We're head first into The Tri-Site Grand Prix Championship; Sydney! Our first feature match for he event pits last GPC Champion, Jesse Nguyen against a seasoned veteran of he game, Grant McKinney.
To begin the first game, both players roll the customary six-sided die. McKinney comes out on top with a 4 to Nugyen's 3, electing to start.
McKinney summons Machina Gearframe, searching Machina Fortress. Setting two Spells or Traps, he finishes his turn.
Nguyen responds by Setting a Monster and two Spells or Traps of his own, ending quickly.
McKinney draws, thinks for a minute, and declares an attack on Nguyen's Set Monster with Machina Gearframe. The Set Monster is revealed to be Ryko, Lightsworn Hunter, who targets McKinney's Set Call of the Haunted. The effect goes through, and Ryko finishes by milling Solemn Warning, Monster Reborn, and Gorz, the Emissary of Darkness.
McKinney passes over to Nguyen, who flips Mystical Space Typhoon during the End Phase, targeting the Set Book of Moon. Nguyen draws, summons Debris Dragon targeting Ryko, and Synchro Summons Iron Chain Dragon, who attacks over Machina Gearframe. Iron Chain Dragon's effect mills Torrential Tribute, Pot of Duality, and Giant Trunade!
McKinney: 7300
Nguyen: 8000
Nguyen finishes up his turn by Setting two more Spells or Traps.
McKinney draws and hastily attempts to Special Summon Cyber Dragon, which Nguyen has no response to! McKinney continues by Summoning Karakuri Komachi mdl 224 "Ninishi"! He tunes them both for Karakuri Steel Shogun mdl 00X "Bureido", who walks into Nguyen's Solemn Judgment! A flurry of cards could decide this game early!
McKinney: 7300
Nguyen: 4000
McKinney then activates One for One, discarding Machina Fortress, and when Nguyen denies a response, McKinney Special Summons Glow-Up Bulb from his Deck. Tuning them both together, he summons another Karakuri Steel Shogun mdl 00X "Bureido"! Bureido's effect Special Summons Karakuri Strategist mdl 248 "Nishipachi" in Defense Position! Nishipachi's effect lets McKinney switch it to Attack Position, drawing him a card. McKinney then activates Instant Fusion, paying 1000 Life Points, to Special Summon Cyber Saurus from his Extra Deck!
McKinney: 6300
Nguyen: 4000
McKinney then tunes Cyber Saurus and Nishipachi for a third Bureido, whose effect also goes unchained to. Bureido Special Summons a second Nishipachi in Defense, whose effect again switches its position to Attack, letting McKinney draw again! McKinney Sets two more Spells or Traps, and passes back to Nguyen.
Nguyen draws and goes into the tank for a short period, finally attempting to attack Nishipachi, whose effect again changes him to Defense Position, letting McKinney draw twice! Nishipachi is destroyed, and Nguyen moves quickly to his Main Phase 2. He activates One for One, discarding Caius the Shadow Monarch, but McKinney has Royal Oppression to shut it down!
McKinney: 5500
Nguyen: 4000
Nguyen ends his turn.
McKinney draws and Normal Summons Karakuri Soldier mdl 236 "Nisamu"! McKinney's Bureido attacks Nguyen's Iron Chain Dragon, and with no response, it's destroyed, letting the second Bureido and Nisamu attack directly for game!
After siding quickly, both players move into Game 2, with Nguyen choosing to start.
Nguyen draws to six cards and immediately summons Lonefire Blossom, using priority to activate its effect and Special Summon a second Lonefire, followed by a Dandylion in Defense Position! He then Sets three Spell or Traps, and ends.
McKinney attempts to summon Machina Gearframe, who walks into Nguyen's Solemn Warning.
McKinney: 8000
Nguyen: 6000
McKinney then activates Pot of Duality, revealing Mirror Force, Machina Force, and Karakuri Soldier mdl 236 "Nisamu". McKinney picks Mirror Force, returning the others and shuffling his Deck, and finishes by Setting three Spell or Traps of his own!
