Aaron Furman from New Jersey entered this weekend’s Yu-Gi-Oh! Championship Series with a 2-Round Bye thanks to his title of Ultimate Duelist! Furman won the UDS Invitational in Chicago in 2016, entitling him to two free wins in every Yu-Gi-Oh! Championship Series he enters. Now, in Round 3, he’s sitting down to Duel for the first time this weekend. His opponent is Azad Deihim from Boston. Furman is using Pendulum Magicians, while Deihim is using Mekk-Knights. It’s time to Duel!

Duel One

Furman opened up Duel 1 with Supreme King Gate Zero, Allure of Darkness, Chronograph Sorcerer, Black Fang Magician, and Supreme King Dragon Darkwurm.

He Summoned Darkwurm and used its effect to add Supreme King Gate Infinity to his hand. Then he activated Chronograph Sorcerer in his Pendulum Zone. He used its effect to destroy it and Special Summon Timegazer Magician from his Deck. He then used Timegazer and Darkwurm to Link Summon Heavymetalfoes Electrumite and used its effect to send Astrograph Sorcerer from his Deck to his Extra Deck. He activated Black Fang Magician in his Pendulum Zone next and used Electrumite’s effect to destroy the Black Fang. He added a Chronograph Sorcerer to his hand with Electrumite’s effect and Special Summoned Astrograph Sorcerer from his hand when the Black Fang was destroyed. He drew Instant Fusion with Electrumite’s effect! Next, he activated Chronograph Sorcerer and Supreme King Gate Zero in his Pendulum Zones and activated Instant Fusion! He Special Summoned Lyrilusc – Independent Nightingale with Instant Fusion by giving up 1000 Life Points and used its effect to inflict 500 points of damage to Deihim. Then, he combined Lyrilusc with Electrumite to Link Summon Zefra Metaltron. He Pendulum Summoned 3 monsters from his Extra Deck, Linked to Zefra Metaltron, and an Astrograph from his hand. He combined 2 of those monsters to Summon Supreme King Dragon Starving Venom and used its effect to copy Nightingale’s effect and deal 4000 points of damage to Deihim. Next, he combined 2 more of his monsters to Summon another copy, and used its effect again; but this time, Deihim discarded Ghost Ogre & Snow Rabbit to destroy it! Furman used his Metaltron’s effect to return the destroyed Supreme King Dragon Starving Venom to his Extra Deck. Furman activated Allure of Darkness with no other cards in his hand; but Deihim Chained Ash Blossom & Joyous Spring from his hand to negate it! Furman ended his turn with Metaltron, Black Fang, and Supreme King Dragon Starving Venom on his field.

Deihim Tributed Supreme King Dragon Starving Venom from Furman’s field to give him Gameciel, the Sea Turtle Kaiju and then Special Summoned Mekk-Knight Blue Sky across from Gameceil and Chronograph. He added Mekk-Knight Indigo Eclipse and Mekk-Knight Purple Nightfall to his hand with Blue Sky’s effect, and then used Pot of Desires to banish the top 10 cards of his Deck face-down and draw 2 cards. He used Upstart Goblin next, giving Furman 1000 Life Points so that Deihim could draw a card. Then, he Special Summoned Indigo across from Metaltron and used its effect to shift it to his left-most Main Monster Zone. He Special Summoned Purple Nightfall across from Metaltron next, and then combined Indigo with Purple Nightfall to Xyz Summon Galaxy-Eyes Cipher Dragon! He used his Cipher Dragon’s effect to take control of Zefra Metaltron and change its name into Galaxy-Eyes Cipher Dragon, and then upgraded his own Cipher Dragon into Galaxy-Eyes Full Armor Photon Dragon. He detached an Xyz Material from it to destroy Supreme King Gate Zero and then attacked Gameceil with his Full Armor Photon Dragon to destroy it. Metaltron (whose name was changed into Galaxy-Eyes Cipher Dragon) attacked and destroyed Black Fang Magician. Then, he entered Main Phase 2 and transformed his Full Armor Photon Dragon into Galaxy-Eyes Cipher Blade Dragon. He used its effect to destroy Chronograph Sorcerer and then sent Metaltron and Cipher Blade Dragon to the Graveyard to Link Summon Saryuja, Skull Dread.

Furman drew Mythical Beast Master Cerberus and placed it in his Pendulum Zone. He tried to use its effect, but he lost out to Ghost Ogre & Snow Rabbit. Deihim revealed a monster from his hand and Furman conceded, unable to survive another turn.

Aaron Furman attempts to win the Duel on the very first turn, but Azad Deihim manages to stop him with Ghost Ogre & Snow Rabbit and Ash Blossom & Joyous Spring to ultimately take the victory!

Duel Two

Deihim started off Duel 2 by activating Terraforming.

He added Magical Meltdown to his hand and activated it to get Aleister the Invoker from his Deck. He Summoned Aleister and used its effect to add Invocation to his hand. He activated Invocation, banishing Aleister from his field and sending PSY-Framegear Gamma from his hand to the Graveyard to Fusion Summon Invoked Mechaba. He then shuffled Invocation into his Deck from his Graveyard to add Aleister from his Banished Zone to his hand.

