Round 7 Feature Match: AJ Tachella versus Harold Rillo
It’s Round 7, and we’re approaching the end of Day 1 of YCS Seattle! We’ve got AJ Tachella from Stockton, CA – a familiar face on the YCS circuit, but usually as a judge! He’s using a Zoodiac Metalfoes Deck today, with some interesting Side Deck cards like Holding Legs and The Winged Dragon of Ra – Sphere Mode. His opponent is Harold Rillo from here in Seattle, using something that used to be a top strategy, but now is a bit of a surprise: Burning Abyss! These Duelists had managed to be seated next to each other almost every round today, so they actually already knew what the other was using. But who will emerge victorious?
It’s Time to Duel!
Duel 1
Rillo won the dice roll and chose to play first. He Special Summoned Scarm, Malebranche of the Burning Abyss from his hand, and Tributed it for Vanity’s Fiend! He Set one to his back row.
Tachella had a hand of Archfiend Eccentrick, Metalfoes Counter, Raigeki, Zoodiac Ratpier, and Majespecter Unicorn – Kirin, and drew Metalfoes Volflame for the turn. He played Eccentrick in his Pendulum Zone, and it destroyed Rillo’s Set Twin Twisters. He played Volflame and Kirin in his Pendulum Zone, and used Volflame’s effect to destroy Kirin and Set Metalfoes Counter on the field. He played Zoodiac Ratpier next, then used Raigeki. He upgraded Ratpier into Zoodiac Boarbow, then turned that into Zoodiac Tigermortar. He detached Ratpier to Special Summon another, and Rillo responded with Maxx “C”! Tachella Set Metalfoes Counter, and passed with Tigermortar and Ratpier in Defense Position.
Rillo Normal Summoned another Scarm, and it destroyed Tigermortar in battle. Tachella flipped up both copies of Metalfoes Counter, getting Raremetalfoes Bismugear and Metalfoes Volflame to the field! Rillo Set two to his back row.
Tachella drew Speedroid Taketomborg. He upgraded Ratpier into Zoodiac Broadbull, and used its effect to add Dragoons of Draconia to his hand. He used his Pendulum Zone Volflame to destroy Bismugear, and put Metalfoes Counter on the field. He played Dragoons of Draconia to his Pendulum Zone, and Pendulum Summoned Kirin – and Rillo flipped Solemn Strike! Tachella sent Volflame to destroy Scarm in battle, and used his Dragoons to add Metalfoes Goldriver to his hand. In Main Phase 2, he used Broadbull to Xyz Summon Zoodiac Drident in Defense Position. In the End Phase, Bismugear searched out Metalfoes Silverd, while Scarm searched out Graff, Malebranche of the Burning Abyss.
Rillo Set a monster and a second back row card, with nothing left in his hand.
Tachella drew another Goldriver. He had his Volflame destroy his Dragoons, and got Metalfoes Fusion. Then, he flipped Metalfoes Counter to Special Summon Metalfoes Silverd. He played his Fusion card, combining his Silverd and Volflame for Metalfoes Mithrilium! Its effect returned 2 Metalfoes Counter to the Deck and bounced away Rillo’s Set monster. Then, he shuffled Metalfoes Fusion back into the Deck and drew Majespecter Raccoon – Bunbuku. He played it, adding another Bunbuku to his hand. He Special Summoned Speedroid Taketomborg, and Xyz Summoned Totem Bird! Rillo flipped Torrential Tribute, and Totem Bird negated it. Tachella played Silverd in his Pendulum Zone, and it destroyed the Volflame in his other Pendulum Zone to Set Metalfoes Counter on the field. He banished the Counter from his Graveyard to add Bismugear to his hand. He played it, destroying Silverd to get Fullmetalfoes Fusion to the field. He put Goldriver in his Pendulum Zone, then Pendulum Summoned 2 Metalfoes Silverd. He stacked them for The Phantom Knights of Break Sword! Whatever Rillo’s last card was, he knew it wouldn’t save him, and he conceded!
Tachella takes the first Duel, but it’s not over yet! The Duelists moved to their Side Decks, hoping to get any advantage they could in the next Duel.
Duel 2
Rillo chose to play first. He began the same way as before, by Special Summoning Scarm and Tributing it for Vanity’s Fiend! He backed it up with three back row cards.
Tachella began with a hand of Metalfoes Steelen, Metalfoes Volflame, Archfiend Eccentrick, Dragoons of Draconia, Dimensional Barrier, and Mirror Force. He played Eccentrick and attempted to use its effect, but Rillo used Solemn Strike! He played Volflame and Steelen, and used Steelen to destroy Volflame and place Metalfoes Counter on the field. He Set Dragoons and the rest of his Trap Cards.
