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Top 4 Feature Match:
Ryan Newburn versus Kris Ferber
Both of these competitors had already won their ticket to Tokyo in August for the World Championship, and both would compete to represent the United States at that event! But from here, only one would proceed to the Finals, and only one would have a chance at a copy of Dark End Dragon and the National Championship.
One Lightsworn Deck, one Gladiator Beast Deck, one Synchro Cat Deck, and one Blackwing Deck made up the remaining Top 4 ranks. Here, we would see Lightsworn go up against Synchro Cat. Were we finally going to see Lightsworn win a Championship tournament in North America?
Newburn opened with “Charge of the Light Brigade,” sending “Wulf, Lightsworn Beast,” “Solar Recharge,” and “Plaguespreader Zombie” to his Graveyard. He searched for “Lyla, Lightsworn Sorceress” and Special Summoned Wulf. He Normal Summoned “Aurkus, Lightsworn Druid” and Set a Spell or Trap Card. He sent Charge and another Aurkus to his Graveyard.
Ferber had “Pot of Avarice,” “Rescue Cat,” “Mind Control,” “Gravekeeper's Guard,” “Gravekeeper's Spy,” and “Cold Wave.” He Set “Gravekeeper's Spy” as his only move. Newburn Normal Summoned “Lyla, Lightsworn Sorceress,” attacked with Wulf, and destroyed Ferber’s “Gravekeeper's Spy.” That got him a copy of Guard in Defense Position and Newburn turned Aurkus to Defense. He sent four cards plus a “Necro Gardna” to his Graveyard.
Ferber drew “Dark Armed Dragon.” He activated “Cold Wave,” Normal Summoned “Rescue Cat,” and sent it to his Graveyard to Special Summon “X-Saber Airbellum” and “Des Koala” from his Deck. He Tuned “X-Saber Airbellum” to Guard, Synchro Summoned “Black Rose Dragon,” and cleared the field! “I’ll pass my turn.”
Play was back to Newburn, who couldn’t use any Spell or Trap Cards this turn thanks to “Cold Wave.” He pressed for as much damage as he could, Normal Summoning “Lumina, Lightsworn Summoner” and discarding “Garoth, Lightsworn Warrior” to Special Summon him with her effect. He attacked with both monsters, then sent “Charge of the Light Brigade,” “Gorz the Emissary of Darkness,” “Mirror Force,” “Monster Reborn,” and “Wulf, Lightsworn Beast” to the Graveyard in his End Phase. He drew a card with Garoth and Special Summoned Wulf to finish his turn.
Ferber drew “Mystic Tomato,” and had three DARK Monsters in his Graveyard for “Dark Armed Dragon.” He also had six monsters total for his “Pot of Avarice,” but he chose to Special Summon Dark Armed. He destroyed Lumina, Garoth, and Wulf with its effect, then launched a direct attack for 2800 Damage. He Set “Gravekeeper's Guard” and ended.
But Newburn had “Judgment Dragon” and two copies of “Honest”! He Special Summoned “Judgment Dragon,” attacked “Dark Armed Dragon,” and activated two copies of “Honest” for a total of 5800 damage. The first Duel was over!
Ryan Newburn wins Duel 1, and is now just a single Duel away from the Finals! Double “Honest” leads to a surprise victory early in the match. Both competitors did some serious Side Decking before plunging into Duel 2.
Ferber opened the second Duel with “Book of Moon,” “Crush Card Virus,” “Monster Reborn,” “Summoner Monk,” “Lightning Vortex,” and “Mystical Space Typhoon.” He Set Crush, Set “Summoner Monk,” and ended. Newburn discarded “Garoth, Lightsworn Warrior” for “Solar Recharge,” drew two, and sent “Necro Gardna” to the Graveyard. He Normal Summoned “Aurkus, Lightsworn Druid.” Aurkus attacked Ferber’s face-down and Ferber responded with “Crush Card Virus,” Tributing his “Summoner Monk” when it came under attack.
Newburn lost “Judgment Dragon” and “Thunder King Rai-Oh” to Crush’s effect. He forgot to claim a replay with Aurkus and as a result didn’t make a direct attack. Instead he activated “Monster Reborn” to Special Summon Garoth, Set a Spell or Trap Card, then ended his turn and sent “Celestia, Lightsworn Angel” to the Graveyard with Garoth’s effect in the End Phase. That got him another draw, and he revealed “Charge of the Light Brigade” for “Crush Card Virus”’ effect.
Ferber activated “Mystical Space Typhoon” next turn, destroying Newburn’s “Mirror Force.” He discarded “Torrential Tribute” for “Lightning Vortex,” destroying Garoth and Aurkus, then activated “Monster Reborn” to Special Summon “Summoner Monk.” He discarded “Book of Moon” Next, Summoning “Rescue Cat,” then sent it to the Graveyard to Special Summon two copies of “X-Saber Airbellum.”
He attacked with one Airbellum and Newburn blocked the attack with “Necro Gardna,” The next one struck home for 1600 damage, forcing Newburn to discard “Charge of the Light Brigade,” and “Summoner Monk” attacked next. Ferber Synchro Summoned “Dark Strike Fighter,” Tributed his extra Airbellum, and ended.
