There are only so many times I can praise the benefits of protecting a monster like a flipped Dekoichi the Battlechanted Locomotive before it becomes redundant. Most Top 8 decks that feature this philosophy don’t aim to create such a set-up, but certain draws will allow it. Opposing poor draws or lack of spell and trap removal lead to the strategy’s success. Some decks make this their primary goal, with a secondary objective to fall back on. Spicer Monarch was one such build. Aggressive Dekoichis were everywhere during the time this deck spent at the top. Since the Locomotive made the perfect tribute for Zaborg the Thunder Monarch (and was backed up by Sakuretsu Armor and other defensive cards), the opponent was in a bind whether he or she decided to attack or defend.

Thinking back to the days of Chaos Return—when flip effects, Zaborg, and Chaos Sorcerer roamed about freely, creating insane removal engines—this is exactly the type of trap players often fell into. Dekoichis beat down for substantial damage, and each offensive or defensive play was met with a swift counter-play. However, this deck also had Return from the Different Dimension, which throws in another loop. Opponents with enough defensive or flip effects of their own could attempt to set up Dekoichi protection as well. Return would destroy such a conservative scheme by either damaging the opponent to the point where he or she couldn’t take another attack, forcing the opponent to take losses from your flip effect monsters, or simply winning the game outright.

An increase in the popularity of Hydrogeddon and Royal Decree has given that kind of deck a lot of trouble. Not only are the defenses and Returns shut out at the same time by Decree, but Hydrogeddon will pound through flip effect monsters and completely reverse the momentum of the game. However, with the release of new cards capable of creating the same scenario more quickly, Chris SoRelle and Team Superfriends collaborated in creating this new Return deck:

Monsters: 22

2 D. D. Assailant

1 D. D. Warrior Lady

3 Dekoichi the Battlechanted Locomotive

3 Bazoo the Soul-Eater

3 Cyber Phoenix

1 Jinzo

2 Exiled Force

3 Cyber Dragon

3 Card Trooper

1 Sangan

Spells: 9

1 Reinforcement of the Army

1 Nobleman of Crossout

1 Mystical Space Typhoon

1 Snatch Steal

1 Heavy Storm

3 Smashing Ground

1 Premature Burial

Traps: 11

1 Call of the Haunted

1 Ring of Destruction

1 Torrential Tribute

1 Mirror Force

3 Sakuretsu Armor

3 Return from the Different Dimension

1 Bottomless Trap Hole

This deck aims to take advantage of the standard conservative plays most opponents make. Generally, this includes setting minimal spell and trap support and taking a large amount of damage from stuff like Dekoichi rather than expend cards on them. At the start of the game, SoRelle wants to press with Dekoichi, Cyber Phoenix, and Card Trooper. Each of these monsters will generally turn off opposing monster removal for the time being, and opponents will allow their attacks to succeed. Ideally, these monsters will be protected for a number of turns, so they can take a sizable chunk out of the opponent’s life points. Once destroyed, they should have replaced themselves with a fresh card in hand.

Exiled Force is in the deck to clear the path. Opponents will generally attempt to turtle up with Gravekeeper’s Spy or Legendary Jujitsu Master if they lack the spell and trap removal necessary to guarantee a successful attack. Exiled Force breaks the defense open, and with the help of Reinforcement of the Army, Premature Burial, and Call of the Haunted, multiple Exiled Force cards can translate into a whole heap of damage to the opponent. Sangan can search out any of these cards, allowing for easy access to the set-up. Nobleman of Crossout achieves the same purpose against face-down monsters.

Smashing Ground also furthers the ability to set up such a disastrous formation. By destroying the opponent’s monster via Smashing Ground, Card Trooper and Cyber Phoenix are able to get a quick direct attack. Instantly the deck is back in gear, and the opponent who thought he or she was relieved of this pressure is suddenly right back in the thick of things. Each of the defensive cards in this deck uses the same principle, and furthers the potential for immense Dekoichi pressure.

D. D. Assailant and D. D. Warrior Lady were SoRelle’s personal touch to the deck. Originally, the Superfriends’ build played Snipe Hunter in their place. SoRelle, who claims his dice-rolling luck rivals that of Shane Scurry, decided the card simply wasn’t for him. However, as time went on in the tournament, these D. D. monsters seemed to be the better choice after all. Their 1600 DEF proves invaluable against Hydrogeddon, which can give this deck a particularly hard time. In addition, both monsters can fuel the removed-from-play pile while taking out an opposing attacker, contributing to Return from the Different Dimension later.

Once again SoRelle takes advantage of the generally accepted “proper plays” by his opponents. SoRelle will attack with Dekoichi and set his D. D. Assailant, instead of pressing for more damage. The primary reason is that the opponent’s Sakuretsu Armor won’t come into play this way. However, the smarter duelist will realize that the counter-attack will likely involve a Cyber Dragon attacking the face-down D. D. Assailant. Although this is clearly not the optimal move here, players fearing a next-turn Old Vindictive Magician on their follow-up set or Morphing Jar will fall right into SoRelle’s trap. The Dekoichi beatdown goes on for another turn!

Finally, SoRelle has his clincher. Around this point, a desperate opponent will usually want to start using monster removal. Now’s the time for Bazoo the Soul-Eater to hit the field and threaten a lethal swing at the opponent’s life points. The opponent can stop this, of course, but SoRelle simply activates Return from the Different Dimension and swings in for the game. With Cyber Phoenix, Jinzo, and the spell and trap removal SoRelle plays, he’ll likely take the game that very turn.

The pressure the “protect the Deko” strategy forces on the opponent is usually unbearable. In addition, being able to take advantage of generally accepted play styles and moves is something a lot of players should be looking to do, both in their deckbuilding and in-game tactics. Combining these two together was a recipe for success for local star Chris SoRelle, and you can be sure this style of Bazoo Return is going to have a bright future.