Rillo Set one to his back row. Vanity’s Fiend attacked, and was blown away by Mirror Force!
Tachella drew Painful Decision! With it, he chose 2 Metalfoes Goldriver, adding one to his hand. He used Steelen to destroy Dragons, getting Metalfoes Fusion to the field. Then, he played Metalfoes Counter to Special Summon Volflame. He played Metalfoes Fusion, combining Volfame and Goldriver for Metalfoes Mithrilium! He used Metalfoes Fusion’s effect, and drew Metalfoes Combination. He used Mithrilium’s effect next, putting back his Goldrivers from his Graveyard and bouncing away one of Rillo’s back row cards. Mithrilium attacked, and Rillo flipped Quaking Mirror Force! Tachella Set Metalfoes Combination.
Rillo Normal Summoned Tour Guide From the Underworld! It Special Summoned Fiendish Rhino Warrior, and Tachella flipped up Dimensional Barrier to stop Xyz Summons for the turn. Rhino Warrior destroyed Mithrilium in battle, and Mithrilium’s effect Special Summoned Volflame. In Main Phase 2, Rillo flipped up Raigeki, then Set one card to his back row.
Tachella drew Metalfoes Fusion. He flipped up his Combination, then destroyed it with Steelen. With Steelen’s and Combination’s effects, he got Metalfoes Counter on the field and Metalfoes Goldriver in his hand. He played Goldriver in his Pendulum Zone, and used its effect. He destroyed Steelen and put Metalfoes Counter on the field. He banished the Counter in his Graveyard, adding Volflame to his hand. He played it in his Pendulum Zone, and Pendulum Summoned Eccentrick, Steelen, and Dragoons… and lost them all to Solemn Warning! Tachella Set Metalfoes Fusion to finish his turn.
Rillo stacked Tour Guide and Rhino Warrior for Dante, Traveler of the Burning Abyss, detaching Rhino and sending Twin Twisters, Paleozoic Dinomischus, and Maxx “C” to the Graveyard. His Rhino sent Graff, Malebranche of the Burning Abyss to the Graveyard, which Special Summoned Cir, Malebranche of the Burning Abyss. Dante and Cir attacked directly, leaving Tachella with 3900 Life Points. Rillo was barely ahead with 4500 Life Points. Rillo Set one to his back row.
Tachella drew Speedroid Taketomborg, and Normal Summoned it. Goldriver destroyed Taketomborg, and Set Fullmetalfoes Fusion on the field. He flipped Metalfoes Counter, and Special Summoned Volflame. He tried to Pendulum Summon another Volflame, and Rillo flipped Solemn Strike! Tachella used his earlier Volflame’s effect, destroying Goldriver, but with no cards to search for. That let him flip up Metalfoes Counter, and Special Summoned a Goldriver to the field. He played Metalfoes Fusion, combining Goldriver and Volflame for Metalfoes Mithrilium! Mithrilium’s effect put Combination and Volflame from the Graveyard back to the Deck, and bounced away Dante. Then, he used Metalfoes Fusion to draw Metalfoes Combination. Mithrilium attacked and destroyed Cir, and Cir revived Graff. Tachella Set Combination to finish.
Rillo played Alich, Malebranche of the Burning Abyss, and stacked it with Graff for Dante, Traveler of the Burning Abyss in Defense Position. It detached Graff, sending Fiendish Rhino Warrior, Dimensional Barrier, and Barbar, Malebranche of the Burning Abyss to the Graveyard. Barbar banished Scarm for 300 damage, Rhino Warrior sent a Scarm to the Graveyard, and Graff Special Summoned a Scarm in Defense Position. Lots of Scarm action going on this turn. In the End Phase, Scarm’s effect added Farfa, Malebranche of the Burning Abyss to Rillo’s hand.
Tachella drew Maxx “C”. Mithrilium returned Steelen and another Mithrilium from the Graveyard, and bounced away Dante. Tachella used Volflame in his Pendulum Zone, destroying his Mithrilium to get Metalfoes Fusion to the field. Mithrilium’s effect Special Summoned Goldriver from his Extra Deck. He banished a Counter from the Graveyard to add a Goldriver to his hand, and played it in his Pendulum Zone. He Pendulum Summoned Volflame, and flipped up Metalfoes Combination and Metalfoes Fusion! He combined Volflame and Goldriver into Metalfoes Orichalc, and Combination Special Summoned Mithrilium! With his field of Fusion Monsters, Tachella took the Duel!
AJ Tachella is the victor, with his Metalfoes!