Furman opened up with Astrograph Sorcerer, Mythical Beast Master Cerberus, Chronograph Sorcerer, Supreme King Dragon Darkwurm, Stargazer Magician, and Allure of Darkness. He activated Allure of Darkness to draw 2 cards and banish Stargazer Magician from his hand. Next, he activated Mythical Beast Master Cerberus in his Pendulum Zone, and Deihim negated it and banished it with Mechaba. Furman activated Chronograph Sorcerer in his Pendulum Zone and destroyed it to Special Summon Timegazer Magician. He then Special Summoned Astrograph Sorcerer from his hand and added a Chronograph Sorcerer from his Deck to his hand. He Normal Summoned Supreme King Dragon Darkwurm and used its effect to add Supreme King Gate Zero to his hand. He combined Timegazer with Darkwurm to Link Summon Heavymetalfoes Electrumite and declined to activate its effect. He placed Gate Zero and Chronograph Sorcerer in his Pendulum Zones and then Pendulum Summoned a Chronograph from his Extra Deck Linked to Electrumite, and a Harmonizing Magician from his hand. He used the effect of his Harmonizing Magician to Special Summon Black Fang Magician from his Deck. He then traded in Darkwurm and Chronograph to Special Summon Supreme King Dragon Starving Venom and used its effect to copy Mechaba. Next, he Tuned Harmonizing Magician with Black Fang Magician to Synchro Summon Ignister Prominence, the Blasting Dracoslayer, and used its effect to send Mechaba back to the Extra Deck. Direct attacks from Furman’s monsters wiped out all of Deihim’s Life Points!

Furman takes a quick win in Duel 2 to push the Match to a third and final Duel!

Duel Three

Furman opened up Duel 3 with Mythical Beast Jackal King, Supreme King Dragon Darkwurm, Ash Blossom & Joyous Spring, Xiangke Magician, and Pot of Desires. He activated Pot of Desires, banishing the top 10 cards of his Deck face-down to draw Chronograph Sorcerer and Master Cerberus. Next, he Summoned Darkwurm and used its effect to add Gate Zero to his hand. He activated Gate Zero and Chronograph Sorcerer in his Pendulum Zones and then Pendulum Summoned Xiangke and Jackal King from his hand. He activated the effect of the Chronograph Sorcerer in his Pendulum Zone next, destroying it to Special Summon Timegazer Magician from his Deck. He activated Master Cerberus next, giving 2 Spell Counters to his Jackal, and then combined Timegazer with Darkwurm to Link Summon Heavymetalfoes Electrumite. He used its effect to send Astrograph Sorcerer to his Extra Deck, and then used his Electrumite’s effect to destroy Master Cerberus. Deihim tried to use the effect of PSY-Framegear Gamma to negate it, but Furman removed 2 Spell Counters from his Jackal King to stop it! Furman added a Master Cerberus to his hand with Electrumite’s effect, and then drew Dragon Shrine. He activated Dragon Shrine to send a Darkwurm to his Graveyard and then combined Xiangke with Astrograph to Xyz Summon Odd-Eyes Absolute Dragon. He used Absolute Dragon and Electrumite to Link Summon Zefra Metaltron and then used his Absolute Dragon’s effect. Deihim tried to use Gamma to stop the effect, but Furman used Ash Blossom to negate Gamma and keep it in Deihim’s hand. Furman Special Summoned Odd-Eyes Vortex Dragon with the effect of Absolute Dragon and then passed his turn.

Deihim activated Terraforming to get Magical Meltdown, and Furman added 2 Spell Counters to his Jackal King. Deihim activated the Meltdown to get Aleister, giving Jackal King another 2 Spell Counters. Time in the round was called and play continued. Deihim Normal Summoned Aleister and activated its effect; but Furman negated the effect and destroyed Aleister with his Jackal King by giving up 2 Spell Counters! Deihim Set a card to his back row across from Gate Zero and then Special Summoned Indigo Eclipse in that column. He used its effect to try to move it, and Furman shuffled a Chronograph Sorcerer from his Extra Deck into his Main Deck with Vortex Dragon’s effect to destroy the Indigo Eclipse. Next, Deihim Special Summoned Blue Sky in that same column, and used its effect to add Mekk-Knight Purple Nightfall to his hand. He activated Invocation next, banishing Aleister from his Graveyard and Electrumite from Furman’s Graveyard to Special Summon Invoked Purgatrio with 3100 ATK! He shuffled Invocation into his Deck to add the banished Aleister to his hand. He attacked Metaltron with Purgatrio and discarded Aleister to gain 1000 ATK. Metaltron was destroyed, and Furman lost 1600 Life Points. Next, Purgatrio attacked Vortex Dragon, destroying it. Purgatrio attacked and destroyed Jackal King next, dropping Furman down to 2200 Life Points.

Furman drew Foolish Burial. He Summoned Supreme King Dragon Darkwurm and then activated Master Cerberus in the Pendulum Zone behind it. He Pendulum Summoned Timegazer Magician and combined it with Darkwurm to Link Summon Electrumite. He used Electrumite’s effect to send Black Fang Magician from his Deck to his Extra Deck and then used Foolish Burial to send Darkwurm to his Graveyard. He used Electrumite’s effect to destroy Master Cerberus, adding Black Fang Magician to his hand and drawing Ghost Ogre & Snow Rabbit. He activated the Black Fang in his Pendulum Zone and then used Black Fang’s effect to halve the ATK of Purgatrio and then destroy Black Fang. Furman used his Black Fang’s effect to Special Summon Xiangke Magician from his Graveyard and then attacked Purgatrio with Electrumite to destroy it. Xiangke attacked and destroyed Blue Sky next, dropping Deihim down to 7150 Life Points.

Deihim Set a card to his back row across from Electrumite and then Special Summoned Purple Nightfall to the same column. He flipped Raigeki, and Furman offered the handshake!

Azad Deihim takes a narrow 2-1 victory to advance with a 3-0 record using his Mekk-Knight Invoked Deck!