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Round 8 Feature Match:
Austin Kulman versus Chris Tuttobene
Former U.S. Champion Austin Kulman is 6-1 in this tournament, armed with Blackwings packing “Reckless Greed.” His opponent this round is Chris Tuttobene, playing Lightsworn. This is a great example of this match-up, and if Austin Kulman could win it he’d be on his way to a second National title.
Kulman opened with “Blackwing - Bora the Spear,” “Allure of Darkness,” “Black Whirlwind,” “Bottomless Trap Hole,” “Brain Control,” and “Blackwing - Kalut the Moon Shadow.” He activated Whirlwind, Normal Summoned “Blackwing - Bora the Spear,” and searched his Deck for “Blackwing - Gale the Whirlwind.” He Set “Bottomless Trap Hole” and ended. “Go ahead.”
Tuttobene fired back with “Charge of the Light Brigade,” sending “Mystical Space Typhoon,” “Honest,” and another Charge from the top of his Deck to his Graveyard. He nabbed a copy of “Lumina, Lightsworn Summoner” from his Deck. He discarded “Jain, Lightsworn Paladin” with “Solar Recharge,” drew two cards, and sent his third Charge plus “Royal Decree” to his Graveyard. “Cards in hand?”
“Four,” replied Kulman. Tuttobene spent a moment perusing his Graveyard, and Kulman did the same when Tuttobene was finished. Moments later Tuttobene Normal Summoned Lumina, activated her effect, and discarded “Necro Gardna” to Special Summon “Jain, Lightsworn Paladin.” When Jain hit play, Kulman destroyed her and removed her from the game with “Bottomless Trap Hole.”
Tuttobene Set a card to his Spell and Trap Card Zone, ended, and sent “Plaguespreader Zombie,” “Heavy Storm,” and another Lumina to his Graveyard with the first Lumina’s effect. Kulman drew “Gorz the Emissary of Darkness,” activated “Allure of Darkness,” and drew “Black Whirlwind” and “Reckless Greed.” He removed Gorz to complete Allure’s effect and was now holding “Black Whirlwind,” Gale, Kalut, “Reckless Greed,” and “Brain Control,” with another “Black Whirlwind” and Bora on the field. He activated “Brain Control” to take his opponent’s “Lumina, Lightsworn Summoner.”
Kulman Special Summoned Gale, and Tuttobene had no response. Lumina attacked for 1000 damage, Gale scored another 1300, and Bora attacked next – Tuttobene removed “Necro Gardna” to stop Bora’s attack. Kulman moved to Main Phase 2 and Tuned Gale to Lumina, Synchro Summoning “Blackwing Armed Wing.” He Set one card to his Spell and Trap Card Zone, ended, and Tuttobene flipped “Royal Decree.”
He Normal Summoned “Lyla, Lightsworn Sorceress,” ended his turn, and sent “Necro Gardna,” his third Lumina, and “Solar Recharge” to the Graveyard. Kulman drew, adding another Gale to his hand of Kalut and Whirlwind. Tuttobene had 5700 Life Points and Kulman started running numbers, trying to figure out if he could win this turn. The threat of “Honest” was really all that was holding him back.
He seemed to decide he couldn’t do it this turn. He moved to his Battle Phase, attacked with Bora, and sent it after “Lyla, Lightsworn Sorceress.” Sure enough, Tuttobene had “Honest,” and he had to activate it to keep Lyla on the field. Lyla’s ATK went to 3400 – too big for Armed Wing to attack over if Kulman didn’t have Kalut in hand. Which he of course did. Kulman attacked and Tuttobene knew he had Kalut: he removed “Necro Gardna” to stop the attack.
Next turn Lyla’s effect destroyed Kulman’s face-down “Reckless Greed.” Tuttobene Set a card back on top of his Deck to Special Summon “Plaguespreader Zombie,” Tributed Lyla for “Celestia, Lightsworn Angel,” and destroyed Armed Wing and “Black Whirlwind”! Celestia’s cost sent “Wulf, Lightsworn Beast” to the Graveyard and that was all Tuttobene needed. A few attacks and one “Dark Strike Fighter” later, and the first Duel was over!
