Atlanta’s Ben Leverett, now thirteen years old, was a star of the Dragon Duel circuit with a whopping sixteen wins during his time in the Dragon Duel division!  Today he’s competing in the main event with Mermails, packing what might become one of the defining combos of the weekend.

Last year at YCS Toronto, the big Mermail move that surprised contenders and shook up competition involved playing Mermail Abyssteus to search for Mermail Abyssocea, then Special Summoning Aqua Spirit to Xyz Summon Mechquipped Angineer and Bahamut Shark.  Angineer would protect Bahamut Shark, and that monster’s Special Summon ability would unleash Mermail Abysstrite.  The play required nothing but Abyssteus and Aqua Spirit in hand, spawning a field of Bahamut Shark, Mechquipped Angineer, and up to two Mermail Abysstrites.

This new combo riffs off that play, but does it better: it only requires Mermail Abyssteus and any Level 4 – Aqua Spirit not required.  Just pitch for Abyssteus, search Abyssocea, and trade Abyssteus for a Level 4 Mermail and the Level 3 Mermail Abysshilde.  Overlay Abyssocea and Abysshilde for Mechquipped Angineer, then use Angineer to turn your Level 4 Mermail to Defense Position, detaching Abysshilde.  That’s the key: sending Abysshilde to the Graveyard triggers its effect, which lets you Summon that Level 4 from your hand.  From there you can Xyz Summon for the Bahamut Shark set-up, or even protect an Abyss Dweller.  We don’t want to give away who else is running the combo this weekend, but at least one previous Champion is banking on it to give him an edge.

Leverett’s opponent this round is Andrey Flynn from Oakland California, and this is a Mermail mirror match!  Would Leverett’s Abysshilde tech give him an advantage?  Was Flynn playing Abysshilde as well?  We were about to find out!

Leverett opened up with a hand of Cardcar D; Aqua Spirit; Tidal, Dragon Ruler of Waterfalls; Solemn Warning; Mermail Abysslinde; and Mystical Space Typhoon.  He Summoned Cardcar D, Set Typhoon and Warning, and Tributed away Cardcar D to draw Mermail Abysspike and another Cardcar D.

Flynn Summoned his own Mermail Abysspike, pitching Atlantean Marksman to search his Deck for Genex Undine, and destroying Leverett’s Set Solemn Warning with Marksman’s ability.  He attacked with Abysspike for a quick 1600 Battle Damage, then Set one Spell or Trap.  Leverett flipped Mystical Space Typhoon in the End Phase to destroy it: Call of the Haunted.

Leverett drew Mermail Abyssturge and Summoned Abysspike to pitch Abysslinde and get Abyssgunde from his Deck.  He banished Abysslinde to Special Summon Aqua Spirit, overlaid for Abyss Dweller, and attacked to destroy Abysspike in battle.

Flynn drew to five cards in hand and Summoned Genex Undine, sending Tidal, Dragon Ruler of Waterfalls to his graveyard as a cost.  Leverett Chained Abyss Dweller’s effect, and Flynn got Genex Controller from his Deck, ending his turn.

Leverett drew Mermail Abyssteus!  After some moments’ thought, he discarded Abyssgunde to Special Summon Abyssteus, Special Summoning back his Abysspike and then searching out Mermail Abysslinde from his Deck.  He Normal Summoned Abyssturge, pitching Tidal to get back his Abyssgunde.  He started running numbers, going to his calculator to see if he could get the win: “That’s game, right?  7400?”  Abyss Dweller attacked over Undine, destroying it, and then making direct attacks with Abysspike, Abyssteus, and Abyssturge to take the Duel!

An early Cardcar D seems to pay off, as Ben Leverett easily glides into the Game 1 win!  No fancy moves required, and no Tidal Special Summoned: a little bit of Abyssgunde beatdown makes a Turn 3 victory academic.

Flynn considered his options for a few moments, then Normal Summon Genex Undine to kick Atlantean Dragoons to his Graveyard.  He searched Genex Controller with Undine, then Atlantean Marksman with Dragoons’ effect.   He Set a single Spell or Trap.

This time Leverett had Reckless Greed; Upstart Goblin; Effect Veiler; two Mermail Abyssteus; and Fiendish Chain.  Upstart Goblin got him Abyss-sphere and he Set all three Trap Cards.

Flynn Summoned Mermail Abysspike, discarding Atlantean Marksman for its ability: Leverett negated Abysspike’s effect with Effect Veiler, and Marksman targeted his Abyss-sphere.  He Chained it, and Flynn Chained Maxx “C” to that, drawing a card when Leverett Special Summoned Mermail Abysslinde from his Deck.  Flynn attacked it with Abysspike, allowing Leverett to Special Summon an Abysspike of his own: Flynn drew another card with Maxx “C” and Leverett pitched Mermail Abyssteus to search out Atlantean Marksman.   Flynn Set two cards to his backrow.

