Ryan Pasnik played Gustos at YCS Philadelphia, and now he’s back in the Feature Match spotlight playing his signature Deck, which he calls “Swagalicious.”  It’s Gustos, and it’s got a good record – there was no way we weren’t featuring it.  If you’re not familiar with the strategy, go get familiar with Daigusto Sphreez before continuing.  That’s gonna become important at some point.  Pasnik’s opponent is Hong-Huy Tran-Vuong, an Infernity Duelist with Main Decked Tin Goldfish.  Infernity’s a really under-the-radar pick in this tournament, and it’s got a great Lightsworn match-up amongst others.

 

But could it handle Swagalicious?

Pasnik opened with a hand of Gusto Gulldo; Dimensional Prison; Bottomless Trap Hole; Fire Hand; Emergency Teleport; and Torrential Tribute.  He Set all the Trap Cards and Set Gulldo to get things started.

 

Tran-Vuong Normal Summoned Tin Goldfish, and used its effect to Special Summon Stygian Street Patrol.  He overlaid both monsters for Evilswarm Exciton Knight: Pasnik blew it away with Bottomless, but Tran-Vuong Chained Evilswarm Exciton Knight’s effect to clear the field!  That left Tran-Vuong with four cards in hand, and he Set one to his backrow, then another, and then a third!  He flipped Soul Charge right after Setting it to bring back Goldfish and Street Patrol in Defense Position, then overlaid them after a brief moment’s thought for Lavalval Chain.  He detached Street Patrol to send Infernity Archfiend from his Deck to his Graveyard.  He banished Street Patrol to Special Summon another from his hand, then flipped Infernity Launcher, sending it to the Graveyard to bring back Infernity Archfiend!

 

 

He searched out Infernity Break with Archfiend’s effect, then overlaid Archfiend and Street Patrol for another Lavalval Chain!  That let him detach Street Patrol to the Graveyard and stacked an Infernity Archfiend to the top of his Deck.  He Set the Break and ended.

 

Pasnik drew Black Horn of Heaven, going to three cards in hand.  He Normal Summoned Fire Hand and ran it at one of the Lavalval Chains, destroying Fire Hand and triggering its ability: Pasnik destroyed one the Lavalval, then Special Summoned an Ice Hand from his Deck.  It attacked into the next Lavalval Chain, Ice Hand went down, and Pasnik destroyed Tran-Vuong’s Infernity Break, bringing out another Fire Hand!  He crashed that into Lavalval Chain, destroying it, and then brought out another Ice Hand for a direct attack.  Tran-Vuong had no cards left in hand and just one card Set!  That one Fire Hand had totally turned things around.

 

…Maybe.  Tran-Vuong drew his stacked Infernity Archfiend, Special Summoning it to search another.  He banished Street Patrol to Special Summon the next Archfiend, searching out Infernity Necromancer.  Tran-Vuong overlaid both Archfiends for Number 101: Silent Honor ARK, but Pasnik negated the Xyz Summon with Black Horn of Heaven.  Tran-Vuong Summoned Infernity Necromancer; activated its effect to revive Infernity Archfiend; and got yet another search, this time taking another Necromancer.  He flipped his last Set card: Allure of Darkness.  That got him two draws and he banished his Infernity Necromancer, now holding a fresh two cards – both unknowns to Pasnik.  With no backrow left Tran-Vuong was free to attack over Ice Hand, destroying it with Infernity Archfiend and ending.

 

Pasnik drew Mind Control.  He still had that Emergency Teleport, which he activated to Special Summon Pilica, Descendant of Gusto.  Its effect let him revive Gusto Gulldo, and he Tuned it to Pilica to Synchro Summon Daigusto Sphreez!  He used its ability to get back Gulldo, then Normal Summoned it and sent it on a suicide mission into Infernity Archfiend – Gulldo went down, Tran-Vuong took the damage, and Pasnik Special Summoned Gusto Egul from his Deck with Gulldo’s effect, dropping his opponent to 2300 Life Points.  He rammed Egul into Infernity Archfiend as well, this time Special Summoning Kamui, Hope of Gusto.

 

He rammed that into Infernity Archfiend, dropping Tran-Vuong to 200 Life Points and then powered over Archfiend with Sphreez for game!

 

 

Ryan Pasnik reveals his win condition, shattering Tran-Vuong with a reverse-victory courtesy of Daigusto Sphreez!  Now that Tran-Vuong knew what he was up against, could he fight back and take two consecutive wins?

 

Tran-Vuong opened Game 2 with Reinforcement of the Army to get Dark Grepher, Normal Summoning it and pitching Stygian Street Patrol to send Archfiend Heiress to the Graveyard; that triggered its ability, letting Tran-Vuong search for Infernity Archfiend.  He Set three cards to his Spell and Trap Card Zone, Set a fourth, then banished his Street Patrol for its ability: Pasnik Chained the effect of Maxx “C” as Tran-Vuong Special Summoned Infernity Archfiend.  The Archfiend’s ability got him Infernity Break, and he Set it.  He overlaid Grepher and Archfiend for Number 66: Master Key Beetle, then flipped Dimensional Fissure, protecting it with Key Beetle’s effect.

