Joseph Chou is the defending UDS Champion, having won the UDS Invitational – Winter 2017 in Las Vegas back in March. Now he’s here to defend his title! Since he received a Bye in the first Swiss Round by redeeming 200 UDS Points, he’s about to Duel against his first opponent of the weekend – local Duelist Ezequiel Carranza. Chou is using a True Draco Spellbook Deck that he hopes will allow the tried-and-True Draco Deck to maintain its dominance under the new Forbidden & Limited List, while his opponent, Ezequiel Carranza, is using a Pendulum Magician Deck that many Duelists believe has been made powerful by the new Forbidden & Limited List. Which strategy will prevail in this Round 2 Feature Match? We’re about to find out. It’s time to Duel!

Duel One

Carranza opened up Duel 1 with Guiding Ariadne, Pot of Desires, Duelist Alliance, Purple Poison Magician, and Wisdom-Eye Magician.

He activated Guiding Ariadne in the Pendulum Zone and then used Duelist Alliance to add Luster Pendulum, the Dracoslayer to his hand. He activated Luster Pendulum in his other Pendulum Zone and used its effect to destroy Guidine Ariadne and add a copy from his Deck to his hand. He used the effect of Guiding Ariadne to reveal 2 copies of Solemn Strike and a Solemn Warning from his Deck, and Chou added a Strike to Carranza’s hand. Next, Carranza activated Pot of Desires, banishing the top 10 cards of his Deck to draw Maxx “C” and Harmonizing Magician. He activated another Guiding Ariadne in his Pendulum Zone and then Pendulum Summoned Guidine Ariadne to his Extra Monster Zone from his Extra Deck and Pendulum Summoned Purple Poison Magician and Harmonizing Magician from his hand. He used Harmonizing Magician’s effect to Special Summon White Wing Magician from his Deck in Defense Position. He Tuned his White Wing Magician with Guiding Ariadne to Synchro Summon PSY-Framelord Omega, and then banished Omega from his field to rip Cosmic Cyclone out of Chou’s hand and banish it. Next, he combined Purple Poison Magician and Harmonizing Magician to Xyz Summon Timestar Magician. He detached an Xyz Material from it to activate its effect and add Performapal Skullcrobat Joker from his Deck to his hand. He Set Solemn Strike to his back row before passing.

Chou Set 4 cards to his back row and then activated Card of Demise to draw 3 cards! Next, he activated Pot of Desires, banishing the top 10 cards of his Deck face-down to draw 2 cards. He activated Cosmic Cyclone and gave up 1000 Life Points to banish Carranza’s Solemn Strike, and then Set True Draco Apocalypse. He Tributed it to Summon Majesty Maiden, the True Dracocaster and destroyed Timestar Magician with True Draco Apocalypse’s effect.

Carranza’s Omega returned to his field, and Chou added Cosmic Cyclone to his hand. Next, Carranza Summoned Skullcrobat Joker and activated its effect, prompting Majesty Maiden’s effect to activate and add Master Peace, the True Dracoslaying King to Chou’s hand. Carranza added Harmonizing Magician to his hand with the effect of his Skullcrobat Joker and then Pendulum Summoned Harmonizing Magician from his hand. He used its effect to Special Summon Wisdom-Eye Magician from his Deck in Defense Position and then Tuned Harmonizing Magician with Wisdom-Eye to try to Synchro Summon Beelze of the Diabolic Dragons; but Chou flipped Solemn Warning and gave up 2000 Life Points to negate its Summon! Omega attacked Majesty Maiden, and Chou activated True Draco Apocalypse in the Damage Step and destroyed his Disciples of the True Dracophoenix to halve the ATK of Omega and destroy it in battle. Chou used the effect of his Apocalypse to Tribute it along with Majesty Maiden and Summon Master Peace, destroying Skullcrobat Joker with Apocalypse’s effect.

Chou attacked with Master Peace, activated Card of Demise to draw 3 cards, Set 2 of them, and then discarded The Monarchs Stormforth in the End Phase due to the effect of Card of Demise.

