Jonathan Nagel is one of our VIP players who has had quite a nice weekend thus far. Outside of not needing to pay for entry, receiving a static table, and two byes, he is now sitting at an 8-1 record looking pretty good to make Top 32. All he has to do is win one of his next two matches, and he will most likely make it in. Nagel is playing a Burning Abyss Deck with a bunch of awesome tech! Outside of cool choices like Dark Eruption, Forbidden Chalice,  and Mind Crush all in his Main Deck, he uses Edge Imp Sabres for a bunch of sweet combos! The best being that anytime he has Mathematician and a Burning Abyss Monster, he can send the Sabres for Mathematician’s effect and stack the Burning Abyss on top of his Deck to Special Summon the Sabres. He then overlays for Dante, Traveler of the Burning Abyss and can mill the Burning Abyss, pretty sweet.

His opponent is Charles Ramsey, the Satellarknight Duelist who had a Feature yesterday. He’s looking to redeem himself in the Feature Match area after the loss from last time, so things are looking to get pretty exciting!

Ramsey won the roll and opted to go first.

Duel One:

Ramsey started things off by Normal Summoning Satellarknight Procyon, ditching Satellarknight Altair to draw a card. He then Set 3 to his back row before ending.

Nagel had a hand of Graff, Malebranche of the Burning Abyss, Book of Moon, Vanity’s Fiend, Scarm, Malebranche of the Burning Abyss, and drew Fire Lake of the Burning Abyss for turn. He Special Summoned Scarm then Normal Summoned Graff, overlaying them for Dante, Traveler of the Burning Abyss. He used Dante detaching Graff sending Phoenix Wing Wind Blast, Allure of Darkness, and another Graff to the Graveyard, triggering Graff in a new Chain to Special Summon Cir, Malebranche of the Burning Abyss from his Deck. He thought for a moment, then declared an attack with Dante onto Satellarknight Procyon, then directly with Cir to drop Ramsey down to 5200 Life Points. He Set Book of Moon, Vanity’s Emptiness, and the Fire Lake of the Burning Abyss  trying to end his turn, but during the End Phase Ramsey had Dust Tornado to destroy the Set Fire Lake along with Call of the Haunted on Satellarknight Altair! Altair brought back Satellarknight Procyon, but he opted not to use its effect.

Ramsey drew for turn and then Normal Summoned Satellarknight Unukalhai, using its effect to send Satellarknight Deneb to the Graveyard. After confirming that Ramsey had no actions, he overlayed his three Satellarknights for Stellarknight Triverr! Nagel had to read Triverr and consider his options for a moment, realizing that the Triverr could represent a huge shift in moment. He ultimately opted to use his Set Book of Moon on Triverr to avoid losing his Soul Charge to Triverr’s other effect if he got unlucky. Triverr returned everything to the hand, and Ramsey proceeded to Set two to his back row before ending. During the End Phase, Nagel got to search Rubic, Malebranche of the Burning Abyss because of the Scarm, Malebranche of the Burning Abyss hitting the Graveyard when Dante, Traveler of the Burning Abyss was bounced away.

Nagel drew Breakthrough Skill for turn, then activated Soul Charge Special Summoning two copies of Graff, Malebranche of the Burning Abyss along with Scarm, Malebranche of the Burning Abyss. He followed it up with the Special Summon of Rubic, Malebranche of the Burning Abyss, Synchroing it along with one of the Graffs for Virgil, Rock Star of the Burning Abyss! Graff triggered to Special Summon another Rubic from Nagel’s Deck, then he overlayed the other Graff along with Scarm to Xyz Summon Dante, Traveler of the Burning Abyss. He used Virgil’s effect, discarding Cir, Malebranche of the Burning Abyss, trying to spin away the Set Stellarknight Triverr, but lost out to Breakthrough Skill. The Cir triggered to revive Graff and he overlayed it along with Rubic for Ghostrick Alucard. He used  Alucard’s effect to destroy the Set Triverr, which then triggered when it was destroyed to revive Satellarknight Altair which brought back Satellarknight Deneb searching another copy of Altair. Nagel then used Dante, detaching Scarm, sending Phoenix Wing Wind Blast, Scarm, and Tour Guide from the Underworld from his Deck to the Graveyard. He tributed Alucard for the in hand Vanity’s Fiend, which wouldn’t stand much to Ramsey’s in Graveyard Breakthrough Skill, and during the End Phase he searched for Tour Guide from the Underworld off of Scarm, Malebranche of the Burning Abyss.

