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Top 8 Feature Match:
Dale Bellido versus Anthony Eckroth
Anthony Eckroth has attended five SHONEN JUMP Championships, and this is his first Day 2 appearance. Dale Bellido is a former SHONEN JUMP Champion, and has attended a whopping twenty-nine events. He’s topped thirteen of them, and has a reputation as a consistent Duelist. But both of these competitors are playing similar Synchro Cat builds. This match could come down to experience, but it could also be determined by guts, or sheer luck. Which way would it go? In a few minutes we’d have our answer.
Eckroth opened the match with a Set card to each Zone. Bellido had “Solemn Judgment,” “Smashing Ground,” “Blackwing - Gale the Whirlwind,” “Sangan,” “Torrential Tribute,” and “Gorz the Emissary of Darkness.” Bellido Set “Sangan,” Set “Torrential Tribute,” and ended, a classic (and effective) opening. Eckroth Flip Summoned “Gravekeeper's Guard” next turn, bounced “Sangan,” attacked, and Set a monster. Bellido drew “X-Saber Airbellum” and Set his “Sangan” again.
Eckroth Flip Summoned “Ryko, Lightsworn Hunter,” targeted “Torrential Tribute,” and Bellido Chained it to clear the field. He got “Summoner Monk” with “Sangan.” Bellido drew “Scapegoat.” He Normal Summoned “X-Saber Airbellum,” attacked, and ran into “Mirror Force.” Ekroth Normal Summoned Blackwing – Gale, Bellido drew “Crush Card Virus,” and Normal Summoned a Gale of his own! He shrunk Eckroth’s Gale attacked it, and destroyed it.
A Set monster was Eckroth’s only move. Bellido drew and Set “Gravekeeper's Guard,” Set another Spell or Trap Card, and ended without attacking. He flipped “Crush Card Virus” in Eckroth’s Standby Phase, Tributing his Guard to reveal Eckroth’s face-down “Gravekeeper's Spy,” plus “Cold Wave,” “Pot of Avarice,” “Brain Control,” “Mind Control,” and “Rescue Cat” in hand. Eckroth Flip Summoned “Gravekeeper's Spy,” Bellido chained “Scapegoat,” and Eckroth Special Summoned another Spy in Attack Position. Eckroth took Gale with “Mind Control,” then Tuned it to one Spy for “Dark Strike Fighter.” He Tributed his previous Spy for “Dark Strike Fighter’s” effect, and that let him activate “Pot of Avarice.” He shuffled back all of the monsters in his Graveyard and drew “Book of Moon” and “Sea Koala” (revealing them for “Crush Card Virus”).
He Normal Summoned “Sea Koala” and attacked two “Sheep Tokens.” Bellido drew “Mystical Space Typhoon,” adding it to his hand of “Smashing Ground,” “Solemn Judgment,” “Summoner Monk,” and Gorz. He Normal Summoned “Summoner Monk,” discarded “Smashing Ground” for its effect, and Eckroth chained “Royal Oppression” – playing right into Bellido’s hands! He chained “Mystical Space Typhoon” to destroy Oppression and “Summoner Monk’s” effect resolved, bringing “Rescue Cat” to the field! He activated its effect to get two ‘X-Saber Airbellums.”
He Tuned one to the Monk to Synchro Summon “Black Rose Dragon”! He wiped the field, costing Eckroth his “Dark Strike Fighter,” “Sea Koala,” and “Book of Moon,” leaving himself with two cards in hand to Eckroth’s three. Eckroth drew to four next turn, nabbing Blackwing – Gale under Crush Card’s effect.
He activated “Cold Wave,” then Summoned and activated the effect of “Rescue Cat.” Bellido knew it was coming. “That’s all I could do, I just have to hope to topdeck.” (Not quite true since he was holding “Gorz the Emissary of Darkness.”) Eckroth brought out “Neo-Spacian Dark Panther” and “X-Saber Airbellum,” attacked with Airbellum, and Bellido summoned Gorz! He lost his “Solemn Judgment,” but now had field presence. Eckroth Synchro Summoned “Goyo Guardian.” Bellido topped “Heavy Storm,” turned his monsters to Defense Position and ended. Eckroth drew and lost Airbellum, but he had “Brain Control” for game! Bellido conceded and dove for his Side Deck.
Anthony Eckroth is one Duel away from a victory here in the Top 8!
Bellido opened the Duel with “Mirror of Oaths,” two “Mind Control,” “Giant Trunade,” “Mystical Space Typhoon,” and “Sangan.” He Set “Sangan,” Set Mirror, and ended. Eckroth Set a card to each Zone too. Bellido topped “Mystical Space Typhoon,” activated it, and Eckroth chained his “Threatening Roar.” Bellido took his face-down “Ryko, Lightsworn Hunter” with “Mind Control,” and Bellido Flip Summoned it to destroy itself. He sent “Brain Control,” “Mirror Force,” and “Dark Armed Dragon” to his Graveyard. Eckroth Set another Spell or Trap next turn, ended, and Bellido passed. Eckroth set a monster, Bellido activated “Giant Trunade,” and he activated his second “Mind Control,” getting Eckroth’s “Sangan”! He needed to be really careful here.
