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April 25, 2009
Round 3 Feature Match: Kirk Leonhardt Versus Ryan Hayakawa
Ryan Hayakawa is a two-time SHONEN JUMP Champion, while his opponent Kirk Leonhardt is no stranger to the Day 2 tables himself. Hayakawa is yet another competitor this weekend playing a Deck centered around “Skill Drain” – a LIGHT Beatdown Deck with “Beast King Barbaros” and a cadre of LIGHT beatsticks. Kirk is playing a Monarch variant with “Zeta Reticulant” and tons of monsters that can remove his opponent’s cards from the field. “Zeta Reticulant” will turn each successful removal of a monster into an “Eva Token,” a Level 2 monster with 500 ATK and DEF. He’ll then use those to feed more Tribute Summons.
“Skill Drain” on Hayakawa’s side will give him an edge over Leonhardt’s effect monsters, but if he can’t draw his key Trap Cards, Hayakawa will quickly get taken apart – he runs very few monsters, while Leonhardt has a ton of removal. This will either be a total blowout, or a very cool feature match.
This was the round at which every competitor was going to be given their five boosters of Crimson Crisis, so there was a bit of a delay to the beginning of the round. It was a nice breather for these two competitors, who took some time to converse about the event and the massive turnout. Both agreed that the five packs were pretty awesome: “it’s basically free!” remarked Hayakawa, a popular sentiment here this weekend. After a few minutes of chatting, it was up to Hayakawa to open the match.
He did so by Setting four back row cards. “That looks pretty ominous” remarked Kirk, drawing his sixth card. He had “Zeta Reticulant,” “D. D. Assailant,” “Dark Bribe,” “Brain Control,” “Raiza the Storm Monarch,” and “D. D. Warrior.” He Set the Warrior and ended. “I’ll say go.”
Hayakawa Summoned “Thunder King Rai-Oh,” attacked, and lost his monster to “D. D. Warrior”’s effect! Both monsters were removed from play. Kirk drew “Caius the Shadow Monarch,” Set “D. D. Assailant,” and opted not to Set his “Dark Bribe.” “Over to you.” Hayakawa passed – sure enough, it seemed as if he was running low on monsters.
“Emergency Teleport” came off the top of Kirk’s Deck, but he passed back to his opponent. Next turn Hayakawa Summoned “Elemental Hero Stratos,” searched his Deck for “Elemental Hero Neos Alius,” and attacked into “D. D. Assailant.” Again, both monsters were removed from play, but this time Hayakawa was up a card thanks to Stratos’s effect.
Kirk drew “Krebons,” Summoned it, and Set “Dark Bribe” – he passed without attacking. Hayakawa Summoned Neos Alius, activated “Smashing Ground,” and Kirk flipped the “Dark Bribe” he had no doubt been hoping to save for “Skill Drain.” Hayakawa flipped his own “Dark Bribe,” giving Kirk a free draw, but leaving “Smashing Ground” to take out “Krebons.” “Krebons” was destroyed, Alius attacked for 1900 damage, and play was to Kirk.
He drew to seven cards in hand: Raiza, Caius, “Zeta Reticulant,” “D. D. Assailant,” “Brain Control,” “Emergency Teleport,” and “Dimensional Prison.” He paid 800 Life Points to activate “Brain Control,” Hayakawa passed over his Alius, and Kirk attacked for 1900 damage. The score stood at 6100 Life Points to 5300, with Hayakawa in the lead. Kirk tributed Alius in Main Phase 2 for “Raiza the Storm Monarch” – the Summon went through, Kirk targeted one of Hayakawa’s Spell or Trap Cards, and Hayakawa was forced to chain a different one: “Bottomless Trap Hole.” He lost the targeted card to the top of his Deck and Kirk Set a spell or trap to end his turn. He had four cards left in hand.
Hayakawa drew to four cards with one in his Spell and Trap Card Zone. He Normal Summoned “Honest,” attacked, and Kirk flipped “Dimensional Prison” to remove “Honest” from play! Hayakawa Set a second Spell or Trap Card and Kirk drew his third “D. D. Assailant”! If he could keep Summoning and pressing card for card exchanges, he could take Hayakawa out of this game in short order.