Leverett drew Breakthrough Skill and activated Reckless Greed, drawing Effect Veiler and another Abysslinde.  He pitched Atlantean Marksman to Special Summon Abbyssteus: Marksman targeted Abyss-sphere, Flynn Chained it, and while Flynn Special Summoned Mermail Abysslinde Leverett searched out his Mermail Abyssocea.  He Summoned it, trading his on-field Abyssteus to Special Summon Mermail Abyssturge and Mermail Abysshilde.

From there he overlaid Abysspike and Abyssturge to Special Summon Abyss Dweller, then overlaid Abysshilde and Abyssocea for Mechquipped Angineer!  He attacked with Abyss Dweller; Flynn flipped Mirror Force; and Leverett Chained Angineer’s effect to shift Abyss Dweller to Defense Position.  He used Abysshilde’s effect to Special Summon Mermail Abysslinde in Defense Position, then activated Abyss Dweller’s ability, detaching Abyssturge.  He Set Breakthrough and Fiendish.

Flynn drew for his turn and searched his Graveyard and hand for options. He had a lot of them: with six cards in hand and two on-field, he discarded Tidal, Dragon Ruler of Waterfalls to Special Summon Mermail Abyssteus: Leverett negated its ability with Effect Veiler.  He then activated his Abyss Dweller’s effect as well.  Flynn spent a moment looking through Leverett’s Graveyard, reminding himself that Leverett was under Reckless Greed, and Normal Summoned Mermail Abysspike.  He activated its effect to discard Mermail Abysslinde and search Mermail Abyssgunde from his Deck.  Flynn wiped out the Abyss Dweller moments later with an attack from his first Abysspike, and his second Abysspike attacked Leverett’s Abysslinde; he used its ability to Special Summon Mermail Abyssmegalo.  In Main Phase 2 Flynn overlaid the Abysspike’s to Xyz Summon Bahamut Shark, and lost its effect to Fiendish Chain.

Leverett attacked Genex Undine with Abyssmegalo.

Flynn Normal Summoned Genex Controller, Tuned it to Mermail Abyssteus, and Synchro Summoned Leo, the Keeper of the Sacred Tree!  Flynn banished Mermail Abysslinde and Genex Undine to Special Summon Tidal, Dragon Ruler of Waterfalls in Attack Position, shifted Bahamut Shark to Defense Position, and attacked with Leo and Tidal.  He Set one card to his Spell and Trap Card Zone and Leverett, still trapped under Reckless Greed, conceded.

Andrey Flynn takes the second Duel, evening the Match score!  This last game would decide who would move on with a 2-0 record, and who’d leave the Feature Match table 1-1.  As more spectators arrived to watch the Match, the pressure escalated.

Leverett opened Game 3 with Solemn Warning; Atlantean Marksman; Vanity’s Emptiness; Abyss-sphere; Mermail Abysspike; and Mermail Abyssteus.  He pitched Marksman for Abyssteus, seeking out Mermail Abyssocea!  He Summoned it, trading Abyssteus to Special Summon Mermail Abysshilde and Mermail Abyssturge, then overlaid the Level 3’s for Mechquipped Angineer!  He detached Abysshilde to turn Abyssturge to Defense Position, and that activated Abysshilde’s ability, letting him Special Summon Abysspike from his hand.  He overlaid for Abyss Dweller, then Set Warning, ‘sphere, and Vanity’s Emptiness, a huge opening!  Angineer could protect Abyss Dweller, which would in turn stop all of Flynn’s most important moves.  With Warning and Vanity’s Emptiness securing the field, Leverett was in an amazing position.

Flynn Set two cards to his Spell and Trap Card Zone.  Leverett flipped Abyss-sphere to Special Summon Mermail Abysslinde, and when Flynn ended his turn Leverett Special Summoned Mermail Abyssmegalo.

Leverett drew Breakthrough Skill.  He attacked with Angineer, scoring a clean shot.  Abyss-Dweller scored a hit as well, and Mermail Abyssmegalo dropped Flynn to 1100 Life Points!  Leverett Set Breakthrough Skill, and Flynn considered actions as Leverett tried to leave Main Phase 2.  He wound up choosing to simply move to his next turn.

Flynn activated Dark Hole, and Leverett Chained Angineer’s effect, targeting his Abyss Dweller.  Abyssmegalo and Angineer were both destroyed.  Five minutes remained in the Match and Flynn needed to pull out something big.  He Summoned Mermail Abyssocea, activated its effect, and Leverett hit it with Breakthrough Skill.  Flynn flipped Abyss-sphere, and after a moment’s consideration Leverett let it go: Flynn Special Summoned his own Mermail Abysshilde! Leverett responded by activating Abyss Dweller’s effect, leaving Flynn to try for Mechquipped Angineer: Leverett took it out with Solemn Warning!  “No hand, right?” he asked.  Leverett confirmed: all he had was Abyss Dweller and his Set Vanity’s Emptiness.

But Flynn flipped Abyss-sphere, Leverett Chained Vanity’s Emptiness, and Flynn immediately gave the handshake!  Ben Leverett moves on with a 2-0 record, winning out off that huge Mermail Abysshilde combo in Game 3.