Ramsey drew to three cards in hand and considered his options. He banished the Breakthrough Skill in his Graveyard to negate the effect of Nagel’s Vanity’s Fiend, and free to Special Summon he activated Call of the Haunted to bring his Satellarknight Unukalhai back to the field and sent Satellarknight Sirius to the Graveyard for Unukalhai’s effect. He overlayed all three of his Satellarknights once again, but this time to Xyz Summon Stellarknight Delteros! He used Delteros, detaching Satellarknight Deneb, to try to destroy Nagel’s Set back row, but Nagel Chained Breakthrough Skill. Ne Normal Summoned Satellarknight Altair next, then used its effect to Special Summon Satellarknight Deneb. Deneb allowed Ramsey to keep fueling as he added another copy of Altair to his hand, then he overlayed the two Satellarknight for Number 101: Silent Honor ARK. He used ARK’s effect to take Nagel’s Virgil, Rock Star of the Burning Abyss as an Xyz material, then attacked over Vanity’s Fiend with his Stellarknight Delteros. He Set a back row before ending.

Nagel drew Fire Lake of the Burning Abyss  for turn, then he Normal Summoned Tour Guide from the Underworld using its effect to Special Summon Cir, Malebranche of the Burning Abyss form his Deck. He overlayed the two Fiends for another Dante, Traveler of the Burning Abyss. He used the old Dante’s effect, detaching Graff, Malebranche of the Burning Abyss, to send Foolish Burial, Edge Imp Sabres, and Vanity’s Fiend to his Graveyard from the top of his Deck and pumped up the Dante to 2500. Graff triggered afterwards to Special Summon a Scarm, Malebranche of the Burning Abyss from his Deck. The newer Dante used its effect next, detaching Cir and sending Karma Cut, Rubic, Malebranche of the Burning Abyss, and Vanity’s Emptiness to the Graveyard. The Cir activated in a new Chain to bring back a Graff, then he overlayed the two Malebranches for the third Dante! He used that Dante, detaching Scarm, to send two copies of Mathematician along with Dark Eruption to his Graveyard, then went to Battle Phase and declared an attack on Stellarknight Delteros to crash. Delteros activated and Special Summoned Satellarknight Procyon from Ramsey’s Deck, letting him send Satellarknight Vega to his Graveyard so that he could draw a card. Nagel also got back a Fire Lake of the Burning Abyss  from his Graveyard thanks to the Dante effect. He cleared away the Procyon and made Number 101: Silent Honor ARK detach a material before Setting two to his back row and ending, but Ramsey had Mystical Space Typhoon during the End Phase to blow away the Set Fire Lake of the Burning Abyss!

Ramsey drew for turn and activated Reinforcement of the Army, adding Satellarknight Vega and Normal Summoning it to Special Summon Satellarknight Altair from his hand. He used the Altair effect to Special Summon Satellarknight Sirius, which then shuffled back five Satellarknights s to draw a card. At resolution, Nagel used his Set Fire Lake of the Burning Abyss , tributing two copies of Dante, Traveler of the Burning Abyss, to blow away all of the Satellarknights. He Special Summoned Alich, Malebranche of the Burning Abyss off of a Graff, Malebranche of the Burning Abyss that was a material, and then added back Fire Lake of the Burning Abyss  and Cir, Malebranche of the Burning Abyss to his hand because of the Dantes. Ramsey Set a back row before ending.

Nagel drew Shaddoll Dragon for turn, then tried to Special Summon Cir, Malebranche of the Burning Abyss but lost out to Ramsey’s Bottomless Trap Hole. He Set Fire Lake of the Burning Abyss  before ending.

Ramsey drew for turn and then activated Oasis of Dragon Souls! He used it to Special Summon his Satellarknight Altair, then had Altair Special Summon Satellarknight Deneb. Deneb got Ramsey yet another copy of Altair to his hand. He overlayed both Satellarknights for Castel, the Skyblaster Musketeer, then used it to spin away the Alich, Malebranche of the Burning Abyss before ending.

Nagel drew Graff, Malebranche of the Burning Abyss, Set Shaddoll Dragon to conserve his Life Points, and ended.

