Over 900 Duelists are down to just the Top 32! We have Michael Albanese, from Oradell, New Jersey, up against John Wilkin, from Toronto, Ontario. This is a Fiendsmith Snake-Eye mirror Match between friends, but with a slight twist: John Wilkin’s build runs Millennium cards! Both Duelists have access to the same powerful Fiendsmith and Snake-Eye options, so we’ll see if the Millenniums give Wilkin an edge.

Duel 1

Albanese started with WANTED: Seeker of Sinful Spoils in the Draw Phase, adding Snake-Eyes Diabellstar to his hand. He sent it to the Graveyard to Special Summon Diabellstar the Black Witch, and Wilkin used Effect Veiler. Albanese played Divine Temple of the Snake-Eye, putting Snake-Eye Ash in the Spell & Trap Card Zone. He Set another card in his back row and passed.

Wilkin had Snake-Eyes Flamberge Dragon, Snake-Eye Ash, Sengenjin Wakes from a Millennium, and Fiendsmith’s Tract. He drew a second Ash. He put Sengenjin in his back row, then paid 2000 Life Points to try and Special Summon it. Albanese had Ghost Ogre & Snow Rabbit to destroy it in response. Wilkin Normal Summoned Snake-Eye Ash, and Albanese Chained Divine Temple to Special Summon his own Ash, then flipped Infinite Impermanence to negate Wilkin’s copy! Albanese’s Ash put Snake-Eyes Poplar in his hand, and he Special Summoned it to add Original Sinful Spoils – Snake-Eye to his hand.

Wilkin continued with Fiendsmith’s Tract, finding Fabled Lurrie and discarding it. He Special Summoned Lurrie, then used it to Link Summon Fiendsmith’s Requiem. Requiem’s effect brought Fiendsmith Engraver to the field. He used Engraver and Ash to Link Summon Fiendsmith’s Sequence, using its effect to fuse Lurrie and Requiem into Fiendsmith’s Lacrima.

Lacrima was used to revive Engraver. Wilkin Linked Engraver and Sequence to Summon Promethean Princess, Bestower of Flames, which brought Ash back to the field. He equipped Sequence to Lacrima, then used Ash’s effect to send itself and Sequence to the Graveyard to Special Summon Snake-Eye Oak. Oak revived Ash. He used Princess and Ash to Link Summon Salamangreat Raging Phoenix, then used that for Worldsea Dragon Zealantis!

Wilkin used Zealantis to banish everything and Special Summon it all back to the field. That triggered the Promethean Princess in his Graveyard – he Special Summoned it by destroying his own Oak and Albanese’s Diabellstar. Albanese used Diabellstar’s effect, sending Poplar to the Graveyard to bring Diballstar back to play. Wilkin’s destroyed Oak let him also activate Raging Phoenix in the Graveyard, bringing it back to the field with 900 extra ATK. He still had an Engraver in the Graveyard to Special Summon, giving him enough damage to end the first Duel!

Duel 2

Albanese started the second Duel with Bonfire, adding Snake-Eye Ash to his hand. He Normal Summoned it and activated its effect, getting Snake-Eyes Poplar. He Special Summoned it to find Divine Temple. Albanese played Divine Temple and put Snake-Eyes Diabellstar in his back row. He used Poplar and Ash to Link Summon I:P Masquerena, and put Poplar into his back row next. Albanese Special Summoned Snake-Eyes Diabellstar, placing Ash in his back row. He Link Summoned Selene, Queen of the Master Magicians, which revived Snake-Eyes Diabellstar, then he Link Summoned Apollousa, Bow of the Goddess.

With his field growing, Albanese played WANTED: Seeker of Sinful Spoils to get Diabellstar the Black Witch. He sent Ash from the back row to the Graveyard to Special Summon Diabellstar, placing Original Sinful Spoils – Snake-Eye onto the field. He flipped it up, sending Poplar to the Graveyard to Special Summon Snake-Eye Oak. Oak got Ash back to the field. Albanese used Ash’s effect, sending itself and Diabellstar to the Graveyard to Special Summon Snake-Eyes Flamberge Dragon.

