Chicago’s Manuel Perez is a veteran of SHONEN JUMP Championship tournaments. This is his seventh event that he’s attended, and he’s made Day 2 twice before. Today he’s playing a Chaos/Alchemist Deck similar to the one Ryan Spicer made Top 8 with at SHONEN JUMP Championship Austin.

His opponent is Shane Davis, who hails from Cincinnati, and is armed with one of the new Decks debuting at today’s tournament: Gemini Beatdown. Davis’ Deck is built around strong LIGHT Gemini monsters like “Crusader of Endymion” and “Elemental Hero Neos Alius” backed by “Honest,” plus “Gemini Spark” and “Gemini Counter” from Stardust Overdrive. It’s an ambitious, aggressive build that may be able to out-speed Perez’s Chaos strategy.

Perez got the match started with two Set cards to his Spell & Trap Card Zone. He flipped one of them on Davis’s turn: “Trap Dustshoot,” revealing Davis’ hand of “Trap Dustshoot,” “Gemini Sparks,” “E – Emergency Call,” “Smashing Ground,” “Kycoo the Ghost Destroyer,” and “Dimensional Prison.” Dustshoot sent Kycoo back to Davis’s Deck, Perez’s only choice, and Davis activated Emergency Call to get “Elemental Hero Stratos.”

He Normal Summoned it, used its effect to get “Elemental Hero Neos Alius,” and attacked for 1800 damage. He Set Dustshoot, Set Prison, and ended. He flipped Dustshoot next turn and revealed Perez’s hand: “Book of Moon,” “Mind Control,” “Dark Grepher,” and “Destiny Draw.” Perez lost Grepher back to his Deck, and ended with nothing else to do.

Davis drew “Honest,” and attacked for another 1800 damage with “Elemental Hero Stratos.” Since Perez didn’t have anything on the field to destroy with “Gemini Spark,” Davis wasn’t going to over-commit quite yet by Summoning Neos Alius. Perez Set another card to his back row though, and Davis Summoned Alius next turn.

Perez flipped “Torrential Tribute,” and Davis Chained “Gemini Spark”! He Tributed Alius, targeted Perez’s face-down Spell or Trap Card and destroyed it – “Bottomless Trap Hole”! He drew a card with Spark’s effect, Set another card to his Spell & Trap Card Zone and ended. He had 3 cards in hand with 2 Set.

Perez drew to 5 cards in hand, activated “Gold Sarcophagus,” and searched his Deck for “Reinforcement of the Army.” He removed it from play, Set one Spell or Trap Card and play was to Davis. Davis drew another Neos Alius.

He Summoned it, attacked for 1900 damage, and set “Gemini Counter.” Perez Set 2 more cards to his back row and Davis attacked into “Book of Moon” – Alius went face-down. Perez had 2500 Life Points left, while Davis had 8000. Perez drew for his turn, took his “Reinforcement of the Army,” and activated it to search out “Elemental Hero Stratos.” He Normal Summoned it, searched his Deck for “Destiny Hero – Malicious,” and Davis was clearly wishing his Alius was still face-up for “Gemini Counter.” It wasn’t though, so Perez was free to discard Malicious for “Destiny Draw.” He drew 2, attacked with Stratos, and Davis responded with “Dimensional Prison” – Perez didn’t look happy, but had no response and lost his Stratos. He Set a third card to his back row, removed Malicious from his Graveyard to Special Summon another in Defense Position, then ended with 3 cards in hand.

Davis drew “Bottomless Trap Hole,” holding 2 “Honest” and a “Smashing Ground.” He Flip Summoned Neos Alius, attacked, and Malicious went down. Davis Set “Bottomless Trap Hole,” Perez Set a monster and a card to his Spell & Trap Card Zone, and Davis attacked again – into “Sangan.” “Sangan” got Perez a copy of “Ryko, Lightsworn Hunter,” and Davis Set “Solemn Judgment.”

Perez Set Ryko. Davis Tributed his Alius next turn for “Gemini Spark,” destroying the face-down Ryko, and drawing a card! He Normal Summoned “Kycoo the Ghost Destroyer,” attacked, and Perez responded with “Dimensional Prison.” Davis didn’t chain “Solemn Judgment” and Kycoo was removed. Davis ended his turn by Setting a fourth card to his Spell & Trap Card Zone.

Perez Summoned “Dimensional Alchemist,” activated its effect, and removed “Chaos Sorcerer,” but the Alchemist was swallowed up by “Bottomless Trap Hole.” The Alchemist’s destruction let Perez take “Chaos Sorcerer” from his ‘removed zone’. Davis ended with a fourth Set card to his back row. Davis Summoned “Thunder King Rai-Oh,” the perfect card to block that “Chaos Sorcerer.”

