Metagames often appear to be similar from geographic region to geographic region, but there’s always one part of the game were metagames are virtually always unique: the side deck. Even if two metagames half a continent apart see the same top three decks win all of their tournaments, and the builds of those top three decks are virtually identical, the side decks that support those decks are frequently very different. Looking at the side decks of experienced players in a major event can often tell you a lot about the event itself, and the Yu-Gi-Oh! U.S. Nationals 2004 are no exception.
So, what’s being seen in the side decks of Nationals competitors? Chaos-hate. Not tech against chaos. Not “signs of awareness of Chaos/Control in the metagame.” Just pure, unbridled hatred towards Chaos and Chaos/Control decks. Virtually every trick in the book is being employed by the competitive participants at the event.
Torrential Tribute is easily the most common Chaos tech. It not only hoses Chaos Emperor Dragon and Black Luster Soldier upon summoning, but it also deals with the main problem a Chaos deck can present: the impermeable wall presented by Mystic Tomato, Shining Angel, and D. D. Warrior Lady. Torrential Tribute can give card advantage in any matchup, Chaos or otherwise, and since it’s such a high-utility card, it makes a great pick for side deck material. Most players competing in Nationals who are not already running Torrential in their main decks are running it in their side decks as a primary level of defense against Chaos.
Moving on, Bottomless Trap Hole provides a glib answer to Dragon and Soldier, not only destroying the offending monster but also removing it from the game so that it can’t be reused via Monster Reborn, Call of the Haunted, Premature Burial, or The Warrior Returning Alive. In addition it also deals with some of the other popular monsters used by Chaos decks, such as D. D. Warrior Lady and Breaker the Magical Warrior.
There’s a good spread of monsters that players are using in surprising quantities as well, such as Kycoo the Ghost Destroyer and Banisher of the Light. Kycoo isn’t often a popular choice for side deck material, especially in multiples, but today it’s been common to see a side deck packing a pair of them. Banisher of the Light is a rare choice in most metagames, but today it’s seeing a huge amount of play amongst those who really want to thoroughly shut down Chaos monsters. Many players were rotating in multiples as early as round one, banking on Bottomless Trap Hole to deal with D. D. Warrior Lady (one of the few monsters in a Chaos or Chaos/Control deck that can deal with the 2000 DEF Banisher).
Other Chaos tech cards weren’t as popular for side decks but still saw a great deal of play relative to what most metagames would be accustomed to: D. D. Designator in particular has made a strong showing in the tournament, penalizing the use of The Warrior Returning Alive / Black Luster Soldier combo in particular, while also clearing out early-game Chaos monsters before they can hit the field. A handful of players are even side decking Jowgen.
The side decks of the players in Nationals are telling: Chaos is expected, and those not playing it are more than well-prepared for it. Players are doing everything they can to beat Chaos and Chaos/Control.