Flamberge put I:P Masquerena into Albanese’s back row. Then he used Flamberge and Oak to Link Summon Moon of the Closed Heaven, and Flamberge revived Oak and Poplar. He used Moon to Link Summon Fiendsmith’s Requiem, and used that to Special Summon Fiendsmith Engraver. He used Engraver and Oak to Link Summon Fiendsmith’s Sequence. He activated WANTED in the Graveyard, returning Original to the bottom of the Deck to draw a card. He activated Sequence’s effect, fusing Engraver, Requiem, and Moon from the Graveyard into Fiendsmith’s Desirae. He used Sequence and Poplar to Link Summon Promethean Princess, Bestower of Flames, which revived Flamberge Dragon. He equipped Sequence to Desirae. Finally, he Set one back row card.

Wilkin had a hand of Snake-Eye Ash, Snake-Eyes Flamberge Dragon, Ghost Ogre & Snow Rabbit, and two copies of Bonfire, drawing Snake-Eyes Poplar. He Normal Summoned Ash and activated the effect, drawing out one of Albanese’s two Apollousa negations. Wilkin used Ash to Link Summon Relinquished Anima, pointing to Apollousa! He activated its effect, and Apollousa negated that as well. Wilkin played Bonfire, adding Snake-Eyes Poplar to his hand. He Special Summoned it and activated its ability.

Albanese used Desirae, targeting Poplar and his own Promethean Princess, trying to turn off the Princess’s FIRE-only limitation. Wilkin responded with Ghost Ogre, and Albanese Chained Effect Veiler on Poplar. Poplar was negated and Desirae was destroyed. Desirae’s effect returned Sequence to the Extra Deck to send his own Promethean Princess to the Graveyard. Wilkin used Poplar and Anima to Link Summon Knightmare Phoenix, discarding Flamberge to target Albanese’s Set card. Albanese Chained Divine Temple’s effect to Special Summon I:P Masquerena, then flipped the targeted Infinite Impermanence to negate Phoenix.

In a new Chain, Wilkin’s Flamberge revived Poplar and Ash. Albanese activated Promethean Princess in the Graveyard, targeting his Flamberge and Wilkin’s Ash, then Chained I:P Masquerena, using his Flamberge to Link Summon S:P Little Knight! Wilkin had tried playing through Albanese’s board, but had run out of gas – he conceded!

Duel 3

Wilkin would play first in the final Duel, with a hand of Snake-Eyes Poplar, Snake-Eyes Flamberge Dragon, Diabellstar the Black Witch, Metaltronis, and WANTED: Seeker of Sinful Spoils. Wilkin played WANTED in the Draw Phase, and Albanese responded with Mulcharmy Purulia. Wilkin got Snake-Eyes Diabellstar, then pitched it to Special Summon Diabellstar the Black Witch. Albanese drew a card with Purulia and had Infinite Impermanence to negate Diabellstar.

Wilkin Normal Summoned Poplar, letting Albanese draw another card, and Albanese had Effect Veiler! Wilkin Link Summoned Moon of the Closed Heaven, and Poplar placed Snake-Eyes Diabellstar in his back row. He Link Summoned Fiendsmith’s Requiem, and used that to Special Summon Fiendsmith Engraver. He Special Summoned Snake-Eyes Diabellstar with its own effect, putting Poplar in the back row. He Link Summoned Fiendsmith’s Sequence… And Albanese revealed Nibiru, the Primal Being! He gave Wilkin a 1200/0 Primal Being Token in attack. Wilkin activated Engraver’s effect in the Graveyard, returning Sequence, but Albanese had Bystial Baldrake to banish the Engraver! Wilkin Set Metaltronis.

Albanese Normal Summoned Ash, and Wilkin flipped Metaltronis! Albanese gave Wilkin a look and sighed, “What does that do…?” Wilkin Special Summoned an Ash from his Deck, negating Albanese’s Ash and banishing both monsters face-down. Albanese played Bonfire, and Wilkin had nothing left to stop a Snake-Eye combo. He offered the handshake!

Michael Albanese is advancing to the Top 16 with Fiendsmith Snake-Eye!