Las Vegas Duelist Andrew Ocheltree is using a unorthodox Hieratic Deck – he’s packing cards like Hieratic Dragon of Gebeb and Hieratic Seal of the Sun Dragon Overlord, which lets him make crazy plays involving cards like Divine Dragon Knight Felgrand and Number 107: Galaxy-Eyes Tachyon Dragon! The problem? He’s up against San Diego’s Daisuke Canup, who’s using Evilswarm! Evilswarm are a tremendously difficult matchup for Hieratics, since Ophion cuts off almost all of their moves. Will things go according to plan for Canup, or will Ocheltree overcome the odds?

Duel 1

Ocheltree started with Pot of Duality, revealing Reckless Greed, Hieratic Dragon of Tefnuit, and Hieratic Dragon of Su. He took Su.

Canup had Evilswarm Heliotrope, Reinforcement of the Army, Mystical Space Typhoon, Upstart Goblin, Evilswarm Thunderbird, and Effect Veiler. He played Reinforcement first, grabbing Evilswarm Castor, then played it and Heliotrope. He Xyz Summoned Evilswarm Ophion, and searched out Infestation Infection. Upstart Goblin let him draw Evilswarm Mandragora. Ophion attacked directly, then Canup Set Infection and Mystical Space Typhoon.

Ocheltree negated Ophion with Forbidden Chalice. He Normal Summoned Hieratic Dragon of Gebeb, then Tributed it to Special Summon Hieratic Dragon of Su. Gebeb’s effect Special Summoned Hieratic Seal of the Sun Dragon Overlord! He Tributed a Su from his hand for the Su on his field, to destroy Infestation Infection. Canup Chained it to return Thunderbird to his Deck, grabbing Evilswarm Kerykeion. The Tributed Su Special Summoned Labradorite Dragon, and he Xyz Summoned Hieratic Dragon King of Atum. Its effect was negated by Canup’s Effect Veiler. Ocheltree played One Day of Peace, giving Canup Thunderbird again. Ocheltree used Atum to Xyz Summon Gaia Dragon, the Thunder Charger, and attacked Ophion, but forgot he’d boosted it with Forbidden Chalice! Gaia Dragon went down!

Canup drew Mystical Space Typhoon. He Normal Summoned Thunderbird and destroyed Hieratic Seal of the Sun Dragon Overlord in battle. He Set the second Typhoon.

Ocheltree passed.

Canup drew another Thunderbird. He played it and attacked directly with all three of his monsters, leaving Ocheltree with a mere 600 Life Points. In Main Phase 2, Canup Xyz Summoned Gagaga Cowboy, dealing the final damage to end the Duel!

Daisuke Canup controls the field with Evilswarm Ophion, and a slipup with Forbidden Chalice keeps Ocheltree from fighting out of it! He’ll have to win two in a row now, against one of his worst matchups!

Duel 2

Ocheltree Set a back row card, then played Cardcar D for two more new cards.

Canup had Dark Hole, Mystical Space Typhoon, Bottomless Trap Hole, D.D. Crow, Infestation Pandemic, and Evilswarm Castor. He Set the Bottomless Trap Hole, but lost it to Mystical Space Typhoon.

Ocheltree Set a back row card.

Canup drew Mirror Force and Set it.

Ocheltree played Hieratic Dragon of Eset, then Tributed it for Hieratic Dragon of Su. Eset Special Summoned Labradorite Dragon, then Su Tributed Hieratic Dragon of Tefnuit from the hand to destroy Mirror Force. Tefnuit Special Summoned a second Labradorite Dragon. He stacked them both for Hieratic Dragon King of Atum, and its effect brought Red-Eyes Darkness Metal Dragon to the field. It activated, and Canup used D.D. Crow on Tefnuit. Red-Eyes revived Labradorite Dragon instead, and he Xyz Summoned Constellar Ptolemy M7. That returned Red-Eyes to the hand, and Ocheltree used Atum to Xyz Summon Gaia Dragon, the Thunder Charger. He banished that to Special Summon Red-Eyes again, and it revived Atum. He used Atum to Summon another Gaia Dragon, and moved to his Battle Phase. He attacked with everything, for 8100 damage!

Ocheltree evens the score with a massive turn, winning in one shot! It will all come down to this final Duel!

Duel 3

Canup began with Thunderbird, Mandragora, Twister, Reinforcement of the Army, Mystical Space Typhoon, and Infestation Pandemic. He played Reinforcement for Castor, then played it and Thunderbird. He Xyz Summoned Evilswarm Ophion, and it added Infestation Infection to his hand. He Set it, Pandemic, and Twister.

Ocheltree played Cardcar D for two new cards, and passed. He had seven cards in his hand, and had to discard another Cardcar D in the End Phase.

Canup drew Zombie World! He Normal Summoned Mandragora and attacked with it, but not Ophion (After the Match, he said he was wary of Ghostrick Jackfrost. Ocheltree had, in fact, sided those in.). In Main Phase 2 he activated Zombie World.

Ocheltree Set two back row cards.

Canup drew Seven Tools of the Bandit. He attacked with Mandragora, then Set Seven Tools.

Ocheltree played Forbidden Lance on Ophion, and Canup Chained Infestation Pandemic. Ocheltree used Electric Virus next, stealing Ophion (It was no longer affected by Zombie World due to Pandemic). He attacked Mandragora with it, and Canup responded with Infestation Infection. He returned the Mandragora to the Deck, adding Castor to his hand. The attack was replayed, and Ophion attacked directly.

Canup took Ophion back, then drew Upstart Goblin, which gave him Evilswarm Heliotrope. He played Castor and Heliotrope and Xyz Summoned a second Ophion. That one searched out Infestation Pandemic, and Canup entered the Battle Phase. Each Ophion attacked directly, leaving Ocheltree with 800 Life Points. Canup Set the Pandemic.

Ocheltree Normal Summoned Hieratic Dragon of Gebeb, and passed.

Canup drew Solemn Warning. He flipped Infestation Pandemic to protect his Ophions, and wiped out Gebeb. Ocheltree only had 50 Life Points left, and the second Ophion ended the Match!

Daisuke Canup is victorious with Evilswarm!