Rodriguezes battle! Alexis Rodriguez is here from East Palo Alto, CA, using a Salamangreat Deck. He’s up against Fresno, CA Duelist Victor Rodriguez, the only Duelist using his Deck – an anti-meta build focused heavily on shutting down the top strategies. He’s packing a large trap lineup and a lot of draw power, but his only monsters are three each of Thunder King Rai-Oh, Fossil Dyna Pachycephalo, and Inspector Boarder.

Duel 1

Alexis won the dice roll and chose to play first. He Normal Summoned Salamangreat Jack Jaguar. He Link Summoned Salamangreat Balelynx and added Salamangreat Sanctuary to his hand. He played Pot of Desires for two new cards. Salamangreat Circle added Salamangreat Gazelle to his hand. He activated Will of the Salamangreat and used it to revive Jack Jaguar. He used Jack Jaguar and Balelynx to Link Summon Salamangreat Sunlight Wolf, then Special Summoned Gazelle from his hand. Its effect sent Salamangreat Spinny to the Graveyard, and he Special Summoned the Spinny. He stacked Spinny and Gazelle for Salamangreat Miragestallio, which Special Summoned Salamangreat Fowl. He used Sunlight Wolf and Miragestallio to Link Summon another Sunlight Wolf, and its effect added Salamangreat Circle to his hand. Then, Jack Jaguar shuffled Miragestallio back into the Extra Deck to Special Summon itself. Sunlight Wolf’s effect triggered, adding Gazelle back to his hand. Jack Jaguar and Fowl were used to play Abyss Dweller. Alexis Set three back row cards to finish.

Victor had a hand of Pot of Extravagance, two Phantom Knights’ Sword, Storming Mirror Force, and Macro Cosmos. He drew Card of Demise, and Alexis used Dweller’s effect, not knowing that it was useless in this matchup. Victor used Pot of Extravagance, banishing six cards to draw Inspector Boarder and Fossil Dyna Pachycephalo. He Normal Summoned Inspector Boarder and attacked Abyss Dweller. In Main Phase 2, he Set every Trap Card in his hand. Alexis flipped Salamangreat Circle in the End Phase, adding Salamangreat Foxy to his hand. Then, he flipped Salamangreat Rage to destroy Inspector Boarder and a Phantom Knights’ Sword.

Alexis used Jack Jaguar’s effect in the Graveyard, Special Summoning it by putting back Sunlight Wolf. Then he used the Sunlight Wolf on the field, adding Fowl to his hand. Sunlight Wolf’s other effect added Salamangreat Rage to his hand as well. Alexis Normal Summoned Foxy, and Victor flipped Macro Cosmos. Alexis Special Summoned Spinny in Defense Position. He attacked into Storming Mirror Force, and all his monsters but Spinny were bounced to the hand. Alexis used Will of the Salamangreat to Special Summon Foxy. He stacked Foxy and Spinny for Miragestallio, detaching Foxy to Special Summon Gazelle. He used Gazelle and Miragestallio to play Knightmare Phoenix. With its effect, he discarded Lady Debug to destroy Macro Cosmos. He Set one back row card.

Victor drew Pot of Extravagance, but didn’t use it. He Normal Summoned Fossil Dyna and played Card of Demise to draw Solemn Strike, Mistake, and Pot of Duality. He used Pot of Duality, adding another Card of Demise to his hand. He Set Strike and Mistake and moved to the Battle Phase, sending Fossil Dyna attacking Knightmare Phoenix (intending to use Phantom Knights’ Sword); Alexis flipped Salamangreat Rage, discarding Jack Jaguar to destroy Fossil Dyna. Because Rage went to the Graveyard, Alexis Special Summoned Gazelle from his hand, which sent Salamangreat Roar to the Graveyard. Victor Set Card of Demise to finish his turn.