But he didn’t. Instead, he Set “D. D. Assailant,” Set “Emergency Teleport,” and ended. Hayakawa did the simplification for him: he Summoned “Garoth, Lightsworn Warrior,” attacked into “D. D. Assailant,” and lost yet another monster! Hayakawa reeled! Kirk drew “Allure of Darkness” next turn.
That got him another copy of “Caius the Shadow Monarch,” plus another Allure! He removed Caius for the first Allure’s effect, then activated his second, this time getting “Dark Grepher” and ““D. D. Warrior” Lady.” He removed his second Caius for the Allure.
Still in his Main Phase, he discarded “Zeta Reticulant” to Special Summon “Dark Grepher”! Hayakawa needed to take a moment to read Zeta’s effect, and when Kirk attacked he took 1700 damage – Hayakawa dropped to 4400 Life Points. Kirk was now in the lead with 5300. He Set a monster to finish out.
Hayakawa Set a card to each zone and ended his turn with just one card in hand – three in his Spell and Trap Card Zone, and one monster Set. Kirk drew to two cards in hand, with one card Set in his back row, one monster Set, and Grepher in face-up attack. He normal Summoned “Armageddon Knight” and activated the effect, but Hayakawa paid 1000 Life Points to chain “Skill Drain”! He was down to 3400 Life Points. “No response” replied Kirk.
He flipped “Emergency Teleport,” special Summoned “Krebons,” and tuned it to “Armageddon Knight” to Synchro Summon “Goyo Guardian” – Hayakawa responded with “Solemn Judgment,” negating the Summon and dropping to 1700 Life Points – the precise ATK of “Dark Grepher.” Kirk had one card in hand, “Dark Grepher” face-up, and a monster face-down.
Grepher attacked, but couldn’t get through Hayakawa’s face-down “Honest”! Hayakawa topdecked “Beast King Barbaros” next turn, Summoned it at 3000 ATK, and ran over “Dark Grepher” for 1300 damage! Kirk drew “D. D. Warrior,” and added it to his hand alongside “D. D. Assailant.” “Skill Drain” was now a big thorn in his side. He Set “D. D. Warrior” just to protect his Life Points and ended.
Hayakawa Set another card to his Spell and Trap Card Zone, then attacked “D. D. Warrior” with Barbaros – the Warrior was destroyed. Kirk drew “Cyber Dragon,” and Set “D. D. Assailant” as another throwaway blocker. Next turn Hayakawa searched out “Elemental Hero Neos Alius” with “Reinforcement of the Army,” Summoned it in Attack Position, and sent it to wipe out “D. D. Assailant.” Barbaros destroyed Kirk’s face-down “D. D. Warrior Lady,” and Hayakawa ended. That “Skill Drain” was just wrecking Kirk.
But Kirk drew “Foolish Burial” and battled on. He Special Summoned “Cyber Dragon,” attacked Neos Alius, and dealt 200 damage – Hayakawa dropped to 1500 Life Points, and Kirk activated “Foolish Burial.” Hayakawa let it go, and Kirk sent “Treeborn Frog” to his Graveyard from his Deck. Barbaros ran over “Cyber Dragon” for 900 damage, Hayakawa Set a spell or trap, and Kirk Special Summoned his “Treeborn Frog.” He debated Setting his last card, but conceded moments later – “Honest” would take out “Treeborn Frog,” and Barbaros would finish the Duel.
Ryan Hayakawa wins the first Duel! Both competitors immediately started side Decking. Could Kirk pull this one out? Fifteen minutes remained in the match.
“I enjoyed that first game, that was well-thought” remarked Kirk. He opened with “The Immortal of Thunder,” Threatening Raor, “Karma Cut,” “D. D. Assailant,” D. D. Survivor, and “Caius the Shadow Monarch.” He Summoned “D. D. Assailant,” Set “Karma Cut,” and Set Roar. Hayakawa Set two cards to his back row and ended. That left Kirk to draw “Mirror Force,” and he made a direct attack for 1700 damage with “D. D. Assailant.” He Set “The Immortal of Thunder,” Set “Mirror Force,” and ended. He now had three cards Set in his Spell and Trap Card Zone.
