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Round 1 Feature Match: Mike Powers Versus Germal Daniel
It’s Round 1, and everybody wants to see X-Sabers in action! Mike Powers, from Buffalo, New York, is playing X-Sabers with “Charge of the Light Brigade” and “Solar Recharge.” His aim? To load his Graveyard and get the most out of “XX-Saber Ragigura,” “XX-Saber Faultroll,” and his three copies of “Gottoms’ Emergency Call”!
His opponent is German Daniel from Maryland, who’s here today playing DARK “Skill Drain” with Destiny Heroes. That could be a problem for Powers, whose Deck is heavy on effect monsters but low on Spell & Trap Card removal. He’s not running “Saber Slash,” because he doesn’t have room for it with all the Lightsworn cards in his Deck.
Powers opened the match with a hand of “XX-Saber Faultroll,” “Foolish Burial,” two “XX-Saber Ragiguras,” “Torrential Tribute,” and “Mystical Space Typhoon.” He Set “Torrential Tribute” and ended. Daniel Normal Summoned “Sangan,” attacked for 1000 Battle Damage, and Set two cards to his Spell & Trap Card Zone. Powers was up, drawing “XX-Saber Fulhelmknight,” but Daniel activated “Trap Dustshoot”!
He sent Fulhelmknight back to Powers’ Deck, robbing Powers of the only monster he had that could attack over “Sangan” this turn. He passed, with nothing really to do. Daniel activated “Destiny Draw” next turn, discarding “Destiny Hero – Malicious” to draw two cards, then attacked for another 1000 damage with “Sangan.” Daniel was playing it safe, possibly thinking he had Powers on the ropes. In Main Phase 2, he activated “Reinforcement of the Army,” searched his Deck for “Elemental Hero Stratos,” and ended without Summoning it.
Powers drew “XX-Saber Gardestrike,” and Set Ragigura and “Mystical Space Typhoon.” With 2100 ATK, Gardestrike was his best way out of this at the moment, but Gardestrike requires 2 “X-Saber” monsters in the Graveyard to Special Summon. Powers seemed determined to Summon Gardestrike, even if it meant sacrificing Ragiguras to get them into the Graveyard quickly.
Daniel Summoned Stratos next turn, got “Destiny Hero - Plasma” from his Deck, and discarded it for a second “Destiny Draw”! He sent Stratos to attack Ragigura, then made another direct attack with “Sangan.” “Allure of Darkness” got Daniel two more cards in Main Phase 2, and he removed “Mystic Tomato” for Allure’s effect.
Powers drew “Rescue Cat,” then snapped into action, flipping “Mystical Space Typhoon” to destroy his opponent’s “Mirror Force,” and used “Foolish Burial” to send “XX-Saber Faultroll” from his Deck to his Graveyard. This gave him the second X-Saber he needed to Special Summon Gardestrike from his hand. Powers then Normal Summoned “Rescue Cat” and used it to Special Summon two copies of “X-Saber Airbellum” from his Deck!
With three X-Sabers on the field, Powers Special Summoned “XX-Saber Faultroll” with its effect from his hand, and used its ability to Special Summon Ragigura from his Graveyard, then used Ragigura’s effect to bring his other Faultroll back to his hand! With two Faultrolls at his disposal, Powers had set up a combo that would let him discard all of his opponent’s in-hand cards this turn.
With a full field, Powers Tuned one Airbellum to Faultroll and Synchro Summoned “XX-Saber Gottoms”! He then Tributed Ragigura for Gottoms’ discard effect, and forced Daniel to discard “Krebons.” Powers Special Summoned his second Faultroll from the hand, Tributed the first one for another discard, Special Summoned Ragigura with the new Faultroll to get back the other Faultroll, and after a flurry of Special Summoning and Tributing, Daniel had lost his entire five card hand! Powers had two Airbellums, “XX-Saber Gottoms,” Gardestrike, and Faultroll on the field.
Faultroll attacked Stratos, Gottoms ran over “Sangan,” and Daniel got “Plaguespreader Zombie” from his Deck with “Sangan’s” effect. It didn’t really matter what he chose – direct attacks from Gardestrike and the remaining two Airbellums were enough to finish the Duel!
A rocky start for Mike Powers turns into an explosive flurry of discard effects, as Germal Daniel loses eight cards in one turn to the wrath of X-Sabers!
