This is it!  The winner of this one final Match will capture the title of Central American Champion and go on to represent Central America at the World Championship in August.  Galileo Mauricio De Obaldia Soza was World Champion in 2010 and would like nothing more than to take another shot at the World Title.  But he’s up against Daniel Alfonso Rodriguez, and this is anything but a simple Nekroz Mirror Match.

Rodriguez is Main Decking cards like Glow-Up Bulb, Armageddon Knight, and Shaddoll Dragon, and then Side Decks into a full Shaddoll build.  This could get interesting.  The Match began with a hearty exchange of handshakes.

De Obaldia started the Match with Manju of the Ten Thousand Hands, searching his Deck for Nekroz Kaleidoscope.  Nekroz of Brionac got him Nekroz of Unicore, and he sent Herald of the Arc Light from his Extra Deck to his Graveyard to Ritual Summon the Unicore with Kaleidoscope.  He searched Nekroz of Clausolas with Herald’s effect and overlaid Manju and Unicore for Lavalval Chain, detaching Unicore to load Djinn Releaser of Rituals to the Graveyard!  This one could be over before it even starts.  De Obaldia pitched Clausolas to search for Nekroz Cycle, activated it, and banished Releaser to Ritual Summon Clausolas!  The Djinn lock was in place.

Rodriguez’s hand was Reinforcement of the Army; Senju of the Thousand Hands; Nekroz of Brionac; Shaddoll Dragon; Manju of the Ten Thousand Hands; and Nekroz of Trishula.  He activated Reinforcement to search Armageddon Knight, Summoned it, and kicked Farfa, Malebranche of the Burning Abyss to the Graveyard; he tried to banish Clausolas, but De Obaldia stopped him by discarding Nekroz of Trishula!  Rodriguez pressed on, discarding Brionac to search Nekroz of Valkyrus.

De Obaldia Summoned D.D. Warrior Lady!  He sent it to attack and destroy Armageddon Knight, then made a direct attack with Lavalval Chain.  De Obaldia detached Lavalval Chain’s last Material to stack a Manju to the top of his Deck.

Rodriguez drew Nekroz Kaleidoscope and Summoned Shaddoll Dragon to attack over the Warrior Lady: both monsters were banished with Warrior Lady’s effect.  The Duel stood at 7600 Life Points to 6100.

De Obaldia drew and Summoned the Manju, searching his Deck for Nekroz of Gungnir.  He made direct attacks with Manju and Lavalval Chain.

Rodriguez drew Nekroz Cycle and Summoned Senju of the Thousand Hands to get Nekroz of Unicore.  He discarded it for Nekroz of Brionac, then discarded that for another Unicore.  He crashed his Senju into De Obaldia’s Manju and ended with 2900 LP.

De Obaldia Summoned Senju to get Unicore from his Deck, then made an attack to force Rodriguez to Valkyrus.

Rodriguez drew Nekroz of Clausolas.  He pitched it to get Nekroz Mirror, still just trying to thin his deck to get to an answer to the Djinn lock, and Summoned Manju to get Nekroz of Trishula.  He crashed Manju into Senju to try and limit damage and restrict De Obaldia’s moves, but this was a war of attrition he just didn’t seem to be winning.

De Obaldia Summoned yet another Manju, getting another Unicore.  He pitched it to get back Brionac, then attacked into another Valkyrus.

Rodriguez drew Shurit, Strategist of the Nekroz, still not an answer to the Djinn lock.  He discarded Unicore to take back his Valkyrus.

De Obaldia activated Reinforcement of the Army for Shurit, Strategist of the Nekroz, and discarded Unicore to retrieve Nekroz Kaleidoscope.  He activated it, and when he Ritual Summoned Nekroz of Gungnir Rodriguez conceded.

Galileo Mauricio De Obaldia Soza slaps in the Djinn lock and grinds his way to victory, capturing the first Duel!  One more win would end this tournament and add another Championship title to De Obaldia’s list of achievements.  Rodriguez needed one heck of a comeback.

De Obaldia started the second Duel with Manju of the Ten Thousand Hands, searching Nekroz of Unicore.  He actiated Nekroz Cycle, Tributed Shurit, Strategist of the Nekroz, and Ritual Summoned Unicore, searching Nekroz of Clausolas.  He overlaid for Lavalval Chain, detached to send Djinn Releaser of Rituals to the Graveyard, and then pitched Clausolas to get Nekroz Mirror from his Deck.  Preparation of Rites got him Nekroz Cycle from his Graveyard and Nekroz of Brionac from his Deck.  He discarded it to get Nekroz of Trishula.  He Ritual Summoned Nekroz of Trishula with Djinn Releaser of Rituals and Brionac, then Set one card to his backrow.

Rodriguez had Vanity’s Emptiness; Mathematician; Djinn Releaser of Rituals; two Nekroz of Valkyrus; and Manju of the Ten Thousand Hands.  He Summoned Manju to search his Deck for Brionac, pitched it, and searched for Nekroz of Unicore.  He discarded that to take back Brionac, again going into thinning mode to get to as many outs as possible.  He Set Emptiness.

De Obaldia detached Lavalval Chain’s second Xyz Material to place Senju of the Thousand Hands on top of his Deck, then attacked with Trishula – Rodriguez blocked with Nekroz of Valkyrus.

