Matthew Bishop is a staple of the Toronto Dueling scene, undefeated here this weekend with Burning Abyss Phantom Knights. The kicker? He’s running Performapal Hip Hippo with triple Super Hippo Carnival from The Dark Illusion, something we saw in recent weeks from Joseph Bogli, who ran the same tech for different reasons in Monarchs. Bishop is also playing Ghost Ogre & Snow Rabbit in his Main Deck, along with Emergency Teleport, which can be used to Summon it.

Bishop’s opponent is Daniel John Strzeszewski, who traveled here this weekend from Detroit Michigan to compete with Metalfoes. We’ve yet to see Metalfoes in action, so this could be really interesting. That said, those Ghost Ogre & Snow Rabbits could become a problem for him.

Strzeszewski chose to open the Match, activating Painful Decision to send Metalfoes Silverd to his Graveyard, searching for another to add to his hand. He Normal Summoned Majespecter Raccoon – Bunbuku to search his Deck for another copy. He activated Metalfoes Volflame, and then the second Majespecter Raccoon – Bunbuku. He tried to destroy the Raccoon with Volflame, but Bishop dropped Ghost Ogre & Snow Rabbit to destroy Volflame on the Chain and interrupt its effect. Strzeszewski was deprived of his search. He activated Metalfoes Silverd next, tried to pop the Raccoon again, and once again lost his Metalfoes to Ghost Ogre & Snow Rabbit! “Alright, well…”. He Set one card to his Spell and Trap Card Zone. “You can go.”

Bishop had Solemn Warning; Farfa, Malebranche of the Burning Abyss; Scarm, Malebranche of the Burning Abyss; and The Phantom Knights of Silent Boots in his hand. He Special Summoned Farfa, then Normal Summoned Scarm and overlaid both for Dante, Traveler of the Burning Abyss. He detached Scarm to send three cards from the top of his Deck to his Graveyard: Phantom Knights’ Fog Blade; Graff, Malebranche of the Burning Abyss; and Farfa, Malebranche of the Burning Abyss. He used Graff’s effect to Special Summon Cir, Malebranche of the Burning Abyss, then attacked with it to destroy Strzeszewski’s Majespecter Raccoon – Bunbuku. Strzeszewski flipped Metalfoes Counter, Special Summoning Metalfoes Volflame from his Deck, and Bishop ran it over with Dante. He Set Solemn Warning and got Tour Guide from the Underworld with Scarm’s effect in his End Phase.

Strzeszewski drew to two cards and activated Pot of Desires, banishing ten cards from his Deck to draw two more. He activated Metalfoes Steelen, used its effect to destroy Majespecter Raccoon – Bunbuku from his other Pendulum Zone, and finally got to search: he Set Metalfoes Combination from his Deck to his Spell and Trap Card Zone. Strzeszewski then activated the effect of Metalfoes Counter from his Graveyard, taking Metalfoes Silverd from his Extra Deck, which he activated to complete his Pendulum Scale. He tried to Pendulum Summon Majespecter Raccoon – Bunbuku, Majespecter Unicorn – Kirin and Metalfoes Volflame, and Bishop blasted him with Solemn Warning to shut down the attempt! Strzeszewski Set his last card to a Monster Card Zone.

Bishop drew another Silent Boots. He sent Speedroid Terrortop, Twin Twisters, and another Phantom Knights’ Fog Blade to his Graveyard with Dante, triggering Farfa’s ability by detaching it, and he banished Strzeszewski’s face-down monster temporarily. Bishop Normal Summoned Tour Guide from the Underworld to Special Summon Barbar, Malebranche of the Burning Abyss and destroy his own Cir, Special Summoning Scarm, and destroying that as well to claim its effect again at the end of the turn. He overlaid Tour Guide and Barbar to Xyz Summon another Dante, then detached Barbar to send Emergency Teleport, Cir, and his third Fog Blade to the Graveyard!