“I’ve never played against that Deck” remarked Daniel as he used his Side Deck and shuffled for Duel 2.
“That’s the plan for today” smiled Powers, visibly relieved after playing out of that tough opening. The second Duel began moments later.
Daniel started Duel 2 by Setting a single Spell & Trap Card. Powers had “Charge of the Light Brigade,” “Morphing Jar,” “Card Trooper,” “Foolish Burial”, “XX-Saber Fulhelmknight,” and “XX-Saber Gardestrike.” He activated Charge, sending “X-Saber Airbellum,” “XX-Saber Ragigura,” and “Ryko, Lightsworn Hunter” to his Graveyard to get another Ryko from his Deck. He was already locked and loaded, able to Special Summon Gardestrike. He Set Ryko.
Daniel passed – exactly what Powers wanted to see. He drew “XX-Saber Faultroll,” then Flip Summoned Ryko to try and destroy Daniel’s Set card. It was “Scapegoat,” and Daniel Chained it to Special Summon four “Sheep Tokens.” Powers sent Airbellum, Fulhelmknight, and “Gottom’s Emergency Call” from his Deck to his Graveyard with Ryko’s effect.
Powers had Fulhelmknight, Gardestrike, Faultroll, and “Foolish Burial” in hand – another hand-devastating combo if he could get Ryko off the field or do some Special Summoning with Fulhelmknight! He Normal Summoned Fulhelmknight and attacked a “Sheep Token,” but when he tried to Special Summon his second Fulhelmknight with his first, he lost out to Daniel’s “D.D. Crow.” (Neither Duelist nor the table judge caught the fact that D.D. Crow can’t be Chained to Fulhelmknight’s effect in the damage step, as it’s not an effect that modifies ATK or DEF, but play continued past the point of rewinding and correction.) Ryko attacked another “Sheep Token,” and Powers ended his turn.
Daniel activated “Brain Control,” taking Fulhelmknight. He Normal Summoned “Kycoo the Ghost Destroyer,” stripped Powers’ Graveyard of Ragigura and Airbellum with Kycoo’s attack, then Synchro Summoned “Stardust Dragon” in Main Phase 2. He Set one card to his Spell & Trap Card Zone to finish out.
Powers drew another “Charge of the Light Brigade.” He activated it, sending “X-Saber Galahad,” “Ryko, Lightsworn Hunter,” and “Foolish Burial” to the Graveyard to get “Lyla, Lightsworn Sorceress.” Powers Set a Monster Card, Set a card to his Spell & Trap Card Zone, and ended. Daniel Summoned “Mystic Tomato” next turn and attacked with “Stardust Dragon” into “Morphing Jar”! Both players got new hands, and “Mystic Tomato” attacked for 1400 damage. Daniel Set two cards to his Spell & Trap Card Zone.
Powers drew next turn and was again confronted with “Trap Dustshoot.” He had Lyla, Fulhelmknight, “One-For-One,” “Solar Recharge,” “Mystical Space Typhoon,” and “Heavy Storm.” Daniel sent Lyla back to Powers’ Deck, depriving him of big potential plays with “Solar Recharge” and “One-For-One” this turn that could have resulted in Faultroll returning to the field. He activated “Mystical Space Typhoon,” destroying Daniel’s face-down “Bottomless Trap Hole.”
He then flipped “Foolish Burial,” sending “XX-Saber Ragigura” to the Graveyard from his Deck. He Normal Summoned Fulhelmknight, attacked Daniel’s remaining “Sheep Token,” but lost out again on Fulhelmknight’s effect – this time to Daniel’s “Skill Drain,” activated in response to the attack declaration! Powers could do nothing but end his turn.
Daniel drew two more cards with “Allure of Darkness,” removing “Destiny Hero - Plasma” from his hand. He Normal Summoned “Kycoo the Ghost Destroyer” and Powers conceded.
Germal Daniel fights back, repeatedly stopping “XX-Saber Fulhelmknight’s” effect and depriving Mike Powers of his biggest moves! Powers was kicking himself for not spotting the illegal “D.D. Crow” play. This one would come down to a third Duel.
Powers opened with “Morphing Jar,” “Charge of the Light Brigade,” “XX-Saber Faultroll”, two “Foolish Burials” and “Gottoms’ Emergency Call.” He activated Charge, sending “Lyla, Lightsworn Sorceress,” “Dust Tornado,” and another Emergency Call to the Graveyard to get “Ryko, Lightsworn Hunter.” He activated both copies of “Foolish Burial,” sending another Faultroll and Ragigura to the Graveyard, then Set “Morphing Jar” and Emergency Call! It seemed as if big things were in store for next turn.