He attacked, but lost “Thunder King Rai-Oh” to “Mirror Force.” Next turn Perez brought back his Alchemist with “Call of the Haunted,” removed “Mystic Tomato” with Alchemist’s effect, and attacked for 1800 damage. He Set a monster to finish out. Davis drew “Skill Drain,” holding two “Honest” and “Smashing Ground.”

He Summoned “Honest,” attacked Perez’s face-down “Plaguespreader Zombie,” and destroyed it. A good read by Davis: if Perez wanted to use that “Plaguespreader Zombie” now he’d have to give up a card from his hand to bring it back from the Graveyard. In Main Phase 2 Davis destroyed Alchemist with “Smashing Ground,” Perez took back his “Mystic Tomato,” and Davis Set “Skill Drain.”

Perez removed “Sangan” and “Dimensional Alchemist” to Special Summon “Chaos Sorcerer,” activated its effect, and Davis Chained “Skill Drain.” He dropped to 5200 Life Points. He then Chained “Bottomless Trap Hole,” removing the Sorcerer from the game! Perez Set another monster afterwards.

Davis drew “Royal Oppression.” He attacked, hit “Mystic Tomato,” and Set Oppression. Tomato went to Attack Position, attacked “Honest,” and Davis deflected it with his second copy of “Honest.” Perez dropped to 1400 Life Points and Special Summoned “Krebons” from his Deck with the Tomato’s ability. Perez took “Honest” with “Mind Control,” Tuned it to “Krebons,” tried to bring out “Goyo Guardian,” but Davis flipped up “Royal Oppression” and used its effect! Goyo was destroyed and Perez Set another Spell or Trap. He Normal Summoned another Tomato and ended. Davis drew, Set his card to his back row and passed back.

Perez attacked with Tomato for 1400 damage, Set a monster, and Davis Summoned another “Thunder King Rai-Oh.” Thunder King attacked Tomato, dropped Perez to 900 Life Points, and Perez didn’t have anything left in his Deck to Special Summon with Tomato’s effect. He activated “Allure of Darkness,” removed Kycoo for Allure’s effect, then Flip Summoned “Destiny Hero – Diamond Dude” and activated “Brain Control.” Davis Chained Dark Bribe to negate it. Perez Chained “Solemn Judgment,” and Davis Chained his own! Perez had just 50 Life Points left, and was now vulnerable with that Attack Position Diamond Dude on the field!

He activated “Heavy Storm,” clearing the field, and had two cards left in hand. He placed one back on his Deck for “Plaguespreader Zombie,” Tuned it to Diamond Dude, and Synchro Summoned “Brionac, Dragon of the Ice Barrier.” Davis responded with “Thunder King Rai-Oh’s” effect, destroying Brionac. Perez Set his last monster.

Davis Summoned “Crusader of Endymion” and attacked into “Ryko, Lightsworn Hunter.” Both monsters were destroyed. Both Duelists were top-Decking at this point, with no cards in hand. Perez Set a Spell or Trap Card, Davis Set one as well, and Perez Summoned “Card Trooper”! He Sent 3 cards to his Graveyard to power Trooper up to 1900 ATK, attacked, and that was game!

Manuel Perez pulls out all the stops, chalking up a win in the first Duel with just 50 Life Points and 2 cards left in his Deck! Davis would now have to take 2 Duels straight to win the match. Ten minutes remained in the round.

Davis opened Duel 2 with 2 “E – Emergency Calls,” “Thunder King Rai-Oh,” “Honest,” “Reinforcement of the Army,” and “Gemini Counter.” He activated Call, searched out “Elemental Hero Neos Alius,” and Summoned it. He Set “Gemini Counter,” Set “Reinforcement of the Army,” and ended, bluffing a much stronger opening than what he actually had. Perez Set a monster, Set a card to his Spell & Trap Card Zone, and passed back.

Davis flipped “Reinforcement of the Army,” searched out “Elemental Hero Stratos,” and got another Neos Alius. He attacked with Alius, hit “Mirror Force,” and Set another card to his back row. Perez Set another monster, another Spell or Trap, and ended.

Another Emergency Call got Davis another Neos Alius, and he Normal Summoned it. Alius attacked Perez’s face-down “Mystic Tomato,” the Tomato got Perez “Plaguespreader Zombie,” and Davis Set “Royal Oppression.” Perez activated “Mystical Space Typhoon” in the End Phase, but Davis Chained “Gemini Counter” to negate it! Neos Alius went face-down.

“Reinforcement of the Army” got Perez his Stratos, and when he Normal Summoned it he searched out “Destiny Hero – Malicious.” Perez switched Plaguespreader to Defense Position, attacked Alius with Stratos, and ended. Davis Summoned another Neos Alius next turn, attacked over Stratos, and Set another Spell or Trap.

