’s Robert Boyajian is no stranger to competitive tournaments, but Duelists facing off against him this weekend are in for quite a surprise. Boyajian is using a unique Ghostrick Deck featuring Crane Crane and Rank-Up-Magic Astral Force. He uses Rank-Up-Magic Astral Force to promote Mechquipped Angineer into Tiras, Keeper of Genesis, turn Grenosaurus into Number 61: Volcasaurus, and transform Ghostrick Alucard into Crimson Knight Vampire Bram. His opponent, Virginia’s Anthony Irvine, is piloting an Elemental HERO Deck that Summons powerful Elemental HERO Fusion Monsters with Super Polymerization and Miracle Fusion. Will Boyajian’s original strategy triumph over Irvine’s practiced Elemental HERO Deck? It’s time to Duel!

Duel One

Boyajian opened up Duel 1 with Call of the Haunted, Caius the Shadow Monarch, Ghostrick Specter, Mystical Space Typhoon, Tour Guide From the Underworld, and Fiendish Chain. He Summoned Tour Guide From the Underworld and used its effect to Special Summon another Tour Guide from his Deck. Next, he combined his 2 Tour Guides to Xyz Summon Ghostrick Alucard in Attack Position. Boyajian Set Call of the Haunted, Mystical Space Typhoon, and Fiendish Chain before ending his turn.

Irvine Summoned Traptrix Myrmeleo and used its effect to add Bottomless Trap Hole from his Deck to his hand. Next, he activated Upstart Goblin, giving Boyajian 1000 Life Points and allowing Irvine to draw a card. Irvine Set 3 cards to his back row before passing.

Boyajian drew Ghostrick Jiangshi and then activated the effect of his Ghostrick Alucard. He detached an Xyz Material to destroy Irvine’s face-down Mirror Force and then attacked Myrmeleo to destroy it. Boyajian Set Ghostrick Jiangshi before passing.

Irvine Summoned Cardcar D and Tributed it to draw 2 cards and end his turn.

Boyajian drew Bottomless Trap Hole. He activated the effect of Alucard to try to destroy Irvine’s face-down Mystical Space Typhoon, and Irvine Chained it to destroy Boyajian’s face-down Call of the Haunted. Next, Boyajian Flip Summoned Ghostrick Jiangshi and used its effect to add Ghostrick Mary from his Deck to his hand. He attacked directly with Jiangshi and Alucard, dropping Irvine down to 5600 Life Points. Boyajian activated his Jiangshi’s effect to put it face-down and then Set Bottomless Trap Hole before ending his turn.

Irvine activated Upstart Goblin to draw a card and give Boyajian 1000 Life Points, and then activated Pot of Duality revealing Trap Hole, Thunder King Rai-Oh, and Gemini Spark from the top of his Deck. He added Thunder King Rai-Oh to his hand and shuffled the other 2 cards back into his Deck. Irvine Sumoned Thunder King Rai-Oh next. Boyajian flipped Bottomless Trap Hole to try to banish it, but Irvine Chained Forbidden Lance to protect it. Irvine Set 2 cards to his back row before ending his turn.

Boyajian drew Pot of Duality next turn. He Flip Summoned Ghostrick Jiangshi and then Tributed it to Summon Caius the Shadow Monarch. He targeted Thunder King Rai-Oh with Caius’s effect, and when Irvine Chained Fiendish Chain to try to negate its effect, Boyajian Chained Mystical Space Typhoon to destroy the Fiendish Chain. Fiendish Chain was destroyed, and Rai-Oh was banished by Caius’s effect. Direct attacks from Alucard and Caius dropped Irvine down to 1400 Life Points. Boyajian activated Pot of Duality and revealed Jiangshi, Mary, and Rank-Up-Magic Astral Force from the top of his Deck. He added Rank-Up-Magic Astral Force to his hand and shuffled the other 2 cards back into his Deck.

Irvine activated E – Emergency Call to add Elemental HERO Neos Alius from his Deck to his hand. He Summoned it to the field and then attacked Ghostrick Alucard. Boyajian lost 100 Life Points and then discarded Ghostrick Mary to activate its effect and Special Summon Ghostrick Jiangshi face-down from his Deck. Boyajian used Alucard’s effect to add another Jiangshi from his Graveyard to his hand.

Boyajian drew Crane Crane next turn. He Flip Summoned Jiangshi and used its effect to add Ghostrick Mary from his Deck to his hand. Next, he Normal Summoned Jiangshi. He combined both Jiangshis to Summon Wind-Up Zenmaines in Attack Position and then attacked Elemental HERO Neos Alius with Caius. Irvine quickly conceded, with his 3 back rows that were unable to stop Zenmaines’s finishing attack.

Robert Boyajian wins Duel 1 with his army of ghosts! Anthony Irvine will be going first in Duel 2!

Duel Two

Anthony Irvine started off Duel 2.

He activated Prohibition, naming Ghostrick Jiangshi. He Set 2 cards to his back row and then Summoned Cardcar D. He Tributed it to draw 2 cards and then ended his turn.

Boyajian opened up Duel 2 with Full House, Ghostrick Jackfrost, Ghostrick Jiangshi, Ghostrick Mary, and 2 copies of Crane Crane. He Set Full House and then ended his turn.

