Connor R. from Portland, Oregon and Caleb N. from Chicago, Illinois are both 14 years old, which means this will be their last year competing in Dragon Duels before they become too old to compete. Now they’re competing against one another in a Match that will determine which Duelist becomes the 2023 North America Dragon Duel Champion! Connor has been playing the Yu-Gi-Oh! TRADING CARD GAME competitively since he was in fourth grade after some of his friends got him interested in it. Caleb got some booster packs because he thought the cards looked cool and has been playing the Yu-Gi-Oh! TRADING CARD GAME for nearly 6 years, but he says he just started playing competitively a couple of years ago. There are some incredible prizes on the line, including paid travel and accommodations to Jump Festa in Japan and a bunch of Starlight Rare cards, so the stakes are high! We are moments away from a 2023 North America Dragon Duel Champion being crowned! It’s time to Duel!

Duel One

Caleb started off Duel 1 by activating the effect of Mathmech Circular in his hand.

He sent Mathmech Sigma from his Deck to his Graveyard to Special Summon Circular and then Normal Summoned Mathmech Diameter. He activated the effects of Circular and Diameter. He Special Summoned Sigma from his Graveyard with Diameter’s effect and then added Mathmech Equation to his hand with Circular’s effect. He combined Sigma with Diameter to Xyz Summon Primathmech Alembertian and detached both Xyz Materials from it to activate its effect and add Mathmech Addition to his hand. He used Sigma’s effect next to Special Summon it from the Graveyard. He used Sigma and Circular as Link Materials to Link Summon Splash Mage and then used Splash Mage’s effect to Special Summon Circular from his Graveyard. He sent Circular to the Graveyard to Link Summon Link Decoder. He used Addition’s effect to Special Summon it from his hand next, and then Link Summoned Transcode Talker. He Special Summoned Link Decoder with its effect since it was used in the Link Summon, and Special Summoned Splash Mage with Transcode Talker’s effect. Next, he used Splash Mage and Link Decoder as Link Materials to Link Summon Decode Talker Heatsoul. He paid 1000 Life Points to activate its effect and draw a card. Finally, he used Transcode Talker, Alembertian, and Mathmech Addition as Link Materials to Summon Firewall Dragon Darkfluid – Neo Tempest Terahertz. He used its effect to send Cyberse Desavewurm from his Extra Deck to his Graveyard and increase his Firewall Dragon Darkfluid’s ATK. Finally, he Set 2 cards to his back row. He attempted to leave his Main Phase, but Connor activated the effect of Nibiru, the Primal Being! All monsters on the field were sent to the Graveyard and Nibiru was Summoned in their place! Caleb got a Token with 0 DEF in Defense Mode to replace all of his monsters! Caleb used the Token to Link Summon Link Spider and then Special Summoned Mathmech Subtraction from his hand. He used his monsters to Link Summon G Golem Crystal Heart and then Special Summoned Transcode Talker with G Golem Crystal Heart’s effect before ending his turn.

Connor drew Called by the Grave and added it to his hand of Branded Opening, Fallen of Albaz, Super Polymerization, and Aluber the Jester of Despia. He Normal Summoned Fallen of Albaz and discarded Aluber to activate its effect. He fused Fallen of Albaz with Transcode Talker to Summon Mirrorjade the Iceblade Dragon. Next, Caleb flipped Mathmech Superfactorial targeting 3 monsters in his Graveyard. Connor used Called by the Grave to banish a targeted Diameter, and Caleb Special Summoned the other 2 and combined them to Xyz Summon Primathmech Alembertian. He used the Alembertian’s effect to add Mathmech Diameter to his hand. Next, Connor activated Branded Opening, but Caleb used Ash Blossom & Joyous Spring to negate its effect. Mirrorjade attacked and destroyed G Golem Crystal Heart, inflicting 3000 points of damage to Caleb’s Life Points, and then Nibiru attacked and destroyed Alembertian.

Caleb Normal Summoned Mathmech Diameter but its effect was negated due to the previously activated Called by the Grave. Next, Caleb activated Mathmech Equation to Special Summon Mathmech Circular from his Graveyard. Connor activated the effect of his Mirrorjade, and Caleb conceded!

