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April 25, 2009
Round 2 Feature Match:
Matthew Songloke Versus Tomas Mijares
Matthew Songloke made Day 2 at SHONEN JUMP Championship San Francisco, while Tomas Mijares competed in the Top 16 of SHONEN JUMP Championship San Jose. Songloke is playing Gladiator Beasts here this afternoon, while Mijares is innovating with a “Stardust Dragon/Assault Mode” Deck. This should be interesting.
Mijares opened the match with a hand of “Allure of Darkness,” “Giant Trunade,” “Heavy Storm,” “Reinforcement of the Army,” “Destiny Hero – Malicious,” and “Destiny Draw.” He discarded Malicious for “Destiny Draw,” got “Plaguespreader Zombie,” and “Rose, Warrior of Revenge.” He activated Reinforcement, searched his Deck for “Elemental Hero Stratos,” and summoned it to dig through his Deck for “Destiny Hero - Diamond Dude.” Songloke still didn’t know exactly what Mijares was trying for.
He activated “Allure of Darkness,” drew “Dark Armed Dragon,” and “Stardust Dragon/Assault Mode” – ouch. He really didn’t want to see that in his hand. He removed Diamond Dude for Allure’s effect and ended.
Songloke Set a monster, then Set three cards to his back row! Mijares topdecked “Magical Mallet.” He counted out cards in his hand, activated “Giant Trunade,” and Songloke pondered a moment, looking through his opponent’s Graveyard; he activated “Solemn Judgment” to negate Trunade. Mijares followed up with “Heavy Storm”! Songloke chained “Enemy Controller,” tributed his “Sangan” to take control of Stratos, and lost his “Bottomless Trap Hole” – he searched his Deck for “Rescue Cat” with “Sangan’s” effect, then shuffled his remaining hand of three cards.
Mijares started running numbers. He activated “Magical Mallet,” shuffling two cards back into his Deck – a big risk without removing his Malicious. If he drew his second copy, he’d be very sad: he drew “Threatening Roar” and another “Stardust Dragon/Assault Mode” (he’d just shuffled one back with the Mallet). ‘Nuts.’ He removed his Malicious to summon another from his Deck, normal summoned “Plaguespreader Zombie,” and Synchro summoned “Stardust Dragon”! He had two darks in his Graveyard and Set “Threatening Roar” to end his turn: he took back his Stratos to finish out, and ended with “Dark Armed Dragon” and “Stardust Dragon /Assault Mode” in his hand.
Songloke drew to four cards: he had “Rescue Cat” and three unknown cards. One was “Cold Wave”: he activated it, and Mijares chained “Threatening Roar.” That left the “Rescue Cat” useless at least as far as this turn would go, and Songloke shook his head as he Set a single monster.
“Rose, Warrior of Revenge” came off the top of Mijares’ Deck, and he summoned her before moving to his Battle Phase. “Stardust Dragon” attacked, Songloke lost his face-down “Gladiator Beast Secutor” he’d been bluffing as a “Gladiator Beast Hoplomus,” and then dropped to 300 life points after Stratos and Rose attacked. Mijares then sent Rose and Stratos to the Graveyard in Main Phase 2, bringing out another Stardust. With Songloke down to 300 Life Points Mijares no longer had to fear “Brain Control.”
Songloke Summoned “Rescue Cat,” Tributed it, and Special Summoned “Test Tiger” and “Gladiator Beast Samnite” from his Deck. He tributed “Test Tiger,” sent Samnite back to his Deck, and searched out “Gladiator Beast Hoplomus” in Defense Position. He Set one card to his back row to end.
Mijares Summoned another Rose – Songloke removed it with “Bottomless Trap Hole,” but couldn’t stop the double “Stardust Dragon” attack! One Stardust took out Hoplomus and the other made a direct attack for game.
No Assault Modes hit the table, but Tomas Mijares makes short work of Songloke in game 1 anyways! Both competitors dove for their Side Decks.
Songloke opened game 2 with a Set monster and three more Set cards to his Spell and Trap Zone. Mijares had “Heavy Storm,” “Destiny Hero – Malicious”, Rose, Allure, “Skill Drain,” and “Assault Mode Activate” He activated Allure, drew another Allure and Barbaros, and removed Malicious. He then activated “Heavy Storm.”
Another “Solemn Judgment” from Songloke – Mijares considered Setting “Skill Drain,” but summoned Rose instead – she attacked, but Songloke wasn’t bluffing this time! Rose crashed into “Gladiator Beast Hoplomus,” Hoplomus tagged out, and Songloke Special Summoned “Gladiator Beast Murmillo” to destroy Rose. Mijares Set “Skill Drain,” holding Barbaros, “Assault Mode Activate,” and “Allure of Darkness.”
Murmillo attacked next turn, Mijares took 800 damage, and he flipped “Skill Drain” to keep Murmillo from tagging out! He drew “Emergency Teleport” next turn and Normal Summoned Beast King Barbaros! He sent Barbaros to attack and Songloke had to flip “Enemy Controller” to turn Barbaros to Defense Position. Mijares Set Teleport.
“Skill Drain” was still locking Songloke down – but not for long! He activated “Heavy Storm,” Mijares chained “Emergency Teleport” to bring out “Krebons,” and Songloke lost his “Book of Moon” while Mijares lost “Skill Drain.” Mijares had only Allure and “Assault Mode Activate” to Songloke’s three in-hand cards, but Songloke’s Murmillo was still trapped on the field. He summoned “Gladiator Beast Laquari,” attacked Barbaros with it to destroy the Beast King, and then brought out “Gladiator Beast Bestiari” to Special Summon Gyzarus! Gyzarus blew away “Krebons,” Songloke Set a spell or trap, and Mijares was up.
