Eaton Guo is 5-1 with Worms, competing this round against Jerald Acosta, 5-1 with Evilswarms.  Guo was at Table 2 last round and was quietly winning Match after Match with one of the strangest decks of the tournament – a deck we’ve seen him play in major tournaments before.  A win here would keep the Top 32 dream alive for the victor, while the defeated duelist would have tow in out in the rest of Day 1 and Day 2 to guarantee their spot in the playoffs.

 

Who would triumph?!  We were about to find out.

 

Acosta opened the Match with Reinforcement of the Army searching Evilswarm Castor.  He Summoned it, then used his Extra Normal Summon from Castor to Summon Evilswarm Heliotrope.  He Summoned Evilswarm Ophion and detached an Xyz Material, searching Infestation Pandemic from his Deck.  Acosta Set four cards to his Spell and Trap Card Zone.

 

Guo had a hand of Compulsory Evacuation Device; Burst Rebirth; Black Luster Soldier – Envoy of the Beginning; W Nebula Meteorite; Breakthrough Skill; and Mystical Space Typhoon.  He Set Compulsory, Rebirth, and Breakthrough Skill, then Set Nebula and Typhoon as well, left with nothing but the Black Luster Soldier in hand.

 

PPP moved to Main Phase 1, and Guo blasted his Ophion with Breakthrough Skill.  PPP attacked with Ophion, dished out 2550 Battle Damage, and ended.

 

Guo drew Torrential Tribute and Set it.

 

PPP detached his second Xyz Material from Ophion to get another Infestation Pandemic, then Normal Summoned another Castor.  He used his additional Normal Summon to bring out Evilswarm Mandragora; Guo flipped Torrential Tribute; and PPP Chained Infestation Pandemic to save his monsters.  He attacked for 1550 with Mandragora; 1750 with Castor; and when he attacked with Ophion Guo flipped Mystical Space Typhoon to destroy PPP’s Set Macro Cosmos, just looking to see another card before losing.

 

 

PPP still has no idea what Eaton Guo’s running, but he sweeps the first Duel anyways!  A total blowout for Eaton Guo’s Worm deck.  This one might be over quick.

 

Play was to Guo, who opened with Kagetokage; Pot of Duality; Thunder King Rai-Oh; Rank-Up-Magic – The Seventh One; Worm Xex; and Rivalry of Warlords.  He Summoned Xex to send Worm Yagan to his Graveyard, then activated its ability to Special Summon it in face-down Defense Position.  He Set two cards to his backrow.

 

Acosta Summoned Evilswarm Castor, Normal Summoned Evilswarm Heliotrope, and Guo flipped Rivalry!  Acosta destroyed his Castor and attacked Xex, destroying it in battle.  He Set two cards to his Spell and Trap Card Zone.

 

Guo drew Ice Hand and Summoned it, running it into Dimensional Prison!  Pot of Duality in Main Phase 2 let Guo choose between Xex, Fire Hand, and Traptrix Myrmeleo; he took Fire Hand and shuffled the rest back.

 

Acosta Summoned another Evilswarm Heliotrope, attacked Yagan, destroyed it, and its effect bounced the second Heliotrope back to Acosta’s hand.

 

Guo drew Worm Cartaros and Summoned Fire Hand, attacking Heliotrope to destroy the Hand.  Its effect destroyed Heliotrope and Special Summoned Ice Hand, which made a direct attack for 1400 Battle Damage.  Acosta stopped it with Fiendish Chain.  “I’ll end my turn.”

 

Acosta drew to four cards in hand and Summoned Evilswarm Heliotrope again, attacking over Ice Hand to destroy it; he lost the Fiendish Chain as well, but Guo couldn’t Special Summon with Ice Hand as Fiendish was sent to the Graveyard automatically – it would’ve been his only target for Ice Hand’s destruction effect..  Acosta Set a Spell or Trap.

 

Guo drew Mystical Space Typhoon and activated it, destroying Acosta’s Set Solemn Warning.  He Summoned Cartaros, Special Summon Kagetokage, and overlaid them for King of the Feral Imps!  That let Guo search his Deck for Worm Xex, and he attacked over Heliotrope with King of The Feral Imps to destroy it.  “I’ll pass to you.”

 

Acosta drew Evilswarm Heliotrope, then Set a spell or trap.

 

Guo drew Worm King, but in the Draw Phase Acosta blew away his King of the Feral Imps with Compulsory Evacuation Device.  Guo Summoned Worm Xex to kick Worm Yagan to his Graveyard, then Special Summoned it back in Defense Position, face-down.  “I’ll end my turn.”

 

Acosta ran over the Xex with Heliotrope.

 

Guo drew Honest.  He Tributed his face-down Yagan to Tribute Summon Worm King, attacked over Heliotrope, and ended.

 

Acosta Set a monster.

 

Guo drew Wiretap and attacked to destroy Acosta’s Set Evilswarm Thunderbird.

 

Acosta Set a monster, then Set a Spell or Trap Card.

 

Guo drew Breakthrough Skill and attacked with Worm King again, this time destroying Evilswarm Kerykeion.  He Set Breakthrough.

 

Acosta Set a monster.

