Welcome to the Top 32! There are lots of unique Decks and cool tech choices that have made it into the Top 32, but Frazier Smith’s tech choice is one of the least expected given his choice of Deck. Duelists were anticipating the addition of Card of Demise to slow Decks that count on amassing cards, like Qliphort Decks, Gravekeeper’s Decks, and Counter Fairy Decks; but few Duelists anticipated that Card of Demise would be used in Decks that are already mainstream. Frazier Smith has rattled the notion that Card of Demise doesn’t fit into the modern game’s top Decks, by finishing the Swiss Rounds with a 9-1 record using his Kozmo Deck featuring three copies of Card of Demise. Smith uses Card of Demise to draw into his crucial Trap Cards; and when he picks up Kozmo monsters with Card of Demise instead, he’s able to use Kozmotown to shuffle them back into his Deck and drew new cards, getting a second shot at drawing those critical Traps to Set before discarding his hand. Card of Demise has served Smith well this weekend, and Duelists may see Smith’s use of Card of Demise set a trend whereby Duelists are willing to experiment with Card of Demise in all sorts of different Decks.

Now, Smith is Dueling against 17-year-old Performapal Pendulum Duelist Charles Kip in a Top 32 Feature Match that will determine which Duelist advances to the Top 16. It’s time to Duel!

Duel One

Smith opened up Duel 1 with Call of the Haunted, Solemn Strike, Kozmoll Dark Lady, Kozmotown, and Kozmo Farmgirl.

He Summoned Farmgirl, banished it from the field to Special Summon Dark Lady from his hand, and then activated Kozmotown. He returned Farmgirl to his hand by giving up 300 Life Points with Kozmotown and then used Kozmotown’s effect to shuffle it into his Deck and draw Kozmo Dark Destroyer. He banished Dark Lady from his field to Special Summon Dark Destroyer from his hand, and used Dark Destroyer’s effect to have it destroy itself. He banished Dark Destroyer to Special Summon Strawman from his Deck, and then paid 500 Life Points to Special Summon Dark Destroyer to his field with Strawman’s effect. Smith Set Solemn Strike and Call of the Haunted. In his End Phase, Dark Destroyer was destroyed, and Smith banished it to Special Summon Kozmo Tincan from his Deck. He paid 500 Life Points to use its effect in his End Phase, randomly adding Kozmo Landwalker to his hand and sending Kozmo Dark Destroyer and Dark Lady to his Graveyard.

Kip activated Magical Abductor in his Pendulum Zone and then activated Painful Decision. He sent Master Pendulum, the Dracoslayer from his Deck to his Graveyard to add another copy from his Deck to his hand and add a Spell Counter to his Abductor. Next, he activated Instant Fusion by giving up 1000 Life Points. Kip Special Summoned Norden to the field and added a Spell Counter to his Abductor. He used Norden’s effect to Special Summon Master Pendulum, the Dracoslayer from his Graveyard. He combined Norden with Master Pendulum to Xyz Summon Abyss Dweller and then detached Master Pendulum to activate its effect. He activated Sky Iris next, adding a third Spell Counter to Magical Abductor. He removed 3 Spell Counters from Magical Abductor to add Luster Pendulum, the Dracoslayer from his Deck to his hand and then Normal Summoned Performapal Skullcrobat Joker. He used his Skullcrobat Joker’s effect to add Performapal Monkeyboard from his Deck to his hand and then used the effect of Sky Iris to destroy his Magical Abductor and add Performapal Odd-Eyes Unicorn from his Deck to his hand. He activated Odd-Eyes Unicorn and Performapal Odd-Eyes Light Phoenix in his Pendulum Zones next, and then attempted to Pendulum Summon Luster Pendulum, the Dracoslayer from his hand and Magical Abductor from his Extra Deck; but Smith flipped Solemn Strike and gave up 1500 Life Points to negate the Pendulum Summon! Kip entered his Battle Phase and then attacked Tincan with Skullcrobat Joker; but Smith flipped Call of the Haunted and Special Summoned Kozmo Dark Destroyer from his Graveyard. He used Dark Destroyer’s effect to destroy Abyss Dweller, and then Skullcrobat Joker’s attack continued and destroyed the Tincan.

