This round we’ll check out a Match between two Californian Duelists: former SoCal resident and fan-favorite Ed Acepcion, versus a newer NorCal Duelist, Daniel Hoang Tran. Both of these competitors are running Ishizu Tearlaments, and both are using some of their flex spots for Diviner of the Herald, giving them a fast way to set their strategy into motion. With both players rushing to the finish line, this one might be all about who explodes first.

Acepcion’s widely known for topping YCS and UDS tournaments in 2018 and 2019, with Decks like Magical Musketeers and 60-Card Zombie Dinosaurs, and his last Top Cut finish was a Top 4 at 2019’s Team YCS in Atlanta. His opponent, Daniel Hoang Tran, is beginning to carve out a name for himself, and a win here could help him build his reputation.

Tran opened the Match with a hand of Instant Fusion, Tearlaments Reinoheart, Tearlaments Merrli, Tearlaments Havnis, and Primeval Planet Perlereino. He played Perlereino, searching his Deck for Tearlaments Scheiren. Tran activated its effect, sending Tearlaments Merrli to his Graveyard to Special Summon Scheiren and send Tearlaments Reinoheart, Triple Tactics Talent, and Mudora the Sword Oracle to the Graveyard. He shuffled back Merrli and Reinoheart to Fusion Summon Tearlaments Kitkallosand searched Tearlaments Sulliek. Instant Fusion got him Mudragon of the Swamp, a Level 4, and he overlaid it to Xyz Summon Abyss Dweller. He popped Kitkallos to send five cards to the Graveyard: Keldo the Sacred Protector, Triple Tactics Talent, Mudora the Sword Oracle, Kelbek the Ancient Vanguard, and another Scheiren.

Tran sent Havnis to his Graveyard: he made Scheiren Chain Link 1, Havnis Chain Link 2, and Kelbek Chain Link 3. Kelbek sent five cards from each player’s Deck to the Graveyard, he Fusion Summoned Tearlaments Rulkallos, and fused Scheiren and Reinoheart with Havnis for Tearlaments Kaleido-Heart. He Set Sulliek and ended.

Acepcion drew for his turn. Tran detached Scheiren for Abyss Dweller’s effect, but Acepcion fired back with Forbidden Droplet! He discarded Exchange of the Spirit, Keldo the Sacred Protector, and Rainbow Bridge of Salvation, negating the effects of all three of Tran’s monsters and halving their ATK! That was a lot of cards to lose, but he banished the Rainbow Bridge to get Crystal Beast Emerald Tortoise and Primeval Planet Perlereino from his Deck, activated Perlereino to search Scheiren, and Summoned it by pitching Tearlaments Havnis. That sent three cards to his Graveyard: Mudora, Droplet, and Tearlaments Merrli.

Acepcion activated the effect of Havnis, Tran chained Mudora’s effect, and then Havnis, Mudora, and Keldo were all added to the Chain. Acepcion chained his own Keldo, targeting Tran’s Adigo, Mudora, and his own Scheiren. They were all shuffled back without interruption, and neither player had any further responses.

Acepcion used Perlereino to target Tran’s face-down Sulliek; he chained it targeting Acepcion’s on-field Scheiren for negation, and Tran got rid of his Tearlaments Kaleido-Heart to pay for Sulliek’s effect. That triggered Kaleido-Heart’s effect, and Tran made Kaleido-Heart Chain Link 1, and Sulliek Chain Link 2. He searched Tearlaments Reinoheart and brought back Tearlaments Kaleido-Heart. Sent Scheiren to the Graveyard, then Fusion Summoned Tearlaments Kitkallos to search Tearlaments Havnis. Tran Fusion Summoned Predaplant Dragostapelia next, and a flurry of cards later he was Summoning Havnis and sending three cards to his Graveyard: Bystial Druiswurm, Diviner of the Herald, and Herald of OrangeLight. 

Acepcion played on, sending his two Tearlaments to the Graveyard to Link Summon Dharc the Dark Charmer, Gloomy. He used its effect to target Tearlaments Merrli, but it just wasn’t enough, and he was scooping for Game 2 moments later.

A commanding win! Daniel Hoang Tran sweeps Game 1 in under twelve minutes, setting up with Abyss Dweller and a big purple wall of Fusion Monsters to take undeniable control of the Duel. Acepcion would have his work cut out for him if he was going to go back-to-back and recover. 

