After 6 Swiss Rounds, New Jersey Duelist Steven Gleason local Pennsylvania Duelist Steven McMearty have made it to Table 1! McMearty currently has a 5-0-1 record with his Nekroz Deck, and Gleason is currently 5-1 with his Kozmo Deck. Which Duelist will advance to Day 2 with the best shot at Top 8? We’re about to find out! It’s time to Duel!

Duel One

McMearty started off Duel 1 by activating Reinforcement of the Army to add Nekroz of Clausolas to his hand. Next, he discarded Nekroz of Clausolas to add Nekroz Kaleidoscope from his Deck to his hand.

Gleason opened up with Bottomless Trap Hole, Kozmotown, Kozmo Goodwitch, Honest, and 2 copies of Shared Ride. He Summoned Kozmo Goodwitch and then attacked directly, dropping McMearty down to 6200 Life Points. Gleason Set Shared Ride and Bottomless Trap Hole before ending his turn.

McMearty activated Nekroz Kaleidoscope, sending Shooting Quasar Dragon from his Extra Deck to his Graveyard to Special Summon Nekroz of Valkyrus and Nekroz of Unicore from his hand. Gleason flipped Bottomless Trap Hole to try to destroy and banish both of them, but McMearty discarded Nekroz of Gungnir from his hand to protect Valkyrus! Valkyrus attacked Goodwitch, and Gleason discarded Honest from his hand to increase his monster’s ATK and allow his Goodwitch to survive the battle! Valkyrus continued to be protected by Nekroz of Gungnir. In Main Phase 2, McMearty Tributed Maxx “C” from his hand to draw a card with Nekroz of Valkyrus.

Gleason activated his Goodwitch’s effect to put Valkyrus face-down and destroy it in battle with Goodwitch. Next, he Set Mind Crush face-down and passed his turn.

McMearty banished Nekroz Kaleidoscope and Nekroz of Clausolas from his Graveyard to activate the effect of Kaleidoscope and Gleason Chained Shared Ride! McMearty added Nekroz Mirror to his hand and Gleason drew a card. Next, McMearty activated Nekroz Kaleidoscope, and Gleason Chained Mind Crush, naming Nekroz of Unicore! McMearty revealed Nekroz of Unicore, Shurit, Strategist of the Nekroz, and Nekroz of Valkyrus from his hand and discarded the Unicore. He then Tributed the Shurit in his hand to Special Summon Nekroz of Valkyrus, and activated Shurit’s effect to add Nekroz of Trishula to his hand. Gleason drew another card thanks to Shared Ride. Nekroz of Valkyrus attacked and destroyed Goodwitch.

Gleason drew Effect Veiler. He activated Kozmotown and shuffled Kozmo Farmgirl from his hand into his Deck to draw another Farmgirl. He Set Emergency Teleport and Shared Ride before passing his turn.

McMearty attacked directly with Nekroz of Valkyrus, dropping Gleason down to 3500 Life Points.

Gleason drew another Emergency Teleport and then Summoned Farmgirl to the field. He activated Emergency Teleport from his hand next, Special Summoning another Farmgirl, and then flipped his face-down Emergency Teleport to Special Summon a third Farmgirl to the field.

He combined 2 Farmgirls to Xyz Summon Number 30: Acid Golem and then attacked Valkyrus with Acid Golem to destroy it. Farmgirl attacked directly next, allowing Gleason to pay 500 Life Points and add Kozmo Forerunner from his Deck to his hand. Next, he activated the effect of Kozmotown to shuffle his Forerunner back into his Deck and draw Mind Crush. He Set it face-down before ending his turn. Kozmo Farmgirl was banished in the End Phase due to the effect of Emergency Teleport.

McMearty banished Nekroz Kaleidoscope and Nekroz of Valkyrus from his Graveyard to activate his Kaleidoscope’s effect, and Gleason Chained Shared Ride. McMearty added Nekroz Mirror to his hand and Gleason drew a card. Next, McMearty activated Nekroz Mirror, and Gleason Chained Maxx “C”. McMearty banished Shurit from his Graveyard to Special Summon Nekroz of Trishula from his hand, and after Gleason drew a card with Maxx “C”, he discarded Effect Veiler to negate Trishula’s effect.

