No stranger to the Feature Match area, Jeff Jones has battled through the whole weekend with his unique Dark Magician Deck and managed to make it to the final round of Swiss with a 7-2 record. We took a look at Jeff Jones’s Dark Magician Deck in yesterday’s Deck Profile. A win here is likely to be a seat in the Top 32, but Tai-Rone Stutson is going to do his best to make sure that Jones doesn’t advance. Stutson is piloting Blue-Eyes, and Jones has not lost to a Blue-Eyes strategy yet even though he claims it is his worst match-up. In this final battle of Yugi Muto’s Dark Magician against Seto Kaiba’s Blue-Eyes White Dragon, we will see who will have a chance to make into the Top Cut. It’s time to Duel!

Duel One

Stutson won the roll and chose to go first.

Jones opened with a hand of Breakthrough Skill, Dark Magician, Illusion Magic, Magician’s Rod, and Magician of Dark Illusion. He Normal Summoned Magician’s Rod and activated its effect to add Magician Navigation to his hand. He Set all of his Spells and Traps before ending his turn.

Stutson began with The Melody of Awakening Dragon, discarding Dragon Spirit of White to add Blue-Eyes White Dragon and Blue-Eyes Alternative White Dragon to his hand. He then activated Pot of Desires, banishing the top ten cards of his Deck face-down to draw two fresh cards. He then used Upstart Goblin to draw another card, and followed it up with Return of the Dragon Lords to Special Summon Dragon Spirit of White and activate its effect. He targeted Jones’s Set Magician Navigation, prompting Jones to Chain it; but Stutson had Maxx “C” to draw two cards! Dark Magician and Magician of Dark Illusion hit the field for Jones, while Stutson drew to a total of seven cards in his hand. He activated Twin Twisters next, discarding Dragon Spirit of White and targeting Jones remaining Set cards, which Jones responded to with Illusion Magic, Tributing his Magician’s Rod, as well as Breakthrough Skill on the Dragon Spirit of White. Everything resolved and the Magician’s Rod hit the Graveyard while Jones added two copies of Dark Magician to his hand. He then triggered the effect of Magician’s Rod, tributing his Dark Magician to add the Rod back, and then activated the effect of Magician of Dark Illusion to Special Summon the Dark Magician he had Tributed! Stutson pressed on by Special Summoning Blue-Eyes Alternative White Dragon, then activated Trade-In by discarding the Blue-Eyes White Dragon he revealed for two more cards. He activated the effect of Blue-Eyes Alternative White Dragon next to destroy Jones’s Magician of Dark Illusion, then Normal Summoned Sage with Eyes of Blue using its effect to add The White Stone of Ancients to his hand. He combined both Level 8 Dragons for Hieratic Dragon King of Heliopolis, then used its effect by Tributing The White Stone of Ancients to destroy Jones’s Dark Magician. He didn’t stop there, as he used Return of the Dragon Lords to Special Summon Blue-Eyes Alternative White Dragon and then used his in-hand Sage with Eyes of Blue to upgrade his in-play Sage with Eyes of Blue for Blue-Eyes White Dragon! With three huge Dragons on the field, Stutson had enough damage to finish the Duel!

A clutch Maxx “C” followed by great draws allows Stutson to capitalize on Jones’s tactics. Can Jones’s faith in the Dark Magician be enough to win the next two games?

Duel Two

Jones started with a hand of Allure of Darkness, Breakthrough Skill, Magician of Dark Illusion, Dark Magical Circle, and Magician’s Rod. He activated Allure of Darkness and drew Eternal Soul as well as Anti-Spell Fragrance, then banished Magician of Dark Illusion. He followed it up with Dark Magical Circle, revealing Illusion Magic to Stutson. He then Normal Summoned Magician’s Rod and used its effect to add Magician Navigation to his hand. He followed it up with Illusion Magic, Tributing his Magician’s Rod to add two copies of the Dark Magician to his hand.  He Set all of his Traps and ended his turn.

Stutson drew and Jones snapped off Anti-Spell Fragrance, which prompted Stutson to Chain Twin Twisters discarding Maxx “C”. Eternal Soul and Anti-Spell Fragrance hit the Graveyard. Stutson discarding Maxx “C” could mean that he had a second copy in his hand. He activated Upstart Goblin and drew a card while granting Jones 1000 Life Points, then activated The Melody of Awakening Dragon, discarding The Fabled Catsith to add Blue-Eyes Alternative White Dragon and Blue-Eyes White Dragon to his hand. The Fabled Catsith triggered to destroy the Dark Magical Circle. Stutson pressed on with the Special Summon of Blue-Eyes Alternative White Dragon before he moved to the Battle Phase and declared an attack.

Jones drew Dark Magical Circle! He activated it and saw two copies of Anti-Spell Fragrance as well as Ally of Justice Quarantine on top of his Deck. He followed it up with Magician Navigation, and Stutson didn’t have Maxx “C”! He Special Summoned Dark Magician from his hand and then Magician of Dark Illusion from his Deck, which triggered the Dark Magical Circle and banished Blue-Eyes Alternative White Dragon. He declared an attack with both of his Spellcasters, leaving Stutson with 3400 Life Points to his 6000.

Stutson drew and surveyed the field for a mere moment before he conceded!

Things got a little tense as both Duelists shuffled up for the final game. A loss here means they’re out of the tournament, whereas a win could mean a slot in the Top 32. Dark Magician against Blue-Eyes White Dragon, how could it get better than this?

Duel Three

Stutson chose to go first and simply Set a card before passing.

Jones drew a hand with two copies of Ally of Justice Quarantine, two copies of Illusion Magic, Anti-Spell Fragrance and Ally of Justice Cycle Reader. He Normal Summoned the Ally of Justice Quarantine and made a direct attack before Setting everything he could. During his End Phase, Stutson activated Twin Twisters, ditching The White Stone of Legend to destroy Jones’s Set Anti-Spell Fragrance and Illusion Magic, then grabbed Blue-Eyes White Dragon from his Deck thanks to the Stone.

Stutson drew and activated The Melody of Awakening Dragon, discarding The White Stone of Ancients to add Blue-Eyes White Dragon and Blue-Eyes Alternative White Dragon to his hand. He activated Trade-In next, ditching Blue-Eyes White Dragon for two cards, then activated Pot of Desires immediately after to draw two more. Trade-In followed, ditching Blue-Eyes White Dragon for two more draws! After all of that drawing, Stutson was still stuck because of Ally of Justice Quarantine and its effect that prevents players from Special Summoning LIGHT monsters. He he Set three cards to his back row before ending his turn.

Jones drew Eternal Soul and Normal Summoned a second copy of Ally of Justice Quarantine, making direct attacks with both. He Set Eternal Souls and ended his turn.

Stutson drew and could do nothing but shake his head as he extended the handshake!

Jeff Jones has done it! Fighting against all odds, Jones manages to defeat Stutson as he can’t find an answer to Ally of Justice Quarantine! With a 8-2 record, will he make it to the Top Cut with Dark Magician!?