This is the last round of Swiss before we cut to Single Elimination. Only the Top 32 will move on from here, so everyone wants one more win to improve their chances. Kamal Crooks hails from Florida, bringing Zoodiac with Predaplant Ophrys Scorpio and Predaplant Darlingtonia Cobra to get easy access to Instant Fusion. His opponent is Justin Singh from Cincinnati, Ohio and he has a Zoodiac Deck with him. Who will end the Swiss Rounds with an 8-2 record?  We’re about to find out. It’s time to Duel!

Duel 1

Crooks won the roll and elected to go first. He started with a hand of Zoodiac Ratpier, Zoodiac Thoroughblade, 2 copies of Speedroid Terrortop, and Ghost Ogre & Snow Rabbit. He Special Summoned a Speedroid Terrortop and used its effect to add Speedroid Taketomborg to hand. He then Special Summoned it then Normal Summoned Zoodiac Ratpier and passed on activating its effect. He put Zoodiac Hammerkong over Zoodiac Ratpier and then used Zoodiac Ratpier’s effect to Special Summon another one from the Deck. Next, Zoodiac Broadbull went over Zoodiac Hammerkong and its effect was used to search for Lunalight Black Sheep and then Fusion Substitute. Next, the 2 Speedroids were used to Xyz Summon M-X-Saber Invoker, whose effect Special Summoned Zoodiac Ramram from the Deck. Zoodiac Ramram and Zoodiac Ratpier were used to Xyz Summon Daigusto Emeral, whose effect sent Zoodiac Ratpier, Speedroid Taketomborg and Lunalight Black Sheep back to the Deck to draw Instant Fusion. Fusion Substitute came down next, Special Summoning Elder Entity Norden which brought back Zoodiac Ratpier, and the 2 monsters were used to make Zoodiac Broadbull the normal way. Its effect searched for Lunalight Black Sheep which then got another Fusion Substitute. Zoodiac Ratpier’s effect was used to Special Summon another one. Fusion Substitute’s in-Graveyard effect was used to draw Zoodiac Whiptail. Next, Zoodiac Chakanine was placed over Zoodiac Broadbull and the effect was used to Special Summon Zoodiac Hammerkong from the Graveyard. Fusion Substitute was activated again, using M-X-Saber Invoker and Zoodiac Chakanine to Fusion Summon Elder Entity Norden which got back Zoodiac Ratpier from the Graveyard. He put Zoodiac Tigermortar over Zoodiac Ratpier, then Zoodiac Tigermortar was used to detach a Zoodiac Ratpier from Zoodiac Tigermortar to attach Zoodiac Ramram to Zoodiac Hammerkong. Then Daigusto Emeral was used to send another Zoodiac Broadbull, Zoodiac Ratpier and the first Daigusto Emeral back to the Deck to draw Predaplant Ophrys Scorpio. Zoodiac Drident was placed over Zoodiac Tigermortar, he Set Instant Fusion, and passed with 6 cards in hand.

Singh activated Raigeki to clear the field! He then activated Cosmic Cyclone to banish the face-down Instant Fusion. He then Normal Summoned Zoodiac Ratpier and passed on activating the effect. He Summoned Zoodiac Boarbow over the Zoodiac Ratpier and used Zoodiac Ratpier’s effect to Special Summon another one from the Deck. Zoodiac Broadbull went over Zoodiac Boarbow, and Singh activated Zoodiac Broadbull, searching for Zoodiac Whiptail. He then discarded Lunalight Black Sheep to search for Fusion Substitute. Zoodiac Chakanine went over the Zoodiac Broadbull, whose effect was used to Special Summon Zoodiac Boarbow, but Crooks chained Ghost Ogre & Snow Rabbit to destroy Zoodiac Chakanine on the Chain. Zoodiac Barrage was used next, destroying itself to Special Summon Zoodiac Ramram from the Deck. Zoodiac Barrage’s in-Graveyard effect was used to attach it to Zoodiac Boarbow as an Xyz Material. Singh then used Zoodiac Ratpier and Zoodiac Ramram to Xyz Summon Zoodiac Chakanine normally and used its effect to Special Summon Zoodiac Broadbull from the Graveyard. Singh then Xyz Summoned Zoodiac Drident over Zoodiac Chakanine and activated Fusion Substitute, combining Zoodiac Broadbull and Zoodiac Boarbow, Fusion Summoning Elder Entity Norden, and then Special Summoned Zoodiac Ramram with Norden’s effect. The two monsters were used to Xyz Summon Daigusto Emeral whose effect was used to send Zoodiac Chakanine, Zoodiac Ratpier and Zoodiac Boarbow back to the Deck to draw a card. Singh then used Zoodiac Drident’s effect provided by Zoodiac Ratpier to Special Summon another Zoodiac Ratpier from the Deck. He then used Fusion Substitute’s in-Graveyard effect, sending Elder Entity Norden back to the Extra Deck to draw another card. Zoodiac Tigermortar went over the Zoodiac Ramram, its effect put Zoodiac Broadbull from the Graveyard under the Zoodiac Drident. Fusion Substitute was activated, Fusion Summoning Elder Entity Norden again, Special Summoning Zoodiac Ratpier, then Xyz Summoning Daigusto Emeral again, its effect sending Zoodiac Ratpier, Daigusto Emeral and another monster back to the Deck to draw another card. Fusion Substitute’s in-Graveyard effect was used again to draw another card. Going into the Battle Phase, Daigusto Emeral attacked to 1800 points of damage. He Set 2 cards and passed with 3 cards in hand.

