If you’ve been reading the coverage you’ve already heard all about Dale Bellido’s Teleport Dark Armed deck, but I didn’t get the chance to deck profile Anthony Kelly yet. Stardust Dragon has been played a lot today in battle-oriented decks, but we haven’t seen it played elsewhere.

Where else could you play it? Well, it’s a great protective tool to keep your spells and traps from being destroyed, and Anthony Kelly’s leveraging that defensive power into a killer Burn deck that’s ripped through Gladiator Beasts and Teleport Dark Armed alike here this morning. Could he repeat his performance against Dale? We were about to find out. He had a big advantage, as Dale had no idea what he was up against.

Kelly got things started with a set monster, then set four cards to his back row. “Your turn.”

“Anything?” asked Dale, in his draw phase. Kelly shook his head, and Dale moved to main phase 1, discarding Destiny Hero – Doom Lord for Destiny Draw. Allure of Darkness got him another two cards, and he removed Caius the Shadow Monarch for its effect.

“Summon Breaker.” Kelly chained Skill Drain, depriving Breaker of his Spell Counter! Dale ended his turn, setting two cards to his back row to finish. Next turn, Kelly’s only move was to play Wave-Motion Cannon. Dale suddenly had some idea what he was up against.

He topdecked and summoned Krebons, then sent both of his monsters to the graveyard to Synchro summon Goyo Guardian — Kelly negated the summon with Solemn Judgment. “Go ahead.” Kelly was again the turn player, and summoned his own copy of Breaker to attack for 1600 damage — it was a nice play that pushed the timer forward one turn on Wave-Motion. Dale was down to 6400 life points.

Dale was up, and could do nothing but set a monster on the turn that followed. Kelly drew, ran some numbers, and moved to his battle phase; Breaker attacked Dale’s face-down Necro Gardna, destroying it. Dale activated Reinforcement of the Army next turn, Kelly let it go, and Dale fished Elemental Hero Stratos from his deck. He summoned him and chained Phoenix Wing Wind Blast to try and bounce away Skill Drain (discarding another Necro Gardna), but lost out to Dark Bribe. Stratos failed to get Dale another card from his deck, and attacked over Breaker to finish the turn.

Kelly passed, and next turn Dale flipped his face-down Emergency Teleport to bring out another Krebons from his deck. He gave up Stratos and Krebons for Goyo Guardian again, and this time Kelly couldn’t do anything to stop him. He set a monster, then sent Goyo Guardian to attack Kelly’s face-down monster: it was Destiny Hero – Defender, and it was destroyed. Goyo couldn’t take control of it though, thanks to Skill Drain’s presence on the field.

Kelly drew and spent some time perusing his Extra deck. Dale perused his own just for the heck of it, wistfully fingering a copy of Magical Android. Kelly eventually flipped Reckless Greed to get two more cards — his Wave-Motion had 4000 damage on it. He activated Swords of Revealing Light to reveal Dale’s face-down Sangan, then set two more cards to his back row. “That’s it.”

Dale discarded Destiny Hero – Malicious for Destiny Draw next turn, then activated another Allure! This time he gave up D.D. Crow. He followed it up with Giant Trunade!

“Cards in hand, three?” asked Kelly.

“Three,” confirmed Dale. Kelly spent a moment searching through Dale’s graveyard, then activated Solemn Judgment.

“Ok.” Dale paused. “Heavy Storm?” Pro! Kelly chained Scapegoat, but lost his Wave-Motion Cannon, Skill Drain, and Swords of Revealing Light! Goyo Guardian and Sangan each attacked a Sheep Token, and Dale set one of his two remaining in-hand cards to his back row! Kelly hadn’t anticipated that Giant Trunade, and had played himself into a corner because of it. He would have three cards to work with next turn, but with two Solemns gone it was unlikely that he could do anything to come back.

He summoned Junk Synchron with no target for its effect, but then activated Monster Reborn! “Your target?”

“Doom Lord,” replied Kelly.

Dale reeled: “Doom Lord? Agh, backfire . . .” When Kelly special summoned the Doom Lord he used its effect to remove Goyo Guardian from the field, then Synchro summoned with Junk Synchron, two Sheep Tokens, and Doom Lord for Stardust Dragon! Dale flipped Torrential Tribute, Kelly chained with Stardust Dragon’s effect, and Dale removed the Dragon from Kelly’s graveyard by discarding D.D. Crow! Kelly was in trouble.

Dale summoned Krebons next turn for a direct attack, and Kelly just couldn’t do anything. He conceded the first duel moments later.

“Trunade and Heavy Storm!” Dale grinned and gave a little fist pump.

A double-dose of spell and trap removal plus a bit of luck pull Dale Bellido through a terribly difficult Game 1, depriving Kelly of his strongest game in the match. Could Dale win one more to move on undefeated? Given the speed and enthusiasm with which he dove into his side deck, he certainly seemed to think so!

“I’ll go first,” announced Kelly. He opened Game 2 with a set monster, then set just one card to his spell and trap zone. “Your turn.” Dale fired back with Reinforcement of the Army, searching out Elemental Hero Stratos and successfully searching out Destiny Hero – Malicious. He followed it up with Nobleman of Crossout!

Mystic Tomato was ripped from Kelly’s field, and when Stratos attacked Kelly flipped Scapegoat. Stratos took down a Sheep Token and play was to Kelly. He set another monster, set a spell or trap, and ended. He lost his Mirror Force to Mystical Space Typhoon in short order, and another Reinforcement of the Army let Dale seek out Dark Grepher.