Carranza activated Wisdom-Eye Magician in the Pendulum Zone but lost out to Cosmic Cyclone. Next, he activated Double Iris Magician in the Pendulum Zone, and Pendulum Summoned Skullcrobat Joker from his Extra Deck to his Extra Monster Zone. Next, he used the effect of Double Iris Magician to allow Skullcrobat Joker to deal double damage, and destroy the Double Iris Magician.

Chou ended the Duel on his next turn! He activated Dragonic Diagram and used its effect to add Ignis Heat, the True Dracowarrior to his hand, and Tributed Skill Drain to Summon Ignis Heat. Master Peace’s effect destroyed Carranza’s last monster, and then direct attacks from Master Peace and Ignis Heat ended the Duel!

Duel Two

Carranza opened up Duel 2 by activating Black Fang Magician in his Pendulum Zone and then activated Star Pendulumgraph. He Set 2 cards to his back row before passing.

Chou Summoned Spellbook Magician of Prophecy and used its effect to add Spellbook of Secrets to his hand.

Next, he activated Spellbook of Knowledge, but Carranza discarded Ash Blossom & Joyous Spring from his hand to negate it. Chou activated Pot of Duality next, revealing Skill Drain, Solemn Warning, and Dragonic Diagram from the top of his Deck. He added Diagram to his hand and activated it. He destroyed Master Peace from his hand to add True King’s Return from his Deck to his hand with Diagram’s effect. Next, he Set 3 cards to his back row and activated Card of Demise to draw 3 cards. He activated Pot of Desires next, banishing the top 10 cards of his Deck face-down to draw 2 cards. He activated another copy of Dragonic Diagram next, and Carranza Chained Time Pendulumgraph and used its effect to destroy his own Black Fang Magician in the Pendulum Zone along with Chou’s Dragonic Diagram. Next, Carranza used Star Pendulumgraph’s effect to add Purple Poison Magician to his hand. Chou activated Spellbook of Secrets to add Spellbook of Knowledge to his hand and then Set 2 cards to his back row. He discarded a Spellbook of Secrets from his hand in the End Phase due to the effect of Card of Demise.

Carranza Summoned Purple Poison Magician and attacked Spellbook Magician of Prophecy to destroy it. Next, he activated his Time Pendulumgraph’s effect to destroy Purple Poison Magician and Chou’s face-down Spellbook of Secrets. He added Double Iris Magician to his hand with the effect of Star Pendulumgraph and placed it in his Pendulum Zone. He Pendulum Summoned Black Fang Magician from his Extra Deck to the Extra Monster Zone before ending his turn. Chou Special Summoned Master Peace from his Graveyard with True King’s Return in the End Phase.

Chou Tributed Master Peace to Summon Ignis Heat, the True Dracowarrior and then activated Card of Demise to draw 3 cards. He attacked Black Fang Magician with Ignis Heat, and when Carranza used Time Pendulumgraph, Chou activated Ignis Heat’s effect; but Carranza Chained Solemn Strike to destroy it! Time Pendulumgraph’s effect resolved to destroy Spellbook of Knowledge, and Chou used two Cosmic Cyclones to destroy Star Pendulumgraph and Time Pendulumgraph.

Carranza activated Wisdom-Eye Magician in his Pendulum Zone and then sent it to the Extra Deck to add Double Iris Magician to his Pendulum Zone in its place. He sent it to the Extra Deck to allow Black Fang Magician to deal double damage and add Time Pendulumgraph to his hand. He attacked, but Chou Special Summoned Master Peace from his Graveyard with True King’s Return to block the attack.

Chou activated Pot of Duality to add Master Peace to his hand and then Carranza activated Time Pendulumgraph and used its effect to destroy the Black Fang Magician in his Pendulum Zone and True King’s Return. Chou then flipped Disciples of the True Dracophoenix and Tributed it along with his Master Peace, the True Dracoslaying King to Summon a Master Peace immune to Monsters and Spells. He attacked and destroyed Black Fang Magician with Master Peace.

Carranza Set Solemn Warning and passed, but lost it to Master Peace in the End Phase.

Chou attacked directly with Master Peace.

Carranza drew and Set Harmonizing Magician, but it was destroyed by Master Peace’s effect in the End Phase.

It was all over on the next turn! Chou attacked directly with Master Peace to end the Duel and the Match!

Defending UDS Champion Joseph Chou defeats Ezequiel Carranza to advance with a 2-0 record!