It’s the Top 32! From here on out, it’s single elimination. The winner here will move on to the Top 16, where the Draft portion of the tournament begins. This Duel pits Cameron Neal, of Arlington, Texas, against Louis Kelley, from the Chicago area. Neal is using Nekroz, the most popular Deck of the tournament, while Kelley is showing off the power of Satellarknights.

Duel 1

Kelley won the dice roll and chose to play first. He began win five cards in his back row!

Neal had Raigeki; Senju of the Thousand Hands; Shurit, Strategist of the Nekroz; Nekroz of Unicore; Great Sorcerer of the Nekroz; and Preparation of Rites. He played Senju, and it added Nekroz of Clausolas to his hand. He activated that, and searched for Nekroz Kaleidoscope. He activated it, sending Herald of the Arc Light from the Extra Deck to the Graveyard to Ritual Summon Nekroz of Unicore. Herald’s effect let him search for Nekroz Cycle. Senju attacked directly, and Mirror Force cleared Neal’s board. At the end of the Battle Phase, Kelley flipped Imperial Iron Wall. Neal passed.

Kelley Set another card to his back row.

Neal drew Nekroz of Trishula. He used Preparation of Rites, adding Nekroz of Brionac and Nekroz Kaleidoscope to his hand. He activated Nekroz Cycle, Tributing Great Sorcerer of the Nekroz to put down Nekroz of Unicore, and Great Sorcerer’s effect put another Unicore into Neal’s hand. Neal sent Unicore to attack, and it was bounced away by Compulsory Evacuation Device. In Main Phase 2, Neal played Nekroz Kaleidoscope, but Kelley had Solemn Warning.

Kelley Set a card to his back row. Still no monsters.

Neal drew Senju and played it, but Kelley negated it with Fiendish Chain. Neal discarded Unicore to add Nekroz Kaleidoscope back to his hand, and activated it. He sent Herald of the Arc Light to the Graveyard to put Unicore on the field, and Herald searched for Nekroz of Valkyrus. Unicore attacked, and Mirror Force once again cleared Neal’s field! Neal discarded Brionac to add Nekroz of Clausolas to his hand, and he discarded that to get Nekroz Mirror. He activated Mirror, Tributing Shurit, Strategist of the Nekroz to Ritual Summon Valkyrus. Shurit’s effect put Brionac into Neal’s hand. He activated Valkyrus’s effect, Tributing the Trishula in his hand to draw Manju of the Ten Thousand Hands.

Kelley Set another to his back row.

Neal drew Djinn Releaser of Rituals. He played Manju to get Unicore to his hand. Manju attacked directly, and Valkyrus’s attack was blocked by Book of Moon. In Main Phase 2, Neal Set Raigeki.

Kelley drew and decided to concede! Without drawing a single monster the entire Duel, he had no way to defend! Neal may have some trouble using his Side Deck, since he still wasn’t aware of what Kelley was playing.

Duel 2

Kelley chose to go first. He played Satellarknight Rigel. “The secret’s out!” he said. He Set three back row cards to finish his turn.

Neal’s hand was Valkyrus, Nekroz Cycle, Reinforcement of the Army, Nekroz Mirror, Unicore, and Trishula. He played Reinforcement to get Shurit, and Set it. He played Cycle, Tributing Shurit to Ritual Summon Valkyrus, and Shurit’s effect searched out Brionac. He discarded Brionac to search for Great Sorcerer of the Nekroz. He activated Valkyrus’s effect, and Kelley used Stellarnova Alpha to negate it, Tributing Rigel. Next, Kelley flipped up Imperial Iron Wall. Neal passed.

Kelley played Satellarknight Altair, returning Rigel to the field. He attacked directly with Altair, and Set two more to his back row.

Neal drew Manju of the Ten Thousand Hands, and played it only to have it negated by Fiendish Chain. Neal discarded Unicore to add Nekroz Cycle back to his hand. He played it, and Kelley used Stellarnova Alpha, Tributing Altair to negate Cycle.

Kelley played Satellarknight Deneb to search out Altair, then turned Rigel to Attack Position. Deneb took out Manju, then Rigel attacked directly. In Main Phase 2, he stacked his Satellarknights for Gagaga Cowboy in Defense Position. He used Cowboy’s effect to fire off 800 damage.

Neal drew Mystical Space Typhoon and immediately destroyed Kelley’s Imperial Iron Wall. He banished Nekroz Cycle and Nekroz of Valkyrus from his Graveyard to search out another Nekroz Cycle, and Kelley flipped Mind Crush to discard it! Neal continued, using Nekroz Mirror and Shurit to play Trishula! Its effect banished Gagaga Cowboy from the field, Altair from the hand, and Deneb from the Graveyard. Next, he Normal Summoned Great Sorcerer, and attacked directly with his two monsters.

Kelley played Satellarknight Unukalhai to put Deneb in the Graveyard. Unukalhai destroyed Great Sorcerer in battle, and Kelley Set his last card to his back row.

Neal had nothing but Trishula, and drew Senju. He had Trishula destroy Unukalhai in battle. In Main Phase 2, he played Senju to search for a Ritual Monster. He thought for a while before settling on Nekroz of Unicore. He discarded it to get back Nekroz Cycle, and played it, Tributing Senju to bring Unicore back from the Graveyard. In the End Phase, Kelley used Call of the Haunted to revive Altair, which in turn revived Deneb. That put Altair into Kelley’s hand.

Kelley stacked Altair and Deneb for Dark Rebellion Xyz Dragon! It destroyed Unicore in battle. Now that Unicore was gone, he detached Dark Rebellion’s Xyz Materials, targeting Trishula! Kelley played Altair, reviving Unukalhai, and that sent Deneb to the Graveyard. He stacked Altair and Unukalhai for Daigusto Emeral in Defense Position. Emeral’s effect put back Rigel and 2 Altair, and Kelley drew a new card. He Set the two cards in his hand to his back row.

Neal drew Mystical Space Typhoon. With his Trishula at 1350 ATK, he could still attack the Defense Position Emeral, but Kelley used Compulsory Evacuation Device to put Trishula back to the hand. With nothing to play, Neal conceded the Duel!

Duel 3

Neal chose to play second. Kelley played Unukalhai, putting Deneb in the Graveyard. He Set four to his back row.

Neal’s hand was Manju, 2 Reinforcement of the Army, Twister, Nekroz Kaleidoscope, and Nekroz of Decisive Armor. He played Manju to add Nekroz of Unicore to his hand. He Summoned it with Nekroz Kaleidoscope, sending Herald of the Arc Light to the Graveyard. Herald’s effect put Nekroz Cycle in his hand. Unicore took out Unukalhai in battle, and Manju attacked directly, putting Kelley at 6100 Life Points. In Main Phase 2, Neal used Reinforcement of the Army to add Shurit, Strategist of the Nekroz to his hand. He activated Nekroz Cycle, Tributing Shurit to Ritual Summon Nekroz of Decisive Armor! Shurit let him add Nekroz of Brionac to his hand, and Decisive Armor banished Kelley’s Call of the Haunted. Neal discarded Brionac to add Nekroz of Valkyrus to his hand, and passed his turn. In the End Phase, Kelley flipped Oasis of Dragon Souls, but lost it to Twister.

Kelley drew his card and immediately conceded!

Cameron Neal finishes the Match with a crushing first turn! He’s moving on to the Top 16, thanks to Nekroz!