Chris Tuttobene steals away a match that seemed to be in the bag for Austin Kulman, all thanks to that lone copy of Wulf! Without it, Tuttobene wouldn’t have been able to make game. Both Duelists used the full amount of time allotted for Side Decking.
Kulman opened Duel 2 with “Dark Eruption,” “Blackwing - Kalut the Moon Shadow,” “Heavy Storm,” “Blackwing - Gale the Whirlwind,” “Blackwing - Bora the Spear,” and “D.D. Crow.” He Normal Summoned Bora, Special Summoned Gale, Synchro Summoned “Blackwing Armor Master,” and ended with nothing in his Spell and Trap Card Zone. Tuttobene Set a Card to each Zone, and Kulman drew “Blackwing - Sirocco the Dawn.” He activated “Heavy Storm” to destroy Tuttobene’s Set “Royal Decree,” ran over his Set “Necro Gardna” with Armor Master, and ended. 
Tuttobene Normal Summoned “Lyla, Lightsworn Sorceress,” sending “Ryko, Lightsworn Hunter,” “Gold Sarcophagus,” and “Charge of the Light Brigade” to the Graveyard. Kulman activated “D.D. Crow’s” effect in the End Phase and removed “Necro Gardna” from his opponent’s Graveyard to clear the way for his attacks next turn.
He drew “Crush Card Virus” and must have instantly regretted activating “D.D. Crow” when he could have Set it as a Tribute for the Virus. He sighed, and sent Armor Master to attack and destroy Lyla. He activated “Dark Eruption” in Main Phase 2, took back the Crow, Set it, and Set “Crush Card Virus.”
Tuttobene Set a card to each zone, and Kulman activated “Crush Card Virus” in the End Phase of his opponent’s turn. Tuttobene lost his in-hand Wulf, and revealed Lumina and “Monster Reincarnation” from his hand. He then revealed the face-down “Plaguespreader Zombie” he had on the field and play was back to Kulman.
Armor Master attacked “Plaguespreader Zombie,” destroyed it, and Kulman Set another card to his back row. Tuttobene drew “Charge of the Light Brigade,” activated it to send “Dust Tornado,” “Jain, Lightsworn Paladin,” and “Honest” to his Graveyard, then searched his Deck for “Garoth, Lightsworn Warrior.” He had three cards in hand, and Normal Summoned “Lumina, Lightsworn Summoner” to discard and Special Summon “Garoth, Lightsworn Warrior.” “That’s fine,” replied Kulman. He sent “Necro Gardna,” Lumina, and “Honest” to his Graveyard with Lumina, then sent “Crush Card Virus” and “Lyla, Lightsworn Sorceress” to his Graveyard with Garoth. He drew a card for Garoth’s effect and Kulman was up.
He drew, and was holding “Blackwing - Kalut the Moon Shadow,” “Blackwing - Sirocco the Dawn,” and “Monster Reborn.” He had “Mystical Space Typhoon” Set, with Armor Master still on the field. He Normal Summoned Kalut after confirming that his opponent had just one “Necro Gardna” in his Graveyard, then Special Summoned “Blackwing - Gale the Whirlwind” with “Monster Reborn.” Gale’s effect halved Garoth’s ATK and DEF and he sent Gale to attack – Garoth went down. Kalut attacked over Lumina, and Tuttobene removed “Necro Gardna” to stop Armor Master’s attack. The Duel stood at 6825 Life Points to 8000. Kulman Synchro Summoned “Blackwing Armed Wing” and ended his turn.
Tuttobene ripped another Charge! He activated it, sending two “Beckoning Light” and a copy of “Royal Decree” to his Graveyard: no help there. He searched his Deck to get “Aurkus, Lightsworn Druid,” and Normal Summoned him. He ended his turn, sent “Judgment Dragon” to his Graveyard, then sent “Necro Gardna”! Kulman gave a groan.