He Set his two cards to his back row and activated “Allure of Darkness,” catching “Dark Armed Dragon” and “Reinforcement of the Army”! ‘Hey, that’s a Dark!’ Chipper, Mijares removed “Dark Armed Dragon,” then used Reinforcement to get “Destiny Hero - Defender” from his Deck. He Set Defender – he’d topdecked another “Skill Drain” this turn, and had Set it too. He now had no cards in hand, “Skill Drain,” and “Assault Mode Activate” Set.
Songloke drew to three cards in hand with Gyzarus on the field, and activated “Cold Wave” – Mijares flipped “Skill Drain”! Songloke Set a monster, passed, and Mijares passed back. Songloke Set a spell or trap, Mijares Set a card to each zone, and play was back to Songloke.
He passed. Mijares had “Legendary Jujitsu Master” and Defender Set, and passed as well, this time left holding “Krebons” in hand. Songloke passed, and Mijares topped “Threatening Roar.” He just needed another copy of Rose to go off. “Go ahead.” Mijares passed.
Songloke Set another card to his back row and Mijares topdecked “Stardust Dragon/Assault Mode” again. “I love this game” he groaned. “I’ll pass.” Songloke drew and shook his head, before passing back. Mijares topped another “Legendary Jujitsu Master.”
He Set it – with his two Jujitsus and the “Krebons” he had in hand, he could theoretically get to “Stardust Dragon” next turn. He ended, and Songloke Set a third monster, telegraphing that he didn’t have “Torrential Tribute.”
Mijares drew Destiny Hero – Malicious and gave another groan, but snapped into action. He Flip Summoned one Jujitsu Master. “Flip.” He Flip Summoned another, then Normal Summoned “Krebons”! Songloke actually did have the “Torrential Tribute”! He flipped it, and lost his Gyzarus, Samnite, and Hoplomus. Mijares was baffled at his opponent’s costly bluff, and Set “Threatening Roar.” He’d been so close!
Songloke flipped his last face-down card, “Cold Wave”: Mijares didn’t chain his Roar. Songloke Normal Summoned “Gladiator Beast Laquari,” Special Summoned two copies of “Test Tiger,” and attacked with all three! Mijares drew, sighed, and Set a monster. The Duel stood at 4000 Life Points to Mijares’ 1700.
Songloke drew to three cards in hand with Laquari and the two Tigers on the field. He Summoned Bestiari, then attacked – straight into Mijares’ beautifully bluffed “Destiny Hero - Defender” to suffer 900 damage! He was still pinned down under “Skill Drain.” Mijares topdecked “Giant Trunade,” holding “Stardust Dragon/Assault Mode” and Malicious. “Go ahead.” He still had “Threatening Roar,” “Mirror Force,” and “Assault Mode Activate” Set.
Songloke turned his Tigers to Defense Position, attacked Defender, and after a bit of confusion on timing he wound up eating “Mirror Force.” He ended with two cards in hand, and Mijares drew “Monster Reborn”! He had Rose in the Graveyard and activated the Reborn – no “D.D. Crow” from Songloke! Rose hit the field, attacked a “Test Tiger,” and in Main Phase 2 he Synchro Summoned “Stardust Dragon”! Songloke Set a monster and play was back to Mijares.
He took out the second “Test Tiger” and ended, with that “Assault Mode Activate” now locked and loaded. Had he sided out his second copy of “Stardust Dragon/Assault Mode”? Oh dear – he had indeed. He activated “Giant Trunade,” Summoned “Armageddon Knight,” and used its effect to send “Plaguespreader Zombie” to the Graveyard – he clearly wanted to use its effect to stack his in-hand Dragon back to the top of his deck – that way he could play “Assault Mode Activate”! But no! Songloke had that “D.D. Crow” this time, and immediately discarded it to remove “Plaguespreader Zombie” – even though Mijares hadn’t tried to bring it back yet. In any other matchup that would’ve been a misplay, but here, it kept Mijares from unleashing his ultimate trump card. “Stardust Dragon” attacked one of Songloke’s face-downs, Murmillo, and Mijares refused to attack with the Knight. He Set three cards and ended.
Songloke summoned “Rescue Cat,” and as the result of a confusion of priority being called or not, he wound up tributing the “Rescue Cat” and getting its effect despite Mijares responding with “Skill Drain.” Mijares was down to just 700 Life Points, and Songloke Summoned Test Tiger and Samnite. He tried to attack, but Mijares flipped “Threatening Roar” to shut him down. Songloke Set his last card to his back row, and lost his “Test Tiger” and Samnite due to “Rescue Cat’s” effect!
Mijares stole Songloke’s last monster, a Samnite, with “Mind Control,” and “Stardust Dragon” swung for game! It was all over – is Tomas Mijares headed to Day 2 with Assault Modes?
‘Woah!’ Mijares breathed a sigh of relief. ‘Oh, I have to give a shoutout to Jerome McHale!’ Mijares’ deck was a rebuilt version of one given to him by McHale just a couple weeks ago, and so far it was working out pretty well for him. Assault Modes move on with a 2-0 record, as Tomas Mijares chalks up a win for Team Enigma!
-Jason Grabher-Meyer