 

This time Pasnik had Creature Swap; two Gusto Gulldo; Torrential Tribute; two Gusto Egul; and Caam, Serenity of Gusto. He Summoned an Egul and activated Creature Swap, prompting Tran-Vuong to destroy Egul with Infernity Break!  It was a good effort by Pasnik, but not enough.  He Set Torrential.

 

Tran-Vuong activated Key Beetle’s effect again, targeting a face-down card in his backrow.  Tran-Vuong made a direct attack.

 

 

Pasnik drew Black Horn of Heaven and Set it, then Set a monster.

 

Tran-Vuong drew and Summoned Stygian Street Patrol, prompting Pasnik to flip Torrential Tribute.  Tran-Vuong gave up his Dimensional Fissure to keep Number 66: Master Key Beetle on the field, while Street Patrol and Egul were destroyed.  He made another direct attack with Key Beetle, dropping Pasnik to 3000 Life Points.

 

Pasnik drew his third Gulldo and Set it.

 

Tran-Vuong drew and Set a monster, then attacked the Gulldo to destroy it; Pasnik activated its effect and Tran-Vuong negated it with Debunk!

 

Pasnik drew Kamui, Hope of Gusto and Set another Gulldo.

 

Tran-Vuong flipped his Set Vanity’s Emptiness, then attacked to destroy Gulldo.  He Set another backrow card and ended.

 

Pasnik drew and Set Breakthrough Skill, then Set Kamui. He lost the Breakthrough in his End Phase to Tran-Vuong’s Mystical Space Typhoon.

 

Tran-Vuong attacked the Kamui, destroyed it, and Set another Spell or Trap.

 

Pasnik drew Book of Moon and Summoned Caam: Tran-Vuong destroyed it with Infernity Break before Pasnik could use its effect.  Pasnik Set Book.

 

Tran-Vuong Summoned Tin Goldfish, flipped another Break to target Book, and Pasnik Chained Book to turn Goldfish face-down.  Another direct shot from Key Beetle dropped Pasnik to 500 LP.  Pasnik drew a dead Solemn Warning next turn and conceded immediately.

 

 

A quick and deadly set-up with Number 66: Master Key Beetle protecting Dimensional Fissure and Vanity’s Emptiness lets TTV dominate the second Duel of the Match, and bad draws for Ryan Pasnik add insult to injury!  Could TTV pull that off a second time?  Twelve minutes remained in the Match.

 

Pasnik opened the Duel with Breakthrough Skill; Mystical Space Typhoon; Creature Swap; Kamui, Hope of Gusto; Book of Moon; and Pilica, Descendant of Gusto.  He Set everything but Swap and Pilica.

 

Tran-Vuong Summoned Tin Goldfish, and Pasnik negated its effect with Breakthrough Skill.  TTV Set two cards to his backrow.

 

Pasnik drew Black Horn of Heaven and Flip Summoned Kamui to Special Summon Gusto Gulldo.  He Tuned them together for Armades, Keeper of Boundaries, but Tran-Vuong negated the Summon with Solemn Warning, dropping to 6000 Life Points.  Pasnik Set Horn.

 

Tran-Vuong Normal Summoned Summoner Monk, and Pasnik responded with Book of Moon to turn it face-down.  Tran-Vuong turned Goldfish to Defense Position and Set a second Spell or Trap Card.

 

Pasnik drew Gusto Egul and Summoned Pilica, reviving Gusto Gulldo from his Graveyard.  He Synchro Summoned Daigusto Sphreez, then got back his Pilica from his Graveyard.  Sphreez attacked to destroy Summoner Monk.

 

Tran-Vuong Summoned Stygian Street Patrol and after a few moments of consideration, overlaid it with Goldfish in a bid to Xyz Summon Evilswarm Exciton Knight – Pasnik blasted it with Black Horn of Heaven and the assembled crowd watching the jumbo screen exploded!  Tran-Vuong pressed on, banishing Street Patrol to Special Summon Infernity Necromancer in Defense Position.

 

Pasnik drew another Egul and Summoned Pilica, bringing back another Gulldo.  He activated Creature Swap, sending over the Gulldo and taking Necromancer; the crowd cheered again!  Pasnik attacked with Pilica, TTV flipped Soul Drain, and Pasnik Chained Mystical Space Typhoon!  Pilica destroyed Gulldo; Pasnik activated its effect to bring out Egul; and Pasnik attacked with Egul and Sphreez to drop TTV to 2800 Life Points!  “Go ahead.”

 

 

Tran-Vuong drew and Set one card to his backrow, then Set his last card – a monster.

 

Pasnik drew another Black Horn of Heaven.  He Summoned another Egul, ran its 200 ATK into TTV’s Set monster, and it flipped: Infernity Necromancer!  Sphreez would dish out all that damage from both Eguls to Tran-Vuong, who knew it and immediately offered the handshake!

 

 

Ryan Pasnik manages to use Daigusto Sphreez to turn Tran-Vuong’s own deck against him not once, but twice and in two different ways!  Gustos moves on with a 5-1 record, well in the hunt for Day 2!