Five Zombie decks made Day 2, but Jermol Jupiter is playing the most creative and innovative build of it here today, packing tricks like Asura Priest and Decayed Commander. Representing Team Onslaught, the sixteen year-old from Baltimore may have an edge in games 2 and 3 of this match; he’s packing a whopping nine anti-burn cards in his side deck.
Nicholas Palermo hails from Waterbury, Connecticut, and at 18 years of age he’s playing for the venerable Team Yu-Gi-Oh! ETC. He’s one of two burn players in Day 2, and is playing a Machine-based variant similar to the one that made Day 2 in Chicago two weeks ago.
Jupiter won the die roll. “I’ll go first,” he declared, setting a spell or trap and summoning Pyramid Turtle. Palermo set four cards to his back row, set a monster, and then activated Wave-Motion Cannon.
Jupiter tributed his Turtle for Raiza the Storm Monarch, targeted Palermo’s monster, and Palermo chained Torrential Tribute! He destroyed his own Card Trooper and his opponent’s Raiza, drawing for Trooper. Jupiter ended, Palermo played another Cannon, and play was back to Jupiter.
He activated Book of Life and brought back Pyramid Turtle, removing Palermo’s Card Trooper from his graveyard. Jupiter normal summoned Zombie Master, attacked with Pyramid Turtle for 1200, then swung with Zombie Master. Palermo responded with Magic Cylinder and Jupiter lost 1800 life points. Palermo set another monster on the turn that followed.
Creature Swap threatened to send Jupiter’s Pyramid Turtle over to Palermo, but after some deliberation he activated Dark Bribe! Jupiter drew a card, then tributed Pyramid Turtle to bounce away Palermo’s monster. Card of Safe Return hit the field, Jupiter discarded Il Blud for Zombie Master’s effect and brought back the Turtle. “I draw a card,” he announced, taking his draw for Safe Return. Palermo had only two more cards set in his back row, and looked to be in trouble.
Jupiter sent Pyramid Turtle to attack, and Palermo took the damage. Zombie Master attacked for 1800 damage, and Jupiter refused to attack with Raiza, drawing a slight noise of annoyance from Jupiter. Had he read a Dimension Wall correctly? Palermo was down to 3800 life points.
He set his topdecked monster next turn, 2000 damage on one Cannon and 3000 on the other. One more turn would end the game since Jupiter had 6200 life points remaining, but Palermo needed to survive that long. Jupiter activated United We Stand, attaching it to Pyramid Turtle, then attacked Palermo’s set monster with the Turtle; it was a Turtle of his own, UFO Turtle! Palermo brought out another. Raiza attacked it for 1000 damage, Palermo special summoned a third in attack mode, and Zombie Master ran it over. The duel stood at 2400 to 6200.
Jupiter set two back row cards and ended. He lost one of them, Pot of Avarice, in his end phase to Mystical Space Typhoon. Next turn Palermo launched both Cannons for game.
Nicholas Palermo’s UFO Turtle engine rescues him from a dangerous situation, letting him claim the first duel in mere minutes! Both duelists started siding carefully, and it was a safe bet that Jupiter brought in a lot of anti-burn tech.
Jupiter opened game 2 with a set spell or trap, and Palermo punished him for it, swinging with a boosted Card Trooper next turn. He set one card to his back row and ended. Jupiter summoned Zombie Master and ran over Trooper and the duel stood at 6600 to 6100. Another face down hit Jupiter’s back row.
Palermo set two more cards to his spell and trap zone, then flipped Trap Dustshoot in Jupiter’s draw phase, revealing Mirror Force, Smashing Ground, two Book of Life, and a Zombie Master that was shuffled back to his deck.
Zombie Master attacked and Palermo flipped Scapegoat; the Master attacked a Token. Palermo passed, Jupiter discarded and special summoned Pyramid Turtle with Zombie Master, and attacked two more Sheep. Palermo set a monster and ended.
Jupiter tributed Pyramid Turtle for Il Blud! He flipped his set Book of Life and Palermo chained Call of the Haunted to target his Card Trooper, but Jupiter chained Twister to destroy Call before it could resolve. He special summoned his Pyramid Turtle and sent Zombie Master to attack Palermo’s face down UFO Turtle. Pyramid Turtle crashed into it, Jupiter took 200 damage, and he special summoned another Zombie Master from his deck. That Zombie Master attacked the new Turtle for 400 damage, and Il Blud attacked the Sheep Token. In main phase 2 Jupiter activated Smashing Ground to destroy the last UFO Turtle, cutting Palermo off from his field presence.
Palermo ran some numbers, and then activated Giant Trunade to clear the field. He special summoned Cyber Dragon and activated Overload Fusion, giving up the Dragon and his three UFO Turtles for Chimeratech Overdragon, which hit the field with 3200 ATK! He activated Brain Control next, took control of Il Blud, and attacked over both Zombie Masters with Chimeratech. Il Blud attacked directly, Jupiter dropped to 500 life points and Palermo set his last two cards to his back row. If Palermo had normal summoned Il Blud he could’ve taken Jupiter’s Pyramid Turtle and attacked with it to end the match.
Jupiter normal summoned Il Blud instead next turn, and brought up his Turtle in defense mode. He set all four of his remaining cards to his back row, and Chimeratech Overdragon attacked Il Blud, threatening game with its 3200 ATK! Jupiter flipped Mirror Force but Palermo activated Dark Bribe to negate it, and Jupiter’s remaining set cards were two Book of Life and Trap Dustshoot: no help at all! Chimeratech hammered through 1100 damage and the duel was over.
Shades of Chicago, as Dark Bribe negates Mirror Force for yet another Day 2 match victory. Nicholas Palermo moves on to the Top 4!