Ramsey drew for turn and went straight to battle, declaring an attack with Castel, the Skyblaster Musketeer on Nagel’s Set Shaddoll Dragon, which then Flipped and returned Number 101: Silent Honor ARK to Ramsey’s hand. In Main Phase 2, Ramsey Normal Summoned Satellarknight Altair and used it to bring back Satellarknight Deneb, adding a Satellarknight and overlaying for Abyss Dweller! As soon as the mighty Xyz hit the field, Nagel conceded realizing he wouldn’t be able to fight through it.

After a very long game one, the Duelists didn’t have much time left for the rest of the match. They finished Side Decking and shuffled up as fast as they could before the second game.

Duel Two:

Nagel started off with Raigeki, Book of Moon, Karma Cut, Scarm, Malebranche of the Burning Abyss, and Alich, Malebranche of the Burning Abyss. He Special Summoned both his Burning Abyss Monsters and overlayed for Dante, Traveler of the Burning Abyss, then used its effect detaching Scarm to send Mathematician, Vanity’s Emptiness, and Rubic, Malebranche of the Burning Abyss to the Graveyard. He Set Karma Cut and Book of Moon before searching Graff, Malebranche of the Burning Abyss in the End Phase for Scarm.

Ramsey drew and immediately activated Mystical Space Typhoon destroying Nagel’s Karma Cut. He Normal Summoned Satellarknight Altair, Set four to his back row, and ended.

Nagel drew for turn, then activated his Dante, Traveler of the Burning Abyss sending Scarm, Malebranche of the Burning Abyss, Puppet Plant and Mind Crush to his Graveyard. Ramsey Chained Dust Tornado, Nagel Chained Book of Moon on Ramsey’s Satellarknight Altair, but Ramsey had Breakthrough Skill in response to that on Dante. Realizing that they needed to conserve time and that he did not have a good chance at winning this game, Ramsey conceded so they could play the third Duel.

With less than three minutes left in the Round, both Duelists were shuffling lightning fast in an attempt to avoid a draw.

Duel Three:

Ramsey drew, Set five to his back row, and ended.

Nagel opened with Rubic, Malebranche of the Burning Abyss, Raigeki, Graff, Malebranche of the Burning Abyss, Fire Lake of the Burning Abyss , Mystical Space Typhoon, Raigeki, and Foolish Burial. He Normal Summoned Graff, Malebranche of the Burning Abyss, then Special Summoned Rubic, Malebranche of the Burning Abyss from his hand. In response to the Summon, Ramsey had Book of Moon to Set the Rubic, causing the Graff to destroy itself as well as the Scarm, Malebranche of the Burning Abyss it brought out with its effect. Nagel Set Mystical Space Typhoon along with Fire Lake of the Burning Abyss  and tried to end, but Ramsey had Mystical Space Typhoon and Dust Tornado during the End Phase to blow them both away.

Ramsey drew, Set another back row and ended.

Nagel drew, used Foolish Burial to send Graff, Malebranche of the Burning Abyss to the Graveyard, but when it triggered he lost out to Solemn Warning on the Graff effect. He declared a direct attack with Rubic putting Ramsey down to 5900 Life Points before Setting Phoenix Wing Wind Blast and ending. Time was called.

Ramsey drew, simply Set another back row, and ended. Things weren’t looking good.

Nagel drew Black Luster Soldier – Envoy of the Beginning, switched his Rubic, Malebranche of the Burning Abyss to Defense Position, and passed.

Ramsey finally drew a monster, Satellarknight Deneb. He Normal Summoned it to add Satellarknight Unukalhai before ending.

Nagel drew Puppet Plant for his final turn of time, with a full 8000 Life Points to Ramsey’s 5900. He tried to use it, but Ramsey used Stellarnova Alpha to stop it losing his Satellarknight Deneb as cost. Nagel Set Raigeki and attempted to end, but during the End Phase Ramsey tried to use Call of the Haunted to bring back Satellarknight Deneb, but lost it to Nagel’s Phoenix Wing Wind Blast discarding Black Luster Soldier – Envoy of the Beginning to return it to the top of the Deck. Ramsey released a heavy sigh of disappointment.

Ramsey drew to two cards, Call of the Haunted and Satellarknight Unukalhai, and conceded knowing he couldn’t deal the necessary amount of damage through Rubic, Malebranche of the Burning Abyss!

After the longest game one we have featured yet, our VIP Duelist Jonathan Nagel manages to squeak out a win against Charles Ramsey, basically locking himself a seat for Top 32!