Nguyen switches Dandylion to attack, moving directly to his Battle Phase, and attacks directly for 300 damage!
McKinney: 7700
Nguyen: 6000
Nguyen Sets a Monster and ends his turn. Are all signs pointing to an abysmal opening hand for Nguyen?
McKinney draws and quickly flips his Set Pot of Duality, revealing Gearframe, Nishipachi, and Book of Moon! McKinney selects Book of Moon, and ends by Setting a Monster and a Spell or Trap.
Nguyen draws and flips his Set Ryko, Lightsworn Hunter! He targets McKinney's Set Book of Moon, and Ryko mills Limit Reverse, Nguyen's own Book of Moon, and a Caius. Nguyen again Sets a Monster and passes!
McKinney draws and automatically activates Giant Trunade! Could this be the beginning of another big Karakuri play?! McKinney activates Instant Fusion, paying 1000 and Summoning Cyber Saurus for a second time during this match!
McKinney: 6700
Nguyen: 6000
McKinney then flips Karakuri Komachi mdl 224 "Ninishi", and tunes them both for Bureido! Bureido's effect Special Summons Karakuri Ninja mdl 919 "Kuick" in Attack Position. McKinney moves quickly to his Battle Phase, declaring an attack on Dandylion with Kuick! Nguyen responds by discarding his D.D. Crow to target McKinney's graved Ninishi! Dandylion is destroyed, letting Nguyen Summon two Fluff Tokens, and McKinney's Bureido attacks over the Ryko, dealing 2600 Life Points of damage, a huge amount in the current gamestate!
McKinney: 6700
Nguyen: 3400
McKinney Sets two Spell or Traps back to his field and passes an explosive turn!
Nguyen draws and immediately activates a blind Mystical Space Typhoon, hitting McKinney's Mirror Force! He then Summons Reborn Tengu and attempts to attack Kuick! After no response, Kuick shifts to Defense Position, letting McKinney draw a card while Kuick is destroyed! Nguyen moves to Main Phase 2 and Flip Summons Ryko, targeting Bureido! Bureido goes down, and Ryko mills Giant Trunade, Sangan, and Genex Ally Birdman! Nguyen finishes up by Setting a Spell or Trap.
McKinney attempts to activate Call of the Haunted in Nguyen's End Phase, targeting Bureido, but Nguyen has another D.D. Crow! It seems like Nguyen's early feigned poor draws were anything but!
McKinney simply Sets a Spell or Trap and ends! Is his momentum gone?!
Nguyen draws, switches Ryko to Defense Position, and declares an attack with Reborn Tengu!
McKinney: 5000
Nguyen: 3400
Nguyen again Sets a Spell or Trap and passes!
McKinney draws and again simply Sets a Monster.
Nguyen attempts to attack the Set Monster with Tengu, which is revealed to be Ninishi, walling Tengu and dealing 200 damage to Nguyen!
McKinney: 5000
Nguyen: 3200
Nguyen ends his turn after no further actions, and McKinney simply passes back!
Nguyen then activates Mystical Space Typhoon on McKinney's Set Royal Oppression! Nguyen then Summons Debris Dragon and McKinney, who was graciously paying attention to the duel's notes and attempting to keep the games speedy at the same time, instinctively discards Effect Veiler, targeting Debris Dragon! It's revealed that Nguyen's Fluff Token in fact has 2 Counters on it, meaning Nguyen didn't need Debris's effect regardless! Nguyen then tunes his Debris Dragon, Defense Position Ryko, and two Fluff Tokens for Scrap Dragon, instantly targeting both his own Tengu and McKinney's Ninishi, with both being destroyed! Nguyen Summons a second Reborn Tengu from his Deck, and attacks directly with both!
McKinney: 500
Nguyen: 3200
Nguyen passes, and McKinney attempts to activate Monster Reborn, targeting his opponent's Lonefire Blossom, in a last-ditch attempt to stay alive! But Nguyen has the Solemn Judgment, sealing the game!