He Normal Summoned “Rescue Cat,” activated its effect, and Special Summoned two copies of “X-Saber Airbellum.” He attacked with both Airbellums and his “Sangan,” costing Eckroth “Cold Wave” and “Blackwing - Gale the Whirlwind.” He then Synchro Summoned “Goyo Guardian” to get “Blackwing - Gale the Whirlwind” with “Sangan,” passed back his opponent’s “Sangan,” and lost his Airbellum. Eckroth did nothing but Set another monster next turn.
Bellido activated “Pot of Avarice.” He shipped everything from his Graveyard back to his Deck, and drew “Des Koala” and “Dark Armed Dragon.” He had no monsters left in his Graveyard, but activated “Allure of Darkness,” removing the Koala for it. He now had “Dark Armed Dragon,” Spy, “Cold Wave,” “Blackwing - Gale the Whirlwind,” and “X-Saber Airbellum” in hand. He attacked the monster he knew not to be “Sangan” with “Goyo Guardian” – it was “Gravekeeper's Guard,” so while the Guard was destroyed its effect eliminated Goyo. Bellido Set a monster, ended, and Eckroth passed.
After a few moments’ thought Bellido activated “Cold Wave.” He Flip summoned “Gravekeeper's Spy,” summoned another, and revealed Blackwing – Gale and “Dark Armed Dragon.” That was enough for Eckroth to concede. We are going to Duel 3!
Dale Bellido struggles back from an ugly Duel 1 to strike at Duel 2. Early aggressive plays lead to advantageous moves and a win, and Bellido is still alive in this tournament.
Eckroth opened with a Set card to each Zone. Bellido had “Mirror Force,” two “X-Saber Airbellums,” “Cold Wave,” “Book of Moon,” and “Scapegoat.” He Set “Scapegoat,” Set “Mirror Force,” and ended. Eckroth Normal Summoned “Blackwing - Gale the Whirlwind,” attacked, and Bellido took the Damage. Another Set Spell or Trap ended Eckroth’s turn. Bellido summoned Airbellum, attacked Gale, but lost out to “Mirror Force.”
Play was back to Eckroth, who Flip Summoned “Sangan” and Synchro Summoned “Goyo Guardian”! He searched his Deck for “Gravekeeper's Guard” and ran Goyo into “Mirror Force.” He Set a monster and ended. Bellido activated “Allure of Darkness,” removing “Mystic Tomato” and holding “Mind Control,” “Waboku,” “Cold Wave,” Airbellum, and “Book of Moon.” He Normal Summoned Airbellum, took Eckroth’s face-down “Gravekeeper's Guard” with “Mind Control,” and attacked to make him discard “Summoner Monk.” He then Tuned Airbellum to Guard and Synchro Summoned “Arcanite Magician,” destroying Eckroth’s “Royal Oppression.” Why didn’t Eckroth Oppression it?
Eckroth tried to Special Summon “Dark Armed Dragon” next turn – that was the reason he held back on the Oppression, but he had four DARKs in his Graveyard, not three! A huge mistake by Eckroth. He Normal Summoned “Rescue Cat,” activated its effect to get to “Neo-Spacian Dark Panther” and “X-Saber Airbellum,” and was out of Level 6 Synchro monsters – he’d apparently forgotten about the “Goyo Guardian” he’d lost. He lost both monsters in his End Phase. This one was over.
Bellido blasted him with “Arcanite Magician” next turn, but Eckroth chained “Book of Moon.” Bellido Set a monster, Eckroth Set a monster, and Bellido Set a Spell or Trap. Eckroth Set a second monster, and Bellido Flip Summoned “Gravekeeper's Spy”! He Normal Summoned Blackwing – Gale, Synchro Summoned “Arcanite Magician,” destroyed Eckroth’s “Mystic Tomato” and “Gravekeeper's Spy” with Arcanite’s effect, and Flip Summoned his other Arcanite. He made three direct attacks and Eckroth was down to 4400 Life Points. Bellido still had 6700. Eckroth Set a monster.
Bellido Set two more Spell or Trap Cards, turned all his monsters to Defense Postion, and ended. Eckroth Set one Spell or Trap Card, lost it next turn to “Mystical Space Typhoon” (it was “Mind Control”), and Bellido Normal Summoned “Mystic Tomato” to attack into Eckroth’s face-down “Gravekeeper’s Spy.” He Special Summoned another one in Defense and Bellido ended.
Eckroth Set another Spell or Trap. Bellido activated “Cold Wave.”
He had “X-Saber Airbellum” in hand, with “Book of Moon,” “Mirror of Oaths,” “Waboku,” and “Scapegoat” all Set. He activated “Book of Moon” to turn one Spy face-down, then Normal Summoned Airbellum. He Tuned it to Tomato and brought out “Dark Strike Fighter”! He Flip Summoned “Gravekeeper's Spy,” brought out Guard, and Tributed everything to “Dark Strike Fighter” for game!
Dale Bellido is moving on to the Top 4!
reported by
Jason Grabher-Meyer
