Steven Gleason from Collingswood, New Jersey and Trevor Commer from Philadelphia, Mississippi both currently have 5-1 records in the tournament. Gleason is using a Dragon Link Deck, which is a popular strategy that we have seen used this weekend. Commer, on the other hand, has a more unconventional Deck that he is hoping will bring him into tomorrow’s Top Cut. Commer is using a Spright Fur Hire Deck that also runs a Runick engine. There are lots of subtle synergies between the three separate themes that Commer’s Deck relies on, which makes it especially powerful and particularly interesting. At the end of this round, one of these Duelists will have a 6-1 record. It’s time to Duel!

Duel One

Commer activated Runick Slumber in his Draw Phase to Special Summon Hugin the Runick Wings to the Extra Monster Zone and activated its effect by discarding Runick Destruction from his hand. Gleason Chained the effect of Infinite Impermanence from his hand to negate its effect. In his Main Phase, Commer Normal Summoned Rex, Freight Fur Hire and used its effect to add Rookie Fur Hire to his hand. He activated it by Tributing Hugin and Special Summoned Beat, Bladesman Fur Hire from his Deck. He Link Summoned Donner, Dagger Fur Hire next and used its effect to Special Summon Beat and Rex back from his Graveyard. He used Beat’s effect to add Rafale, Champion Fur Hire to his hand. He activated Beat’s effect to Special Summon Rafale from his hand and then used Rafale’s effect to add one of the top two cards of his Deck to his hand. He Special Summoned Spright Red from his hand next, and then sent Rex, Rafale, and Spright Red to his Graveyard to Link Summon Folgo, Justice Fur Hire. He used its effect to Special Summon Donpa, Marksman Fur Hire from his deck. He combined Donpa with Rex to Xyz Summon Gigantic Spright and then used Gigantic Spright’s effect to Special Summon Spright Blue from his Deck. He used Blue’s effect to add Spright Jet from his Deck to his hand and then Special Summoned Jet from his hand. He used its effect to add Spright Starter to his hand and then sent Jet and Blue to the Graveyard to Link Summon Spright Sprind. He activated Sprind’s effect to send Rex from his Deck to his Graveyard and then banished Rex from his Graveyard to activate its effect and Special Summon a different Rex from his Graveyard. He used Rex and Gigantic Spright as Link Materials to Link Summon I:P Masquerena and then activated Runick Tip! He added Runick Fountain from his Deck to his hand and banished Quick Launch from the top of Gleason’s Deck. Commer activated the Fountain and Set a card to his back row before passing his turn.

Gleason activated Quick Launch in his Draw Phase to Special Summon Rokket Tracer from his Deck and then activated the effect of The Bystial Lubellion in his hand to add Bystial Magnamhut from his Deck to his hand. Gleason attempted to enter his Battle Phase, prompting Commer to activate the effect of the Rex in his Graveyard by banishing it to try to Special Summon Rafale from his Graveyard; but Gleason Chained the effect of Magnamhut to banish Rafale and Special Summon Magnamhut! He activated the effect of Magnamhut on the field, and Commer then activated his face-down Spright Starter. He used its effect to Special Summon Spright Blue from his Deck and lost 1100 Life Points. He used Blue’s effect to add Spright Carrot to his hand. Still in Main Phase 1, Gleason Tuned Rokket Tracer with Magnamhut to Synchro Summon Baronne de Fleur and used its effect to destroy Runick Fountain. He Special Summoned White Dragon Wyverburster from his hand by banishing Magnamhut from his Graveyard next, and then sent Wyverburster to the Graveyard to Link Summon Striker Dragon. He activated the effect of Wyverburster to add Black Dragon Collapserpent to his hand and then activated Boot Sector Launch. He used its effect to Special Summon Rokket Tracer from his Graveyard and then Special Summoned Collapserpent from his hand. He sent Striker Dragon and Collapserpent to the Graveyard to Link Summon Dragunity Knight – Romulus and used its effect to add Dragon Ravine to his hand. He used his Tracer’s effect to destroy his Boot Sector Launch and Special Summon Rokket Recharger from his Deck. Next, he Link Summoned Guardragon Pisty followed by Triple Burst Dragon. On the Summon of Triple Burst Dragon, Commer tried to use the effect of his Masquerena, but lost out to the effect of Baronne de Fleur which negated its activation and destroyed I:P Masquerena! Gleason Special Summoned The Bystial Lubellion with Pisty’s effect and used Lubellion’s effect to place Branded Regained from his Deck to his Spell & Trap Card Zone. He Link Summoned Borrelend Dragon next and used its effect to negate the effect of Folgo and Special Summon Rokket Tracer to his field in Attack Position. Rokket Tracer attacked and destroyed Spright Blue, Borrelend attacked and destroyed Folgo, and then Borrelend attacked again and destroyed Spright Sprind, dropping Commer down to 3700 Life Points. Baronne de Fleur attacked directly next, dropping Commer down to 700 Life Points. Gleason Set a card to his back row in Main Phase 2 and then added Bystial Druiswurm from his Deck to his hand in the End Phase with the effect of his Magnamhut.

Commer activated Runick Tip in his Main Phase to add Runick Dispelling from his Deck to his hand and banish The Bystial Lubellion from the top of Gleason’s Deck. He activated the Dispelling to Special Summon Geri the Runick Fangs and used its effect to try to return Runick Fountain from his Graveyard to his hand; but Gleason used his Borrelend Dragon’s effect to negate the effect of Geri and Special Summon Rokket Recharger from his Graveyard. Next, Commer activated Triple Tactics Talent to take control of Borrelend Dragon! He sent it to the Graveyard along with Geri to Link Summon Donner, Dagger Fur Hire. Gleason Special Summoned Druiswurm from his hand by banishing Striker Dragon from the Graveyard. He used Branded Regained to return Striker Dragon to his Extra Deck and draw a card. He then used his Tracer’s effect to destroy Druiswurm and Special Summoned Rokket Caliber from his Deck. Druiswurm’s effect sent Donner to the Graveyard and Commer immediately conceded.