Alexis used Gazelle and Phoenix to Link Summon Salamangreat Heatleo, and Victor flipped Solemn Strike. Alexis continued, using Will of the Salamangreat to Special Summon Gazelle from the Graveyard. Its effect sent Spinny to the Graveyard. Then he used Gazelle to play Balelynx. He Special Summoned Jack Jaguar with its own effect, then used both Salamangreats for Sunlight Wolf. He Special Summoned Spinny from the Graveyard, which allowed Sunlight Wolf to add Gazelle back to his hand. He used Spinny to play another Balelynx, and Special Summoned Fowl from his hand. Fowl discarded Gazelle, freezing Victor’s Set Pot of Extravagance. Alexis used Sunlight Wolf and Balelynx to play another Sunlight Wolf. He used Sunlight Wolf to get Salamangreat Rage in his hand, and used the effect of Salamangreat Roar in the Graveyard to Set itself. He then used Fowl and Sunlight Wolf to play Heatleo, which shuffled the Set Mistake into the Deck. he played Salamangreat Sanctuary, using Heatleo to play another Heatleo, this time shuffling Victor’s Set Card of Demise into the Deck.

Victor drew Mistake, and Alexis flipped Salamangreat Rage to destroy Phantom Knights’ Sword and Pot of Extravagance! Victor had only Mistake left, and conceded this Duel!

Duel 2

Victor played first this time, starting with a hand of Solemn Strike, Phantom Knights’ Sword, Twin Twisters, Pot of Extravagance, and Compulsory Evacuation Device. He used Pot of Extravagance to draw Heavy Storm Duster and Thunder King Rai-Oh. He Normal Summoned Rai-Oh and Set everything but the Twin Twisters.

Alexis started with Dinowrestler Pankratops, and Victor flipped Solemn Strike. Alexis Normal Summoned Flame Bufferlo and Link Summoned Salamangreat Balelynx. Bufferlo’s effect let him discard Jack Jaguar to draw two cards. He played Pot of Desires for another two cards. He played Will of the Salamangreat and Victor flipped Heavy Storm Duster to destroy it. Alexis played Twin Twisters, discarding Salamangreat Falco, to destroy Victor’s Compulsory and Phantom Knights’ Sword. Victory Chained Compulsory to bounce Balelynx. The discarded Falco activated, and Set Will of the Salamangreat on the field.

Victor drew Storming Mirror Force. He attacked with Rai-Oh and Set Twin Twisters.

Alexis Normal Summoned Foxy and Link Summoned Balelynx. He Special Summoned Jack Jaguar with its own effect, then used it with Balelynx to play Sunlight Wolf. Victor Tributed Rai-Oh to negate the Summon. Alexis flipped Will of the Salamangreat, and Victor used Twin Twisters, discarding his only card – Storming Mirror Force.

Victor drew Fossil Dyna Pachycephalo. He played it and attacked.

Alexis Set a monster and a back row card.

Victor drew Card of Demise, but Alexis had Ash Blossom & Joyous Spring. Fossil Dyna attacked Alexis’s Set Ghost Ogre & Snow Rabbit.

Alexis Normal Summoned Gazelle and sent Salamangreat Roar to the Graveyard. Gazelle destroyed Fossil Dyna in battle. In Main Phase 2, he used Gazelle and Ghost Ogre to play Salamangreat Miragestallio. It Special Summoned Falco. He used both monsters to Link Summon Sunlight Wolf, and Falco’s effect Set Salamangreat Roar. He Special Summoned Jack Jaguar, triggering Sunlight Wolf to put Gazelle in his hand. He used Sunlight Wolf and Jack Jaguar for another Sunlight Wolf, then Set another back row card.

Victor drew Inspector Boarder and Normal Summoned it, but Alexis had Salamangreat Rage!

Alexis flipped Will of the Salamangreat to Special Summon Falco, then Special Summoned Jack Jaguar. He used Jaguar and Falco to play Update Jammer, and Falco Set Salamangreat Rage on the field. He Normal Summoned Gazelle and sent Spinny to the Graveyard, then Special Summoned it. Gazelle, Spinny, and Update Jammer were used to play

Alexis Rodriguez wins with Salamangreat!