We’re in the final Swiss Round of Day 1 here at YCS Pittsburgh! From Brooklyn, NY, we’ve got Jalani Stoddard using a Kaiju Zoodiac Deck. He’s up against 14-year-old Austin Colling, here from Jefferson, Ohio. Colling is using a Zoodiac Paleozoic Deck. He’s one of the few who are playing Paleozoics at this event. It’s time to Duel!

Duel 1

Stoddard won the dice roll and chose to play first. He started with Fire Formation – Tenki, adding Zoodiac Thoroughblade to his hand. He Normal Summoned it, using its effect to pitch a Zoodiac Ratpier and draw a new card. He upgraded Thoroughblade into Zoodiac Tigermortar, and had it attach Zoodiac Ratpier from the Graveyard to itself. He then Special Summoned another Ratpier, and upgraded Tigermortar into Zoodiac Broadbull. Broadbull searched out Lunalight Black Sheep, which then searched out Fusion Substitute. He turned Broadbull into Zoodiac Chakanine, which returned Tigermortar to the field. He activated Fusion Substitute, combining his Xyz Monsters into Elder Entity Norden, which Special Summoned Thoroughblade. He combined Ratpier and Norden for Daigusto Emeral, and detached Norden to put back his three Xyz Monsters and draw a card. He used Fusion Substitute’s effect in the Graveyard next, putting back Norden to draw another card. He turned Thoroughblade into Zoodiac Drident, and finally Set three cards to his back row.

Colling had a hand of Zoodiac Ratpier, Zoodiac Barrage, Paleozoic Marrella, Dark Hole, Compulsory Evacuation Device, and Lunalight Black Sheep. He started off by wiping the field with Dark Hole, then played Ratpier and activated its effect to send Zoodiac Barrage from his Deck to the Graveyard. He turned Ratpier into Zoodiac Hammerkong, and had it Special Summon another Ratpier. He turned that into Broadbull and used its effect; but Stoddard flipped Dimensional Barrier! Colling used his Black Sheep to add Fusion Substitute to his hand, and played it to combine Hammerkong and Broadbull! He Fusion Summoned Norden, and revived Ratpier in Defense Position. Norden attacked directly. In Main Phase 2, Colling Set the rest of his hand (Barrage, Marrella, and Evacuation Device) to his back row.

Stoddard Summoned Zoodiac Whiptail, and Colling activated Marrella to send Lost Wind to his Graveyard. Stoddard turned Whiptail into Hammerkong, allowing Colling to Set Lost Wind to his field. Stoddard continued by turning Hammerkong into Broadbull, and Colling bounced it away with Compulsory Evacuation Device. His Trap Card also allowed him to Special Summon Marrella to the field. That prompted Stoddard to flip up his own Dark Hole! He Set a second and third card to his back row.

Colling drew Pot of Desires! He flipped Barrage, and had it destroy itself to Special Summon Whiptail. He used Fusion Substitute in the Graveyard, returning Norden to draw Swap Frog. Whiptail attacked directly. In Main Phase 2, Colling Xyz Summoned Chakanine and had it Special Summon Hammerkong. He upgraded Chakanine into Tigermortar, and used its effect to attach Whiptail to Hammerkong. He upgraded Tigermortar into Broadbull, and that into Drident. He Normal Summoned Swap Frog and sent Ronintoadin to the Graveyard. Pot of Desires came next, banishing ten cards to let Colling draw Paleozoic Dinomischus and Dupe Frog. He returned Swap Frog to his hand, then discarded Dupe Frog to Special Summon Swap Frog again. Its effect sent another Ronintoadin to the Graveyard. He Special Summoned Ronintoadin, and used it and Swap Frog to play Toadally Awesome! Colling Set Dinomischus to finish his turn. He had Toad in Attack Position, with Drident and Hammerkong in Defense Position.

In Stoddard’s Standby Phase, Toadally Awesome Special Summoned a Swap Frog to the field. Stoddard just Set a monster.

Colling drew Dimensional Barrier, and used his Toadally Awesome to Special Summon another Swap Frog. He stacked the Frogs for a second Toad, and moved Hammerkong and Drident to Attack Position. He went to his Battle Phase, and Stoddard picked up his cards!

Colling put together a commanding field at the end of the Duel, shutting down any options Stoddard could have had! It’s not over yet, though. The Duelists moved to their Side Decks for the second Duel.

Duel 2

Stoddard Summoned Whiptail, turned it into Hammerkong, and that into Broadbull. He used it to get Lunalight Black Sheep, and that to get Fusion Substitute. He turned Broadbull into Chakanine, and had it revive Hammerkong. He used Fusion Substitute to combine his Xyz Monsters into Elder Entity Norden, and Special Summoned Whiptail back to the field. He Xyz Summoned Daigusto Emeral, and recycled his Xyz Monsters to draw a card. Fusion Substitute put back Norden to draw yet another card. He Set five cards to his back row to finish!

Colling had Solemn Strike, Paleozoic Marrella, 2 copies of Pot of Desires, Lunalight Black Sheep, and Paleozoic Canadia. He led with a Pot of Desires, banishing 10 cards (including a Zoodiac Ratpier) to draw Card of Demise and Paleozoic Olenoides. He Set everything except Pot of Desires and Card of Demise.

Stoddard played Zoodiac Ratpier, and lost it to Colling’s Solemn Strike. Emeral attacked and destroyed Colling’s Set Black Sheep. In the End Phase, Colling flipped Paleozoic Marrella, sending Lost Wind to the Graveyard.

