Welcome to day 2!  We’re playing 2 rounds of Swiss today before cutting to the top 32 for the Single Elimination playoff.  The remaining 158 players are going to try and shore up their records to keep their hopes of making top cut alive.  Jarrid Centamore from Manahawk, NJ is running a True Draco Deck with no Zoodiac monsters and he’s facing Joe Winkler from Sanford, Florida and his Zoodiac Deck.  Both players have 2 losses, so another loss will put a Top 32 finish in jeopardy.  Who will come out on top?  Let’s find out. It’s time to Duel!

Duel 1

Winkler won the roll and elected to go first.  He activated Zoodiac Barrage and used the effect to have it destroy itself to special summon Zoodiac Ratpier from the Deck.  It was used to Xyz Summon Zoodiac Hammerkong, then Winkler used the Zoodiac Ratpier effect to special another one from the Deck.  Zoodiac Broadbull came down next on top of Zoodiac Hammerkong, and its effect was used to search for Lunalight Black Sheep which was discarded for Fusion Substitute.  Zoodiac Chakanine came down next, and its effect was used to Special Summon Zoodiac Hammerkong from the Graveyard, then Fusion Substitute was activated, bringing out Elder Entity Norden which summoned Zoodiac Ratpier, and the two monsters were used to make Daigusto Emeral and send Zoodiac Broadbull, Zoodiac Chakanine and Lunalight Black Sheep back to the Deck to draw a card.  Zoodiac Boarbow then Zoodiac Drident came down next.  He Set 2 and passed.

Centamore started with Imperial Order, Pot of Duality, Terraforming, Majesty Maiden the True Dracocaster, Disciples of the True Dracophoenix and Dragonic Diagram.  He activated Disciples of the True Dracophoenix, and tried to use the effect but Winkler chained Cosmic Cyclone to banish Disciples of the True Dracophoenix.  Centamore followed up with Terraforming to get Dragonic Diagram but after it resolved Winkler activated Droll & Lock Bird to prevent any further searching this turn.  Centamore Set Imperial Order and Pot of Duality and passed.

Winkler activated Fire Formation – Tenki and found Zoodiac Thoroughblade from the Deck.  He Summoned it, discarding Zoodiac Whiptail to draw a card.  He activated Daigusto Emeral, sending Zoodiac Hammerkong, Droll & Lock Bird and Zoodiac Ratpier back to the Deck to draw a card.  He then used Zoodiac Drident’s effect to Special Summon the Zoodiac Ratpier from the Deck.  Zoodiac Hammerkong came down over the Zoodiac Thoroughblade, then Zoodiac Tigermortar came down over the Zoodiac Drident.  Zoodiac Tigermortar’s effect was used, detaching Zoodiac Drident to attach Zoodiac Whiptail from the Graveyard.  Zoodiac Broadbull came down over the Zoodiac Tigermortar, and its effect was used to search for Lunalight Black Sheep which was discarded for the second Fusion Substitute.  Zoodiac Chakanine came down over Zoodiac Broadbull and its effect was used to Special Summon Zoodiac Drident from the Graveyard.  Fusion Substitute was activated, but Centamore chained Imperial Order!  Fusion Substitute was sent to the Graveyard without Special Summoning Elder Entity Norden!  Winkler went into the Battle Phase and attacked with Zoodiac Hammerkong, Zoodiac Chakanine and Daigusto Emeral.  In Main Phase 2, Zoodiac Drident came down over Zoodiac Chakanine and Zoodiac Hammerkong detached a material in the End Phase.

Centamore was forced to pay 700 LP to keep Imperial Order on the field.  In Main Phase 1, he Tributed Imperial Order to Tribute Summon Majesty Maiden!  He then flipped Pot of Duality face-up, revealing another Majesty Maiden, the True Dracocaster, Dinomight, the True Dracofighter and Card of Demise.  He picked Card of Demise and shuffled the other 2 back into the Deck.  He then activated Dragonic Diagram, Set a card and tried to use the effect of Dragonic Diagram but was stopped by Winkler’s Ghost Ogre & Snow Rabbit!  Centamore activated the second one!  He tried to use that one but was stopped by Zoodiac Drident.  He then tried to use Card of Demise, but was stopped by Winkler’s Ash Blossom & Joyous Spring!  Centamore attempted to use Majesty Maiden, but that was negated by Winkler’s Set Solemn Strike!  With nothing else to do and nothing to stop next turn’s attack, Centamore conceded and started siding for Duel 2!

