Erin Diaz is having far too much fun today — designer of the deck that carried him and Justin Gillison to the tables here today, the only reason he’s here while Gillison isn’t is that they were paired off against each other yesterday. Their Shadowpriestess of Ohm OTK may be the most degenerate strategy ever devised in this game, and now it would be up to Jason Holloway to put an end to these shenanigans.
He won the roll, opening with Destiny Draw to discard Destiny Hero – Dasher. He summoned Stratos, searched another Dasher, and set two cards to his back row. Diaz was up.
He activated Trade-In to draw two cards, then searched his deck for Destiny Hero – Disk Commander with Reinforcement of the Army. Holloway made a huge mistake; he activated Mind Crush, calling Destiny Draw, and missed: it cost him his Dark Grepher. Diaz summoned Stratos, searched out Destiny Hero – Dogma and set one card to his back row before activating Card Destruction. Holloway chained D.D. Crow, removing his opponent’s Reinforcement of the Army from the graveyard before Card Destruction could resolve.
When it did, Diaz dropped Destiny Hero – Plasma, Destiny Hero – Dogma, Destiny Hero – Disk Commander, and Broww, Huntsman of Dark World to draw five cards. He drew into Premature Burial, used it to bring back Disk commander and drew two. He activated Upstart Goblin, discarded Dogma for Destiny Draw, and activated Allure of Darkness giving up another Broww. Upstart Goblin was next, and he moved to his battle phase.
He crashed Disk Commander into Stratos, and then traded his Stratos for Holloway’s. In main phase 2 he brought the Commander back with Monster Reborn, drawing two more cards! Trade-In let him exchange Plasma for two more, and he discarded Fear Monger for Destiny Draw. Allure of Darkness got yet another pair of cards, removing Dark Magician of Chaos. Another Allure loaded his removed from play pile with Shadowpriestess of Ohm, and he followed it up with The Beginning of the End! He removed Plasma, Fear Monger, Broww, Dark Nephthys, and Dogma to draw three more cards.
Upstart Goblin got him Spell Economics — he already had Dimension Fusion. He activated Heavy Storm and Holloway scooped instantly. Diaz gave him a handshake, which Holloway awkwardly accepted.
A misplayed Mind Crush dooms Jason Holloway, and Erin Diaz is just one duel away from a spot in the finals! Holloway began side decking, shaking his head.
“I’ll start. Ready?” He began what might be his final duel in this tournament with Reinforcement of the Army, grabbing Dark Grepher from his deck. He discarded Dark Armed Dragon to special summon Dark Grepher, then tributed it for Spell Canceller! A set spell or trap backed it up.
Diaz couldn’t do anything but set a monster and end. Play was back to Holloway.
Holloway summoned Armageddon Knight and sent Dark Magician of Chaos to his graveyard with its effect. He special summoned Dark Armed Dragon and Diaz scooped it up!
A brilliant bit of side decking from Holloway proves to be a crushing advantage in this matchup. The third duel began shortly, with Diaz having the advantage of going first. Since Holloway was playing those Spell Cancellers, he’d need that advantage.
Diaz opened with Royal Magical Library! He activated Upstart Goblin, placed a counter on Library, and then tossed Plasma for Destiny Draw. An Allure of Darkness later he was getting a free draw for the Library.
Trade-In, then Upstart Goblin, then Spell Economics got him another free draw! Allure of Darkness, Dark World Dealings with Broww, and Destiny Draw got him yet another. This was nuts.
He played Trade-In with Dark Nephthys, Upstart Goblin, and if I understood the blazing fury of cards that were being slammed to the table, he then set three back row cards and activated Card Destruction. He drew three cards, and then drew again for Library. He activated Hand Destruction, both players discarded and drew two, and all Diaz needed at this point was Dark Magician of Chaos.
He activated The Beginning of the End, removing Dogma, Grepher, Nephthys, Broww, Plasma, and another Dogma for three more draws. He activated his face-down Allure, removed Dark Magician of Chaos, and it was over! He discarded Disk Commander for Destiny Draw, drew his last card with Library, then set one card and activated D.D. Designator calling D.D. Crow. Holloway didn’t have one. “You can take my whole hand for all I care,” grinned Diaz. He flipped Dimension Fusion from his back row and that was game!
Erin Diaz is going to the finals! The assembled crowd burst into applause.