He tributed Stratos for Caius the Shadow Monarch, removing Kelly’s face-down Destiny Hero – Defender for 1000 damage. Caius took out another Sheep Token, Dale set Phoenix Wing Wind Blast, and he lost it next turn to Mystical Space Typhoon. Kelly set a card to each zone and ended with just one card in hand.

“Special Grepher,” stated Dale. He discarded Destiny Hero – Malicious to special summon Dark Grepher, removed it to special summon another Malicious from his deck, then summoned Krebons. Malicious and Krebons were then sent to the graveyard to Synchro summon Stardust Dragon! Dale removed his second Malicious to special summon his third, activated Monster Reborn to bring back Krebons, and Synchro summoned Red Dragon Archfiend! He was now completely spent, totally invested in his four on-field monsters.

Dale sent Red Dragon Archfiend to attack a Sheep Token, but Kelly flipped Gravity Bind! Now nothing could attack, and Dale was suddenly threatened by his own Red Dragon’s effect! He ended his turn, tributed Stardust Dragon to negate Red Dragon’s effect, and then brought Stardust back. Kelly drew, set a spell or trap, and Dale drew and passed.

Kelly activated Wave-Motion Cannon, Dale set a spell or trap card, and Kelly was up again. He passed, adding 1000 damage to his Cannon. Dale set another back row card, Kelly set one too, and the Cannon went to 2000. “Go.”

Dale set a third spell or trap card, Kelly set another one, and Dale flipped Dust Tornado, successfully destroying Wave-Motion Cannon! He still had no follow-up though, and passed his next turn. Kelly set a monster, and Dale activated Allure of Darkness.

He removed D.D. Crow for its effect, and was left with Giant Trunade, Emergency Teleport, and Caius the Shadow Monarch. He activated Trunade and Kelly was forced to flip Solemn Judgment, dropping to 3500 life points. Dale had Mirror Force and Torrential Tribute set, and was looking to tribute Grepher for the Caius.

He did it, and successfully removed Gravity Bind from the field! Stardust Dragon and the first Caius each attacked a Sheep Token, and he opted not to attack with the second Caius. He ended his turn by setting his last card to his spell and trap zone.

Kelly ran some numbers, but shook his head, seemingly dissatisfied. He inspected each player’s graveyard, and then flip summoned Spirit Reaper. He eventually played Swords of Revealing Light, then summoned Junk Synchron and sent both of his face-up monsters to the graveyard to Synchro summon Gaia Knight, the Force of the Earth. “I think I misplayed.” He attacked with Gaia Knight and ran straight into Mirror Force. Kelly ended, Dale set his topdeck to his back row, passed, and Kelly set a spell or trap next turn. He lost Swords of Revealing Light to Dust Tornado in his end phase. Dale was up, and nine minutes remained in the round.

He sent Stardust Dragon to attack, smacking into Kelly’s face-down Mystic Tomato. It went down, and special summoned Dark Resonator from Kelly’s deck. One Caius hit it, and then the other, destroying Resonator and dropping Kelly to 1300 life points.

He drew for his turn and then flipped Reckless Greed, netting two more cards. Dale still had 8000 life points — things didn’t look good for Kelly. He set a monster, activated Messenger of Peace and ended. “Go.”

Dale activated Allure of Darkness, removing Krebons for its cost before passing. Kelly paid for Messenger of Peace, and then set another card to his back row. Dale passed and Kelly paid again. He passed, Dale passed, and Kelly paid down to 1000 life points. He passed, Dale drew, checked his graveyard, and counted his remaining in-deck cards. “Go ahead.”

Kelly paid down to 900, set a final spell or trap card, ended, and Dale passed. Kelly was down to 800. He passed, Dale set another spell or trap, and Kelly paid himself down to 700. He flipped Fires of Doomsday, summoned two Doomsday Tokens in defense mode, and set another spell or trap. “Go.”

Dale set a fourth card to his back row and Kelly went down to 600 life points. He flipped Reckless Greed, chained another, and drew four cards. Six minutes and thirty seconds remained in the match.

Kelly activated Heavy Storm! Dale immediately tributed Stardust Dragon to negate it, drawing a displeased reaction from Kelly. He flip summoned his face-down Dark Resonator, normal summoned Breaker the Magical Warrior, and Dale responded by chaining Torrential Tribute to Breaker’s effect! He could clear the field knowing he would get back his Stardust at the end of the turn, a great move.

Kelly set two cards to his back row, now cleared of monsters, and in the end phase Dale brought back Stardust to the field. He drew for his turn, flipped Heavy Storm, and watched as it was negated by Dark Bribe. He immediately summoned Necro Gardna and to try and press for 600 damage, but Kelly activated Solemn Judgment!

Dale wasn’t done: he flipped Emergency Teleport! “Do you want to do something? I have numerous Teleports!” Dale gave a big smile. Kelly had nothing — he was stuck with Torrential Tribute and Magic Drain face-down, and while he could stop one Emergency Teleport with Drain, Dale would negate the Torrential Tribute with Stardust Dragon. Krebons hit the field, swung for game, and it was all over!

Dale Bellido takes a grueling 2-0 victory over Anthony Kelly’s Stardust Burn deck, moving on with a 4-0 record!

“Giant Trunade: very good card!” Dale grinned and gave a thumbs-up, de-siding for his next match.