Duel 2

Centamore elected to go first.  He started with a hand of 3 copies of Dinomight, the True Dracofighter, Pot of Duality, and Unending Nightmare.  He activated Pot of Duality, Revealing Majesty Maiden, Master Peace, the True Dracoslaying King and Imperial Order.  He picked Imperial Order, Set Unending Nightmare, Tributed it to Tribute Summon Dinomight, the True Dracofighter, Set the Imperial Order, and passed.

Winkler started by Special Summoning Speedroid Terrortop and used the effect, but Centamore chained Dinomight, the True Dracofighter, to activate True King’s Return straight from the Deck!  Winkler resolved Speedroid Terrortop to get Speedroid Taketomborg which was Special Summoned.  After the Special Summon, Centamore used the effect of True King’s Return, Tributing it for another Dinomight, the True Dracofighter.  Return’s effect was activated in the Graveyard, destroying Speedroid Terrortop.  Winkler Normal Summoned Zoodiac Ratpier and used the effect and Centamore used the effect of the new Dinomight, the True Dracofighter to activate True Draco Apocalypse which was immediately used to Tribute it for the third Dinomight, the True Dracofighter!  True Draco Apocalypse was used to destroy Zoodiac Ratpier!  Winkler followed up with Zoodiac Barrage, destroying itself to Special Summon Zoodiac Ramram.  (Centamore tried to activate Imperial Order but it was met with a Cosmic Cyclone!) Zoodiac Hammerkong and Zoodiac Tigermortar came down next, and Zoodiac Tigermortar’s effect swapped Zoodiac Hammerkong for Zoodiac Ratpier as Materials.  Zoodiac Ratpier was detached to Special Summon another one from the Deck.  Zoodiac Broadbull came down over Zoodiac Tigermortar, and Zoodiac Broadbull’s effect was used to search for Zoodiac Whiptail.  Zoodiac Chakanine came down next, detaching a Material to Special Summon Zoodiac Ramram from the Graveyard.  Zoodiac Drident came down next, using its effect to destroy Zoodiac Ramram whose effect Special Summoned Zoodiac Thoroughblade from the Graveyard.  Zoodiac Thoroughblade and Zoodiac Ratpier were used to Xyz Summon Zoodiac Broadbull the normal way and its effect was activated, searching for another Zoodiac Whiptail.  The in-hand Zoodiac Whiptail was attached to Zoodiac Broadbull which attacked into a Dinomight, the True Dracofighter which was banished.  Winkler Set one card to the back and passed.

Centamore drew True Draco Heritage for turn.  He entered battle and attacked into the Zoodiac Drident, destroying it.  With the second Dinomight, the True Dracofighter, Centamore attacked into Speedroid Taketomborg.  He Set True Draco Heritage and passed.

Winkler drew and went into the Battle Phase.  He had Zoodiac Broadbull attack into another Dinomight, the True Dracofighter, Zoodiac Whiptail’s effect activated and Centamore chained Dinomight, the True Dracofighter to activate True Draco Apocalypse from the Deck.  Dinomight, the True Dracofighter was banished. In Main Phase 2, Winkler Normal Summoned Zoodiac Whiptail, then put Zoodiac Boarbow and Zoodiac Tigermortar on top of it.  Centamore activated True Draco Apocalypse, destroying True King’s Return, halving all of Winkler’s ATK this turn.  Return’s in-Graveyard effect activated, destroying Zoodiac Tigermortar.

Centamore drew Lose 1 Turn.  He was drawing plenty of things to Tribute but nothing to Tribute them for.  He Set Lose 1 Turn and passed.

Winkler put a Zoodiac Drident over the Zoodiac Broadbull.  Winkler flipped Fire Formation – Tenki and Centamore chained Dinomight, the True Dracofighter; but Winkler chained Forbidden Chalice to negate Dinomight, the True Dracofighter!  Winkler searched Zoodiac Whiptail while Centamore didn’t search for anything.  Winkler attached the in-hand Zoodiac Whiptail to the Zoodiac Drident, putting it at 4100 ATK!  He attacked with it, and Centamore activated True Draco Apocalypse’s effect targeting Dinomight, the True Dracofighter, Zoodiac Drident’s effect was Chained targeting Dinomight, the True Dracofighter, but Centamore Chained Lose 1 Turn, negating Zoodiac Drident’s effect and sending its ATK back down to 100!  This could be the opening he needs to get back into the game.  Dinomight, the True Dracofighter was still destroyed by True Draco Apocalypse but this gives him the chance to get another turn.

Centamore drew Dragonic Diagram for turn and tried to use the effect but was shut down by Zoodiac Drident.  He extended the handshake.

Winkler moves on a 7-2 which his hopes for making Top 32 still alive!