This was going to be an interesting start to the day. Previously, both of these Team Yu-Gi-Oh! ETC duelists had planned to play a deck built around Van’Dalgyon, Dark Dragon Lord. But with that card not legal for this event, they had to revert to previous plans. Flores was playing Destiny Hero Light and Darkness Dragon, while Jones was running his all-new version of Big City.

“I actually don’t know what he’s playing,” noted Jones.

“And I know what he’s playing,” chimed in Flores, “but he made changes to it so I don’t really know.” Jones had intended to play copies of the new Hero Rule 2 from Duelist Pack – Jaden Yuki 3, but was again stymied by card legality. Still, his new build could be very noteworthy.

Flores opened the match with Elemental Hero Stratos, searching his deck for Destiny Hero – Disk Commander. He followed it up with Destiny Draw, discarding Destiny Hero – Malicious! “Go.”

Jones got things started with E - Emergency Call for Stratos, summoned him, and used him to pull Elemental Hero Ocean from his deck! Soul Taker knocked away Flores’ Stratos, Flores gained 1000 life points, and Stratos swung for 1800! Jones set two cards to his back row and ended.

“How’d you get those!?” Flores balked at Jones’s Soul Taker.

He summoned Card Trooper, pumped it to 1900 ATK, and swung over Jones’ Stratos. Next turn Jones struck back with Elemental Hero Ocean, set a spell or trap, and ended. Flores special summoned his second Malicious from his deck in defense mode, set a card to each zone, and ended. In Flores’ end phase, Jones used Phoenix Wing Wind Blast on the face-down monster, discarding a second Ocean.

Next turn he brought back Ocean with his on-field copy, attacked over Malicious, and set a third card to his back row. Flores set a monster, and Stratos came back to Jones’ hand next turn! He summoned Stratos, took a third Ocean from his deck, and attacked with his on-field Ocean. Stratos then attacked directly, dropping Flores to 4300 life points. Jones had 7900 remaining. “I’ll pass.”

“This is bad,” groaned Flores. He flipped his face-down Pot of Avarice, targeted all five monsters in his graveyard, and Jones had no response. Flores shuffled back Disk Commander, D.D. Crow, Malicious, Card Trooper, and Stratos to draw two cards.

He activated Heavy Storm, and Jones negated it with Solemn Judgment, reducing himself to 3950 life points. Flores set a monster and ended. Jones bounced Stratos to his hand with Ocean, summoned him again, and took Elemental Hero Wildheart to his hand. Ocean attacked, crashing into Flores’ set Magician of Faith, which let Flores take back Heavy Storm. Stratos attacked directly, and when Flores tried to use Heavy Storm again Jones had yet another Solemn Judgment. Flores heaved a sigh.

He set a monster again, desperately trying to keep himself on the field. “Go.” Jones was having none of it. He summoned Wildheart, attacked with Ocean, and Flores scooped, revealing his face-down Treeborn Frog and a hand full of Raiza the Storm Monarchs and Light and Darkness Dragons.

Jeff Jones takes the first duel with authority, shattering Chris Flores’ field and denying him even a single tribute monster! Both duelists dove into their side decks.

“Good luck,” wished Jones as Flores began the second duel.

The luck seemed to pay off, and Flores began the duel with Destiny Draw, discarding Malicious and setting a card to each zone. He finished out with another spell or trap. “Go.” Jones fired back with Elemental Hero Ocean, activated R - Righteous Justice to destroy Flores’ set Solemn Judgment, and then attacked into Marshmallon for 1000 damage. Jones set four cards to his back row but lost his set Shadow-Imprisoning Mirror to Flores’ set Mystical Space Typhoon in the end phase.

Flores reeled a moment, but then activated Brain Control to take Ocean. Ocean attacked directly, and Flores tributed him for Raiza the Storm Monarch in the end phase: Solemn Judgment negated Raiza’s summon and effect. Flores set his last two cards to his back row, Jones set his topdeck to his spell and trap zone as well, and play was back to Flores.

He removed Malicious from his graveyard to summon another in attack mode: Jones answered with Torrential Tribute! Flores activated Call of the Haunted after losing his field, targeted Raiza, and forced Jones to flip Dark Bribe! Flores drew into Breaker the Magical Warrior off the Bribe, broke Jones’ set Ultimate Offering, and attacked. Jones topped Mirror Force and Breaker attacked into it next turn. Jones summoned Wildheart. He attacked and Flores flipped Scapegoat, prompting Jones to run over a Sheep token. Flores set a spell or trap, Jones set one, Flores set one, and Wildheart kept taking out Sheep. Dust Tornado destroyed Flores’ set Dark Bribe, Wildheart attacked a third Sheep Token, and Jones summoned Stratos to search out Ocean. He was back in the game!

Flores drew, and had three cards in hand, a Sheep Token, and one card set in his back row. He passed, Wildheart hit the Sheep, and Stratos attacked directly. In main phase 2, Jones summoned Ocean.

But Stratos came down for Flores, letting him search out Disk Commander, which he promptly discarded for Destiny Draw! He took a moment to consider his attack and then ran over Ocean, his only real choice — any other attack would let Jones claim a card with Ocean next turn. Flores ended, Jones attacked with Stratos, and ran into Mirror Force, losing Stratos but keeping Wildheart on the field. He turned Wildheart to defense mode, set a monster, and set a spell or trap. Two turns later it was all over, as Heavy Storm and Raiza the Storm Monarch sealed the duel for Flores.

Chris Flores makes a comeback, leaving the match at one-all!

Moments later Jones began the third and final duel. E - Emergency Call got him Stratos, who in turn fetched Ocean. He set a card to his back row and play was to Flores, who set two cards to his back row alongside a monster. Jones summoned Wildheart, activated R - Righteous Justice to target both of Flores’ spell and trap cards, and lost his set Pulling the Rug to Flores’ chained Mystical Space Typhoon. Wildheart attacked over Flores’ Disk Commander and Jones set Pulling the Rug to his back row. He lost it next turn to Heavy Storm, leaving Flores free to activate Premature Burial on Disk Commander! He drew two cards, was free to tribute for Raiza thanks to the destroyed Rug, bounced Ocean, and attacked Stratos. Flores set two cards to his back row. It was a horrible turn for Jones, and it felt like the beginning of the end.

He summoned Ocean next turn and activated Skyscraper 2 - Hero City: Flores countered with Dark Bribe. Jones activated Premature Burial, brought back Stratos anyway, and used his effect to search his deck for Elemental Hero Ocean. “Go.” Jones was taking a serious beating.

. . . And it got worse next turn, as Flores summoned Elemental Hero Stratos to seek out Destiny Hero - Fear Monger. He ran over Ocean with Stratos, and then offed Jones’ Stratos with Raiza. Jones had very few outs remaining at this point.

He drew, played Ocean, and set a back row card. If it wasn’t Mirror Force Jones was in trouble. Flores activated Brain Control, took Ocean, and tributed it and Stratos for Light and Darkness Dragon: it was over. Light and Darkness Dragon attacked, Raiza attacked, and Jones had only 500 life points remaining.

Jones topped into Dark Bribe: no help. His set card was Gravity Bind, but he needed something he could activate in order to draw out Light and Darkness Dragon’s effect; then he could chain Gravity Bind and keep it on the table. But Dark Bribe wasn’t going to let him do that, and all he could do was set a monster: Flores looked a bit confounded, but attacked with Light and Darkness Dragon anyway. It destroyed Jones’ set monster, Raiza attacked directly and Jones offered the handshake.

Light and Darkness Dragon claims another victim, as Christopher Flores comes back from a game 1 loss to take the match!