Round 10 Feature Match: Chase Cunningham versus Giovanni Gonzalez
Chase Cunningham managed to make the Top 4 of the World Championship in Kyoto last year, and since then has shown dominating performance after dominating performance. He is currently 8-1-1, needing a win to guarantee a slot into the Top Cut. He is piloting Burning Abyss Phantom Knights this weekend, and as a veteran Burning Abyss Duelist he definitely knows what he’s doing. His opponent is Giovanni Gonzalez, one of the few Domain Monarch Duelists left in the tournament. We have seen much more of the Xyz Monarch variant, but at 8-1-1 Gonzalez is showcasing that Domain of the True Monarchs is still just as powerful as it was before. Who will guarantee their slot in Top Cut?
Gonzalez won the roll and chose
Duel One:
Gonzalez began with Upstart Goblin to draw a card and grant 1000 Life Points to Cunningham. He Set a Monster and a back row before he ended.
Cunningham had a hand of Upstart Goblin, Twin Twister, Tour Guide from the Underworld, Farfa, Malebranche of the Burning Abyss, and Speedroid Terrortop before he drew another Twin Twister. He Special Summoned Speedroid Terrortop and used its effect to add Speedroid Taketomborg. Upstart Goblin was next which found him Scarm, Malebranche of the Burning Abyss before he overlayed both Speedroids for Dante, Traveler of the Burning Abyss. He activated its effect and sent Fiendish Rhino Warrior, Phantom Knights’ Fog Blade, and Speedroid Terrortop. The Fiendish Rhino Warrior triggered and sent Graff, Malebranche of the Burning Abyss to the Graveyard, then the Graff, Malebranche of the Burning Abyss triggered and Special Summoned Farfa, Malebranche of the Burning Abyss. He Special Summoned Scarm, Malebranche of the Burning Abyss and overlayed for a second Dante, Traveler of the Burning Abyss. Next, he Normal Summoned Tour Guide from the Underworld and used its effect to Special Summon Cir, Malebranche of the Burning Abyss, overlaying them for a third Dante, Traveler of the Burning Abyss. He detached Farfa, Malebranche of the Burning Abyss from the second Dante, Traveler of the Burning Abyss to send The Phantom Knights of Ancient Cloak, The Phantom Knights of Ragged Gloves, and Twin Twister. The Farfa, Malebranche of the Burning Abyss triggered and that was enough to get the concession from Gonzalez!
A weak opening by Gonzalez and a Tour Guide from the Underworld along with Speedroid Terrortop for Cunningham seals the deal on the first Duel. Can Gonzalez’s Deck manage to cooperate with him in the next Duel? Or will Cunningham’s explosive strategy show him up?
Gonzalez chose to go first.
Duel Two:
Once again in a serious of unfortunate events, Gonzalez could only Set a Monster and a back row.
Cunningham The Phantom Knights of Silent Boots, Ghost Ogre & Snow Rabbit, The Phantom Knights of Ancient Cloak, Phantom Knights’ Fog Blade, and Speedroid Taketomborg before he drew Scarm, Malebranche of the Burning Abyss. He began with The Phantom Knights of Ancient Cloak and Special Summoned The Phantom Knights of Silent Boots. He overlayed for Dante, Traveler of the Burning Abyss and sent Raigeki, The Phantom Knights of Silent Boots, and Graff, Malebranche of the Burning Abyss to the Graveyard by detaching The Phantom Knights of Silent Boots. He Special Summoned Calcab, Malebranche of the Burning Abyss from his Deck via the Graff, Malebranche of the Burning Abyss, then moved to Battle Phase. He declared an attack with Calcab, Malebranche of the Burning Abyss and then directly with Dante, Traveler of the Burning Abyss. In Main Phase 2, he discarded Scarm, Malebranche of the Burning Abyss to Special Summon Beatrice, Lady of the Eternal over Dante, Traveler of the Burning Abyss, then Calcab, Malebranche of the Burning Abyss destroyed itself to bounce the only Set back row. He banished The Phantom Knights of Silent Boots and searched Phantom Knights’ Fog Blade, then Set it along with another copy. During the End Phase he added Tour Guide from the Underworld to his hand thanks to Scarm, Malebranche of the Burning Abyss.
Gonzalez drew and nodded his head. He activated Tenacity of the Monarchs and revealed Ehther the Heavenly Monarch to add Pantheism of the Monarchs to his hand. Now things were getting started, he activated Twin Twister and ditched Pantheism of the Monarchs to destroy both of Cunningham’s Set Phantom Knights’ Fog Blades. He then banished Pantheism of the Monarchs from his Graveyard to reveal three copies of Domain of the True Monarchs. He Special Summoned Mithra the Thunder Vassal and gave Cunningham a token, then activated Domain of the True Monarchs. When he tried to activate its effect to decrease the level of a Monster in his hand, Cunningham used Ghost Ogre & Snow Rabbit to blow him out! Gonzalez was forced to end, and during the End Phase Cunningham activated Beatrice, Lady of the Eternal and detached The Phantom Knights of Ancient Cloak to send Scarm, Malebranche of the Burning Abyss. The Scarm, Malebranche of the Burning Abyss then triggered and Cunningham added Cir, Malebranche of the Burning Abyss to his hand. He then activated Phantom Knights’ Fog Blade to Special Summon The Phantom Knights of Ancient Cloak.
Cunningham drew Twin Twister and Normal Summoned Tour Guide from the Underworld. Her effect got Cunningham Fiendish Rhino Warrior, and Cunningham stacked Tour Guide from the Underworld and The Phantom Knights of Ancient Cloak for Leviair the Sea Dragon. He used the effect of Leviair the Sea Dragon detaching the The Phantom Knights of Ancient Cloak to Special Summon The Phantom Knights of Silent Boots, and overlayed it with Fiendish Rhino Warrior for Dante, Traveler of the Burning Abyss. He activated Dante, Traveler of the Burning Abyss and detached Fiendish Rhino Warrior, sending The Phantom Knights of Ancient Cloak, Upstart Goblin, and The Phantom Knights of Ragged Gloves to his Graveyard. The Fiendish Rhino Warrior triggered and sent Farfa, Malebranche of the Burning Abyss, which Cunningham triggered to banish the Vassal Token that Gonzalez had given him. He banished Phantom Knights’ Fog Blade and Special Summoned The Phantom Knights of Ragged Gloves from his Graveyard, and then Special Summoned Speedroid Taketomborg because he controlled Leviair the Sea Dragon. He overlayed the Speedroid with his The Phantom Knights of Ragged Gloves for Dante, Traveler of the Burning Abyss, then used its effect by detaching The Phantom Knights of Ragged Gloves to send Speedroid Terrortop, Upstart Goblin, and Phantom Knights’ Fog Blade. He clarified that Gonzalez was at 5500 Life Points, and after some attacks the Duel was over!

End Field of Beatrice, Lady of the Eternal, Leviair the Sea Dragon, a couple Dante, Traveler of the Burning Abyss
Boom! Just like that, Chase Cunningham emerges victorious with Burning Abyss Phantom Knights and is a lock for Top 32!