Conner Owens from Brandon, Mississippi and Jonathon Nagel from Denver, Colorado are both currently 4-2-1 at YCS Raleigh, so they’ll need a victory in this round in order to maintain hope for a Day 2 finish. Both Duelists are using Fire King Snake-Eye Decks, which many competitors perceive to be the strongest Deck under the new Advanced Format Forbidden & Limited List. Now, they’re Dueling against one another in mirror-Match that will determine which Duelist will be able to fight on for a spot in Day 2. It’s time to Duel!

Duel One

Jonathon Nagel started off Duel 1 by Summoning Snake-Eye Ash.

Owens Chained Infinite Impermanence to target it and Nagel Chained the effect of Fire King High Avatar Kirin from his hand, destroying the Ash so its effect would resolve, and Special Summoning Kirin. He added Poplar to his hand with Ash’s effect, and then used its effect to Special Summon it. He then used Poplar’s effect to add Original Sinful Spoils – Snake-Eye to his hand. Next, he sent his 2 monsters to the Graveyard to Link Summon Duelittle Chimera and used Poplar’s effect to put an Ash from his Graveyard into his Spell & Trap Card Zone. He activated Original Sinful Spoils – Snake-Eye by sending the Ash to the Graveyard and Special Summoned Snake-Eye Oak from his Deck. He used its effect to Special Summon Poplar and then used Oak’s effect to send it to the Graveyard along with Poplar and Special Summon Snake-Eyes Flamberge Dragon from his Deck. He Link Summoned Promethean Princess, Bestower of Flames next, and then used Flamberge Dragon’s effect to Special Summon Ash and Oak from his Graveyard. He used Promethean Princess’s effect to Special Summon Flamberge Dragon from his Graveyard and then sent Oak and Promethean Princess to the Graveyard to Link Summon Amphibious Swarmship Amblowhale. He Set a card to his back row and then used the effect of Flamberge Dragon to place Duelittle Chimera from his Graveyard into his Spell & Trap Card Zone.

Owens drew Snake-Eye Ash and added it to his hand of Bonfire, WANTED: Seeker of Sinful Spoils, Kurikara Divincarnate, and Sacred Fire King Garunix. He activated WANTED in the Draw Phase to add Diabellstar the Black Witch to his hand and Nagel used his Flamberge Dragon’s effect to Special Summon Duelittle Chimera. Owen sent Garunix from his hand to his Graveyard to Special Summon Diabellstar and Nagel used his Promethean Princess’s effect in the Graveyard. He destroyed his Chimera and the Diabellstar and Summoned his Promethean Princess. He used his Chimera’s effect to add Kirin from his Graveyard to his hand. Owen Normal Summoned Snake-Eye Ash next and activated its effect to add Snake-Eyes Poplar to his hand. He used Poplar’s effect to Special Summon it and then activated its effect on the field to add Divine Temple of the Snake-Eye from his Deck to his hand. He activated it to place Snake-Eye Oak from his Deck into his Spell & Trap Card Zone. Next, he Link Summoned Relinquished Anima by sending Poplar to the Graveyard and used Poplar’s effect to place Poplar in his Spell & Trap Card Zone. He activated Original Sinful Spoils – Snake-Eye by sending Poplar to the Graveyard and Special Summoned Legendary Fire King Ponix from his Deck in Attack Position. He used its effect to add Fire King Sanctuary to his hand. He used Ash’s effect next, sending it to the Graveyard along with his Oak to Special Summon Snake-Eyes Flamberge Dragon from his Deck. He used Flamberge Dragon’s effect to try to move Nagel’s Flamberge Dragon to the Spell & Trap Card Zone; but Nagel Chained the effect of Kirin in his hand! He destroyed his targeted Flamberge Dragon, Special Summoned Kirin, and then used the effect of Flamberge Dragon to Special Summon Poplar and Oak from his Graveyard. Nagel used Poplar’s effect to add a Divine Temple of the Snake-Eye from his Deck to his hand. Next, Owens activated Fire King Sanctuary in the zone across from Nagel’s face-down card; but the face-down card was Infinite Impermanence, and Nagel flipped it! He negated the effects of Flamberge Dragon and the Sanctuary. Next, Owens Link Summoned Hiita the Fire Charmer, Ablaze and used its effect to Special Summon Duelittle. He then used Hiita and Duelittle to Link Summon Promethean Princess and used Princess’s effect to Special Summon Garunix. He used Garunix’s effect to send Kirin to the Graveyard and then used Kirin’s effect to Special Summon Ponix and destroy Nagel’s Oak. Next, Owen Link Summoned Salamangreat Raging Phoenix. He sent it to the Graveyard to Link Summon Zealantis. He sent Ponix and Flamberge Dragon to the Graveyard to Link Summon I:P Masquerena and then used his Flamberge Dragon’s effect to Special Summon Oak and Ash from his Graveyard. He used Oak’s effect to Special Summon Ponix back to his field. Next, he sent Masquerena, Oak, Ash, and Nagel’s Amblowhale to the Graveyard to Link Summon Underworld Goddess of the Closed World. He used Zealantis’s effect next, banishing all monsters on the field and Special Summoning them back in Attack Position with the Zealantis and Underworld Goddess co-linked. He used the effect of the Princess in his Graveyard to destroy Kirin and Snake-Eye Ash and Special Summon the Princess co-linked with Zealantis. Next, he Special Summoned Raging Phoenix with 3600 ATK. In the Battle Phase, Owens used his Zealantis’s effect to destroy all monsters on Nagel’s field. Direct attacks from Owens’s monsters wiped out all 8000 of Nagel’s Life Points!