Davis Summoned “Mystic Tomato,” activated “Mind Control,” and Davis Chained “Solemn Judgment” to negate it and keep control of his Neos Alius. Perez passed, Davis hammered “Thunder King Rai-Oh” to the table, and attacked “Sangan” – and Perez couldn’t search his Deck due to Thunder King’s effect! Alius then destroyed “Plaguespreader Zombie.”

Perez activated “Brain Control,” but Davis had “Gemini Counter” yet again! “Brain Control” was negated, Alius went face-down, and “Mystic Tomato” attacked and destroyed it. Davis activated “Smashing Ground” to destroy “Mystic Tomato,” made a direct attack, and Perez Summoned “Gorz the Emissary of Darkness”! He Summoned its Token and attacked Thunder King – Davis dropped “Honest” to destroy Gorz. Perez Set a Spell or Trap, Set a monster, and ended.

Davis attacked and destroyed the Set monster – “Dimensional Alchemist” – and Perez had nothing removed from play to retrieve with Alchemist’s effect! Perez Set another Spell or Trap, turned his “Emissary of Darkness Token” to Defense Position, and Davis pressed through it with “Honest” next turn. Perez activated “Allure of Darkness,” drew 2, and removed “Destiny Hero – Malicious” from his hand. He Set a third Spell or Trap.

Davis attacked for another 1900 damage and Perez went to 2200 Life Points. He Set a fourth Spell or Trap, Davis attacked, and “Dimensional Prison” removed Thunder King from play. Davis Set “Honest.” Perez Set a Monster, and Davis drew “Gemini Spark.” He Flip Summoned “Honest,” activated “Skill Drain,” and attacked into “Legendary Jujitsu Master,” taking 700 damage. He dropped to 2300 Life Points and couldn’t take back his “Honest.”

Perez had another Allure! He activated it, drew 2, and removed his “Tragoedia.” Davis passed, and Perez activated “Heavy Storm” to wipe the field! He had 2 cards left in his hand with Jujitsu Master still on the field.

He sent a card back to the top of his Deck, Special Summoned “Plaguespreader Zombie,” and Synchro Summoned “Ally of Justice Catastor”! Catastor destroyed “Honest,” Davis Set 2 cards to his back row, and Catastor attacked into “Dimensional Prison.” Perez activated “Call of the Haunted,” brought back Gorz, but lost it to “Bottomless Trap Hole”! He Normal Summoned his last monster, “Breaker the Magical Warrior,” and ended.

Davis Set 2 cards to his back row, lost “Gemini Spark” to Breaker’s effect, and Breaker attacked – Davis revealed his last Set card, “Heavy Storm”! Breaker scored a direct attack and this Duel was over!

Manuel Perez scores two narrow wins to take the match! Shane Davis gets his “Gemini Sparks” and “Gemini Counters” into the game, but it’s just not quite enough to overcome the experienced Perez’s tight play! Perez moves on with a 1-0 record.

Post-Event Analysis!
See what our panel of experts had to say about this Duel after the event was over.

Michael Kohanim (2009 World Championship Competitor)
Davis was able to make some great plays with “Gemini Spark” in this Match. Instead of immediately Setting it in Duel 1 before he even had Neos Alius on the field, he waited for his opponent to flip “Torrential Tribute” and then chained it from his hand. This way, he was able to fish out an opponent’s Trap Card with his Neos Alius, blow up the face-down “Bottomless Trap Hole,” plus draw a card with “Gemini Spark’s” effect.

Davis also did a good job using the knowledge of his opponent’s hand to make some great plays later on in the game. When he saw that Perez searched his Deck for “Ryko, Lightsworn Hunter” with “Sangan,” he used “Gemini Spark” to destroy it while it was face-down, before it could activate its Flip Effect.

Matt Peddle (2009 Canadian National Championship Runner-Up; Five-Time Top 8 National Finalist)
The first game is an exciting duel that takes a long time to finish. Unfortunately for Davis, it ends sooner than he would have liked because of one small mistake. After drawing “Royal Oppression,” Davis attacks a face-down monster, which turns out to be “Mystic Tomato.” Leaving his “Honest” is in Attack Position, Davis has to save it next turn by wasting another “Honest” from his hand. That allows Perez to get “Krebons” and use his “Mind Control” to tune “Mystic Tomato” to “Krebons.” Although the Synchro Summon is negated by “Royal Oppression,” both copies of “Honest” were lost. Without monsters, Davis loses control of the duel.

Michael McTavish (Top 8 Finalist – 2009 Canadian National Championship)
I’m curious why Davis ran “Heavy Storm” in a Deck with “Skill Drain” and “Royal Oppression.” That card slot could have gone to something a bit more effective when combined with his strategy.

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