Devon has been hounding me for a feature match all weekend and finally the cards have fallen in his favor. After defeating the previously 10-0 Jonathan LaBounty in his Top 16 match, Devon now finds himself matched up against Lazaro Bellido fighting for a spot in the semifinals. Lazaro just finished taking out the only Demise OTK deck in the second day of the competition, and he’s looking to keep on rolling by taking out Devon Schwartz’s Apprentice Magician powered Monarch deck.

Lazaro won the opening roll and started things off with a set monster. Devon brought down Cyber Dragon and wrecked Lazaro’s Treeborn Frog before setting a card to each zone and passing. The Frog came back and was tributed for Thestalos the Firestorm Monarch next turn, and Devon chained Bottomless Trap Hole. Book of Moon saved the Monarch and Devon lost Mobius the Frost Monarch from hand before Lazaro set a card and passed. Cyber Dragon beat the face down Monarch next turn, and play was back to Lazaro. He set a card to each zone, and his monster was revealed to be Mystic Tomato when Devon attacked with Cyber Dragon. The Tomato fetched Sangan, and Devon set a monster.

Lazaro was up, and he attacked into Devon’s set Apprentice Magician prompting Devon to search out Old Vindictive Magician. Cyber Dragon fell to Sakuretsu Armor on the attack, and Devon set a monster, resigned to Sangan attacking that Old Vindictive Magician. It happened on the next turn, and Lazaro searched out Card Trooper with his Sangan effect before setting a monster and passing. Devon flipped up a second Old Vindictive Magician to nail Lazaro’s set Card Trooper before flipping Sangan as well before moving to battle. Lazaro got to draw a card for his Trooper and took the attack of Sangan before flipping Call of the Haunted during the battle phase to block Old Vindictive’s attack. Devon set a monster, and Lazaro activated Heavy Storm clearing out his own Sangan and Devon’s set Bottomless Trap Hole. Lazaro got another Card Trooper with Sangan before activating Snatch Steal to take Devon’s Sangan. He tributed it for Zaborg to destroy Devon’s set Treeborn Frog, and Devon fetched out Spirit Reaper with his Sangan effect. Lazaro passed with no back row, and Devon returned his Frog before setting a card to each zone. Lazaro got his Frog back and attacked Devon’s, but lost his Monarch to Sakuretsu Armor in the process. He set a monster, but lost it to Devon’s third Old Vindictive Magician next turn. Spirit Reaper came down and robbed Lazaro of a Cyber Dragon before Confiscation revealed his hand and stole away Pot of Avarice.

Lazaro battled back by returning his Frog and tributing for Thestalos to take Devon’s last card, a Mobius. Devon set his topdeck and Lazaro attacked Treeborn Frog before setting a monster and passing. Thestalos came down for Devon next turn to rob Lazaro of a Mobius, and he attacked Lazaro’s set Dekoichi before passing. Zaborg blew away Devon’s Monarch next turn, but Lazaro lost both of his to Mirror Force before passing. Devon swung with his Frog next turn and set his topdeck, but he was forced to either eat 1800 damage from a Card Trooper next turn or use Sakuretsu Armor to protect himself. He opted for the later, Lazaro got to draw, and he set a card before passing back to Devon. Devon summoned Twin-Headed Behemoth but lost it to Bottomless Trap Hole before switching his Frog to defense. Lazaro set a card to each zone, and Devon tributed his Frog for Cyber Dragon only to attack into Mirror Force! Dekoichi flipped for Lazaro and he dropped a Mystic Tomato as well to seal the deal in game 1!

Devon got to play first in game 2, and he started things off with a set to each zone before passing. Lazaro did likewise, and Devon flipped Old Vindictive Magician to destroy Lazaro’s Dekoichi and swing for 450. He finished out his turn with a set monster and passed back to Lazaro, who simply passed his turn. The younger Bellido ate 450 again from the Magician and passed his turn again, continuing to get beat down by the flip effect monster. Neither player had played a card in three turns. Lazaro was up again. He set a spell or trap, and was forced to use Sakuretsu against the Old Vindictive Magician next turn. Devon chained Book of Moon to save him though, and he finished with a set spell or trap. Lazaro played a new spell or trap, and lost both to Mobius on the next turn! Devon had tributed his set Apprentice Magician, and Lazaro chained both Ring and Dust Tornado. Devon chained his own Ring and Mobius was destroyed. He set a spell or trap and Lazaro set a pair of spell or traps and the game continued to go nowhere fast. Devon added a second and then a third back card to his back row as did Lazaro before summoning Sangan and attacking into the set Old Vindictive Magician.

Sangan’s effect fetched Lazaro a Treeborn Frog, and he flipped Call of the Haunted to bring back Sangan for an attack before discarding Treeborn Frog in the end phase due to his seven cards in hand. Devon summoned Cyber Dragon and then followed up with Banisher of the Radiance, only to fall prey to Torrential Tribute! He ended his turn with no further plays, and Lazaro fetched Card Trooper with Sangan’s effect. The Trooper came down next turn, and Lazaro knocked three cards off his deck to pump it up to 1900. Devon took the hit, and Lazaro set a spell or trap before passing with six in hand. Cyber Dragon came down next for Devon, and he activated Brain Control only to be stymied by Book of Moon! Banisher of the Radiance came down next though, and Devon broke through for 1600 damage. Lazaro used Mystical Space Typhoon in Devon’s end phase to nail his Sakuretsu Armor and brought back his own Frog in standby before activating Heavy Storm. Devon chained Enemy Controller tributing Banisher to take control of Treeborn Frog, but Snatch Steal, Zaborg, and Premature Burial were enough to win the game. Lazaro Bellido moves on to the semifinals for a chance at a Crush Card Virus, defeating Devon Schwartz 2-0!