 

Guo drew Fire Hand and attacked once more with Worm King, this time destroying Rescue Rabbit.  He Set Fire Hand.  He now had eight cards total to Acosta’s two.

 

Acosta drew a third card next turn, then Normal Summoned Evilswarm Kerykeion for its effect.  When he tried to activate it, Guo negated Kerykeion’s ability with Breakthrough Skill: Acosta attacked into Fire Hand and Guo destroyed the Kerykeion.

 

Guo drew Soul Charge and made a direct attack with Worm King, dropping Acosta to 4200 Life Points.

 

Acosta passed.

 

 

Guo drew Worm Cartaros and attacked with Worm King again.  He Set Cartaros.

 

Acosta drew to two in hand with two cards in his Spell and Trap Card Zone, and Special Summoned Evilswarm Mandragora.  He destroyed Rivalry of Warlords with Mystical Space Typhoon, then Normal Summoned Evilswarm Castor!  That let him overlay for Evilswarm Exciton Knight, and he activated its effect to wipe the field, destroying Guo’s The Seventh One and Wiretap.

 

Guo drew Mystical Space Typhoon.  He activated Soul Charge, reviving Worm King, two Worm Xex, and Fire Hand for 4000 Life Points.  He activated the effect of Worm King, Tributing Xex to destroy Evilswarm Exciton Knight, and it was all over moments later!  Guo Summoned Thunder King Rai-Oh, Acosta had no rejoinder next turn, and Guo attacked with everything for game.

 

 

Eaton Guo battles back after a harsh Game 1 defeat, and presses the Match to one more Duel!  Jerald Acosta was going first, and since both Duelists were 5-1 the pressure was really on for them to win out in these last three Matches of the day.  Side Decking was quick, but well considered.

 

Acosta started with Rescue Rabbit, activating its effect to Special Summon two Evilswarm Heliotrope.  He overlaid for Evilswarm Ophion, searched his Deck for Infestation Pandemic, and Set five cards.

 

Guo had Bottomless Trap Hole; two Fire Hands; Traptrix Myrmeleo; Ice Hand; and Worm Cartaros.  He Set Fire Hand and Bottomless.

 

Acosta detached Ophion’s second Xyz Material to search Infestation Infection, Normal Summoned Evilswarm Kerykeion, and banished one Heliotrope to revive another.  Guo went for Bottomless Trap Hole but lost out to Infestation Infection.  Debunk let Acosta clear Fire Hand in battle with no consequences, and successive attacks dropped Guo to 3500 Life Points.  In Main Phase 2 Acosta overlaid Kerykeion and Heliotrope to Xyz Summon a second Ophion!  He Set a fourth, then a fifth spell or trap card.

 

Guo drew Rivalry of Warlords, and Acosta flipped Deck Devastation Virus, Tributing his first Ophion!  That destroyed Cartaros and Ice Hand from Guo’s hand, triggering Ice Hand; it destroyed Acosta’s Solemn Warning and Guo proceeded to Set Rivalry and Fire Hand.

 

 

Acosta passed.

 

Guo drew Worm Xex and Flip Summoned Fire Hand.  He attacked, but lost Fire hand to Dimensional Prison.  In Main Phase 2 he Summoned Xex, sending Worm Yagan to the Graveyard, and Acosta banished it with Debunk.

 

Acosta attacked over Xex with Evilswarm Ophion on the following turn, and Set a third Spell or Trap.

 

Guo ripped Rank-Up-Magic – The Seventh One!  The assembled crowd exploded!  Guo activated it, bringing out Number 101: Silent Honor ARK and overlaying it with Number C101: Silent Honor DARK.

 

 

Guo used Honor DARK’s effect to take Ophion as an Xyz Material, then Normal Summoned Traptrix Myrmeleo to search his Deck for… nothing, as he was out of searchable Trap Cards.  He attacked with Myrmeleo for 1600 Battle Damage, then swung with Honor DARK for 2800 Battle Damage.  Acosta was down to 3600 Life Points.  Guo had 2700.  That Seventh One might’ve just saved the Match.

 

But no!  Acosta flipped Infestation Infection to trade his Evilswarm Heliotrope for Evilswarm Kerykeion.  He flipped Mystical Space Typhoon to destroy Guo’s Set Rivalry of Warlords; Normal Summoned Kerykeion to banish Ophion and get back Evilswarm Heliotrope; and Normal Summoned it to Xyz Summon a Number 101: Silent Honor ARK of his own!  He took Honor DARK and ran over Myrmeleo for 500 Battle Damage.

 

Guo drew Honest and passed.

 

Acosta attacked with Number 101: Silent Honor ARK to drop Guo to 150 Life Points.

 

Guo drew, Set his topdecked Wiretap, and Set Honest.

 

Acosta sent Evilswarm Castor back to his Deck with Infestation Infection and Guo knew it was over, extending the handshake.

 

 

A valiant effort from Eaton Guo culminating in a breathtaking near-comeback with Rank-Up-Magic – The Seventh One rounds out the Match, but it’s just not enough, as Jerald Acosta leverages the precision of Infestation Infection to take the win!  Acosta moves on 6-1 with Evilswarm!