Steven Gleason wins the first Duel of the Match with his Dragon Link Deck!

Duel Two

Commer started off Duel 2 by activating Fossil Dig to add Rex, Freight Fur Hire to his hand. He Normal Summoned it and activated its effect to add Rookie Fur Hire to his hand. He activated Runick Fountain next and then used Runick Slumber to Special Summon Hugin from his Extra Deck to the Extra Monster Zone. He used his Fountain’s effect by targeting the Slumber in his Graveyard, and then Chained Rookie Fur Hire by Tributing Hugin. He Special Summoned Beat from his Deck and then returned Slumber to the bottom of his Deck and drew a card. Commer activated Beat’s effect to Special Summon Donpa from his hand and then used Beat’s effect to add Rafale from his Deck to his hand. He Special Summoned it with Donpa’s effect and then used Rafale’s effect to excavate the top 3 cards of his Deck and add Runick Tip to his hand. He Sent Rafale, Beat, and Donpa to the Graveyard to Link Summon Folgo and used its effect to Special Summon Rex from his Deck. Next, he Xyz Summoned Gigantic Spright and used its effect to Special Summon Spright Blue from his Deck. He used Blue’s effect to add Spright Jet to his hand and then Special Summoned Spright Jet. He used the Jet’s effect to add Spright Smashers to his hand and then sent Jet and Blue to the Graveyard to Link Summon I:P Masquerena. Next, he banished Rex from his Graveyard to Special Summon Donpa from his Graveyard. He activated Runick Tip next, adding a Runick Flashing Fire from his Deck to his hand and banishing the top card of Gleason’s Deck. Commer Set 2 cards to his back row before passing his turn.

Gleason drew a card and then paid 1000 Life Points to activate Cosmic Cyclone and banish Runick Fountain in the Draw Phase. Next, he activated Quick Launch to Special Summon Rokket Tracer from his Deck. In his Main Phase, he activated the effect of The Bystial Lubellion in his hand and sent it to the Graveyard to add Bystial Magnamhut from his Deck to his hand. Gleason entered his Battle Phase and then used the effect of the Magnamhut in his hand to try to banish Rafale from Commer’s Graveyard; but Commer Chained the effect of his own Magnamhut to banish that Rafale and prevent Gleason from Summoning his own! Commer used his on-field Magnamhut’s effect and then Gleason entered Main Phase 2. He Link Summoned Striker Dragon and used its effect to add Boot Sector Launch to his hand. He activated it and then Commer Chained the effect of his I:P Masquerena. He Link Summoned Sky Striker Ace – Azalea and used its effect to destroy Boot Sector Launch. He Chained the effect of Rex by banishing it from his Graveyard to Special Summon Beat from his Graveyard. Azalea went to the Graveyard since he only had 3 Spells in his Graveyard, and then Donpa’s effect activated in a new Chain to destroy Striker Dragon. Commer drew 3 cards from his Deck with the effect of Folgo, Justice Fur Hire. On the resolution of its effect, Commer flipped Spright Starter to Special Summon Spright Carrot from his Deck and dropped down to 7000 Life Points. Next, Gleason activated Dragon Ravine. He discarded Magnamhut from his hand to activate its effect, and Commer negated the effect of the Ravine with his Carrot’s effect. Gleason activated Triple Tactics Talent next, drawing 2 cards from his Deck. He activated Quick Launch to Special Summon another Rokket Tracer from his deck and used Tracer’s effect to destroy his Dragon Ravine and Special Summon Rokket Recharger from his Deck. Next, he Tuned his 2 monsters together to Synchro Summon Scarlight Red Dragon Archfiend; but Commer flipped Spright Smashers! He banished a Starter from his Graveyard and then banished the Carrot and Scarlight from the field. Gleason conceded with just over 4 minutes left in the round!

Trevor Commer uses his Spright, Fur Hire, Bystial, and Runick cards to take the victory in Duel 2!

Duel Three

Gleason started off Duel 3 by activating Dragon Ravine. He activated its effect by discarding Called by the Grave from his hand and sent Absorouter Dragon from his Deck to his Graveyard. He used Absorouter Dragon’s effect to add Rokket Tracer to his hand and then Normal Summoned it. Next, he sent Rokket Tracer to the Graveyard to Link Summon Striker Dragon and used its effect to add Boot Sector Launch to his hand. He activated Branded Regained next, and then activated his Striker Dragon’s effect by targeting the Striker Dragon on his field and the Rokket Tracer in his Graveyard. Commer Chained the effect of Magnamhut to banish the targeted Rokket Tracer and after the Striker Dragon was destroyed, Gleason was unable to return the Tracer to his hand. Gleason used the effect of his Branded Regained to return the banished Striker Dragon to his Extra Deck and draw a card. He Set 2 to his back row and passed his turn.

Commer drew a card and Gleason immediately flipped Anti-Spell Fragrance. Commer attacked directly with his on-field Magnamhut and then went into Main Phase 2. He Special Summoned Druiswurm by banishing a monster from Gleason’s Graveyard, allowing Gleason to draw another card with the effect of Branded Regained. Commer Link Summoned Sky Striker Ace – Azalea in Main Phase 2 to destroy Anti-Spell Fragrance, but time in the round was called! Commer was up by 2500 Life Points and was declared the winner of the Duel and the Match!

Trevor Commer is advancing with a 6-1 record using his Runick Spright Fur Hire Deck!