Game 3 begins, and McKinney selects first for the second time.
McKinney Sets a Monster, two Spell or Trap Cards, and passes to Nguyen. Nguyen Sets two Spell or Traps of his own and passes right back!
McKinney attempts to summon Karakuri Muso mdl 818 "Haipa", but Nguyen activates Torrential Tribute! Both McKinney's Set Spore and Haipa are destroyed, and he passes back to Nguyen, who only Sets a Spell or Trap and ends!
McKinney attempts to Normal Summon Karakuri Ninja mdl 818 "Kuick", but Nguyen has the Solemn Warning to negate it!
McKinney: 8000
Nguyen: 6000
McKinney ends, allowing Nguyen to activate Foolish Burial for Dandylion, Special Summoning two Fluff Tokens in Defense Position! He then Normal Summons Glow-Up Bulb and Synchro Summons Formula Synchro with Bulb and a Token, but McKinney stunningly flips Royal Oppression, shutting Nguyen down!
McKinney: 7200
Nguyen: 6000
Nguyen ends there. McKinney draws, contemplates an action, and Sets a Spell or Trap. He then Normal Summons Lonefire Blossom, with no response from Nguyen, and then declares an attack on the last Fluff Token, destroying it!
All Nguyen can manage is a Set Spell or Trap, as he sends the game back to McKinney, who activates Pot of Duality. He reveals Call of the Haunted, Machina Fortress, and Karakuri Strategist mdl 246 "Nishipachi", eventually settling on the Nishipachi. McKinney's Lonefire attacks directly, and McKinney ends his turn.
McKinney: 7200
Nguyen: 5500
Nguyen draws, and attempts to Summon Tour Guide of the Underworld, which McKinney is forced to Solemn warning!
McKinney: 5200
Nguyen: 5500
Nguyen ends, and McKinney draws and considers his options. He Tributes Lonefire Blossom for its effect, Special Summoning another one in Defense at first, but then a Dandylion in Defense. He then Normal Summons Nishipachi, Synchro Summoning Brionac, Dragon of the Ice Barrier and Summoning two Fluff Tokens! McKinney then Banishes his Lonefire to Special Summon Spore, tuning Spore and a Fluff Token for Ally of Justice Catastor, who both attack Nguyen directly!
McKinney: 5200
Nguyen: 1000
McKinney Sets three Spell or Traps back to his zones, and calls it a turn.
Nguyen draws, quickly Sets a full five Spell or Trap Cards, and sends it back McKinney's way.
McKinney switches Catastor to Defense and attempts to attack directly with Brionac, but is stymied by Nguyen's Mirror Force! He ends his turn there.
Nguyen Summons Debris Dragon, attempting to Special Summon Dandylion, but McKinney flips the Royal Oppression...and Nguyen has the Solemn Judgment!
McKinney: 4400
Nguyen: 500
As Debris Dragon's effect resolves, McKinney flips Book of Moon on Debris Dragon, sealing away the Black Rose Dragon play Nguyen had planned! But Nguyen flips his Set Monster Reborn, Special Summoning Formula Synchron from his own Graveyard, and tunes Formula and Dandylion to summon his own catastor! As Nguyen's Fluff Tokens are Summoned, McKinney reveals his Set Torrential Tribute, clearing the field! Nguyen then flips Pot of Avarice, targeting five different cards, including the Dandylion...but McKinney has the D.D. Crow for Dandylion!
Nguyen mills Effect Veiler to Special Summon Glow-Up Bulb in Defense Position, and ends his turn with a single card in hand, a single Set Spell or Trap, and only Bulb in Defense Position!
McKinney draws to two cards with no field, and Normal Summons Karakuri Watchdog mdl 313 "Saizan", its first appearance this match! With only Book of Moon left remaining in Nguyen's arsenal, McKinney confidently activates Monster Reborn on Nguyen's Catastory, dodging any potential D.D. Crow Nguyen has in hand, and attacks first Bulb, and then directly, unopposed, for game!
