Jon Labounty and Anthony Alvarado have a storied history, dating back to the old rivalry between Team Overdose and the now-defunct Team Rampage. Both of these competitors have made multiple Top 8’s at Shonen Jump events, and each has a strong chance of making it to Day 2. But only one would retain that status through to the end of this match.

Anthony Alvarado was using a Diamond Dude Turbo deck designed by Kris Perovic, who was also 6-1 with the deck going into this round. Labounty was playing Team Yu-Gi-Oh! ETC’s Perfect Circle build, which runs Phoenix Wing Wind Blast.

Alvarado opened the game with Destiny Draw, discarding Destiny Hero - Dasher and ending with an empty field. Labounty activated Reinforcement of the Army, searched his deck for Elemental Hero Stratos and summoned him to search his deck for Destiny Hero – Malicious. Stratos attacked, Labounty set two cards to his back row, and play was back to Alvarado.

He activated Heavy Storm! Labounty chained Scapegoat, but lost his set Phoenix Wing Wind Blast. Reasoning hit the table and Labounty called level 4, resulting in Alvarado losing his flipped Stratos. He activated another Reasoning, Labounty called level 6 and, after several spells were sent to the graveyard, Alvarado lost Destiny Hero – Malicious — nice picks by Labounty.

Malicious was removed so that Alvarado could summon the other, and he equipped him with Divine Sword – Phoenix Blade. He tributed Malicious for Monster Gate, losing Magical Stone Excavation, Dimension Fusion, and Return from the Different Dimension along the way to special summoning Exiled Force — this might be an uphill battle for Alvarado. He removed Stratos and the other Malicious from his graveyard to return Divine Sword to his hand, then tributed Exiled to destroy Stratos. Alvarado set a card to his back row and ended.

Labounty summoned Destiny Hero - Fear Monger, attacked directly, and set two more back row cards.

Another Divine Sword bounced to Alvarado’s hand, and he activated his set Return from the Different Dimension to special summon two Malicious, Exiled Force, Dasher, and Stratos! He tributed both Malicious for Dark Magician of Chaos, took back Lightning Vortex from his graveyard, activated it by discarding one Divine Sword – Phoenix Blade, and equipped the other. He then attacked directly with Exiled Force, Dark Magician of Chaos, Elemental Hero Stratos, and Destiny Hero – Dasher, striking for game!

A quick and unexpected comeback lets Anthony Alvarado steal the first duel right out from under Jon Labounty!

Labounty opened the second duel with two set spell or trap cards. Alvarado set one himself, ended, and lost it to the top of his deck when Labounty activated Phoenix Wing Wind Blast, discarding Destiny Hero – Malicious. Alvarado’s field was left wide open.

The second Malicious erupted from Labounty’s deck, attacked Alvarado, and Labounty set a second spell or trap. Alvarado set two cards to his back row and ended, but lost his set Mirror Force to Mystical Space Typhoon. Malicious attacked again and Labounty set another spell or trap card. Alvarado passed, Labounty set a monster, attacked, and Alvarado drew for his turn before running some numbers. Unsatisfied, he passed his turn yet again.

Malicious attacked for a third time and Labounty set a monster. Alvarado set Threatening Roar, ended, and Malicious attacked again, dropping Alvarado to 4000 life points. Alvarado summoned Elemental Hero Stratos, searched his deck for Destiny Hero – Malicious with his effect, and then attacked Labounty’s Malicious. Phoenix Wing Wind Blast deflected the attack at the cost of Destiny Draw and Stratos was returned to the top of Alvarado’s deck. He set two cards to his back row and ended.

Labounty summoned Card Trooper, sent Destiny Hero - Disk Commander and two other cards to his graveyard to power it up, then brought Commander back with Premature Burial. Trooper would have attacked but Threatening Roar cut it off.

Alvarado summoned Stratos again, this time searching out Destiny Hero - Dasher. He flipped his set Lightning Vortex, discarding Destiny Hero – Malicious, and destroyed Labounty’s Card Trooper, Disk Commander, and Malicious. He removed Malicious, special summoned his other in defense, and tributed Stratos for Monster Gate. Labounty chained Waboku and five discarded spells later Alvarado special summoned Destiny Hero - Diamond Dude in defense mode. He activated Diamond Dude and revealed Reasoning with the Hero’s effect to end his turn.

Labounty’s set Treeborn Frog was tributed for Raiza the Storm Monarch, bumping away Alvarado’s face down back row card. Labounty then activated Lightning Vortex, discarding D. D. Crow to do so. Raiza attacked directly, Alvarado went to 1600 life points and play passed to the Overdose duelist.

Labounty flipped The Transmigration Prophecy in the standby phase, in order to send Reasoning and Diamond Dude back to Alvarado’s deck! With Reasoning no longer in his graveyard, Alvarado wouldn’t be able to use its effect. He activated Premature Burial instead, but Labounty discarded Raiza the Storm Monarch on the chain to activate another Wind Blast, bouncing Premature Burial! Alvarado then discarded Dasher to use Lightning Vortex, frying Raiza and setting one of his three remaining cards to the back row. Labounty needed to topdeck some damage for game.

He drew and activated Reinforcement of the Army, searching for Destiny Hero - Fear Monger. Monger attacked, but Return from the Different Dimension flipped to bring out Destiny Hero – Malicious as a blocker! It was a desperation play on Alvarado’s behalf, but it worked, keeping him on the field for one more turn. Labounty ended and Malicious was sent back to the removed from play pile. Alvarado set two cards to his back row next turn but neither could stop Fear Monger from attacking directly for game a turn later.

Jonathan Labounty evens the score, pressing the match to a third duel! Both competitors shook hands after preparing for the final game.

Alvarado drew and, after a quick look at his hand, he ended without doing anything. Labounty activated Destiny Draw, pitched Fear Monger, and set one card to his back row. Alvarado set one himself next turn and ended: Labounty flipped Wind Blast, discarded Treeborn, and sent Alvarado’s set card back to the top of his deck. He tributed Treeborn for Cyber Dragon, attacked for 2100 damage, and passed. Alvarado set two cards, then activated Card Destruction, sending (amongst other things), Malicious to his graveyard.

He removed Malicious from his graveyard, brought another out in defense mode, and ended. Labounty special summoned Treeborn Frog, activated Mystical Space Typhoon to destroy Alvarado’s set Dimension Fusion, and breathed an audible sigh of relief. Reinforcement of the Army let him seek out Stratos, who in turn got him Disk Commander to Destiny Draw away.  Stratos attacked, Cyber Dragon swung directly, and a set spell or trap ended the turn.

Lightning Vortex dropped from Alvarado’s hand! He discarded Magical Stone Excavation to pay for Vortex, then activated Heavy Storm, but Labounty chained Call of the Haunted to bring back Disk Commander and draw two — he lost Torrential Tribute. Alvarado summoned Snipe Hunter, attacked directly for 1500 damage, and ended.

Treeborn Frog sprang back up onto Labounty’s side of the field, and he tributed it for Raiza to get rid of the Snipe. Raiza attacked directly, and next turn Alvarado used another Vortex to destroy him. He summoned Snipe Hunter, attacked, and ended with no other options.

Next turn Labounty dropped a Snipe Hunter of his own, blew away Alvarado’s, and attacked directly for game. The match was over.

Jonathan Labounty moves on with a 7-1 record, still a strong bid for a Day 2 qualification!