Gleason detached an Xyz Material from Acid Golem in his next Standby Phase and then added Kozmo Farmgirl to his hand with the effect of Kozmotown, losing 300 Life Points. He Summoned Farmgirl to the field and then attacked Nekroz of Trishula with Number 30: Acid Golem to destroy it. Farmgirl attacked directly next, and Gleason paid 500 Life Points to add Kozmo Forerunner from his Deck to his hand with Farmgirl’s effect. He activated Kozmotown’s effect in Main Phase 2 to shuffle Forerunner and Goodwitch into his Deck, drawing Kozmo Sliprider and another Kozmo Forerunner. He Set Vanity’s Emptiness before passing his turn.

McMearty drew a card and Gleason flipped Vanity’s Emptiness in his Standby Phase. McMearty discarded Nekroz of Brionac from his hand to add Nekroz of Valkyrus from his Deck to his hand and then passed his turn.

Gleason detached an Xyz Material from Number 30: Acid Golem in his Standby Phase and then Tributed Acid Golem to Summon Kozmo Sliprider. He used his Sliprider’s effect to destroy his own Vanity’s Emptiness and then attacked directly with Kozmo Farmgirl. McMearty tried to stop the attack and end the Battle Phase by discarding Nekroz of Valkyrus from his hand; but Gleason Chained his Farmgirl’s effect to banish the Farmgirl and Special Summon Kozmo Forerunner from his hand! A direct attack from Forerunner wiped out McMearty last 1000 Life Points!

Steven Gleason wins Duel 1 with some help from Number 30: Acid Golem!

Duel Two

Gleason opened up Duel 2 with Maxx “C”, Emergency Teleport, Kycoo the Ghost Destroyer, Kozmotown, and Kozmo Forerunner. He activated Emergency Teleport to Special Summon Kozmo Farmgirl from his Deck and then banished it from his field to Special Summon Kozmo Forerunner. Next, he activated Kozmotown and used its effect to add Farmgirl back to his hand, losing 300 Life Points. Next, he used Kozmotown’s other effect to shuffle Farmgirl back into his Deck and draw Dark Hole. Gleason Set Dark Hole before ending his turn.

McMearty Summoned Denko Sekka and then activated Nekroz Kaleidoscope. Gleason Chained Maxx “C”. McMearty sent Herald of the Arc Light from his Extra Deck to his Graveyard to Special Summon Nekroz of Unicore and Gleason drew a card. Next, McMearty added Nekroz of Clausolas to his hand with the effect of Herald of the Arc Light, and then discarded Nekroz of Clausolas to add Nekroz Mirror to his hand. Next, he discarded Nekroz of Brionac to add Nekroz of Trishula from his Deck to his hand. He activated Nekroz Mirror next, Tributing Manju of the Ten Thousand Hands and Exa, Enforcer of the Nekroz from his hand to Special Summon Nekroz of Trishula. Gleason drew a card and then Trishula banished Forerunner from the field, Sliprider from the hand, and Maxx “C” from Gleason’s Graveyard. Next, Gleason added Nekroz of Decisive Armor to his hand with the effect of Exa. McMearty discarded Nekroz of Decisive Armor from his hand to increase the ATK of Nekroz of Trishula, and then direct attacks from Nekroz of Trishula, Denko Sekka, and Nekroz of Unicore wiped out Gleason’s last 7700 Life Points!

Steven McMearty defeats Steven Gleason on his very first turn in Duel 2!

Duel Three

McMearty started off Duel 3 by discarding Nekroz of Clausolas to add Nekroz Mirror from his Deck to his hand. He Set a card to his back row and then passed his turn.

Gleason opened up Duel 3 with Kozmotown, Mind Crush, Vanity’s Emptiness, Maxx “C”, Kycoo the Ghost Destroyer, and Bottomless Trap Hole. He Summoned Kycoo and attacked directly, dealing 1800 points of damage to McMearty and banishing Clausolas from the Graveyard with Kycoo’s effect. He Set 3 cards to his back row before ending his turn, and McMearty flipped Royal Decree in his End Phase!

McMearty passed his turn without making a play.

Gleason drew Dark Hole and then attacked directly with Kycoo.

McMearty once again passed his turn without making a play.

Gleason drew Emergency Teleport and activated it to Special Summon Kozmo Farmgirl from his Deck. He attacked directly with Farmgirl and activated its effect by paying 500 Life Points to add Kozmo Forerunner from his Deck to his hand. He then banished Kozmo Farmgirl from his field to Special Summon Kozmo Forerunner from his hand, and direct attacks from Kycoo the Ghost Destroyer and Kozmo Forerunner finished McMearty off!

A weak hand for Steven McMearty in Duel 3 allows Steven Gleason to make short work of him with his Kozmo Deck! Steven Gleason is moving on to Day 2 with a 6-1 record with his Kozmo Deck!