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April 25, 2009
Round 5 Feature Match: Maurice Brantley Versus Jerry Williams
Maurice Brantley and Jerry Williams are both undefeated so far here today, but only one would emerge from this match with a pristine record. Williams is playing Lightsworn, complete with “Gold Sarcophagus.” Brantley is another member of Team Illusion, playing James Laurant’s Counter Fairy Deck and representing B.R.A.D.’s Sportscards and Collectibles.
Brantley opened the match with “Mirror Force,” “Bountiful Artemis,” “Seven Tools of the Bandit,” “D. D. Warrior Lady,” “Solemn Judgment,” and “Thunder King Rai-Oh.” He Summoned Thunder King, Set “Mirror Force,” “Seven Tools,” and “Solemn Judgment,” then ended. Williams Set a monster. Brantley Summoned “Bountiful Artemis,” attacked with Thunder King into Williams’ “Necro Gardna,” then swung for 1600 damage with Artemis. Williams Set another monster, Brantley Summoned “D. D. Warrior Lady,” and attacked with her into Williams’ face-down “Ryko, Lightsworn Hunter.” Ryko’s effect sent “Gold Sarcophagus,” “Celestia, Lightsworn Angel,” and “Beckoning Light” to the Graveyard, destroying Thunder King. Artemis did another 1600 damage, and Brantley Set another card to his back row.
Williams Normal Summoned “Lyla, Lightsworn Sorceress,” but Brantley flipped “Bottomless Trap Hole” to remove her from the game! Williams was playing conservatively, but couldn’t keep this up forever. He discarded “Judgment Dragon” for “Lightning Vortex,” Brantley chained “Solemn Judgment” to negate it, then drew a card with Artemis. “Monster Reborn” brought back Williams’ Celestia, and he ended his turn with just two cards in his hand – nothing in his back row.
Brantley pressed on, attacking with “D. D. Warrior Lady” into Celestia to try and remove her – Williams let the attack through, then revealed both cards in his hand: two copies of “Honest”! Brantley took 3800 damage, dropped to 200 life points, and removed Celestia with the Warrior Lady’s ability. Artemis then made a direct attack, and Brantley Set another spell or trap. Williams Set his draw for the turn to his Spell and Trap Card Zone, folded his arms, and leaned back a bit in his seat. Brantley attacked for 1600 damage, Set a fourth Spell or Trap Card, and Williams drew “Charge of the Light Brigade.”
It got him “Wulf, Lightsworn Beast,” but no search from his Deck – Brantley flipped “Magic Jammer,” then blocked Wulf’s attack with “Mirror Force”! Williams passed with 1600 Life Points, Brantley Set “Dark Bribe,” turned Artemis to defense, and ended. Williams passed.
Brantley Set another spell or trap, passed, Williams passed, and Brantley Set a fifth spell or trap to pass. Williams passed, and Brantley turned Artemis to Attack Position! He attacked with Artemis, Williams removed his “Necro Gardna” to try and negate the attack, Brantley chained “Divine Wrath,” Williams chained “Solemn Judgment,” and Brantley finished the chain with “Dark Bribe”! “Dark Bribe” negated “Solemn Judgment,” “Divine Wrath” resolved successfully to negate “Necro Gardna’s” effect, and the attack went through – Williams dropped to 0 Life Points!
Maurice Brantley captures the first Duel, as Williams sees simply zero action on his side of the table! Both Duelists went for their Side Decks, and Brantley immediately sided in copies of “Light-Imprisoning Mirror,” knowing they only negate activated effects – not the continuous effect of his “Bountiful Artemis.”
Williams opened Game 2 with a Set card to each zone. Brantley drew, and had “Divine Wrath,” “Bountiful Artemis,” “Dark Bribe,” “Mystical Space Typhoon,” “Kycoo the Ghost Destroyer,” and “Freed the Brave Wanderer.” He activated “Mystical Space Typhoon,” destroyed his opponent’s “Mirror Force,” and Summoned “Bountiful Artemis.” He Set Bribe, Wrath, and ended. “Go ahead.”
