Puerto Rico’s Jose Carlos Marzan Figueroa and the State of Mexico’s Juan Carlos Cruz Dorantes are both currently undefeated in the tournament using vastly different strategies. Marzan is using a Lightsworn Deck that thrives on sending cards from the top of his Deck to his Graveyard, and capitalizes on the former YCS Prize Card, Minerva, the Exalted Lightsworn. His opponent, Cruz, is using a Metalfoes Deck that relies on Setting Spell and Trap Cards from his Deck with the effects of his Metalfoes monsters, and performing Pendulum Summons to create large fields. One of these strategies is about to finish Day 1 with a perfect 8-0 record, and we’re about to find out which one it’ll be. It’s time to Duel!

Duel One

Cruz started off Duel by Summoning Metalfoes Goldriver and Setting 3 cards to his back row.

Marzan opened up with Fairy Tail – Snow, Minerva, Lightsworn Maiden, Reinforcement of the Army, Charge of the Light Brigade, Foolish Burial, and Ghost Ogre & Snow Rabbit. He activated Charge, sending Goblindbergh, Fairy Tail – Snow, and Solar Recharge from the top of his Deck to his Graveyard to add Raiden, Hand of the Lightsworn from his Deck to his hand. Next, he activated Reinforcement of the Army to add Photon Thrasher from his Deck to his hand. He tried to Special Summon Photon Thrasher, but Cruz flipped Solemn Warning and paid 2000 Life Points to negate its Summon. Next, Marzan Normal Summoned Raiden, and activated its effect by sending Anti-Spell Fragrance and Instant Fusion from the top of his Deck to his Graveyard. He activated Foolish Burial next, sending Performage Trick Clown from his Deck to his Graveyard and giving up 1000 Life Points to Special Summon it to the field. Then, he combined Trick Clown with Raiden to Xyz Summon Minerva, the Exalted Lightsworn, and activated its effect by detaching an Xyz Material. He sent Wulf, Lightsworn Beast, Fairy Tail – Snow, and Maxx “C” to the Graveyard. He drew 1 card and Special Summoned Wulf to the field. He banished 7 cards from his Graveyard to Special Summon Fairy Tail from his Graveyard next, and combined Fairy Tail with Wulf to Xyz Summon Castel, the Skyblaster Musketeer in Defense Position. He detached both Xyz Materials from Castel to send Goldriver back to Cruz’s Deck. Marzan activated Soul Charge next, giving up 3000 Life Points to Special Summon Raiden, Fairy Tail, and Wulf from his Graveyard. He Tuned Wulf with Raiden to Synchro Summon PSY-Framelord Omega and then ended his turn.

Cruz drew a card and Marzan returned Maxx “C” from his Banished Zone to his Graveyard with his Omega’s effect in the Standby Phase. Cruz activated Painful Decision, and Marzan banished Omega from his field to banish the last card in Cruz’s hand. Cruz sent Goldriver from his Deck to his Graveyard to add another copy to his hand and Normal Summoned it. He attacked Castel with Goldriver to destroy it.

Marzan activated his Minerva’s effect by detaching Trick Clown to send Ehren, Lightsworn Monk, Solar Recharge, and Goblindbergh from the top of his Deck to his Graveyard and draw 1 card. He Special Summoned Trick Clown back to the field. He combined Trick Clown with Fairy Tail to Xyz Summon Performage Trapeze Magician and used his Magician’s effect to allow Minerva to attack twice. Next, he Normal Summoned Goblindbergh and used its effect to Special Summon Minerva, Lightsworn Maiden from his hand. He combined Minerva with Goblindbergh to Synchro Summon Black Rose Dragon and then attacked Goldriver with Omega. Black Rose attacked directly next, and attacks from Marzan’s remaining monsters finished Cruz off!

Marzan takes a dominating victory in Duel 1!

Duel Two

Cruz started off Duel 2 by Setting 3 cards to his back row, Summoning Metalfoes Goldriver, and activating Metalfoes Volflame in his Pendulum Zone.