Both competitors wished each other good luck, and Acepcion opened with Primeval Planet Perlereino. He searched Tearlaments Havnis, Summoned Diviner of the Herald and used it to put Agido the Ancient Sentinel into the Graveyard, sending five cards to the Graveyard from each player’s Deck: Acepcion sent Forbidden Droplet, Mudora the Sword Oracle, Tearlaments Merrli, Gravekeeper’s Trap and Keldo the Sacred Protector. Tran sent a Merrli and a Keldo of his own, as well as Tearlaments Heartbeat, TripleTactics Talent, and Tearlaments Reinoheart.

Acepcion activated Merrli’s effect, and Tran chained his Merrli. He Chained Keldo next, targeting Acepcion’s Merrli, Mudora, and Keldo to try and return them to the Deck. Acepcion used Mudora, sending back his own cards first. He Set one card to his backrow.

Tran had Primeval Planet Perlereino, Tearlaments Merrli, Tearlaments Reinoheart, BystialMagnamhut, Bystial Druiswurm, and Tearlaments Scheiren. He led with Perlereino to search Havnis, and activated Scheiren’s effect. He pitched Tearlaments Reinoheart for it and sent three cards off the top: Perlereino, Scheiren, and Havnis. The result was a chain with Reinoheart at Chain Link 1 and Scheiren at Chain Link 2. Tran Fusion Summoned Tearlaments Kitkallos, brought back Reinoheart, and pitched Merrli. Merrli’s effect became Chain Link 1, Reinoheart was Chain Link 2, and he activated the effect of Perlereino as Chain Link 3 targeting Acepcion’s backrow. Acepcion chained Bystial Druiswurm, Sulliek, and banished Merrli,. Kitkallos searched and sent Scheiren, Tran got Sulliek, and used Scheiren’s effect. Acepcion searched his own Scheiren.

Tran Fusion Summoned Tearlaments Kaleido-Heart, targeted Acepcion’s Druiswurm with its effect, and Acepcion Special Summoned Havnis. Tran shuffled back the Druiswurm. Acepcion made Scheiren Chain Link 1, and Agido Chain Link 2. Both players sent five cards to the yard for Agido, and Acepcion resolved Scheiren, Fusion Summoning Tearlaments Kitkallos. Tran activated Tearlaments Sulliek as Chain Link 1, Acepcion’s Havnis became Chain Link 2, Kelbek was Chain Link 3, and Kitkallos was Chain Link 4. Tran made his Keldo Chain Link 5 targeting Acepcion’s Scheiren and Havnis, and his own Kelbek to return them to the Decks.

Both players sent  five cards to the Graveyard again, getting Tran a Merrli as Chain Link 1, Accepcion a Merrli at Chain Link 2, and a Perlereino activation as Chain Link 3.  Tran chained Bystial Druiswurm next, targeting Acepcions’ Merrli. Hearbeat resolved in the Graveyard to get Tran back his Sulliek, and moments later Tran was Link Summoning Dharc the Dark Charmer, Gloomy, targeting Acepcion’s Tearlaments Havnis. Dharc’s effect let him steal Acepcion’s Merrli, Tran sent three cards to his Graveyard, and Acepcon fired back with Agido from his hand; he Special Summoned Agido and Kelbek. 

Tran Linked Dharc and Havnis for Spright Elf, used its effect to bring back Diviner of the Herald, and Acepcon returned cards like Instant Fusion, Druis, and Agido to his Deck. Tran chained Bystial Magnamhut to Special Summon it, and entered battle. 

Tran sent Tearlaments Kaleido-Heart to attack over Acepcion’s Diviner of the Herald, his Tearlaments Kitkallos took out one Agido, Bystial Magnamhut ran over the other, and Spright Elf swung on Acepcion’s remaining Kitkallos. He Link Summoned I:P Masquerena, Set Tearlaments Sulliek and ended, moving to the End Phase and resolving Bystial Magnamhut’s search to get Bystial Druiswurm. Acepcion had one card in hand against a full board.

He activated a fresh Primeval Planet Perlereino over his first copy next turn, searched Tearlaments Merrli from his Deck, and upon resolution Tran used Spright Elf to bring back Merrli. That sent Reinoheart, Scheiren, and Perlereino to the Graveyard. When Tran used the effect of Scheiren and started picking monsters as Fusion Materials for Tearlaments Rulkallos, Acepcion conceded the second Duel, and the Match. 

Daniel Hoang Tran triumphs over Ed Acepcion, as the NorCal newcomer takes a 2-0 victory in our first Ishizu Tearlaments mirror of the day! Tran’s definitely a Duelist to watch this weekend.