Round 2 Feature Match: Galileo Mauricio De Obaldia Soza (Nekroz) Versus Angel Ernesto Alonso de los Santos (‘tellarknights)
Galileo Mauricio De Obaldia Soza is a worldwide fan-favorite and one of the most decorated Duelists in the room! He has countless YCS and WCQ top cut appearances. He won the Panama National Championships in 2009, 2011, and 2012. He won the World Championship in 2010, and then made a repeat showing with a third place finish one year later in 2011. He’s competed in WCQ events for seven years running, and he’s a huge prospect to win this WCQ, piloting Nekroz.
His opponent is Angel Ernesto Alonso de los Santos, a ‘tellarknight Duelist competing in his first WCQ this weekend. Qualifying through the Mexican National Championship in May, he’s playing some serious Main Deck tech for this match-up. Anti-Spell Fragrance might give him a big advantage in this Feature Match.
De Obaldia won the flip and opted to go second. De los Santos opened the Match with five Set cards to his backrow, no Satellarknight Deneb in sight.
De Obaldia had a hand of Solemn Scolding; Nekroz of Valkyrus; Nekroz of Unicore; Mystical Space Typhoon; Manju of the Ten Thousand Hands; and Nekroz of Brionac. He Summoned Manju to search his Deck for Nekroz Kaleidoscope, then activated it to send Herald of the Arc Light from his Extra Deck to his Graveyard, Ritual Summoning Unicore. The Herald got him Nekroz Cycle from his Deck, and he made two direct attacks with Manju and Unicore for a quick 3700 Battle Damage.
In Main Phase 2 he discarded Nekroz of Brionac to search his Deck for Shurit, Strategist of the Nekroz, then activated Cycle to Tribute Shurit and Ritual Summon Nekroz of Valkyrus. That triggered Shurit’s effect, getting De Obaldia Nekroz of Trishula. He Tributed Manju and Unicore to draw Senju of the Thousand Hands and another Shurit with Valkyrus’ effect. He Set Solemn Scolding, but lost it to De los Santos’ Mystical Space Typhoon in the End Phase.
De los Santos drew to one card in hand with four cards Set. He Set his fresh draw to his Spell and Trap Card Zone. Still no monsters.
De Obaldia drew Book of Moon and Summoned Senju: still no response from De los Santos, whose strategy was still a mystery to his opponent. De Obaldia got another Nekroz of Unicore, eventually attacking with Senju. De los Santos thought a moment, then flipped Compulsory Evacuation Device to target Nekroz of Valkyrus. De Obaldia discarded Nekroz of Trishula to keep Valkyrus on the field, but De los Santos tied the Valkyrus down with Fiendish Chain. Manju’s direct attack hit home.
In Main Phase 2 De Obaldia activated Valkyrus’ effect, chained Book of Moon to turn it face-down and free it from Fiendish Chain. That let him Tribute Senju and Shurit to draw two cards. Tributing Shurit let De Obaldia search his Deck for Clausolas, leaving De Obaldia with a hand of Mystical Space Typhoon, Nekroz of Brionac, Nekroz of Clausolas, and two Nekroz of Unicores. De Obaldia Flip Summoned his Valkyrus back into Attack Position.
De los Santos conceded moments later, still with no monsters! A measured pace of play from Galileo Mauricio De Obaldia Soza captures the first Duel, as Angel Ernesto Alonso de los Santos struggles with a dead hand. De Obaldia still didn’t know what De los Santos was running, so at least De los Santos would have the element of surprise going into Game 2.
De los Santos chose to go first, this time Setting four cards to his backrow. Again, no Deneb.
De Obaldia had Reinforcement of the Army; Nekroz of Clausolas; Nekroz of Unicore; Manju of the Ten Thousand Hands; Djinn Releaser of Rituals; and Preparation of Rites. In his Draw Phase, De los Santos flipped Anti-Spell Fragrance to slow him down. De Obaldia Summoned Manju, searching his Deck for Nekroz of Brionac. He attacked for 1400 Battle Damage with Manju, then discarded Clausolas to get Nekroz Kaleidoscope from his Deck. He Set Reinforcement, Preparation, and Kaleidoscope.
De los Santos Set a fifth Spell or Trap Card.
De Obaldia drew Royal Decree! That could be a game-ender if De Obaldia could resolve it, potentially negating everything on De los Santos’ side of the table. De Obaldia made another attack with Manju in the meantime, poking De los Santos down to 5200 Life Points. He flipped Nekroz Kaleidoscope in Main Phase 2, leading De los Santos to Chain Maxx “C”. De Obaldia sent Herald of the Arc Light from his Extra Deck to the Graveyard to Ritual Summon Nekroz of Unicore, then used Herald’s effect to get another Unicore from his Deck. He flipped Preparation to get back his Kaleidoscope, searching his third Unicore. Finally he flipped Reinforcement of the Army to seek out Shurit, Strategist of the Nekroz, then Set Decree, Kaleidoscope, and Djinn Releaser of Rituals.
De los Santos Normal Summoned Satellarknight Deneb, searching his Deck for Satellarknight Altair. He attacked with Deneb to destroy De Obaldia’s Manju.
De Obaldia drew a second Decree! He attacked with Unicore and De los Santos flipped Mirror Force – it was just the opportunity De Obaldia was waiting for. He swiftly Chained Royal Decree: De los Santos could do nothing but activate Breakthrough Skill on Nekroz of Unicore, just to get Breakthrough into the Graveyard where it might be useful later. Unicore’s attack knocked De los Santos down to 4400 Life Points.
De Obaldia fanned his Graveyard to see his options, then flipped his set Nekroz Kaleidoscope – no Maxx “C” this time. De Obaldia yarded Blue-Eyes Ultimate Dragon from his Extra Deck to Ritual Summon another Unicore plus Nekroz of Valkyrus, then Tributed Djinn Releaser of Rituals and Shurit, Strategist of the Nekroz to draw two cards with Valkyrus’ effect. Shurit’s ability got him Nekroz of Trishula. He discarded Nekroz of Brionac to search another Nekroz of Valkyrus, then Set Fairy Wind and another Decree.
De los Santos drew to three cards in hand, with Anti-Spell Fragrance on the field and two cards Set in his Spell and Trap Card Zone. He Summoned Altair to revive Deneb, then used its effect to search his Deck for Satellarknight Vega. He Set a third backrow and passed without attacking or making an Xyz Summon.
De Obaldia drew another Shurit and activated Nekroz Kaleidoscope, Tributing the Shurit to Ritual Summon Nekroz of Trishula. That created a Chain: Shurit’s effect was Chain Link 1, and Trishula’s effect was Chain Link 2. Trishula’s ability banished Deneb from De los Santos’ field; Breakthrough Skill from his Graveyard; and Altair from his hand! Facing down four Ritual Monsters, De los Santos had no choice but to extend the handshake.
Galileo Mauricio De Obaldia Soza takes his second victory of the day, nabbing a quick 2-0 win with Nekroz!