Bishop banished Farfa and Cir to burn Strzeszewski for 600 Life Points with Barbar’s effect, and then attacked with both Dantes to drop Strzeszewski down to 2000 LP. He searched for Calcab, Malebranche of the Burning Abyss with Scarm in the End Phase, and Strzeszewski got back his face-down monster.

Strzeszewski Flip Summoned his face-down monster: Fossil Dyna Pachycephalo! Its effect destroyed both copies of Dante, triggering their effects and getting Bishop back his Cir and Farfa. Strzeszewski made a direct attack with the Fossil Dyna, and Bishop dropped down to 4800 Life Points. Strzeszewski Set his last card again, this time to his back row.

Bishop drew Super Hippo Carnival! He Normal Summoned Cir, attacked to destroy Fossil Dyna Pachycephalo, and succeeded! Strzeszewski took another 400 points of damage. “Activate Super Hippo Carnival, still in Battle Phase.”

And heeeeeere come the Hippos! Bishop Special Summoned Performapal Hip Hippo from his Deck, opted not to Special Summon any Hippo Tokens, and in unleashing the Hip Hippo he destroyed his Cir! That revived Dante, Traveler of the Burning Abyss and let Bishop attack for game!

Yeah, that just happened.

“That was pretty spicy,” remarked Strzeszewski, swiftly reaching for his Side Deck.

Super Hippo Carnival, man. Tell your friends.

The Match moved to Game 2 with Strzeszewski opting to play first. “Good luck.”

“Good luck, “ replied Bishop.

“I’ll need it, man, you’re playing some spicy stuff.”

Strzeszewski opened with Blackwing – Gofu the Vague Shadow, and Special Summoned his two Vague Shadow Tokens. He activated Metalfoes Silverd to destroy one of his Vague Shadow Tokens, searching for Metalfoes Combination. He Set it, and then activated Painful Decision to send Metalfoes Silverd to the Graveyard, searching for his last copy and adding it to his hand. He activated it to destroy the other Silverd and Set Metalfoes Counter. He activated Archfiend Eccentrick next, and Bishop destroyed it with Typhoon, sending it to the Extra Deck.

Bishop had Anti-Spell Fragrance; Cir, Malebranche of the Burning Abyss; The Phantom Knights of Silent Boots; Speedroid Taketomborg; and Ghost Ogre & Snow Rabbit. He Normal Summoned Cir, attacked Gofu, and Strzeszewski flipped Metalfoes Counter to Special Summon Metalfoes Goldriver. Bishop Set Anti-Spell Fragrance.

Strzeszewski drew for his turn and Bishop flipped the Fragrance. Strzeszewski flipped Metalfoes Combination and when he tried to destroy it with Metalfoes Silverd’s Pendulum Effect, Bishop Chained Ghost Ogre & Snow Rabbit to destroy Silverd and shut it down. Strzeszewski attacked over Cir with Goldriver and Set one more card to his back row.

Bishop drew another Typhoon and passed.

Strzeszewski flipped Pot of Desires and banished ten cards to draw two more, going to four cards in hand with Combination, Goldriver, and a single Vague Shadow Token on the field. He made a direct attack with Goldriver and Set one more card to his back row.

Bishop drew Farfa, Malebranche of the Burning Abyss and Set it. He had 5800 Life Points left to Strzeszewski’s 8000.

Strzeszewski attacked into Farfa, matching its DEF and leaving it on the field. He moved to Main Phase 2 to Tribute away Goldriver, Summoning Majespecter Unicorn – Kirin.

Bishop drew Twin Twisters and Set it with five minutes left in the Match.

Strzeszewski Normal Summon Majespecter Raccoon – Bunbuku, searching another Raccoon, and Bishop conceded. Game 3 was going to be very short; both players shuffled up as quickly as they could.