Irvine Summoned Elemental HERO Neos Alius and attacked directly, dropping Boyajian down to 6100 Life Points. Irvine Set another card to his back row before ending his turn.

Boyajian drew Caius the Shadow Monarch and then ended his turn. Irvine activated Reinforcement of the Army, and Boyajian Chained Full House! He targeted Reinforcement of the Army, Prohibition, and Irvine’s 3 face-down back rows. Irvine Chained Gemini Spark to destroy his own Set Mirror Force by Tributing Neos Alius, and drew a card with Gemini Spark’s effect. Full House destroyed everything else, including Irvine’s other Set Mirror Force.

Irvine added Photon Thrasher from his Deck to his hand with the effect of Reinforcement of the Army and then Summoned it. He attacked, but Boyajian Special Summoned Ghostrick Jackfrost from his hand face-down and put Photon Thrasher face-down.

Boyajian Flip Summoned his Jackfrost and attacked the face-down Thrasher to destroy it. He Tributed Jackfrost to Summon Caius in Main Phase 2 and tried to banish Irvine’s face-down Fiendish Chain; but Irvine Chained it to negate Caius’s effect. Boyajian Set Call of the Haunted before passing.

Irvine activated Miracle Fusion, banishing Neos Alius and Photon Thrasher from his Graveyard to Special Summon Elemental HERO The Shining. He attacked Caius to destroy it and deal 500 points of damage to Boyajian.

Boyajian Set Ghostrick Jiangshi and passed.

Irvine Summoned Cardcar D. He Tributed it to draw 2 cards and end his turn.

Boyajian Flip Summoned Jiangshi and used its effect to add Ghostrick Specter to his hand. He activated Jiangshi’s effect to put it face-down next, and then Set Mystical Space Typhoon.

Irvine activated Pot of Duality next turn, revealing Solemn Warning and 2 copies of Mystical Space Typhoon from the top of his Deck. He added Solemn Warning to his hand and shuffled the other 2 cards back into his Deck. Irvine Set 2 cards to his back row before passing.

Boyajian drew Tour Guide From the Underworld next turn. He Flip Summoned Jiangshi and used its effect to add Ghostrick Specter from his Deck to his hand. Irvine flipped Mind Crush, forcing Boyajian do discard the 2 Specters in his hand. Boyajian used Jiangshi’s effect to put it face-down again before passing his turn.

Irvine attacked Jiangshi with The Shining. Boyajian added Specter to his hand with its effect, and then Special Summoned Specter face-down when it was destroyed. Irvine Set a card to his back row before passing.

Boyajian Summoned Tour Guide From the Underworld next turn and activated its effect to Special Summon another Tour Guide from his Deck. He combined both Tour Guides to try to Xyz Summon Ghostrick Alucard in Defense Position; but Irvine flipped Solemn Warning and paid 2000 Life Points to negate its Summon. Boyajian added Ghostrick Specter from his Graveyard to his hand with Alucard’s effect. Boyajian Set Fiendish Chain before passing.

Irvine activated Upstart Goblin, granting Boyajian 1000 Life Points and drawing a card. Next, he Summoned Elemental HERO Neos Alius. He attacked the face-down Specter with The Shining, and Boyajian Special Summoned another Specter from his hand and drew a card. Neos Alius attacked and destroyed the newly Set Specter.

Boyajian activated The Beginning of the End next turn! He banished 2 Specters, 2 Tour Guides, and Caius the Shadow Monarch from his Graveyard to draw Allure of Darkness, Caius the Shadow Monarch, and Rank-Up-Magic Astral Force. He activated Allure of Darkness to draw Dust Tornado and Call of the Haunted, and then banished Ghostrick Mary from his hand with the effect of Allure of Darkness. Next, Boyajian flipped Mystical Space Typhoon to destroy Irvine’s face-down Forbidden Lance. He Summoned Crane Crane next, and used its effect to Special Summon Jiangshi from his Graveyard in Defense Position. He combined Crane Crane and Jiangshi to Summon Ghostrick Alucard and detached an Xyz Material from it to destroy Irvine’s face-down Torrential Tribute. Finally, he activated Rank-Up-Magic Astral Force! He promoted Alucard into Crimson Knight Vampire Bram, and then attacked Neos Alius to destroy it. In Main Phase 2, he activated Bram’s effect by detaching Alucard. He Special Summoned Elemental HERO Neos Alius from Irvine’s Graveyard, and then used his Alucard’s effect to add Ghostrick Jackfrost from his Graveyard to his hand. Boyajian Set Call of the Haunted and Dust Tornado before ending his turn.

Irvine attacked Elemental HERO Neos Alius with The Shining to destroy it and then Set E – Emergency Call. Boyajian destroyed E – Emergency Call with Dust Tornado in the End Phase.

Boyajian drew Tour Guide From the Underworld next turn. He activated Call of the Haunted to Special Summon Alucard and then Tributed it to Summon Caius. He banished The Shining with Caius’s effect and then activated another Call of the Haunted to Special Summon Alucard back from the Graveyard. Direct attacks from Caius, Bram, and Alucard wiped out Irvine’s 5400 Life Points!

With some help from Full House, The Beginning of the End, and Rank-Up-Magic Astral Force, Robert Boyajian takes a slow victory in Duel 2 and seals the 2-0 win over Anthony Irvine!