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Round 10 Feature Match:
Michael Kohanim versus Ryan Spicer
Three Duelists here today are playing a Gladiator Beast Deck built by Mike Kohanim. One is 7-2 heading into this round, while the others are 8-1 – including Kohanim himself. Gladiator Beasts didn’t seem to have an especially big presence in the field here yesterday, especially compared to their strong presence at the Canadian Championship two weeks ago.
Kohanim’s opponent this round, Ryan Spicer, lost his Round 1 match yesterday, but fought his way through eight successive rounds to make an 8-1 finish with his Synchro Cat variant. Spicer could be on the way to a title win. But first, he’d have to go through Michael Kohanim.
Spicer opened the match with a Set monster, a Set Spell or Trap Card, and ended. Kohanim had “Bottomless Trap Hole,” “Gladiator Beast Laquari,” “Mystical Space Typhoon,” “Mirror Force,” “Gladiator Beast Equeste,” and “Gladiator Beast Bestiari.” He activated “Mystical Space Typhoon,” destroyed Spicer’s “Solemn Judgment,” and attacked with “Gladiator Beast Equeste” into “Gravekeeper's Spy.” Spicer Special Summoned a second Spy in Defense Position, Kohanim Special Summoned “Gladiator Beast Hoplomus,” and Set two cards to his back row.
Spicer wiped away Kohanim’s cards with “Giant Trunade”! He Normal Summoned “Rescue Cat,” traded it for two copies of “X-Saber Airbellum,” and Synchro Summoned one copy of “Arcanite Magician.” He destroyed Hoplomus with Arcanite’s effect, attacked with “X-Saber Airbellum,” and Kohanim was forced to discard “Gladiator Beast Laquari.” Spicer then Synchro Summoned a second Arcanite, set a Spell or Trap, and ended.
Kohanim drew “Gladiator Beast Samnite.” He Summoned it, attacked Arcanite, and slammed into “Mirror Force”! With “Bottomless Trap Hole,” “Mirror Force,” and Bestiari left in Kohanim’s hand there was nothing he could do. Anything he could Set would be blown away by the “Arcanite Magicians” next turn as soon as Spicer hit Main Phase 1.
“Just Set three back rows!” joked Spicer.
“Yeah!” Kohanim gave a laugh. “Thinkin’ about it!” He passed with an empty field, not quite ready to throw away all his cards.
Spicer Summoned “X-Saber Airbellum” next turn, attacking with that and one Arcanite to drop Kohanim to 2000 Life Points. Kohanim drew an “X-Saber Airbellum” of his own – no help. He Summoned it and slammed it into Spicer’s copy, then Set “Mirror Force.” It was all academic next turn: Spicer destroyed Kohanim’s “Mirror Force” with “Arcanite Magician,” attacked, and the Duel was over.
It all took less than five minutes. Both of these competitors were likely to make the Top 64 cut, but each had something to prove in this match. Neither Duelist wanted to give this one up.
Duel 2 began moments later after some swift side decking. Kohanim opened with “Cyber Dragon,” “Mystical Space Typhoon,” “Mirror of Oaths,” “Trap Dustshoot,” and two copies of “Bottomless Trap Hole.” He set Dustshoot, set Bottomless and ended.
Kohanim flipped Dustshoot in Spicer’s Draw Phase and revealed Spicer’s hand: “Heavy Storm,” “Giant Trunade,” “Summoner Monk,” “Royal Oppression,” “Neo-Spacian Dark Panther,” and “Book of Moon.” Kohanim made the obvious pick, sending Monk back to Spicer’s Deck. “Hey, OTK averted!” Spicer activated “Heavy Storm,” destroyed “Bottomless Trap Hole,” and set a Spell or Trap. Kohanim drew “Waboku.”