Colling drew Zoodiac Barrage and activated it. He had it destroy itself, allowing him to Special Summon a Whiptail. He used it to Xyz Summon Hammerkong, and then Xyz Summoned Broadbull. Stoddard now flipped up Solemn Strike, wiping out Broadbull! Colling played his second Pot of Desires, banishing ten cards, and Stoddard negated it with Ash Blossom & Joyous Spring!

Now that Stoddard had discarded Ash Blossom, he could use Emeral’s effect again. He recycled his monsters to draw a card, and attacked directly.

Colling drew Needle Ceiling. He Set it, then used Card of Demise, but Stoddard had another Ash Blossom & Joyous Spring!

Stoddard sent Emeral to attack directly again, and Set a fifth card to his back row. In the End Phase, Colling flipped Paleozoic Olenoides to destroy the new card – Solemn Strike. He also Special Summoned Paleozoic Marrella from his Graveyard.

Colling drew That Grass Looks Greener. He flipped Paleozoic Canadia, turning Emeral face-down, and Special Summoned Olenoides. He stacked Marrella and Olenoides for Toadally Awesome, but lost it to Solemn Warning! The Toad went back to the Extra Deck with its effect.

Stoddard Flip Summoned Emeral and sent it to attack, then filled his back row again. Colling had just 1100 Life Points remaining.

Colling drew Paleozoic Canadia and Set it.

Stoddard attacked with Emeral, and Colling turned it face-down with Canadia, then Special Summoned Olenoides. In Main Phase 2, Stoddard Normal Summoned Ratpier, sending Zoodiac Ramram to the Graveyard. He Xyz Summoned Hammerkong, and Colling Set Lost Wind from his Graveyard. Stoddard continued, detaching from Hammerkong to Special Summon another Ratpier. He turned Hammerkong into Chakanine, and Colling flipped Needle Ceiling! It wiped out everything but the face-down Emeral.

Colling drew Maxx “C”. He had no choice but to Set it, or risk Emeral finishing him off.

Stoddard flipped Interrupted Kaiju Slumber! He cleared the field, then Special Summoned Jizukiru, the Star Destroying Kaiju to his side, and Gameciel, the Sea Turtle Kaiju to Colling’s side. He flipped Raigeki next, wiping out Gameciel! Jizukiru attacked directly. Colling flipped Lost Wind – the ATK reduction wouldn’t save him, but if he could Special Summon a Paleozoic to defend… but Stoddard flipped Cosmic Cyclone, interrupting the Chain and preventing Colling from using his Paleozoic! Jizukiru wiped out Colling’s remaining Life Points!

Stoddard evens up the score, with a huge Interrupted Kaiju Slumber and Raigeki combo!

Duel 3

Colling began with Lunalight Black Sheep, Dark Hole, Whiptail, Solemn Strike, and Paleozoic Marrella. He Summoned Whiptail, used it to Summon Hammerkong, and then Xyz Summoned Broadbull. Its effect put Ratpier in his hand. He used Broadbull to play Chakanine, and had it revive Hammerkong in Defense Position. He used Black Sheep’s effect, but Stoddard used Ash Blossom & Joyous Spring to negate it. He used Chakanine to play Tigermortar, and had it attach Broadbull to Hammerkong. He then upgraded Tigermortar into Drident in Attack Position. He Set Solemn Strike and Marrella to finish his turn.

Stoddard Set three cards to his back row. He passed his turn, and Colling flipped Marrella to send Lost Wind to the Graveyard. He was forced to detach Hammerkong’s Xyz Material in the End Phase.

Colling drew Paleozoic Olenoides. Since Hammerkong had been Summoned by Chakanine, he couldn’t use it for an Xyz Summon, leaving his plays restricted. He sent Drident to attack directly, and the round timer ended as he ended his turn. After this, five turns would be played out. Whoever was leading at that point would win this Match.

Stoddard flipped Interrupted Kaiju Slumber, putting Jizukiru on his side and Gameciel on Colling’s. He Normal Summoned Whiptail, and turned it into Hammerkong. That became Broadbull, and Colling flipped up Solemn Strike to destroy it. Stoddard played Zoodiac Barrage, and Colling used Paleozoic Olenoides to destroy it, then Special Summoned Marrella in Defense Position. Stoddard thought for a while, wanting to maximize his damage output and advantage now that we were in the end of Match procedures. He decided to have Jizukiru attack Gameciel and deal some battle damage.

Colling drew Ronintoadin. He Normal Summoned it, combining it with Marrella to Xyz Summon Toadally Awesome. Stoddard negated the Summon with Solemn Warning, and Toad’s effect put Ronintoadin back in Colling’s hand. Colling played Dark Hole to finish his turn.

Stoddard banished Interrupted Kaiju Slumber to add Kumongous, the Sticky String Kaiju to his hand, but had no followup.

Colling drew Paleozoic Marrella. It was his final turn, and he was leading 5400 to 4800. He played Zoodiac Ratpier, and upgraded it into Broadbull. He turned that into a Defense Position Drident. He Set Marrella to finish.

Stoddard drew, now on the final turn of the Duel. He needed to deal more than 600 damage to win, but he couldn’t do that with Drident on the board!

This Match went down to the wire, but Austin Colling is the victor, with Zoodiac Paleozoics!