Newburn revealed his draw next turn: “Aurkus, Lightsworn Druid.” He Set a Spell or Trap but had no defense when Ferber attacked for 2600 Damage with “Dark Strike Fighter” next turn. Newburn was scooping a turn later when he drew “Judgment Dragon” and “Garoth, Lightsworn Warrior” with “Solar Recharge” – losing both to “Crush Card Virus.”
Kris Ferber battles back to take a commanding win over Ryan Newburn! One Duel remained!
Newburn was up. He got things started with “Charge of the Light Brigade,” sending another Charge, Lumina, and “Monster Reborn” to the Graveyard. He searched his Deck for another Lumina. He discarded “Garoth, Lightsworn Warrior” for “Solar Recharge,” drew two, and sent “Judgment Dragon” and “Thunder King Rai-Oh” to his Graveyard. He Normal Summoned Lumina, discarded “Torrential Tribute” for her effect, and brought back the other Lumina. He then discarded “Plaguespreader Zombie” to Special Summon Garoth. He Set one Spell or Trap Card and ended.
He then sent ten cards from his Deck to his Graveyard: “Honest,” “Mystical Space Typhoon,” “Wulf, Lightsworn Beast,” “Lumina, Lightsworn Summoner,” “Royal Decree,” “Necro Gardna,” “Judgment Dragon,” “Celestia, Lightsworn Angel,” “Garoth, Lightsworn Warrior,” and “Aurkus, Lightsworn Druid.” He drew a total of three cards with Garoth, and Special Summoned Wulf.
Ferber had “Sangan,” “Lightning Vortex,” “Bottomless Trap Hole,” “X-Saber Airbellum,” “Kycoo the Ghost Destroyer,” and “Pot of Avarice.” He discarded “Sangan” for Vortex, cleared the field, and Normal Summoned “Kycoo the Ghost Destroyer.” He attacked, and Newburn flipped “Beckoning Light.” He discarded five cards total, taking back two copies of “Judgment Dragon,” two “Honest,” and “Lumina, Lightsworn Summoner.” Kycoo struck for 1800 damage, and Ferber removed Aurkus and “Celestia, Lightsworn Angel” from Newburn’s Graveyard. That left Newburn with three differently named Lightsworn in his Graveyard. He Set a Spell or Trap to finish.
Newburn discarded Lumina for “Solar Recharge,” drawing two and sending “Necro Gardna” and “Heavy Storm” to his Graveyard. He had just eight cards left in his Deck.
He Set a card to each Zone. “Your turn.” Ferber drew “Mystic Tomato,” adding it to his hand of “X-Saber Airbellum” and “Pot of Avarice.” He had Kycoo on the field and “Bottomless Trap Hole” Set. He Set Tomato and ended. Newburn Set a monster himself as his only move next turn.
Ferber drew another “X-Saber Airbellum” and seemed very aware that all he needed to do at this point was to outlast Newburn. He’d Deck out soon enough. Newburn activated Charge, sending “Celestia, Lightsworn Angel,” “Lyla, Lightsworn Sorceress,” and “Solar Recharge” to the Graveyard to get another Aurkus. Newburn had just two cards left in Deck.
He Flip Summoned “Honest,” returned it to his hand, and Flip Summoned a second copy to take it back! He Special Summoned “Judgment Dragon,” activated its effect with priority, and Ferber responded by Chaining “Bottomless Trap Hole”! The field was cleared and since Ferber no longer had a monster, those copies of “Honest” were useless for the moment. Ferber still had 8000 Life Points remaining.
Newburn put a card back to the top of his Deck to bring back “Plaguespreader Zombie,” and Normal Summoned “Necro Gardna.” He Synchro Summoned “Magical Android,” attacked for 2400 damage, and ended to gain 600 Life Points.
Ferber Set a card to each zone. Newburn Normal Summoned “Honest,” attacked with Androind into “Gravekeeper's Spy,” and the Spy Summoned “Gravekeeper's Guard.” “Honest” boosted by “Honest” destroyed the Guard and play was back to Ferber.
In Ferber’s draw phase, Newburn activated “Necro Gardna’s” effect to protect his field. Ferber finally had what he needed to activate “Pot of Avarice,” and he sent back all five monsters in his Graveyard to draw two cards: “Mind Control” and “Mystical Space Typhoon.” He added them to his hand of two Airbellum and “Mirror Force.” He Normal Summoned Airbellum, took control of “Magical Android” with “Mind Control,” and Tuned Airbellum to it to Synchro Summon “Stardust Dragon.” He tried to attack, briefly forgot about “Necro Gardna,” and Set “Mirror Force” and “Mystical Space Typhoon.”
Newburn drew the second-to-last card in his Deck and Set a monster. He returned “Honest” to his hand, ended, and Ferber drew another dead card: another “Pot of Avarice.” He Normal Summoned Airbellum, attacked with “Stardust Dragon,” and the attack was negated with “Necro Gardna.” He attacked again with Airbellum, and that attack was also negated. “Your go.”
Newburn drew his last card. He Flip Summoned “Lyla, Lightsworn Sorceress,” Special Summoned “Judgment Dragon,” Normal Summoned Aurkus, and ran “Judgment Dragon” straight into “Mirror Force”! Newburn immediately offered the handshake and Kris Ferber was off to the Finals!
reported by
Jason Grabher-Meyer