He Set it, Set his second Bottomless, and Set Mirror of Oaths. Spicer Set two Spell or Trap Cards himself, Kohanim drew “Solemn Judgment,” and he Set that and another Spell or Trap to fill his Spell and Trap Card Zone. Spicer Set a card to each zone, Kohanim drew “Gladiator Beast Samnite,” Special Summoned “Cyber Dragon,” and Normal Summoned Samnite. “Cyber Dragon” attacked, Spicer responded by Tributing his face-down Dark Panther for “Crush Card Virus,” and Kohanim Chained “Solemn Judgment”! Spicer chained his own and Kohanim lost his field! Spicer passed next turn, Kohanim drew and revealed “Torrential Tribute,” and passed.
Spicer was up. He Set another monster, Kohanim lost “Gladiator Beast Equeste” in his next Draw Phase, and Spicer passed again. Kohanim drew “Gladiator Beast Retiari,” Summoned it, and attacked into “Ryko, Lightsworn Hunter.” Ryko destroyed Retiari, sent “X-Saber Airbellum,” “Summoner Monk,” and “Gravekeeper's Guard” to the Graveyard, and Kohanim ended.
Spicer passed and Kohanim drew “Monster Reborn” and passed. Spicer passed back, leaving Kohanim to draw “Test Tiger.” Another pass. Spicer passed right back again and Kohanim drew yet another “Bottomless Trap Hole.” “Guess what” replied Spicer. “Your turn.” Kohanim drew “Gladiator Beast War Chariot” and passed.
Spicer set a fourth Spell or Trap Card and Kohanim finally caught a Gladiator Beast – he drew and Summoned “Gladiator Beast Darius.” Darius attacked, Spicer responded with “Mirror Force,” and Darius was destroyed. The Duel stood at 4000 Life Points each.
Spicer was up. He set a fourth Spell or Trap Card again, ended, and Kohanim drew “Gladiator Beast Murmillo.” “There we go” remarked Kohanim, upbeat. “Always happy to see Murmillo!” Murmillo attacked for 800 damage, Kohanim tried to tag it out, and Spicer chained “Royal Oppression.” “You’ll pay 800, and I’ll “Mystical Space Typhoon” it,” stated Kohanim, flipping Typhoon. Murmillo successfully tagged out, Kohanim Special Summoned “Gladiator Beast Equeste,” and he took his first copy of Equeste back from the Graveyard! He set another Spell or Trap Card and ended with five cards in hand and five cards on the field.
Spicer drew to seven cards in hand with three cards Set in his back row. He blew away Kohanim’s Set card from last turn, War Chariot, with “Mystical Space Typhoon,” and ended by Setting another Spell or Trap. Kohanim drew another Tiger and had two Tigers total, Equeste, “Torrential Tribute,” “Bottomless Trap Hole,” and “Monster Reborn.” He Summoned the second copy of Equeste, Spicer flipped “Torrential Tribute,” and when his monsters were destroyed Kohanim Special Summoned one Equeste back to the field with “Monster Reborn.” It attacked, smacked Spicer down to 800 Life Points, and Kohanim tagged Equeste out for “Gladiator Beast Bestiari.” Bestiari, destroyed “Book of Moon,” but Bestiari was destroyed by “Mirror of Oaths” and Spicer drew a card with the Mirror’s effect. Kohanim set a Spell or Trap Card to end. Spicer needed to make a move.
He Set a monster, then Set a Spell or Trap. Kohanim drew “Gladiator Beast Hoplomus.” He Set it and ended. Spicer activated “Giant Trunade,” Kohanim Chained “Waboku,” and Spicer had another “Solemn Judgment”! Kohanim had 4000 Life Points to Spicer’s 400.
He Summoned “Rescue Cat,” sent it to the Graveyard to bring out two copies of Airbellum, then took Hoplomus with “Mind Control.” He Flip Summoned Hoplomus, Tuned Airbellum to it to Synchro Summon “Dark Strike Fighter,” and it was all over!
Ryan Spicer plays a heated second Duel against Michael Kohanim and sweeps the match! Spicer is now locked for a seat in the Single Elimination Rounds!
reported by
Jason Grabher-Meyer