Crooks drew Forbidden Chalice for turn. He Special Summoned Speedroid Terrortop and used the effect to search for Speedroid Taketomborg, mirroring his turn 1 opening. He then Normal Summoned Predaplant Ophrys Scorpio, using its effect discarding Zoodiac Thoroughblade, but was met with Singh’s Solemn Strike!  Crooks then Special Summoned Speedroid Taketomborg and used his monsters to Xyz Summon M-X-Saber Invoker. Singh tried to use Zoodiac Drident to destroy the Xyz Monster, but Crooks chained Forbidden Chalice to negate Zoodiac Drident!  Crooks pressed on by using M-X-Saber Invoker’s effect to Special Summon Zoodiac Whiptail from the Deck. He put Zoodiac Boarbow on top of Zoodiac Whiptail then Zoodiac Broadbull on top of that, using Zoodiac Broadbull’s effect to search another Zoodiac Whiptail. He then put Zoodiac Tigermortar on top of Zoodiac Broadbull, swapping materials to put Zoodiac Thoroughblade under it and put Zoodiac Drident on top of Zoodiac Tigermortar. Going into the Battle Phase, Crooks’s Zoodiac Drident attacked into Singh’s Defense Position Zoodiac Drident. During the Battle Step, Crooks activated 2 copies of Zoodiac Whiptail from hand to boost Zoodiac Drident to a 5200 ATK monster with piercing!  That was enough damage to force the concession!

Duel 2

Singh started off with a Normal Summoned Zoodiac Ramram. It was used to Xyz Summon Zoodiac Broadbull, whose effect was used to search for Lunalight Black Sheep. It was immediately discarded to find Fusion Substitute. Zoodiac Chakanine went over Zoodiac Broadbull whose effect Special Summoned Zoodiac Broadbull. Fusion Substitute was activated and Crooks chained Retaliating “C”!  Singh Fusion Summoned Elder Entity Norden. Its effect activated, Special Summoning Zoodiac Ramram, and the two monsters were used to Xyz Summon Zoodiac Broadbull normally. Zoodiac Broadbull’s effect searched Zoodiac Whiptail, Zoodiac Drident was placed over Zoodiac Broadbull, and Singh Set 3 cards to the back row before passing.

Crooks opened with Lunalight Black Sheep, Zoodiac Ratpier, Ash Blossom & Joyous Spring, Zoodiac Barrage and Zoodiac Whiptail. He activated Zoodiac Barrage and used the effect targeting Retaliating “C” but Singh chained Cosmic Cyclone to stop Zoodiac Barrage in its tracks. (Continuous Spells must remain face-up on the field to resolve their effects.) Crooks passed with only Retaliating “C” on his field.

Singh Normal Summoned Zoodiac Whiptail, then used it to Xyz Summon Zoodiac Boarbow, then Zoodiac Broadbull. Zoodiac Broadbull’s effect was activated but Crooks negated it with Ash Blossom & Joyous Spring!  Zoodiac Broadbull attacked into the Defense Position Retaliating “C” and it was banished by Zoodiac Whiptail’s effect. In Main Phase 2, Singh put a Zoodiac Drident on top of Zoodiac Broadbull and passed.

Crooks top Decked Raigeki which was immediately activated!  He Normal Summoned Zoodiac Ratpier, used it to Xyz Summon Zoodiac Hammerkong, and attempted to Special Summon another Zoodiac Ratpier but was met with another Solemn Strike!  He passed with an empty field.

Crooks Normal Summoned another Zoodiac Whiptail and attacked to 1200. In Main Phase 2, he used Zoodiac Whiptail to Special Summon Zoodiac Chakanine and used Zoodiac Chakanine to Special Summon Zoodiac Broadbull from the Graveyard, then put Zoodiac Tigermortar over Chakanine, and used Zoodiac Tigermortar’s effect to put Zoodiac Ramram under Zoodiac Broadbull.

Crooks attempted to Normal Summon Zoodiac Whiptail but was met with Solemn Warning. Crooks passed.

Singh activated Zoodiac Broadbull’s effect to search for Zoodiac Whiptail. He switched Zoodiac Broadbull to Attack Position and Normal Summoned Zoodiac Whiptail. He attacked with Zoodiac Whiptail, used the effect to attach it to Zoodiac Broadbull and attacked with Zoodiac Broadbull.

Crooks drew and Normal Summoned Zoodiac Ramram. Crooks attacked into Zoodiac Tigermortar. In Main Phase 2, Zoodiac Broadbull was Summoned over Zoodiac Ramram, and Crooks attempted to use the effect but Singh stopped it with Ash Blossom & Joyous Spring!  Crooks pressed on by putting Zoodiac Chakanine over Zoodiac Broadbull and using the effect to Special Zoodiac Hammerkong. Then, he activated Fusion Substitute for Elder Entity Norden and Special Summoned Zoodiac Ratpier with Norden’s effect. Zoodiac Ratpier was used for Zoodiac Boarbow whose effect was used to Special Summon Zoodiac Ratpier, then Zoodiac Ratpier and Elder Entity Norden were used to make Daigusto Emeral whose effect shuffled 3 cards back into the Deck to let Crooks draw Dimensional Barrier. Next, Fusion Substitute was used from the Graveyard to draw another card. Zoodiac Tigermortar was used to put Zoodiac Ramram under it, then Zoodiac Drident came down and Crooks passed.

Singh drew Instant Fusion, but against a Zoodiac Drident it was no help. Singh extended the handshake!

Crooks finishes Swiss with an 8-2 record and with his chances of making Top 32 still alive!