Last year at SHONEN JUMP Championship Houston, Jon Moore was victorious with a Six Samurai Deck. Today, Isaac Winslett is playing the same Deck, and is so far undefeated here in Round 4.

His opponent Rudy Maldonado hails from Del Rio, right here in Texas. He’s playing a “Blackwing – Vayu the Emblem of Honor” Deck that looks similar to the one that won in Orlando three weeks ago.

Winslett opened the Match with “The Six Samurai – Zanji,” “Brain Control,” “Call of the Haunted,” “Grandmaster of the Six Samurai,” “Spirit of the Six Samurai,” and “Six Samurai United.” He activated “Six Samurai United,” Normal Summoned Zanji, but didn’t Special Summon Grandmaster.

Maldonado punished him for that next turn, activating “Mystical Space Typhoon” to destroy United and running over Zanji with “Blackwing – Sirocco the Dawn.” He Set two cards to his Spell & Trap Card Zone, and hammered Winslett with “Trap Dustshoot” next turn to send Grandmaster back to his Deck. Winslett Set “Threatening Roar” and “Call of the Haunted,” but lost both to “Icarus Attack.” All he had left was “Brain Control” and “Spirit of the Six Samurai.”

Maldonado Summoned “Blackwing – Shura the Blue Flame,” attacked for 1800 damage, and ended. Winslett drew another “Threatening Roar,” Set it, and passed. He took another 1800 damage from Shura, dropping to 4200 Life Points. Winslett Set “Mystical Space Typhoon” next turn, and lost out yet again to “Heavy Storm.” He Chained “Threatening Roar” though, saving some Life Points.

He drew and Set “Heavy Storm” next turn, but didn’t seem particularly confident in his own bluff. Winslett just didn’t have enough cards at this point to fight through Maldonado’s massive hand. Winslett Set “Mirror Force,” but Maldonado just attacked with Shura, threatening a win if he had “Blackwing – Kalut the Moon Shadow.” Winslett had to flip the “Mirror Force,” destroying just Shura. Maldonado ended his turn with another Set card to his back row.

“Solemn Judgment” was Winslett’s next draw, and he flipped his “Heavy Storm” to destroy Maldonado’s bluffed “Brain Control.” He Set Solemn, let Maldonado Summon “Blackwing – Bora the Spear” next turn, and tasted defeat when Maldonado attacked and revealed Kalut.

Maldonado played the conservative aggressor perfectly, and grinded his way to a win in the first Duel. Duel 2 began just moments later.

Winslett began by activating “Six Samurai United,” Normal Summoned Irou, and this time he Special Summoned Grandmaster. He drew 2 cards with United (“Smashing Ground” and “Spirit of the Six Samurai”), set “Reckless Greed,” and ended. It was a far safer opening than the one he’d risked last game.

“Allure of Darkness” got Maldonado 2 cards at the cost of “Blackwing – Bora the Spear.” He took control of Grandmaster with “Brain Control,” attacked Irou, and destroyed it before Setting a monster, then Setting three cards to his Spell & Trap Card Zone. He passed back Grandmaster in the End Phase.

Winslett drew another Grandmaster, then used “Reinforcement of the Army” to search his Deck for “The Six Samurai – Yaichi.” He Normal Summoned Yaichi, activated its effect with priority, and targeted Maldonado’s face-down Book of Moon. He Chained it to turn Yaichi face-down. Grandmaster attacked, Maldonado Chained “Icarus Attack” to Tribute the Vayu that was being attacked, and lost out when Winslett chained “My Body As A Shield”! But with the field cleared, and with Grandmaster able to replay its attack to deal Battle Damage with a direct swing, Winslett ended his turn without attacking.

Next turn, Maldonado Summoned “Blackwing – Sirocco the Dawn,” and boosted it over Grandmaster with “Blackwing – Kalut the Moon Shadow.” In the End Phase, Winslett activated “Reckless Greed.” He Flip Summoned Yaichi next turn, Specal Summoned another Grandmaster, and Normal Summoned “Spirit of the Six Samurai.” He attached Spirit to Grandmaster, and activated “Fissure” to clear the field. Winslett Set a card to his back row to end.

Maldonado Special Summoned “Blackwing Armed Wing” by removing “Blackwing – Vayu the Emblem of Honor” and Sirocco from his Graveyard, but ran it into “Mirror Force.” He had nothing left but his draw for the turn, and passed. He took 3900 damage from Yaichi and Grandmaster next turn, and was left with just 700 Life Points. Maldonado Set a monster and ended, while Winslett topped “Hand of the Six Samurai” for game! He Summoned Hand, tributed Yaichi for the Hand’s effect, and destroyed Maldonado’s Set Kalut to clear the way for Grandmaster and Yaichi.

A few missed opportunities only slow Winslett down a little, as he presses through to win the second Duel! There was no Side Decking – just some quick and thorough shuffling before Duel 3 began.

Maldonado opened the last Duel with a Set monster and a Set card to his back row. Winslett had “Grandmaster of the Six Samurai,” “The Six Samurai – Yaichi,” “The Six Samurai – Zanji,” “The Six Samurai United,” “Heavy Storm” and “Great Shogun Shien.”

He activated “The Six Samurai United,” Summoned Zanji, and walked straight into “Bottomless Trap Hole” – Winslett ended. Maldonado Tributed his face-down “Plaguespreader Zombie” for “Blackwing – Sirocco the Dawn,” attacked for 2000 damage, and destroyed United with “Mystical Space Typhoon.” He ended with nothing in his Spell & Trap Card Zone.

Winslett drew “Mirror Force.” He Normal Summoned Yaichi, Special Summoned Grandmaster, and Special Summoned “Great Shogun Shien”! He attacked with Shogun, but Maldonado fired back with Kalut, and Winslett didn’t shift the destruction of Shogun Shien to Yaichi or Grandmaster. He just let Shien go, Setting “Mirror Force.”

He lost everything next turn as Maldonado brought back “Plaguespreader Zombie” and Synchro Summoned “Black Rose Dragon” to wipe the field. He Normal Summoned “Blackwing – Shura the Blue Flame,” attacked for 1800 damage, and a turn later it was all over as Maldonado Special Summoned “Black Rose Dragon” just to deal more damage with “Call of the Haunted.”

Isaac Winslett’s undefeated streak ends, handing this Match over to Rudy Maldonado.