He topdecked “Black Whirlwind,” and was holding “Blackwing - Sirocco the Dawn.” He attacked Aurkus with “Blackwing Armor Master,” then sent Armed Wing to attempt a direct attack – Tuttobene stopped it with yet another “Necro Gardna.” “Go.” Tuttobene still had one copy of “Judgment Dragon” in his Deck, ready with four different Lightsworn in his Graveyard.
He activated “Monster Reincarnation,” discarded “Celestia, Lightsworn Angel” for its cost, and brought back “Judgment Dragon”! He attacked for 3000 damage, then sent “Solar Recharge,” Celestia, “Dust Tornado,” and “Monster Reborn” to his Graveyard in the End Phase. He had seven cards left in his Graveyard.
Kulman activated “Black Whirlwind,” Normal Summoned Sirocco, searched his deck for Gale with Whirlwind’s effect, and had one card left in hand: “Blackwing - Blizzard the Far North.” He Synchro Summoned “Colossal Fighter” with exactly 3000 ATK!
He slammed “Colossal Fighter” into “Judgment Dragon,” Special Summoned it again, and made a direct attack to drop his opponent to 1525 Life Points. Tuttobene couldn’t draw his next “Judgment Dragon” and Set one card to his Spell and Trap Card Zone. “Go.” Kulman was back up.
He drew another Sirocco, attacked with “Colossal Fighter,” and Tuttobene revealed his face-down “Mystical Space Typhoon”! No help there, and both competitors refused to Side Deck since there were only eight minutes remaining in the Duel.
Tuttobene opened the final game with “Solar Recharge,” discarding “Lyla, Lightsworn Sorceress” to activate it. He drew two cards, then sent “Celestia, Lightsworn Angel” and “Dust Tornado” to the Graveyard. He Normal Summoned “Lumina, Lightsworn Summoner,” Set two cards to his back row, and sent “Ryko, Lightsworn Hunter,” “Royal Decree,” and “Solar Recharge” to his Graveyard.
Kulman had “Mystical Space Typhoon,” “Black Whirlwind,” “Threatening Roar,” two copies of Shura, and “Blackwing – Kalut the Moonshadow.” He activated “Mystical Space Typhoon,” destroyed his opponent’s “Mystical Space Typhoon” with his own, and then activated “Black Whirlwind.” He Normal Summoned Shura, searched his Deck for “Blackwing - Gale the Whirlwind,” and Special Summoned it. He activated its effect to halve Wulf’s ATK and DEF.
He sent Gale into Wulf for 250 damage, destroying it. He then attacked with Shura into Lumina and activated Kalut. Lumina was destroyed, Tuttobene went to 5550 Life Points, and Kulman Special Summoned another Kalut from his Deck with Shura’s effect. Kalut attacked, Tuttobene dropped to 4150 Life Points, and Kulman Synchro Summoned “Blackwing Armor Master”! He Set “Threatening Roar” but was faced with “Royal Decree” in the End Phase.
Tuttobene threw down “Judgment Dragon,” Normal Summoned “Lumina, Lightsworn Summoner,” discarded “Honest” to Special Summon “Wulf, Lightsworn Beast,” and attacked for 6100 damage! He sent seven cards to his Graveyard after Setting one more Spell or Trap – no “Necro Gardnas.”
Kulman drew, and had “Dark Armed Dragon” and Shura. He Normal Summoned Shura, attacked through Lumina, Special Summoned Gale with Shura’s effect, and Synchro Summoned “Black Rose Dragon” in Main Phase 2 to clear the field! Tuttobene Normal Summoned “Lyla, Lightsworn Sorceress” next turn, attacked for 1700 damage, but could only drop Kulman to 200 Life Points. Kulman drew “Light-Imprisoning Mirror” next turn – no help. Tuttobene was free to make another direct attack for 1700 damage and the win!
Chris Tuttobene defeats former U.S. Champion Austin Kulman, as Lightsworn triumph over Blackwings! Two rounds remain in the tournament, and Tuttobene will have to win one more to make it to Day 2.
reported by
Jason Grabher-Meyer
