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Top 8:
Kris Ferber versus Robert DiMartino
This wasn’t Kris Ferber’s first major tournament. He had played in a number of SHONEN JUMP Championships previously and this is his second U.S. National Championship. He was now just one Match away from qualifying for the World Championship in Tokyo. His opponent was a total newcomer to major competition. With no prior experience in a U.S. National Championship or even a SHONEN JUMP Championship, Robert DiMartino was poised to take the world by storm in his very first big event! Robert kissed the dice for luck and won the roll, also winning the right to go first.
He started with “Gladiator Beast Samnite” and 3 Spell or Trap Cards. One of them, “Trap Dustshoot,” was immediately flipped in Kris’ Draw Phase revealing “Book of Moon,” “Rescue Cat,” “Mind Control,” “Summoner Monk,” “Mystic Tomato,” and “Neo-Spacian Dark Panther.” Robert sent “Summoner Monk” back to the Deck, and Robert continued his turn by Setting a monster and a Spell or Trap Card. Knowing every card Kris was holding was a huge advantage, and Robert attempted to draw out Kris’ “Book of Moon” by Summoning “Elemental Hero Prisma.” Kris used the Book to flip “Elemental Hero Prisma” down, and Robert declared an attack with Samnite. Samnite encountered “Mystic Tomato,” but the effect of Tomato was negated by “Gladiator Beast War Chariot”!
At the end of the Battle Phase, Robert tagged Samnite back to the Deck for “Gladiator Beast Laquari” and immediately lamented his decision to not go for “Gladiator Beast Equeste” to begin a Chariot loop. Kris drew into “Mystical Space Typhoon” and played it to destroy “Solemn Judgment.” “Mind Control” stole “Gladiator Beast Laquari,” and Kris Summoned “Rescue Cat,” sending it to the Graveyard to Summon two copies of “X-Saber Airbellum.” Kris heaved a sigh of relief when he didn’t lose them both to “Bottomless Trap Hole,” and he moved to his Battle Phase. One Airbellum destroyed the face-down Prisma and the other attacked directly relieving Robert of his last card in hand: “Gladiator Beast Murmillo.” In Main Phase 2 he Tuned Airbellum to Laquari to Summon “Dark Strike Fighter,” and he Tributed his doomed Airbellum.
Robert Set the card he drew and passed. Kris attacked directly and then Set a monster. Robert Set his draw for the turn again and flipped it to block “Dark Striker Fighter’s” next attack – it was “Book of Moon.” He Set a monster next turn, and Kris flipped up his “Dark Strike Fighter” to attack it, eliminating the “Test Tiger.” Robert drew another Book next turn and used it to stop Kris’ next attack, and to the crowd’s surprise, he drew his third “Book of Moon” on the next turn to survive yet again!
He really needed a monster and he needed his opponent to not have a “Book of Moon” of his own. Robert flipped “Heavy Storm,” and Kris Chained his “Crush Card Virus,” Tributing “Neo-Spacian Dark Panther.” It revealed Robert’s draw for the turn: “Monster Reborn”! It was the perfect card for the situation, allowing him to have whatever monster he wanted from either player’s Graveyard without having to worry about the “Crush Card Virus”! He used it to Special Summon Kris’ “Rescue Cat” and then used the Cat to Summon “Test Tiger” and a Samnite. “Test Tiger” let him tag out the Samnite for “Gladiator Beast Secutor,” and he attacked the face-down “Dark Strike Fighter.”
While Robert took a fair bit of damage, he also was able to Special Summon “Gladiator Beast Equeste” to retrieve his War Chariot. Bestiari came out as well and he tagged Secutor and Bestiari back to the Deck to Fusion Summon “Gladiator Beast Gyzarus.” Gyzarus blew away the “Dark Strike Fighter,” Robert Set his Chariot, and Kris was up. He activated “Instant Fusion” to Summon “Reaper on the Nightmare,” then plunked down “X-Saber Airbellum” and Tuned it to the Reaper to Summon “Stardust Dragon.” “Stardust Dragon” attacked Gyzarus, and next turn Robert drew the exact card he needed to beat Stardust: “Elemental Hero Prisma”! Too bad he was under the influence of “Crush Card Virus” and had to send it to the Graveyard! Luckily for him, no one realized it this until much later, and he Summoned it to the field.
Prisma copied Bestiari, and Robert Summoned another Gyzarus! Kris tried to negate the effect of Gyzarus, but “Gladiator Beast War Chariot” ensured that the Dragon would be destroyed. Robert returned Gyzarus to the Deck after attacking and Summoned “Gladiator Beast Darius” and “Gladiator Beast Equeste.” Equeste gave him back his Chariot and Darius brought back Laquari. He opted not to send them all back for “Gladiator Beast Heraklinos,” and Set his Chariot again. Kris quickly drew his next card and stared in astonishment for a moment before Summoning “Blackwing – Gale the Whirlwind” and activating its effect. “Gladiator Beast War Chariot” shut it down, but Kris activated his freshly drawn “Monster Reborn” to bring back his “Dark Strike Fighter,” and Robert decided that he had had enough.
“Monster Reborn” and “Dark Strike Fighter” were the M.V.Ps of an incredibly exciting and unpredictable first Duel!
Robert was up first in the second Duel and he activated “Prohibition,” declaring “X-Saber Airbellum.” He Summoned “Gladiator Beast Darius” and then Set 4 Spell or Trap Cards. After a quick clarification on “Prohibition,” Kris played “Cold Wave.” Robert had a “Solemn Judgment” and dropped to 4000 Life Points to negate the Wave. Kris Set a monster, and Robert drew and played “Elemental Hero Stratos” to search his Deck for Prisma! “Gladiator Beast Darius” slammed into “Gravekeeper’s Spy,” but Robert didn’t have the Chariot to negate it! “Gravekeeper’s Guard” came out for Kris, and Robert tagged his Darius back into the Deck for “Gladiator Beast Laquari.”
Kris had another “Cold Wave,” but he opted not to play it, Setting a freshly drawn “Bottomless Trap Hole” instead. Robert Summoned his Prisma, and Kris decided the time was right to play the “Bottomless Trap Hole.” “Book of Moon” saved Prisma, and Laquari took out the Spy. Robert didn’t tag out and instead Set a Spell or Trap Card before passing. He halved his Life Points again next turn to negate Kris’ second “Cold Wave,” but Kris had a “Mystical Space Typhoon” to take out that “Prohibition”! He Summoned “Rescue Cat” and activated its effect, but lost out to “Gladiator Beast War Chariot.” “Monster Reborn” was next, and he used it to revive the Cat for another round of adorable mayhem! This time the effect was successful, and Kris Summoned two copies of “X-Saber Airbellum.” Robert was visibly and audibly displeased at the turn of events, even more so as Kris Tuned his “Gravekeeper’s Guard” to “X-Saber Airbellum” to Synchro Summon “Dark Strike Fighter.” He Tributed his “X-Saber Airbellum” and then the “Dark Strike Fighter” itself to end the Match!
Kris Ferber delivered a 2-0 blowout to one of the last remaining Gladiator Beast Duelists through a combination of timely draws and overwhelming power!
reported by
Jerome McHale