Smith drew Kozmo Farmgirl and then used the effect of Kozmotown to add Kozmoll Dark Lady to his hand by giving up 500 Life Points. Next, he activated the effect of his Strawman and gave up 500 Life Points to Special Summon Kozmo Dark Destroyer from his Banished Zone. He activated the effect of Kozmotown next, shuffling Landwalker from his hand back into his Deck to draw Kozmojo. He Normal Summoned Kozmo Farmgirl next, prompting Kip to concede.

Frazier Smith wins the first Duel with his Kozmos! Kip chose for Smith to go first in Duel 2.

Duel Two

Smith opened up Duel 2 with Kozmo Farmgirl, Kozmo Strawman, Kozmo Dark Destroyer, Emergency Teleport, and Kozmo Sliprider. He Summoned Farmgirl and Set Emergency Teleport. He banished Farmgirl to Special Summon Dark Destroyer from his hand, used Dark Destroyer’s effect to have it destroy itself, and then banished Dark Destroyer to Special Summon Tincan from his Deck in Defense Position. He activated Tincan’s effect in his End Phase by giving up 500 Life Points, revealing Kozmo Dark Destroyer, Kozmoll Dark Lady, and Kozmo Landwalker from his Deck. He randomly added Dark Lady to his hand and sent the other 2 cards to his Graveyard.

Kip activated Raigeki to destroy Tincan.

He placed Performapal Monkeyboard in his Pendulum Zone next, and Smith activated Emergency Teleport to Special Summon another Tincan from his Deck. Kip activated Book of Eclipse on its Summon, putting Tincan face-down. Next, Kip used Monkeyboard’s effect to add Performapal Skullcrobat Joker to his hand, Summoned it, and used its effect to add Lizardraw to his hand. He placed it in his Pendulum Zone, Pendulum Summoned Performapal Odd-Eyes Light Phoenix to his field, and then destroyed the Lizardraw to draw a card. Skullcrobat Joker attacked and destroyed Smith’s face-down Tincan, and then Light Phoenix attacked directly.

Smith drew Maxx “C” and then Summoned Strawman. He activated Strawman’s effect, Kip Chained Maxx “C” from his hand, and Smith Chained the effect of Strawman to banish it from the Duel and Summon Kozmoll Dark Lady to his field. Kozmo Dark Destroyer was Special Summoned from the Banished Zone, and Kip drew a card. Kozmo Dark Destroyer attacked and destroyed Light Phoenix, and then Dark Lady attacked and destroyed Skullcrobat Joker, sending both monsters to Kip’s Extra Deck. In his End Phase, Smith destroyed his Dark Destroyer and banished it to Special Summon Tincan from his Deck, allowing Kip to draw another card due to the effect of Maxx “C”. Smith activated Tincan’s effect in the End Phase, revealing Kozmo Dark Destroyer, Kozmotown, and Kozmojo from his Deck. He randomly added Kozmo Dark Destroyer to his hand and sent the other 2 cards to his Graveyard.

Kip activated Magical Abductor in his Pendulum Zone and then activated his face-down Book of Eclipse to turn Smith’s monsters face-down. He Chained another Book of Eclipse from his hand, adding a total of 2 Spell Counters to Magical Abductor. Next, he activated Twin Twisters and discarded Performapal Pendulum Sorcerer to destroy his Monkeyboard and add a third Counter to his Abductor. He removed all 3 Counters to add Luster Pendulum, the Dracoslayer from his Deck to his hand and then placed it in his Pendulum Zone. He destroyed his Abductor with Luster Pendulum’s effect, searched his Deck for another copy, and then placed another Abductor in his Pendulum Zone. Smith activated Maxx “C”, and then Kip Pendulum Summoned Performapal Skullcrobat Joker and Magical Abductor from his Extra Deck, allowing Smith to draw a card. Abductor attacked and destroyed Tincan, and Skullcrobat Joker attacked Dark Lady to flip her face-up.

Smith drew a card and then Normal Summoned Farmgirl. He activated Raigeki, and Kip realized it was over.

Frazier Smith is moving on to the Top 16 with his Kozmo Deck featuring Card of Demise!