Daniel shuffled his hand, seemingly unsure of his next move. He Summoned “Kycoo the Ghost Destroyer,” attacked, and ran into “Morphing Jar”! Both players got new hands and Powers grinned ear to ear! Daniel only Set one card to his Spell & Trap Card Zone.
But it was a good one – Powers tried to Special Summon “XX-Saber Gardestrike,” and Daniel flipped “Royal Oppression” in response! “That ruins everything,” remarked Powers, reeling. Gardestrike was destroyed. Powers had two Fulhelmknights, another Gardestrike, Airbellum, and Ragigura in hand – nothing that could take out Kycoo this turn. If it wasn’t for “Royal Oppression,” he could have Special Summoned Gardestrike, Normal Summoned Ragigura, brought back Faultroll and gone off, but Oppression threatened to end this match.
Daniel discarded “Destiny Hero – Malicious” for “Lightning Vortex” next turn, tried to Special Summon his second Malicious, and Powers negated the Summon with “Royal Oppression’s” effect. He took 1800 damage from Kycoo and lost Ragigura and Faultroll from the Graveyard, due to Kycoo’s effect.
Powers drew another monster, Summoned another Fulhelmknight, and took heavy losses to Kycoo and “Beast King Barbaros” next turn. He was down to to 4900 Life Points and lost his other Faultroll and Fulhelmknight from his Graveyard.
He drew and Set “Ryko, Lightsworn Hunter” next turn, and Daniel attacked into it with Barbaros. Powers destroyed “Royal Oppression” with Ryko’s Flip Effect, then took another 1800 damage from Kycoo after sending three more cards to his Graveyard. He lost Airbellum and another Fulhelmknight to Kycoo’s effect. Daniel Set a Spell or Trap Card and Set a monster.
Powers destroyed Daniel’s “Return from the Different Dimension” with “Mystical Space Typhoon.” He Special Summoned Gardestrike, Normal Summoned “Rescue Cat,” and used it to Special Summon “X-Saber Airbellum” and Ryko from his Deck. He had Ragigura and another Airbellum in hand, with “Gottoms’ Emergency Call” Set. He Tuned Airbellum to Ryko to Synchro Summon “Magical Android,” then flipped “Gottoms’ Emergency Call” to Special Summon another Gardestrike and another Airbellum!
One Gardestrike attacked Daniel’s face-down monster: “Destiny Hero - Defender”! It survived due to its 2700 DEF. The second Gardestrike attacked over Kycoo, and “Magical Android” destroyed Barbaros. Airbellum did not make an attack. Each Duelist had two cards remaining in hand. Powers moved to Main Phase 2.
He Tuned Airbellum to one of his Gardestrikes to Synchro Summon “Colossal Fighter,” briefly considering “Thought Ruler Archfiend” instead. He ended, and Daniel drew to three cards in hand. The Duel stood at 3400 Life Points to 6400 Life Points in Daniel’s favor.
He Normal Summoned “Plaguespreader Zombie,” and Tuned it to “Destiny Hero - Defender” to Synchro Summon “Goyo Guardian.” He attacked “Magical Android” with “Goyo Guardian” to bring Powers down to 3000 Life Points, then Special Summoned “Magical Android” with Goyo’s effect. In Main Phase 2, he sent a card back to the top of his Deck to Special Summon “Plaguespreader Zombie,” Tuned it to “Magical Android,” and Synchro Summoned “Black Rose Dragon” to blow away the field. Time was called and Daniel’s turn ended. Powers would have two turns to win.
He Normal Summoned “X-Saber Airbellum,” attacked, and Daniel lost “Krebons” – his only in-hand card. He drew and Set a monster next turn, and Powers drew: he had Emergency Call, Ragigura, and Galahad in hand. Airbellum attacked Daniel’s face-down “Sangan,” and Galahad swung to reduce Daniel to 2700 Life Points!
Those points made the difference, and “X-Saber Galahad” wins the match for Mike Powers! Powers survives three Kycoo shots and “Royal Oppression” to steal the third Duel! Unbelievable!
reported by
Jason Grabher-Meyer