Rodrigued drew Dark Hole!  He activated it and De Obaldia negated it with Solemn Scolding!  That left Rodriguez free to Summon Mathematician, sending Farfa, Malebranche of the Burning Abyss to his Graveyard to banish Trishula and break the Djinn lock!  Rodriguez attacked, sending Mathematician into Lavalval Chain to draw a card, then discarded Brionac to get Nekroz of Clausolas from his Deck.  That got him Nekroz Kaleidoscope, and he activated it to send Herald of the Arc Light to the Graveyard to Ritual Summon Unicore.  He took Nekroz Cycle from his Deck with Herald’s effect, then overlaid to Xyz Summon Daigusto Emeral.  He detached to return Unicore, Valkyrus, and Brionac to his Deck with Emeral’s effect, drawing a card.  He activated Nekroz Cycle, Tributed Djinn Releaser of Rituals, and Ritual Summoned his own Djinn’d Clausolas.  The tables had turned!

De Obaldia brought back his Trishula and attacked Clausolas, but Rodriguez blocked it with Valkyrus.

Rodriguez drew Mathematician and detached for Emeral again, returning Manju, Valkyrus, and Herald back to his Main and Extra Decks.  He drew Secret Village of the Spellcasters.  He Summoned Manju, took Brionac from his Deck, and discarded it to get Nekroz of Gungnir.  He attacked, destroying Lavalval Chain with Emeral thanks to Clausolas’ effect, then ended his turn.

De Obaldia drew to four cards in hand with Trishula on the field.  He Summoned Senju, searched for Unicore, and attacked Clausolas with Trishula.  Rodriguez saved his lock with Gungnir, but lost his Manju in a trade with De Obaldia’s Senju.

Rodriguez drew Nekroz Mirror and Summoned Mathematician, this time sending Shurit, Strategist of the Nekroz to his Graveyard.  He attacked Trishula with Mathematician to draw Reinforcement of the Army, dropping to 6500 Life Points, and activated Reinforcement to get another Shurit.

De Obaldia Summoned Fire Hand, attacked into Emeral, and destroyed it.  Then he finally managed to take down Clausolas with Trishula!  The Duel stood at 4900 Life Points to 3200 with Rodriguez still leading.  De Obaldia Tributed Shurit for Nekroz Cycle in Main Phase 2, bringing back Nekroz of Unicore and searching his Deck for Brionac with Shurit’s effect.  He discarded it to get another Unicore, then discarded that to get back Brionac, to get Nekroz Kaleidoscope.  He activated it to send Herald of the Arc Light to the Graveyard, Summoning the second Unicore and searching out Nekroz Mirror.  He overlaid both Unicores to Xyz Summon Number 80: Rhapsody in Berserk, and detached both to banish Rodriguez’s Djinn Releaser of Rituals and Nekroz Cycle.  “Go ahead.”

Rodriguez drew, now holding Unicore, Secret Village, Mirror and Shurit.  He traded the Unicore for Clausolas, discarded that to get Nekroz Cycle, and activated it Tributing Shurit to Ritual Summon Gungnir from his Graveyard.  He searched Trishula with Shurit.  Rodriguez discarded Mirror to destroy his opponent’s Trishula with Gungnir’s effect, then attacked to destroy Rhapsody in Berserk.

De Obaldia Normal Summoned D.D. Warrior Lady and attacked with it, losing out to Trishula.  He attacked with Fire Hand next, Rodriguez flipped Vanity’s Emptiness and both monsters – plus Emptiness – were destroyed.  De Obaldia didn’t have another Ice Hand to Summon.

Rodriguez banished Nekroz Cycle to search Nekroz Mirror, and activated it to banish Shurit, Summoning Nekroz of Valkyrus!  With 2300 Life Points and no answers amongst his two backrow cards, De Obaldia conceded the second Duel.

Daniel Alfonso Rodriguez wins one of the longest, most demanding Duels of the day, fighting out of a Djinn Releaser of Rituals lock and establishing his own as just one chapter of a tremendous contest!  One more Duel would determine the winner of this tournament, and the Central American Champion.  Galileo Mauricio De Obaldia Soza would have the advantage of playing second.

Rodriguez opened with Kycoo the Ghost Destroyer; Nekroz Cycle; Shurit, Strategist of the Nekroz; Nekroz of Unicore; and Nekroz of Trishula.  He activated Cycle to Tribute Shurit, Ritual Summoning Unicore.  He searched his Deck for Nekroz of Brionac with Shurit’s effect, then Summoned Kycoo to overlay for Lavalval Chain.  He detached Unicore to yard Djinn Releaser of Rituals with Lavalval Chain, discarded Brionac to get Nekroz of Clausolas, and discarded that to get Nekroz Mirror.  He banished Releaser to Ritual Summon Nekroz of Trishula, asserting a Djinn lock but leaving himself with no cards, fully committed to the field.

De Obaldia Summoned Fire Hand!  He crashed it into Trishula to destroy it, escaping the Djinn lock and Summoning Ice Hand in Defense Position.  He Set a backrow.

Rodriguez drew Nekroz Kaleidoscope and attacked with Lavalval Chain to destroy Ice Hand.  He detached to stack Manju of the Ten Thousand Hands to the top of his Deck, then Set Kaleidoscope.

De Obaldia Summoned Senju of the Thousand Hands and searched his Deck for Nekroz of Valkyrus.  Brionac got him Nekroz of Unicore, and he Ritual Summoned Unicore and Valkyrus with Nekroz Kaleidoscope, sending Blue-Eyes Ultimate Dragon to the Graveyard.  He attacked with Valkyrus, Senju, and Unicore – Rodriguez was left with 3200 Life Points.  De Obaldia Tributed Senju from the field and Trishula from his hand to draw two cards with Valkyrus’ effect, and time was called in the Round!  Three turns remained in the Match.

Rodriguez tried to Normal Summon Manju of the Ten Thousand Hands, and when De Obaldia flipped Solemn Scolding Rodriguez gave him the handshake!

Galileo Mauricio De Obaldia Soza is going to the World Championship for a third time, our new Central American Champion!