Hayakawa activated “Soul Exchange”! He targeted Kirk’s “D. D. Assailant,” and then tributed it for “Mobius the Frost Monarch”! Hayakawa targeted “Karma Cut” and “Mirror Force” with Mobius’ effect, and Kirk chained “Karma Cut,” discarding D. D. Survivor to target Mobius for removal. Mobius was removed from the game, “Mirror Force” was destroyed, and Hayakawa ended.
Kirk caught another “D. D. Survivor” off the draw, and Summoned it for another attack – Hayakawa dropped to 4500 Life Points! Kirk had one monster Set, one card in hand, and one card Set in his Spell and Trap Card Zone. Hayakawa drew to four cards and Set a third spell or trap. Next, Kirk Flip Summoned “The Immortal of Thunder”! What the heck was he doing? He gained 3000 Life Points, but would lose 5000 if The Immortal went to the Graveyard.
His Plan became clear quite quickly, as he tributed D. D. Survivor for “Caius the Shadow Monarch” and tried to remove his Immortal from the field – it worked! Kirk had 11000 Life Points, and a successful attack from Caius dropped Hayakawa to 2100. “Your go.” That was nuts.
“Smashing Ground” tore through Caius, but once again Hayakawa had no followup. He Set a fourth spell or trap and ended. Kirk activated “Reinforcement of the Army,” searched his Deck for “D. D. Assailant,” and Summoned it in Attack Position – Hayakawa flipped “Torrential Tribute” and Kirk ended, now with just two cards. Hayakawa Set another spell or trap, ended, Kirk passed, and Hayakawa passed. Kirk Set another card to his back row. “Your go.” Hayakawa passed, and Kirk Normal Summoned “D. D. Warrior.” “Response?”
Hayakawa had to activate “Solemn Judgment”! He dropped to 1050 Life Points, and while he had massive card advantage (seven cards to Kirk’s four total), Kirk had 11,000 Life Points. Kirk passed, Hayakawa Set another spell or trap, and play was back to Kirk.
He drew “Dimensional Fissure,” and was holding “Zeta Reticulant” and “Mobius the Frost Monarch” with two cards Set in his Spell and Trap Card Zone. “Your go.” Hayakawa flipped “Giant Trunade” next turn, and Kirk flipped “Threatening Roar,” chaining it in response! Hayakawa Normal Summoned “Elemental Hero Neos Alius,” Set three cards, and ended.
Kirk topped “Allure of Darkness” and drew two Trap Cards: “Karma Cut” and “Dark Bribe.” He removed “Zeta Reticulant” for Allure’s effect, then Set three cards to his back row. Hayakawa entered his Battle Phase, attacked for 1900 damage, and Kirk dropped to 9100 Life Points. Hayakawa still had 1050 remaining.
“Torrential Tribute” was Kirk’s next draw, and he Set it before taking another attack from Neos Alius. “I’ll take it” he confirmed, now down to 7200 Life Points. He ripped “Brain Control” next turn!
He activated it, and Hayakawa activated another “Solemn Judgment”! Kirk chained “Dark Bribe,” and Hayakawa had no response – Kirk took control of Alius. He tributed Alius for “Mobius the Frost Monarch,” Hayakawa chained “Bottomless Trap Hole” to Mobius’ effect, and Kirk lost Mobius. Hayakawa’s other Set had been “Royal Oppression” – if Kirk had just attacked, he would’ve won then and there. Next turn he ate “Heavy Storm,” losing “Torrential Tribute,” “Dimensional Fissure,” and “Karma Cut.” He took 1900 damage from an attack by “Thunder King Rai-Oh,” Hayakawa Set a spell or trap, then Kirk Set a monster. Hayakawa tributed for “Raiza the Storm Monarch,” attacked, Kirk Set a monster again, and Hayakawa had “Caius the Shadow Monarch” to end the game! Caius removed Kirk’s face-down “D. D. Warrior Lady” and attacked for game!
Ryan Hayakawa wins a long, grueling match against Kirk Leonhardt!
-Jason