Bishop opened with Ghost Ogre & Snow Rabbit; Scarm, Malebranche of the Burning Abyss; Graff, Malebranche of the Burning Abyss; The Phantom Knights of Silent Boots; and Farfa, Malebranche of the Burning Abyss. He Special Summoned Farfa, then Scarm, and overlaid for Dante, Traveler of the Burning Abyss. He detached Scarm to send Twin Twisters, Emergency Teleport, and Cir, Malebranche of the Burning Abyss to the Graveyard with Dante’s effect, making a noise of frustration. He opted not to activate Cir, then dumped his Graff to upgrade Dante into Beatrice, Lady of the Eternal. That Special Summoned Barbar, Malebranche of the Burning Abyss with Graff’s effect, and Bishop banished his Scarm to burn Strzeszewski for 300 damage when Barbar was sent to the Graveyard.

Strzeszewski drew for his turn as time was called. This was Turn 0 with five more turns remaining. Strzeszewski activated Metalfoes Volflame and Majespecter Unicorn – Kirin as Pendulum Spells, and when he tried to Volflame the Unicorn, Bishop denied him with Ghost Ogre & Snow Rabbit. Strzeszewski Set a monster, then Set two more cards to his Spell and Trap Card Zone. He had no more Pendulum Spells.

Still on Strzeszewski’s turn, Bishop detached Dante from Beatrice to send a fresh Scarm to his Graveyard, searching Tour Guide from the Underworld with Scarm’s effect in the End Phase. Dante bounced Cir back to his hand with its effect.

In Turn 1 of overtime, Bishop drew Phantom Knights’ Fog Blade. He Summoned Tour Guide, but lost its effect when Strzeszewski Chained Vanity’s Emptiness! Bishop attacked Strzeszewski’s face-down with Beatrice: it was Fossil Dyna Pachycephalo again. It destroyed Beatrice, and since Vanity’s Emptiness was still on the field ever so momentarily, Bishop couldn’t Special Summon from his Extra Deck with Beatrice’s effect. What a beating! Bishop Set his Fog Blade.

In Turn 2 of overtime, Strzeszewski drew and didn’t seem to take the immediate actions of a man who’d just drawn another Pendulum. He flipped his Set card – Cosmic Cyclone – dropping 1000 Life Points to banish Bishop’s Fog Blade. Strzeszewski had it! He activated Metalfoes Steelen, Pendulum Summoned Fossil Dyna Pachycephalo and Metalfoes Volflame, and attacked to destroy Tour Guide and drop Bishop to 5400 Life Points. Strzeszewski had 5700 LP left. Suddenly the tables had turned.

In Turn 3 of overtime, Bishop drew Anti-Spell Fragrance, holding The Phantom Knights of Silent Boots and Cir, Malebranche of the Burning Abyss. He Normal Summoned Cir to attack over Fossil Dyna, destroying it, then Set Fragrance.

In Turn 4 of overtime, Strzeszewski’s last turn, Bishop flipped Anti-Spell Fragrance and Strzeszewski Pendulum Summoned his freshly-drawn Metalfoes Volflame! He attacked over Cir, Bishop revived his Barbar in Defense Position with 4600 Life Points, and Strzeszewski did some math. He had 5300 Life Points left, and Barbar could burn him down to 4400 LP. Just enough to lose the Match if he attacked… but still probably enough to lose him the Match if he didn’t.

Strzeszewski paused a moment, then spoke, breaking the tension: “Well.” Beat. “That’s not good.”

Bishop laughed. “You can’t destroy that!” Strzeszewski laughed too. “I mean, you could if you wanted to.”

“Yeah, and on your turn you’ll just use it anyways.” Strzeszewski passed.

Turn 5 in time. Bishop drew. “Did you get it?”

“I already had it,” revealed Bishop, showing his opponent The Phantom Knights of Silent Boots. That was all Strzeszewski needed to see, offering the handshake immediately!

It took until Turn 5 in overtime of the third and final Duel, but Matt Bishop narrowly manages to capture the win, with… Super Hippo Carnival Ghost Ogre Teleport Burning Abyss Phantom Knights?!

Sure. We’ll go with that.