Yesterday we showed you Eric Dalton’s Dinosaur FTK deck when he won our Round 8 Feature Match.  With an 8-2 record he’s now in the Top 32, and we’re going to check in to see how his strategy works in a Top 32 environment, as more players start to learn about the Deck he’s running.

Can Anthony Lawrence stop the madness?  Traveling this weekend from Brooklyn, New York, Lawrence was 7-2-1 in the Swiss Rounds, and now he’s in the Top 32 with his Pure Zoodiac deck.  Winning the die roll, he could have a significant advantage in this match-up.  Dalton might have his work cut out for him.

There’s a lot of reason to root for both of these Duelists, but only one can move on in this tournament!  We’re about to see which one is headed to the Top 16, and which one is headed home.

Lawrence opted to go first.  He opened with Zoodiac Whiptail, overlaying it with Zoodiac Boarbow and then Zoodiac Broadbull.  He detached Boarbow to search his Deck for Zoodiac Ratpier.  Lawrence overlaid Broadbull into Zoodiac Drident, then Zoodiac Chakanine, and detached Drident to Special Summon it.  He overlaid Chakanine into Zoodiac Tigermortar, then detached Broadbull for Tigermortar’s effect, reattaching it to Drident.  He overlaid into Zoodiac Hammerkong, Set four cards to his Spell and Trap Card Zone and ended, then detached Tigermortar for Hammerkong.

Dalton had Souleating Oviraptor; Manticore of Darkness; Alexandrite Dragon; Petiteranodon; Dragonic Diagram; and True King Lithosagym, the Disaster.  He started with Souleating Oviraptor and used its effect, searching his Deck for Ultimate Conductor Tyranno.  He revealed True King Lithosagym from his hand in a bid to Special Summon it, and Lawrence approved the move. Dalton destroyed his Petiteranodon and Alexandrite Dragon.  Dalton Special Summoned Miscellaneousaurus with Petiteranodon’s effect.

He overlaid Miscellaneousaurus and Oviraptor for Number 103: Ragnazero; Lawrence had no response.  Dalton detached Miscellaneousaurus from Ragnazero to target Hammerkong… and Lawrence chained My Body as a Shield!  Ragnazero was destroyed and Hammerkong remained safe.  Dalton attacked Drident with True King Lithosagym, the Disaster, but Lawrence responded with Drident’s effect, destroying True King Lithosagym.  Dalton moved to Main Phase 2, banished Miscellaneousaurus and Petiteranodon to Special Summon Babycerasaurus from his Deck, and then activated Dragonic Diagram.

Dalton activated Diagram’s effect and when Lawrence Chained Cosmic Cyclone, Dalton conceded, eager to move to Game 2.

A big grip of back rows wins the first Duel of the Top 32 for Anthony Lawrence in short order!  Thirty-one minutes remained in the Match.  Once again, Dalton was behind the 8-ball and would need to win two games straight.

“I’ll be going first,” confirmed Dalton, cheerful.

“I’m actually really scared,” confessed Lawrence.  “Like, really really scared.”  One win away from the Top 16, Lawrence was aware of how close he was to victory, and at the same time how precarious his position was.

Dalton had a hand of True King Lithosagym, the Disaster; two Terraforming; and two True King Agnimazud, the Vanisher.  Ouch.  He activated Terraforming to seek out Dragonic Diagram, then destroyed a True King Agnimazud to search his Deck for True King Lithosagym, the Disaster.  He activated its effect, destroying his other two True Kings; he Special Summoned True King Lithosagym and True King Agnimazud, and added his second True King Lithosagym to his hand.  His second Terraforming got him another Diagram.  He overlaid both True Kings into True King of All Calamities to finish his turn.

Lawrence drew for his turn and Dalton detached True King Lithosagym from True King of All Calamities, calling EARTH monsters.  Lawrence activated Fire Formation – Tenki, searching his Deck for Zoodiac Ratpier and playing Upstart Goblin to draw a card.  Lawrence had Dark Hole!  He activated it to destroy True King of All Calamities, Normal Summoned Zoodiac Thoroughblade, and overlaid it with Zoodiac Hammerkong, then Zoodiac Drident.  Lawrence Set one card to his Spell and Trap Card Zone.