Marzan opened up with Gem-Knight Garnet, Twin Twisters, Fairy Tail – Snow, Instant Fusion, Felis, Lightsworn Archer, and Cosmic Cyclone. He activated Twin Twisters by discarding Felis, destroying Cruz’s face-down Majespecter Tempest and Metalfoes Fusion. Cruz flipped Metalfoes Counter to Special Summon Metalfoes Volflame from his Deck to his field. Marzan activated Instant Fusion and gave up 1000 Life Points to Special Summon Elder Entity Norden from his Extra Deck, and activated its effect to Special Summon Felis to the field. Next, he Normal Summoned Fairy Tail and activated its effect to put Goldriver face-down. He combined Norden with Felis next, Xyz Summoning Minerva, the Exalted Lightsworn, and used its effect by detaching Felis to send Solar Recharge, Ghost Ogre & Snow Rabbit, and Lumina, Lightsworn Summoner from his Deck to his Graveyard. He drew Brilliant Fusion from his Deck with the effect of Minerva. Next, he attacked Volflame with Minerva, destroying his own Minerva, and sent 3 more cards from his Deck to his Graveyard with Minerva’s effect. Fairy Tail attacked and destroyed the face-down Goldriver next. Marzan Set Cosmic Cyclone before ending his turn.

Cruz activated Metalfoes Silverd in his Pendulum Zone and used the effect of the Metalfoes Fusion in his Graveyard to shuffle it into his Deck and draw a card. Next, he Pendulum Summoned Goldriver to the field. Goldriver attacked and destroyed Fairy Tail, and then Volflame attacked directly; but Marzan banished 7 cards from his Graveyard to Special Summon Fairy Tail from his Graveyard and put Volflame face-down. Cruz activated the effect of his Silverd to try to destroy the Volflame in his Pendulum Zone; but Marzan Chained Cosmic Cyclone and paid 1000 Life Points to banish Volflame. Cruz Set a card before passing his turn.

Marzan Summoned Gem-Knight Garnet and combined it with Fairy Tail to try to Summon Minerva; but Cruz activated Solemn Warning and gave up 2000 Life Points to negate its Summon. Nevertheless, Minerva’s effect activated when it was destroyed, sending 3 cards from the top of his Deck to his Graveyard, including a Raiden, and Marzan destroyed Cruz’s face-down Volflame with Minerva’s effect. Cruz banished Metalfoes Counter from his Graveyard to add Volflame from his Extra Deck to his hand during Marzan’s End Phase.

Cruz activated Silverd’s effect to destroy his own Goldriver and Set Metalfoes Combination from his Deck. He activated Volflame in his Pendulum Zone next, and Pendulum Summoned Goldriver. He attacked directly with Goldriver, and Marzan banished 7 more cards from his Graveyard to Special Summon Fairy Tail and put Goldriver face-down with its effect. Cruz activated Volflame’s effect to destroy Silverd and Set Metalfoes Counter from his Deck. Cruz Set a third card to his back row before ending his turn.

Marzan drew Wulf from his Deck and then Set a card to his back row. Cruz activated Metalfoes Combination in the End Phase.

Cruz used his Volflame’s effect to destroy Metalfoes Counter and Set Metalfoes Fusion from his Deck. He Chained Metalfoes Counter to Special Summon Goldriver. He activated Metalfoes Fusion to combine his 2 on-field Metalfoes and Summon Metalfoes Orichalc in Attack Position. He shuffled Metalfoes Fusion from his Graveyard into his Deck to draw a card and then attacked Fairy Tail with Orichalc, destroying Fairy Tail. Cruz Set 2 more cards face-down before endings his turn.

Marzan drew Foolish Burial and then ended his turn.

Cruz activated Mystical Space Typhoon to destroy Marzan’s face-down Brilliant Fusion and then added a Metalfoes monster to his hand by banishing Metalfoes Counter. He activated Silverd’s effect to destroy Volflame and Set Metalfoes Fusion, and then activated Silverd in his Pendulum Zone and Pendulum Summoned 3 Metalfoes monsters to his field. He attacked with Orichalc, and Marzan Special Summoned Speedroid Menko to switch all of Cruz’s monsters into Defense Position.

Marzan activated Metalfoes Fusion to Special Summon another Orichalc, and used the effect of the Orichalc he used as a Fusion Material to destroy Menko. He shuffled Metalfoes Fusion into his Deck to draw a card, and then Summoned Bunbuku and used its effect to add Majespecter Fox – Kyubi from his Deck to his hand.

