Fate had pitted two of the flagship members of Team Yu-Gi-Oh! ETC against each other here today. At two losses each and sitting at Table 12, the winner would have a strong chance of making it to the Top 16, while the loser would likely be knocked out of the tournament. Both duelists were playing identical main decks, though their sides were vastly different.

“I want to beat him so bad,” laughed Flores. “He belittles me every day for my misplays!” I asked the two if they were going to play it out: “Hell no, I’m not scooping!” replied Flores emphatically. “We’re playing out and we’re playing it hard!”

“I didn’t even know you were still in the tournament!” replied Labounty with a grin. “You were asking me about the side events and stuff!”

Flores rolled his eyes and laughed. “This has been coming for a long time!”

“You know I know your deck inside out, right?” asked Jon. “I mean, I made it and all.”

Flores turned to face me: “See? This is what I go through every day!” After a hearty handshake the game began, and Flores set a card to each zone. Labounty fired back with the same play. Flores tributed his set Sangan for Zaborg the Thunder Monarch, destroyed Labounty’s face down Destiny Hero – Disk Commander and searched his deck for Destiny Hero – Malicious with Sangan. He attacked. Labounty flipped Call of the Haunted, brought back Disk Commander, and drew two. He tributed for Raiza the Storm Monarch, targeted Zaborg with Raiza’s effect, and lost his field to Torrential Tribute on the chain. He set a spell or trap to end.

Flores activated Destiny Draw, discarding Destiny Hero – Malicious. “I know you’ve got a Wind Blast set,” muttered Flores. He summoned Card Trooper, boosted it with three cards, and lost his Crush Card Virus in the process. Trooper swung unopposed and Flores finished his turn with nothing in the back row.

Brain Control let Labounty take the Trooper, and he boosted it to 1900 ATK. He tributed it for Raiza the Storm Monarch and returned his own Call of the Haunted back to the top of his deck! Raiza attacked Flores directly and Labounty set two more cards to the back row.

In Flores’ draw phase he flipped The Transmigration Prophecy, sending Destiny Hero – Malicious back to Flores’ deck and Reinforcement of the Army back to his own. Flores special summoned Cyber Dragon, tributed it for Zaborg the Thunder Monarch, and destroyed Raiza the Storm Monarch. Zaborg attacked and Labounty flipped Mirror Force. Flores activated Pot of Avarice in main phase 2, shuffling back Sangan, Card Trooper, Raiza the Storm Monarch, Zaborg the Thunder Monarch and Cyber Dragon before drawing two cards.

He ended his turn with one set spell or trap, and Labounty sent it back to the top of his deck with Phoenix Wing Wind Blast, discarding Malicious. He removed his discarded Malicious to special summon another in defense, and then set a monster.

Flores summoned Sangan, attacked over Malicious, and set Wind Blast, which he flipped next turn to discard Destiny Hero – Disk Commander and spin Labounty’s set monster. Labounty activated Pot of Avarice, took his two cards, and set one spell or trap.

Premature Burial brought back Disk Commander for Flores, drawing him two cards. He activated Reinforcement of the Army, searched his deck for Elemental Hero Stratos and summoned him after debating the possibility of Torrential Tribute. Stratos’ effect targeted Labounty’s set back row card, Scapegoat, and Labounty chained it. He lost three Tokens and Flores set a spell or trap, shaking his head. “It’s always luck saving you.”

Mystical Space Typhoon destroyed Mirror Force, and Labounty summoned Snipe Hunter to destroy Stratos, by discarding Fear Monger for Snipe’s effect. Snipe Hunter then attacked Disk Commander, and play passed to Flores. He summoned Breaker the Magical Warrior, attacked Snipe Hunter, and sent Sangan to attack the last Sheep Token. Moments later Labounty was scooping up.

Chris Flores is one duel away from a strong shot at the Top 16!

Labounty started the second duel after some considerable siding. He set one card to each zone, ended, and, when Flores summoned Breaker the Magical Warrior, Labounty responded with Crush Card Virus, tributing Sangan! It cost Flores Banisher of the Radiance, Snipe Hunter, and his on-field Breaker.

“You cheater!” Flores laughed. “Stop cheating meeeee!” He passed with no action, and next turn Labounty hit him with Spirit Reaper. The Reaper forced him to discard Brain Control. Labounty set a spell or trap, and next turn Flores attacked it with Sangan. “Got a Wind Blast?” He set one spell or trap and ended.