Connor R. takes the first win of the Match with his Branded Despia Deck after devastating Caleb N.’s field with Nibiru, the Primal Being!

Duel Two

Caleb started off Duel 2 by activating Small World. He revealed Sakitama from his hand and Effect Veiler from his Deck to add Mathmech Circular from his Deck to his hand. He banished the Veiler and Sakitama face-down and then activated the effect of the Circular in his hand. He sent Sigma from his Deck to his Graveyard to Special Summon the Circular and then used Sigma’s effect to Special Summon the Sigma from the Graveyard. He activated Circular’s effect to add Mathmech Superfactorial from his Deck to his hand and then combined Circular with Sigma to Xyz Summon Primathmech Alembertian. He detached both Xyz Materials from it to add Mathmech Diameter from his Deck to his hand and then Normal Summoned the Diameter. He used Diameter’s effect to Special Summon Circular from his Graveyard and then sent Circular and Diameter to the Graveyard to Link Summon Splash Mage. He used Splash Mage’s effect to Special Summon Circular and then used Circular as a Link Material to Link Summon Link Decoder. He sent Link Decoder and Splash Mage to the Graveyard to Link Summon Transcode Talker. He Special Summoned Link Decoder with its effect and then used Transcode Talker’s effect to Special Summon Splash Mage. He sent Transcode Talker, Link Decoder, and Alembertian to the Graveyard to Link Summon Firewall Dragon Fluid – Neo Tempest Terahertz. He used its effect to send Cyberse Desavewurm from his Extra Deck to his Graveyard and increase his Firewall Dragon Fluid’s Attack Points and then he Set 2 cards to his back row.

Connor opened up Duel 2 with Branded Fusion, Fusion Deployment, Cosmic Cyclone, Super Polymerization, and Branded Retribution.

He drew Bystial Magnamhut for his turn and then activated Fusion Deployment to Special Summon Fallen of Albaz from his Deck by revealing Mirrorjade from his Extra Deck. He activated its effect by discarding Branded Retribution and Caleb Chained Dimension Barrier declaring Fusions! Connor Chained Super Polymerization by discarding Cosmic Cyclone! He fused Caleb’s Firewall Dragon Darkfluid with Fallen of Albaz to Summon Mirrorjade before the Dimension Barrier resolved and then Caleb flipped Mathmech Superfactorial! He targeted Diameter, Circular, and Sigma in his Graveyard, and Connor Chained Magnamhut’s effect to banish the Diamter. Caleb Special Summoned the other 2 monsters and used them to Xyz Summon Primathmech Alembertian. He used Alembertian’s effect to add Mathmech Diameter to his hand. Magnamhut attacked and destroyed Splash Mage and then Mirrorjade attacked the Alembertian, destroying it and dropping Caleb down to 5600 Life Points. In the End Phase, Connor added Bystial Saronir from his Deck to his hand with Magnamhut’s effect.

Caleb Normal Summoned Diameter and used its effect by targeting Circular in the Graveyard. Connor Chained the effect of the Saronir in his hand to banish the targeted Circular and Special Summon the Saronir. Next, Caleb activated Triple Tactics Talent to take control of a monster. Connor Chained his Mirrorjade’s effect by sending Rindbrumm the Striking Dragon to the Graveyard and banished Mathmech Diameter. Caleb took control of Mirrorjade with his Talent and then used the effect of the Sigma in his Graveyard to Special Summon it back to the field. Next, he activated the effect of the Addition in his hand to Special Summon it and increase Mirrorjade’s Attack Points by 1000. Caleb used Addition and Sigma to Link Summon Update Jammer next. He attacked with Mirrorjade and Connor used Rindbrumm’s effect to Special Summon Fallen of Albaz from his Graveyard and banish the Rindbrumm. He activated the Fallen of Albaz’s effect by discarding Branded Fusion and fused Fallen of Albaz with Mirrorjade to Special Summon another Mirrorjade from his Extra Deck. Caleb conceded, realizing he would be unable to win the Duel.

Connor R. is the 2023 North America Dragon Duel Championship winner!