Conner Owens takes the first victory on his very first turn!

Duel Two

Nagel Special Summoned Diabellstar by sending Nibiru, the Primal Being from his hand to his Graveyard and activated its effect; but Owens Chained the effect of Effect Veiler to negate it. Nagel Set a card to his back row and passed.

Owens drew Infinite Impermanence and added it to his hand of WANTED: Seeker of Sinful Spoils, Kirin, Fire King Avatar Arvata, and Diabellstar the Black Witch.

Nagel negated the WANTED with Ash Blossom & Joyous Spring and then Owens Special Summoned Diabellstar from his hand by sending Infinite Impermanence from his hand to his Graveyard. Nagel flipped Solemn Judgment and paid 4000 Life Points to negate its Summon! Owens Normal Summoned Arvata next and then ended his turn.

Nagel attacked and destroyed Arvata with Diabellstar and then Normal Summoned Effect Veiler in Main Phase 2. He Link Summoned Dharc the Dark Charmer, Gloomy and used its effect to Special Summon Diabellstar from Owens’s Graveyard. He used Diabellstar’s effect to Set Original Sinful Spoils – Snake Eye from his Deck and then activated it by sending Diabellstar to the Graveyard. He Special Summoned Snake-Eye Ash and activated Ash’s effect to add Poplar to his hand. He Special Summoned Poplar with its effect and used Poplar’s on-field effect to add Divine Temple of the Snake-Eye to his hand. He activated it and placed Snake-Eye Oak in his Spell & Trap Card Zone with its effect. Next, he used Ash’s effect to send it to the Graveyard along with Oak and Special Summon Flamberge Dragon from his Deck. He sent Dharc, Poplar, and Flamberge Dragon to the Graveyard to Link Summon Apollousa, Bow of the Goddess with 2400 ATK. Next, he used Flamberge Dragon’s effect to Special Summon Poplar and Oak from his Graveyard, and used Oak’s effect to Special Summon Ash from his Graveyard. He Sent Oak and Poplar to the Graveyard to Link Summon I:P Masquerena and then sent Masquerena and Ash to the Graveyard to Link Summon Promethean Princess. He used Princess’s effect to Special Summon Flamberge Dragon and then used Flamberge Dragon’s effect to move Arvata from Owens’s Graveyard to his Spell & Trap Card Zone.

Owens drew Poplar and conceded, realizing he couldn’t get through Nagel’s field.

The Match is going to a third and final Duel!

Duel Three

Nagel started off Duel 3 by sending Oak from his hand to his Graveyard to Special Summon Diabellstar; but Owens Chained Infinite Impermanence from his hand to negate its effect. Next, he activated Fire King Island and activated its effect; but Owens negated it with Ash Blossom & Joyous Spring. Nagel used Original Sinful Spoils – Snake Eye next, and sent Diabellstar to the Graveyard to Special Summon Snake-Eye Ash! He activated its effect to add Poplar to his hand and then used Poplar’s effect to Special Summon it. He used Poplar’s on-field effect to add Divine Temple of the Snake-Eye to his hand. He sent Poplar to the Graveyard to Link Summon Relinquished Anima and used Poplar’s effect to place it in his Spell & Trap Card Zone. Next, he Normal Summoned Arvata. He used Ash’s effect to send it to the Graveyard along with his face-up Poplar and Special Summon Flamberge Dragon from his Deck. He sent Flamberge Dragon and Relinquished Anima to his Graveyard to Link Summon Hiita and then used Flamberge Dragon’s effect to Special Summon Oak and Poplar. He used Oak’s effect to Special Summon Ash and then Hiita’s effect to Special Summon Ash Blossom from Owens’s Graveyard. Next, he used Poplar and Ash Blossom to Link Summon I:P Masquerena and sent Hiita and Masquerena to the Graveyard to Link Summon Apollousa with 1600 ATK. He sent Arvata, Ash, and Oak to the Graveyard to Link Summon Promethean Princess next, and used the Princess’s effect to Special Summon Flamberge Dragon. He used Flamberge Dragon’s effect to put Arvata in his Spell & Trap Card Zone and then passed.

Owens drew Original Sinful Spoils – Snake-Eye and added it to his hand of Divine Temple of the Snake-Eye, Snake-Eyes Poplar, and Snake-Eyes Flamberge Dragon. He activated the Temple and placed Ash in the Spell & Trap Card Zone. Next, he Normal Summoned Poplar and then activated Original Sinful Spoils. Nagel Chained his Flamberge Dragon’s effect to Special Summon Arvata. Owens Special Summoned Oak and activated its effect, which Nagel negated with the effect of Apollousa. Next, Owens sent Poplar to the Graveyard to Link Summon Relinquished Anima linked to Apollousa. He used his Poplar’s effect to put the Poplar in his Spell & Trap Card Zone and then used Anima’s effect to equip his Anima with Nagel’s Apollousa. In the Battle Phase, he attacked Arvata with Oak, destroying it in battle and inflicting 200 points of damage thanks to the Attack Point boost from his Divine Temple of the Snake-Eye. In Main Phase 2, he used his Oak’s effect to send it to the Graveyard with another face-up card and Special Summon Flamberge Dragon. He used Flamberge Dragon’s effect to put Promethean Princess in the Spell & Trap Card Zone and after a flurry of additional plays, time in the round was called! With Owens up by 200 Life Points at the end of the Main Phase, he was declared the winner.

Conner Owens advances with a 5-2-1 record and a chance at a Day 2 finish with his Fire King Snake-Eye Deck!