“Summon a monster,” begged Flores. “Come on! Do me a favor!” Labounty flipped Wind Blast instead, bouncing away Flores’s back row card. He summoned Card Trooper, boosted it, attacked over Sangan with Trooper, and let Flores pull Treeborn Frog. Labounty turned Reaper to defense!

“No attack!?”

“No, I just wanted you to get Frog with that Sangan.” Flores drew and discarded his topdecked Jinzo. He set a monster and ended.

Labounty turned Reaper to attack mode, boosted Trooper just once, and attacked over Treeborn Frog with Trooper. Reaper hit directly, discarding Flores’ in-hand Disk Commander, and Labounty set a spell or trap. Flores brought back his Treeborn, set a spell or trap, and ended.

Labounty summoned Breaker the Magical Warrior, broke Flores’ set Phoenix Wing, and then attacked Treeborn with Reaper. Card Trooper and Breaker hit direct.

Flores brought back his Treeborn Frog, summoned Elemental Hero Stratos and searched Destiny Hero - Fear Monger from his deck. Stratos attacked Card Trooper, destroyed it, and Labounty revealed Raiza the Storm Monarch off its draw; Flores scooped.

An utter thrashing from Jon Labounty takes Flores down, and the match moves to a third and final duel!

Flores started the final duel of the day with a set card to each zone. Labounty summoned Breaker the Magical Warrior, activated his effect, and Flores chained the target, Wind Blast. He discarded Treeborn Frog to bounce Breaker. Labounty set a spell or trap card, Flores brought back his Frog in defense mode and summoned Card Trooper. Trooper went to 1900 ATK, attacked, and Flores set a card to the back row.

Labounty summoned a Trooper himself, boosting it to 1900 ATK and attacking Flores’ Trooper. He set another spell or trap and lost it, Mystical Space Typhoon, to Flores’ Typhoon in the end phase. Flores summoned Sangan and attacked over Trooper on the following turn.

He ended and Labounty activated Reinforcement of the Army. He searched his deck for Elemental Hero Stratos, summoned him, and then searched his deck for Malicious. Stratos attacked Flores’ Sangan, and he searched for Snipe Hunter. Labounty set another spell or trap to finish out.

Flores activated Heavy Storm, destroying Labounty’s Dust Tornado and Pulling the Rug! “Pro Heavy Storm!” grinned Flores, elated.

“I thought that was pretty pro,” remarked Labounty. “I was thinking, ‘All I need to do is have him bring out a Monarch and I win.’” Sadly for Labounty it wasn’t that simple. Flores debated his options and tributed his Treeborn for Cyber Dragon, pressing over Labounty’s Stratos in battle. He set a spell or trap and ended. Play was to Labounty.

He activated Destiny Draw, discarding Malicious. He drew two, then activated Pot of Avarice, shuffling everything back save Malicious: Stratos, Card Trooper, Sangan, Zaborg the Thunder Monarch and Cyber Dragon. He removed Malicious, special summoned his second Malicious to the field in attack mode, and tributed him for Raiza the Storm Monarch. Raiza targeted Flores’ Wind Blast, which he chained, discarding Malicious, to return Raiza to the top of Labounty’s deck. Labounty set a spell or trap and ended.

Flores brought back Treeborn Frog in defense mode and attacked again with Cyber Dragon, scoring another 2100 damage. Labounty summoned Banisher of the Radiance, attacked Treeborn Frog to remove it from play, and passed. Flores attacked Banisher next turn with Cyber Dragon, but Labounty had Wind Blast to send it away, discarding Sangan for the cost. Flores removed Malicious from his graveyard in main phase 2, played the other from his deck in defense mode and ended.

Labounty summoned Breaker the Magical Warrior, attacked Malicious with Banisher of the Radiance, and then attacked directly with Breaker. The duel stood at 3800 life points for Flores and 3100 for Labounty. It was a tight race that was drawing to an inevitable finish.

Flores special summoned Cyber Dragon, attacking over Banisher. He summoned Snipe Hunter in main phase 2, discarded Disk Commander to destroy Breaker, and ended. Labounty was down to 2600 life points.

He summoned Snipe Hunter, and two discards destroyed Flores’ monsters. Snipe attacked directly and Labounty ended. Flores activated Premature Burial, brought back Disk Commander, drew two, then activated Brain Control and summoned Mystic Tomato! All three monsters attacked directly and it was over.

If tiebreakers are on his side, Chris Flores is on his way to Day 2!