Bo Tang represented Canada in the 2011 World Championship, and has since become one of Canada’s most recognized and accomplished competitors with a total of five YCS Tops.  He came here on a whim at the last minute, not knowing if he’d be able to make the WCQ this year!  His opponent this Round is California’s Gabriel Gonzalez, who traveled here this weekend from Los Angeles to compete with what’s become one of the the hottest decks of the weekend: Infernities.  Bo Tang’s playing Mermails, and both of these competitors are 6-2 and sitting on the bubble.

 

A win here was crucial for their Day 2 dreams.

Tang opened with a hand of Forbidden Lance; Vanity’s Emptiness; Genex Controller; Mermail Abyssteus; Abyss-sphere; and Mermail Abyssturge.  He Set Emptiness, Lance, and ‘sphere.

 

Gonzalez Summoned Armageddon Knight to kick Stygian Street Patrol from his Deck to his Graveyard.  He activated its effect to Special Summon to try and Summon another one from his hand, but Tang Chained Vanity’s Emptiness.  Gonzalez attacked for 1400 Battle Damage and Set two to his Spell and Trap Card Zone.

 

Tang drew Mermail Abyssmegalo and normal Summoned Abyssturge, attacking over Armageddon Knight.  “Go ahead.”

 

Gonzalez activated Mystical Space Typhoon from his hand, blindly choosing Tang’s Abyss-sphere.  He didn’t Chain it, and lost both the ‘sphere and his Vanity’s Emptiness.  Gonzalez Summoned Street Patrol, then revived his Armageddon Knight with Soul Charge to send another Street Patrol to his Graveyard.  He overlaid for Lavalval Chain, then detached for its effect to send Archfiend Heiress to his Graveyard.  That got him Infernity Archfiend to his hand and he activated Archfiend Palabyrinth from his hand.  Gonzalez banished Street Patrol to Special Summon the Archfiend, using its effect to search another Archfiend.  He banished his third Street Patrol to Summon the second Archfiend, this time getting Infernity Break.  He Set it and ended his turn, unable to attack due to Soul Charge.

 

 

Tang drew Atlantean Marksman, holding Controller, Abyssteus, and Abyssmegalo.  He Summoned Controller, threatening a devastating Black Rose Dragon play if Gonzalez didn’t have negation, or refused to use a removal card like his Break.  He activated Compulsory Evacuation Device, Tang Chained Forbidden Lance, and brought down Black Rose… But Gonzalez had Infernity Barrier!  Tang pitched his Abyssteus and Marksman for Mermail Abyssmegalo, but thought a moment and when Gonzalez flipped his Infernity Break, Tang instantly conceded.  There was just no winning with those particular cards.

 

Gabriel Gonzalez takes the first Duel with authority, now just one win away from escaping the Day 2 bubble!  Play swiftly moved to Game 2.

 

Tang opened the second Duel with a hand of Royal Decree; Mermail Abysspike; Atlantean Heavy Infantry; Allure of Darkness; Bottomless Trap Hole; and Genex Controller.  He activated Allure to get Vanity’s Emptiness and Mermail Abyssteus, then banished Controller to complete Allure’s effect.  He Set Bottomless, Decree, and Emptiness.  “Go ahead.”

 

Gonzalez Summoned Stygian Street Patrol, and Tang flipped Bottomless Trap Hole to banish it.  He Set two cards to his backrow.

 

Tang drew Abyss-sphere and Set it.

 

Gonzalez Set a third card to his Spell and Trap Card Zone, then a fourth, and then Set a monster with one card left in hand.  He then set that too, to his Field Spell Zone!  He tried to end his turn, and Tang flipped Abyss-sphere, bringing out Mermail Abysslinde.  Gonzalez moved to his End Phase; Tang destroyed Abysslinde and Special Summoned Mermail Abysspike; and he pitched another Abysspike.  Gonzalez Chained Breakthrough Skill, but lost out to Tang’s Royal Decree!  That let Tang search his Deck for Mermail Abyssgunde.

 

He drew Atlantean Marksman and pitched Abyssgunde for Mermail Abyssteus.  He Special Summoned back Mermail Abysspike with Abyssgunde’s ability, then searched his Deck for Abyssturge with Abyssteus’ ability.    He Summoned it, pitched Atlantean Marksman to return it to his hand, and in the process triggered Marksman’s ability, destroying Gonzalez’s Set Infernity Necromancer.  That left Tang free to make direct attacks with one Mermail Abysspike, then the next, then Mermail Abyssturge.  In Main Phase 2 he overlaid both Pikes for Bahamut Shark in Defense Position, detaching an Abysspike to Special Summon Mermail Abysstrite in defense mode too.  Gonzalez drew his next card and conceded immediately!