Williams immediately Set another spell or trap – his only move. Brantley drew “Solemn Judgment,” Summoned Kycoo, and when Artemis attacked into “Ryko, Lightsworn Hunter,” Brantley negated its effect with “Divine Wrath.” He discarded Freed to pay for it, drew for Artemis’ effect, and attacked directly with Kycoo for 1800 damage. He Set “Solemn Judgment,” Williams Set another monster, and Brantley attacked with Artemis – into Williams’ Set “Honest”! “Go ahead.” Play was to Williams once more.
He Set a card to each zone, clearly on the defensive. Brantley sent Artemis to attack Williams’ new face-down monster, but it was another “Honest”! Brantley dropped to 7400 Life Points. Williams passed, Brantley Tributed Kycoo for “Cyber Dragon”, and attacked one of the two “Honests” to destroy it! He Set a fifth Spell or Trap Card, Williams Set another card to each zone, “Cyber Dragon” ate the second “Honest,” and when Williams tried to flip his “Crush Card Virus” and Tributed his “Necro Gardna,” he was met with “Dark Bribe.” “Lightning Vortex” fell from Williams’ hand: he discarded “Celestia, Lightsworn Angel” for Vortex’s activation, but lost out to another “Solemn Judgment”! He Normal Summoned “Lyla, Lightsworn Sorceress,” then ended. In the End Phase Brantley flipped “Light-Imprisoning Mirror”!
“Cyber Dragon” attacked Lyla, but with two cards in hand Williams flipped “Beckoning Light,” threatening to retrieve his two “Honests,” but “Solemn Judgment” shut it down. “Necro Gardna” blocked “Cyber Dragon’s” attack, but “Book of Moon” let Artemis wipe out Lyla with another attack. Brantley Set a second and third face-down card to his Spell and Trap Card Zone.
Williams activated “Charge of the Light Brigade,” searched his Deck for another “Lyla, Lightsworn Sorceress,” and Normal Summoned her. He then Special Summoned “Judgment Dragon”! Williams sent “Judgment Dragon” after Artemis and finally destroyed her – he ended his turn at that point with nothing else to do. Lyla just couldn’t get over “Cyber Dragon.”
Brantley drew: he had “Monster Reborn” and “Book of Moon” in hand, with “Compulsory Evacuation Device,” “Dark Bribe,” and “Divine Wrath” Set. Williams had 4600 Life Points left, while Brantley had just 450 – it was now or never. “Cyber Dragon” attacked Lyla, Brantley Set “Book of Moon,” and had two turn’s worth of deterrents to “Judgment Dragon’s” attacks.
When the Dragon attacked next turn, Brantley deflected it with “Book of Moon.” Williams Set another monster, and had one card left in hand. Brantley drew “D. D. Warrior Lady,” but sending her to remove “Judgment Dragon” would be suicide due to his Life Points. He Set her instead, and turned “Cyber Dragon” to Defense Position.
“Judgment Dragon” was Flip Summoned, and promptly ran over “Cyber Dragon.” “Go ahead.” Brantley drew “Kycoo the Ghost Destroyer,” checked his face-downs, and passed his turn. Williams Flip Summoned “Necro Gardna”! He sent “Judgment Dragon” into “D. D. Warrior Lady,” her effect was negated by “Light-Imprisoning Mirror,” and “Necro Gardna” made a direct attack – Williams was going for game, and Brantley had to activate “Compulsory Evacuation Device” to get rid of Gardna.
Brantley topped into “Honest”! He had “Monster Reborn” in hand, and took Williams’ “Celestia, Lightsworn Angel” with Reborn’s effect! Brantley Summoned “Kycoo the Ghost Destroyer,” sent Celestia to attack “Judgment Dragon,” and dropped “Honest” to destroy the Dragon! Williams was down to 1900 Life Points, and Kycoo destroyed Williams’ “Ryko, Lightsworn Hunter” in battle.
Williams fought back, discarding for “Monster Reincarnation” in a bid to get back his “Judgment Dragon”! “Dark Bribe” shut him down, but he Set a card to each zone. Next turn Brantley attacked Williams face-down “Necro Gardna” with Kycoo, then swung for game with Celestia – Williams couldn’t remove his “Necro Gardna” due to Kycoo’s effect, and it was all over!
A lucky “Honest” gives Brantley exactly what he needs to win out, and he moves on undefeated with Counter Fairies!
-Jason Grabher-Meyer