Cruz drew Reinforcement of the Army and activated it to add Goblindbergh from his Deck to his hand. He Summoned it to the field, used its effect to Summon Wulf, and when Cruz flipped Bottomless Trap Hole, Marzan Chained Fairy Tail’s effect to banish the Wulf, along with 6 cards in his Graveyard to Special Summon Fair Tail back from the Graveyard. Fairy Tail’s effect turned one of Cruz’s monsters face-down, and then Marzan flipped Majespecter Tornado and Tributed Kyubi to banish Fairy Tail. Marzan activated Foolish Burial next, sending Wulf from his Deck to his Graveyard to Special Summon it. He thumbed through his Extra Deck and finally conceded, realizing he was out of plays.

Marzan hangs on for as long as he can, but Cruz takes a dominating victory in Duel 2! The Match will proceed to a third and final Duel!

Duel Three

Marzan opened up Duel 3 with Wulf, Ehren, Reinforcement of the Army, Charge of the Light Brigade, and Solar Recharge. He activated Reinforcement of the Army to add Photon Thrasher from his Deck to his hand and then Special Summoned it to the field. Next, he activated Charge of the Light Brigade, sending Lyla, Lightsworn Sorceress and 2 copies of Anti-Spell Fragrance from the top of his Deck to his Graveyard to add Lumina to his hand. He activated Solar Recharge next, discarding Ehren and sending Trick Clown and Solar Recharge from the top of his Deck to his Graveyard. He used Trick Clown’s effect to Special Summon it to the field and give up 1000 Life Points, and then combined Trick Clown with Thrasher to Xyz Summon Minerva, the Exalted Lightsworn. He detached Ehren to send Wulf, Minerva, Lightsworn Maiden, and Cosmic Cyclone from the top of his Deck to his Graveyard with the Exalted Lightsworn’s effect, drawing 2 cards, and then Special Summoning Wulf to the field. He activated the effect of the Minerva, Lightsworn Maiden he sent to the Graveyard to send another Wulf from the top of his Deck to the Graveyard, thereafter Special Summoning it to the field. Marzan Summoned Raiden next, activated its effect to send the top 2 cards of his Deck to his Graveyard, and then activated Charge of the Light Brigade, sending 3 more cards from his Deck to his Graveyard and adding Raiden to his hand. He Tuned Raiden with Wulf to Synchro Summon PSY-Framelord Omega and then ended his turn.

Cruz activated Metalfoes Steelen, and Marzan activated the effect of his Omega to banish Omega from the Duel and banish Metalfoes Combination from Cruz’s hand. Cruz Normal Summoned Bunbuku next, and activated its effect to add Majespecter Fox – Kyubi to his hand. He activated Steelen’s effect to try to destroy Bunbuku, but Marzan discarded Ghost Ogre & Snow Rabbit from his hand to destroy Steelen. Time in the round expired at this point, and Duelists entered end of Match procedure. Cruz Set 2 cards before passing his turn.

Marzan returned his Omega to the field, and Cruz returned Metalfoes Combination to his hand. Next, Marzan Summoned Lumina and activated its effect by discarding Fairy Tail. He Special Summoned Minerva, Lightsworn Maiden from his Graveyard in Defense Position and then Tuned Wulf with Minerva to Synchro Summon Michael, the Arch-Lightsworn; but Cruz flipped Solemn Warning and gave up 2000 Life Points to negate its Summon. Michael was destroyed, and Marzan used its effect to shuffle 7 Lightsworn monsters from his Graveyard back into his Deck and gain 2100 Life Points. Next, he activated the effect of Minerva, the Exalted Lightsworn by detaching Trick Clown, sending 3 cards (but no Lightsworn monsters) from the top of his Deck to his Graveyard. He Special Summoned Trick Clown back to his field by giving up 1000 Life Points, and then banished 7 cards from his Graveyard to Special Summon Fairy Tail. He combined Fairy Tail with Trick Clown to Xyz Summon Performage Trapeze Magician and then detached Fairy Tail from his Magician to allow Minerva to attack twice. Trapeze Magician attacked and destroyed Bunbuku, and then direct attacks the remaining monsters finished Cruz off!

Marzan advances undefeated with his Lightsworn Deck!