Jacqueline Bernal is one of the few remaining Burning Abyss Duelists in contention for Top 32; she has traveled from Southern California and is trying to prove that Burning Abyss is super to Nekroz. Joseph Chou is sitting opposite of her, playing a fairly standard Nekroz variant trying to capitalize on consistency and power. Both Duelists are 7-2 going into this Round, so the winner will have a Top 32 birth while the loser is out of contention.

Bernal won the roll and chose to go second.

Duel One:

Chou started off fast by activating Nekroz of Brionac, discarding it for Nekroz of Clausolas before ending.

Bernal opened with a hand of Tour Guide from the Underworld, Rubic, Malebranche of the Burning Abyss, Graff, Malebranche of the Burning Abyss, Vanity’s Emptiness, and Fire Lake of the Burning Abyss. She drew another copy of Tour Guide from the Underworld for turn, but when she Normal Summoned it Chou had Maxx “C” to make sure she could not press to far forward. She Special Summoned Scarm, Malebranche of the Burning Abyss, attacked directly with both Fiends, then overlayed for Dante, Traveler of the Burning Abyss in Main Phase 2, milling a Scarm, Malebranche of the Burning Abyss to detach the Scarm, Malebranche of the Burning Abyss. She Set Vanity’s Emptiness before ending.

Chou drew and activated Nekroz of Clausolas for Nekroz Mirror, but when he activated the Nekroz Mirror Bernal had Vanity’s Emptiness to stop it. He pressed on by activating Preparation of Rites, adding Nekroz of Unicore from his Deck to his hand as well as Nekroz Mirror form his Graveyard. He Set a back row before ending.

Bernal drew Raigeki for turn, and asked Chou how many cards he had while considering her options. “Six.” He replied. She switched Dante, Traveler of the Burning Abyss to Attack Mode, swinging directly to put Chou down to 5200 Life Points before ending.

Chou drew and activated Nekroz of Unicore, adding back Nekroz of Brionac, before discarding Nekroz of Brionac and adding Shurit, Strategist of Nekroz to his hand. He Set a Monster, assumingly Shurit, before ending.

Bernal drew Tour Guide from the Underworld for turn. She detached Tour Guide from the Underworld to use Dante, Traveler of the Burning Abyss’s effect, sending Rubic, Malebranche of the Burning Abyss, Cir, Malebranche of the Burning Abyss, and Book of Moon to the Graveyard and destroying her own Vanity’s Emptiness. She Normal Summoned Tour Guide from the Underworld next, Special Summoning Cir, Malebranche of the Burning Abyss from her Deck, but as soon as it hit the Field Chou Flipped Book of Moon to put the Malebranche face down. She tried to declare an attack with Dante, Traveler of the Burning Abyss over the Set Monster, but Chou used Nekroz of Valkyrus, banishing Nekroz of Unicore to block the attack and end the Battle Phase. She overlayed for Downerd Magician in Main Phase 2 before ending.

Chou drew and slammed Nekroz Kaleidoscope onto the Field, sending Herald of the Arch Light to the Graveyard, to Special Summon Nekroz of Unicore. He activated Herald of the Arch Light to add Nekroz of Brionac which he then discarded to add Great Sorcerer of the Nekroz. He Normal Summoned the Sorcerer, overlaying it with Nekroz of Unicore for Abyss Dweller and activating its effect by detaching Nekroz of Unicore. He activated Nekroz Mirror, banishing Nekroz of Brionac and Nekroz of Clausolas to Special Summon Nekroz of Trishula. He used its effect, banishing Downerd Magician from the Field, Tour Guide from the Underworld from the hand, and Cir, Malebranche of the Burning Abyss from the Graveyard. He discarded Nekroz of Clausolas to add Nekroz Cycle to his hand, then activated Nekroz of Decisive Armor to pump his Nekroz of Trishula and then used Nekroz Cycle, tributing the Set Shurit, Strategist of Nekroz to Special Summon the Nekroz of Decisive Armor from the Graveyard! He activated both the effects of Shurit, Strategist of Nekroz and Nekroz of Decisive Armor, banishing Bernal’s Set Cir, Malebranche of the Burning Abyss and adding Nekroz of Brionac to his hand. With no way to fend off the attacks, Bernal conceded!

Bernal tries to take game one on the back of Vanity’s Emptiness but was not able to put up enough pressure to keep it going. Will Chou take the next game as well, or will Bernal fight back and push it to game three?

Bernal seemed less than pleased heading into the game two; she chose to go second.

Duel Two:

Chou Normal Summoned Senju of the Thousand Hands and clicked his tongue while considering what he searched, “I wish I played this more.” He ultimately chose to search Nekroz of Brionac before ending his turn.

Bernal opened with a hand of Rubic, Malebranche of the Burning Abyss, Tour Guide from the Underworld, Alich, Malebranche of the Burning Abyss, Snatch Steal, Effect Veiler, and drew Farfa, Malebranche of the Burning Abyss for turn. She Normal Summoned Tour Guide from the Underworld but when she activated the effect Chou Chained Maxx “C”, she Special Summoned Scarm, Malebranche of the Burning Abyss and then overlayed for Dante, Traveler of the Burning Abyss, using its effect to send Graff, Malebranche of the Burning Abyss to the Graveyard by detaching Scarm, Malebranche of the Burning Abyss. She ended her turn, adding Tour Guide from the Underworld to her hand during the End Phase from Scarm, Malebranche of the Burning Abyss.

Chou drew and activated Nekroz Kaleidoscope, using it to send Herald of the Arch Light, and Special Summon Nekroz of Unicore from his hand; he used the Herald of the Arch Light to add Nekroz of Trishula to his hand, then discarded Nekroz of Brionac to add Shurit, Strategist of Nekroz to his hand. He activated Nekroz Cycle, Special Summoning Nekroz of Trishula by discarding Shurit, Strategist of Nekroz and added another copy of Nekroz of Brionac to his hand. He then activated Nekroz Mirror, banishing Shurit, Strategist of Nekroz to Special Summon Nekroz of Trishula! When he tried to use its effect, Bernal used Effect Veiler to stop it but could not get around Nekroz of Brionac spinning away the Dante, Traveler of the Burning Abyss! As soon as it resolved, Chou went to Battle Phase and attacked for game!

And just like that, Joseph Chou is moving most likely moving on to the Top 32 with an 8-2 record!