 

 

We were going to one last Duel to finish out the night!  Gonzalez would open Game 3.

 

He kicked things off with Stygian Street Patrol and Instant Fusion, Special Summoning Kamionwizard from his Extra Deck!  He overlaid to Xyz Summon Lavalval Chain; detached to send Archfiend Heiress to his Graveyard, and searched out Infernity Archfiend with Heiress’ effect. He Set four cards to his backrow, then activated Stygian’s effect to Special Summon Infernity Archfiend and search his Deck for Infernity Launcher.

 

Tang was holding Atlantean Heavy Infantry; Bottomless Trap Hole; Soul Charge; Black Horn of Heaven; Mermail Abyssteus; and Mermail Abysspike.  He spent a few moments contemplating his hand, tapping out plans of action on his playmat in a tiny invisible diagram, before Summoning Mermail Abysspike and pitching Atlantean Heavy Infantry for its effect.  Abysspike’s search got him Atlantean Marksman and he destroyed Lavalval Chain with Heavy Infantry’s ability.  Gonzalez flipped Vanity’s Emptiness as soon as Heavy Infantry resolved, leaving Tang to Set Horn, Bottomless, and Charge.

 

Gonzalez attacked over Abysspike with Archfiend, destroying it, and Set a fourth face-down card to his Spell and Trap Card Zone.

 

Tang Summoned another Mermail Abysspike next turn, this time hucking Atlantean Marksman to search for Mermail Abyssgunde.  He targeted Gonzalez’s freshest Set card with Marksman, and Gonzalez Chained an unrelated Mystical Space Typhoon: it destroyed Tang’s Black Horn of Heaven, and then Gonzalez lost his Breakthrough Skill.  That cost him his Vanity’s Emptiness too, due to its self-destruction effect, but when Tang pitched Mermail Abyssgunde to try and Special Summon Mermail Abyssteus Gonzalez had another Vanity’s Emptiness to shut it all down!

 

Gonzalez drew to two in hand, with one card Set in his backrow; Vanity’s Emptiness active; and Archfiend on the field.  He sent Archfiend to run over Abysspike, then Set two more cards to his backrow.

 

Tang drew Vanity’s Emptiness and Set.

 

Gonzalez attacked for 1800 Battle Damage.

 

Tang drew Atlantean Marksman and passed.

 

Gonzalez attacked again, dropping Tang to 4000 Life Points.

 

Tang drew Genex Controller and Set it.

 

Gonzalez attacked to destroy it.

 

Tang drew Genex Undine!  He Summoned it, searched another Controller, and kicked Atlantean Marksman to his Graveyard.  That let him destroy Gonzalez’s Set Infernity Launcher, destroying the second Vanity’s Emptiness!  He pitched another Marksman for Abyssteus, but Gonzalez had Debunk to banish the Mermail!  Tang tried to destroy Gonzalez’s last Set with Atlantean Marksman’s effect, but Gonzalez Chained it: Book of Moon, turning Genex Undine face-down.  Tang flipped Soul Charge and paid 2000 Life Points to bring back two Abysspikes, then overlaid for Number 101: Silent Honor ARK, taking Infernity Archfiend.

 

Gonzalez drew to four cards in hand against Tang’s two Set backrow cards; face-down Undine; face-up Honor ARK; and one in-hand card.  He blasted Tang’s Set Bottomless Trap Hole with Mystical Space Typhoon on a blind shot, then searched for Armageddon Knight with Reinforcement of the Army.  He Summoned it, sending Infernity Archfiend to the Graveyard from his Deck.  He Set his last card to his backrow, then activated Soul Charge to target Kamionwizard and Archfiend: Tang flipped Vanity’s Emptiness!  Gonzalez ended his turn.

 

Tang drew Black Horn of Heaven and Flip Summoned Undine.  He Normal Summoned Controller, attacked over Armageddon Knight with Honor ARK, then made direct attacks with Undine and Controller.  He Set the Black Horn of Heaven, and lost it in his End Phase to Infernity Break.  That destroyed his Vanity’s Emptiness too.

 

Gonzalez had no cards left and was down to topdecking: when he ripped Instant Fusion he instantly gave Tang the handshake!

 

 

Bo Tang narrowly wins a war of Vanity’s Emptinesses, and triumphs over Infernities with Mermails!  A 2-1 victory takes Bo Tang to Day 2 with his Top 64 aspirations alive.  Day 1 is over!