Dalton drew a Dark Hole of his own. He activated Dragonic Diagram, destroyed his True King Lithosagym, the Disaster, and searched his Deck for another copy.  He claimed the in-Graveyard effect, reviving his True King Agnimazud, the Vanisher. Lawrence Chained Maxx “C” and drew a card.  Dalton attacked Drident with True King Agnimazud, Lawrence used Drident’s effect to blow away Dragonic Diagram, and then Tributed Drident to activate his Set Enemy Controller!  He took control of Agnimazud for the turn.  Dalton passed, taking the Agnimazud back.  This looked grim for the Link Monster Duelist.

Lawrence Normal Summoned Zoodiac Ratpier to send Zoodiac Combo to his Graveyard, then overlaid into Zoodiac Boarbow and then Zoodiac Broadbull.  He detached Zoodiac Boarbow to Special Summon another Zoodiac Ratpier, and detached Ratpier from Broadbull to search Zoodiac Whiptail.  He overlaid Broadbull with Zoodiac Chakanine, detached Broadbull, and revived Drident.  He overlaid Chakanine with Zoodiac Tigermortar, detaching to attach Zoodiac Thoroughblade to Tigermortar from the Graveyard.  Lawrence entered his Battle Phase, attacked True King Agnimazud with Tigermortar, and attached Whiptail, then another Whiptail, taking down the True King and banishing it!  Dalton dropped to 7800 Life Points.  Lawrence Set a card to his backrow, overlaid Zoodiac Tigermortar with Zoodiac Drident, and ended.

Dalton drew Alexandrite Dragon.  In the Draw Phase, Lawrence activated the effect of Zoodiac Combo to return Zoodiac Hammerkong, Zoodiac Broadbull, Zoodiac Ratpier, Zoodiac Boarbow, and Zoodiac Chakanine to their Decks, drawing a card.  Dalton activated Dark Hole!

“DAHHHH!”  Lawrence gave an exaggerated response, unhappy.

Dalton played Dragonic Diagram, activated its effect, lost it to Ghost Ogre & Snow Rabbit, and Dalton Summoned Alexandrite Dragon to attack for 2000 Battle Damage.  Things were getting desperate.

Lawrence went to 6000 Life Points.  He drew for turn, activated Shuffle Reborn and revived Zoodiac Ratpier, overlaying it with Zoodiac Hammerkong, then Zoodiac Broadbull.  He detached both Xyz Materials, Special Summoning his second Zoodiac Ratpier and adding Zoodiac Thoroughblade to his hand.  He activated Shuffle Reborn’s effect, shuffling back Fire Formation – Tenki, and drew a card.  He overlaid Broadbull for Chakanine, revived Broadbull, and Linked both for Missus Radiant.  He Normal Summoned Zoodiac Thoroughblade.

He used its effect to send Zoodiac Whiptail from his hand to the Graveyard, and drew a card.  He overlaid his Zoodiac Ratpier with Zoodiac Boarbow, then Zoodiac Tigermortar, and detached Boarbow to attach Thoroughblade to Tigermortar.  He overlaid it with Zoodiac Drident.  Lawrence sent Drident over Alexandrite Dragon, then made direct attacks with Thoroughblade and Missus Radiant.  Dalton dropped to 3700 Life Points, and Lawrence Set the rest of his hand to his back row.

Dalton drew Petiteranodon and immediately gave Lawrence the handshake.

Eric Dalton draws a rough brick hand, and his strategy collapses in Duel 2!

“I’ve had worse hands in testing,” remarked Dalton, “But I know True King of All Calamities isn’t enough in this match-up.”  Lawrence and Dalton began conversing pleasantly, Lawrence mentioning how he Side Decked against Dalton’s Deck with Enemy Controllers and more.

Anthony Lawrence moves on to the Top 16 as Pure Zoodiacs claim another victim!