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Round 9 Feature Match:
Ryan Spicer versus Shay Kelley
Earlier today we watched reigning U.S. National Champion Chris Bowling dominate his feature match with the Synchro Cat Deck designed by Ryan Spicer. Bowling is now 6-2 with that Deck, while Spicer (who suffered an early loss) is still 7-1. A win here would make him a shoe-in for Day 2. Billy Brake and Augustin Herrera have found similar results with the build, clocking in at 7-1 and 6-2 records respectively.
Spicer offered his opponent a handshake and a wish of good luck before drawing his opening hand: “Rescue Cat,” “Neo-Spacian Dark Panther,” “Ryko, Lightsworn Hunter,” “Smashing Ground,” “Mind Control,” and “Summoner Monk.” He Set Ryko and ended, ready to do some serious damage next turn courtesy of “Summoner Monk.” Sure enough, all Kelley did was Set one card: “Book of Moon.” He lost it next turn to Ryko’s effect, but Ryko sent “X-Saber Airbellum,” “Gravekeeper's Guard,” and finally Spicer’s second “Rescue Cat” to the Graveyard! That cut off Spicer’s attempt at game with “Summoner Monk” this turn.
Spicer Normal Summoned his in-hand “Rescue Cat” instead, used its effect to get two copies of “X-Saber Airbellum,” and made three direct attacks to cost Kelley his “Black Whirlwind” and “Mind Control” from his hand. Two Synchro Summons later, Spicer controlled “Colossal Fighter,” and he Set “Solemn Judgment” to end his turn.
Kelley Set a card to each zone. Spicer Normal Summoned “Summoner Monk,” Kelley tried to activate “Icarus Attack” by Tributing his face-down “Blackwing - Sirocco the Dawn,” but Spicer negated the Trap Card with “Solemn Judgment”! That left Kelley’s field bare, and Spicer discarded “Smashing Ground” to Special Summon “Rose, Warrior of Revenge” with Monk’s effect. He Synchro Summoned “Stardust Dragon” and that was it: “Colossal Fighter” and “Stardust Dragon” each made a direct attack to end the Duel!
Ryan Spicer takes Duel 1 in under four minutes, now just one Duel away from clinching a seat in Day 2! Both Duelists did some extensive Side Decking and Spicer was the first to present his Deck.
Kelley opened Duel 2 with “Black Whirlwind,” Normal Summoning “Blackwing - Shura the Blue Flame” to search his deck for “Blackwing - Kalut the Moon Shadow.” He Set one card to his Spell and Trap Card Zone.
Spicer had “Bottomless Trap Hole,” “Gorz the Emissary of Darkness,” “Torrential Tribute,” “Rose, Warrior of Revenge,” “Book of Moon,” and “Gravekeeper's Guard.” He Set “Torrential Tribute” and ended, trusting that his opponent would commit another card to the field in an effort to take advantage of his Whirlwind.
Kelley made an attack with Shura for 1800 damage, and sure enough he Normal Summoned “Blackwing - Bora the Spear.” Spicer flipped “Torrential Tribute” to deprive him of his search with “Black Whirlwind.” Spicer Set a card to each zone, ended, and next turn Kelley Normal Summoned Kalut to search his deck for “Blackwing - Blizzard the Far North.” Spicer had four cards in hand and one card in each of his zones. Kelley had five cards in hand, Kalut in Attack Position, “Black Whirlwind” on the field, and one Spell or Trap Set. He Set another card to his back row to end.
Spicer Set another card to each zone and ended. He lost both of those cards, “Bottomless Trap Hole” and “Book of Moon,” to “Icarus Attack” in his End Phase! Kelley Tributed his Kalut and moved to his next turn.
He Normal Summoned Blizzard, Special Summoned Kalut from his Graveyard, and Special Summoned “Blackwing - Gale the Whirlwind” from his hand. He Tuned Blizzard to Kalut for “Magical Android,” tuned Gale to the Android for “Red Dragon Archfiend,” and attacked with it to flip “Gravekeeper's Guard.” The Guard’s effect triggered, targeting “Red Dragon Archfiend” to try and send it back to the Extra Deck. But the Dragon’s effect still destroyed Spicer’s face-down “Gravekeeper's Spy” first. Play was to Spicer and the field was clear.
He had “Rose, Warrior of Revenge,” “My Body As a Shield,” “Gorz the Emissary of Darkness,” and “Giant Trunade” in hand. He passed with an open field. Kelley Normal Summoned Kalut, used Whirlwind to search for a copy of Gale, then made a direct attack for 1400 damage: Spicer responded by Special Summoning Gorz in Attack Position and a 1400 ATK “Emissary of Darkness Token” in Defense Position. Kelley Set two more cards to his Spell and Trap Card Zone to end.
Spicer attacked Kalut with Gorz, Kelley chained “Icarus Attack” to target both of Spicer’s monsters, and spicer chained “My Body as a Shield,” Solemn, Gorz and Token gone. Spicer Set “Bottomless Trap Hole,” Kelley dropped Shura into it next turn, and Spicer Set “Giant Trunade” as a bluff. Kelley attacked with Gale next turn, Spicer took 1300 damage, and drew “Summoner Monk”: too bad his only Spell Card was now locked on his field. He Set “Summoner Monk,” Set “Crush Card Virus,” and ended.
Kelley Tribute Summoned “Blackwing - Sirocco the Dawn,” Spicer responded with “Crush Card Virus” Tributing “Summoner Monk,” and Sirrocco was destroyed. Kelley revealed “Book of Moon” and “Bottomless Trap Hole” in his hand. Spicer Set a card to each zone, Kelley Set another back row card, and play was back to Spicer. He drew and had Sirocco and Rose in hand.
He Normal Summoned Rose and fell victim to “Torrential Tribute.” “Your turn.” Kelley Set another Spell or Trap Card, Spicer Set another monster, and Kelley activated “Nobleman of Crossout” to remove it: “Gravekeeper's Spy.” Spicer had already lost his other copies. He drew “X-Saber Airbellum,” added it to his hand of Sirocco the Dawn, and Set Airbellum. Kelley passed again and Spicer drew “Rescue Cat”!
He flipped “Giant Trunade” and Kelley’s field was bounced back to his hand! Spicer Flip Summoned “X-Saber Airbellum,” Normal Summoned “Rescue Cat,” Special Summoned another Airbellum, and Summoned “Neo-Spacian Dark Panther”! All three attacked for a total of 4200 damage and the match was over!
Ryan Spicer moves on with an 8-1 record, nearly guaranteed a seat in Day 2!
reported by
Jason Grabher-Meyer
