Only 4 Duelists remained at this point in the tournament, and whoever won this match would move to the Final Match and was guaranteed a copy of the SHONEN JUMP Championship prize card “Dark End Dragon.” The other Duelist would play off for third place and a shot at their own “Dark End Dragon,” but defeat there would mean no prize card. Vincent Ralambomiadana was playing his French Twilight Deck, while George Murray was running Blackwings.

Murray opened the match with “Black Whirlwind” and “Blackwing – Shura the Blue Flame,” searching “Blackwing – Bora the Spear” from his Deck. He Set a card to his Spell & Trap Card Zone to end.

Ralambomiadana had “Lyla, Lightsworn Sorceress,” “Heavy Storm,” “Solar Recharge,” “Jain, Lightsworn Paladin,” “Garoth, Lightsworn Warrior,” and “Honest.” He activated “Heavy Storm,” destroying Whirlwind and “Bottomless Trap Hole.” He discarded “Garoth, Lightsworn Warrior” for “Solar Recharge,” drew “Wulf, Lightsworn Beast” and “Aurkus, Lightsworn Druid,” sending “Allure of Darkness” and “Celestia, Lightsworn Angel” to his Graveyard. He Summoned Jain, attacked, and destroyed Shura in battle! In the End Phase he sent Wulf and “Necro Gardna” to his Graveyard, Special Summoning Wulf – a huge opening turn.

Murray Set a monster, Set a card to his back row, and ended. Ralambomiadana attacked next turn, but lost both his monsters to “Icarus Attack” – Murray Tributed his Set Bora to pull off the move and clear the field. Ralambomiadana Summoned “Aurkus, Lightsworn Druid” in Main Phase 2, Set a Spell or Trap Card, and sent “Tragoedia” and “Plaguespreader Zombie” to his Graveyard in the End Phase.

Murray activated “Heavy Storm,” Ralambomiadana Chained “Beckoning Light,” and took back “Honest,” Celestia, and Lyla from his Graveyard. He was now visibly threatening Murray with a Celestia play next turn, protecting Aurkus with “Honest” if Murray were to attack. Murray Summoned “Blackwing – Blizzard the Far North,” Special Summoned Bora from his Graveyard with Blizzard’s effect, then Tuned Blizzard to Bora to Synchro Summon “Goyo Guardian.” Goyo attacked Aurkus, play proceeded to damage calculation, and “Honest” boosted Aurkus over “Goyo Guardian” to destroy it. Murray Set 1 card to his Spell & Trap Card Zone with 1 card left in hand.

Ralambomiadana attacked with Aurkus, but lost Aurkus to “Mirror Force.” Ralambomiadana ended with an empty field. Murray Special Summoned “Dark Armed Dragon,” held from the previous turn. Dark Armed attacked, Ralambomiadana removed “Necro Gardna,” and Murray ended.

Ralambomiadana removed “Tragoedia” and Wulf from his Graveyard to Special Summon “Chaos Sorcerer.” Sorcerer removed “Dark Armed Dragon” from the field, Ralambomiadana Summoned Lyla, and attacked for 1700 damage. She sent Lumina, “Necro Gardna,” and “Beckoning Light” to the Graveyard in Ralambomiadana’s End Phase.

Murray Set a monster, Set a Spell or Trap, and ended. Lyla’s effect blew away his “Bottomless Trap Hole” next turn, Ralambomiadana Tributed Lyla for Celestia, sent 4 cards to his Graveyard, and destroyed Murray’s face-down “Blackwing – Bora the Spear.” All Ralambomiadana needed to do to win at that point was Special Summon “Plaguespreader Zombie” to win, but he Summoned his “Dark Armed Dragon” as well just to make sure he’d get the job done.

Vincent Ralambomiadana takes the first Duel with authority, and is just 1 win away from a seat in the finals!

Murray got Duel 2 started with “Black Whirlwind” and “Blackwing – Shura the Blue Flame,” again searching “Blackwing – Bora the Spear” with his combo. He Set another Spell or Trap to end.

Ralambomiadana had 2 “Solar Recharges,” “Tragoedia,” “Charge of the Light Brigade,” “Lumina, Lightsworn Summoner,” and “Judgment Dragon.” He activated Charge, sent another Recharge, “Celestia, Lightsworn Angel,” and “Heavy Storm” to his Graveyard to get “Garoth, Lightsworn Warrior.” He discarded Garoth for Recharge, drew “Necro Gardna” and Charge, and sent “Lyla, Lightsworn Sorceress” and “Allure of Darkness” to his Graveyard. He activated the next Charge, sent “Necro Gardna,” “Royal Decree,” and “Lumina, Lightsworn Summoner” to his Graveyard, then got “Jain, Lightsworn Paladin.”

He Special Summoned “Judgment Dragon,” but Murray flipped “Royal Oppression” to negate the Summon! “Charge of the Light Brigade” discarded Jain for Recharge, drawing Wulf and “Honest” while sending Charge and “Gorz the Emissary of Darkness” to the Graveyard. He ended his turn with no field, and Tragoedia in hand. Murray instantly ran the math to calculate Tragoedia’s ATK.

He Summoned Bora, searched his Deck for “Blackwing – Kalut the Moon Shadow” with “Black Whirlwind’s” effect, then attacked with Bora for 1700 Battle Damage. He did not attack with Shura, then Set 2 cards to his back row.

Ralambomiadana drew Celestia and passed. Bora attacked again, and Ralambomiadana Special Summoned “Tragoedia” in Defense Position, and it hit the field with 3000 DEF. Shura attacked “Tragoedia” and Ralambomiadana removed “Necro Gardna,” fearing that Kalut.

He discarded Wulf next turn for “Tragoedia’s” effect, taking control of Shura – a great play that’s unique to Ralambomiadana’s “Tragoedia” build of Twilight. He sent Shura to attack Bora, but lost out to Kalut. Murray Normal Summoned Gale, halved “Tragoedia’s” ATK and DEF, then ran it over with Bora for 200 damage. Gale attacked and Murray ended.

Ralambomiadana Summoned Lumina, and Murray flipped “Trap Hole”! Ralambomiadana ended with 1800 Life Points. Murray Tuned Gale to Bora, Ralambomiadana paid 800 Life Points to negate the Summon of “Blackwing Armor Master,” and Murray Summoned “Blackwing – Blizzard the Far North.” He constructed the resulting Chain to keep “Royal Oppression” from being Chained, but found no targets for Whirlwind’s effect in his Graveyard. Still it was game anyways – Ralambomiadana had just 1000 Life Points, and Blizzard struck for game.

George Murray uses a clever Chaining tactic and a brutal “Royal Oppression” in the early game to take the second Duel. We were headed to Duel 3.

Ralambomiadana had “Charge of the Light Brigade,” “Allure of Darkness,” “Celestia, Lightsworn Angel,” “Judgment Dragon,” “Tragoedia,” and “Garoth, Lightsworn Warrior.” He activated Charge, sent “Lumina, Lightsworn Summoner,” “Honest,” and “Lyla, Lightsworn Sorceress” to his Graveyard, plucking a Lumina from his Deck. He activated Allure, drew “Necro Gardna” and another Tragoedia, and removed the Tragoedia from the game. He Summoned Lumina, discarded “Necro Gardna,” brought back Lyla, and sent Charge, Gorz the Emissary of Darkness, “Heavy Storm,” “Dark Armed Dragon,” “Honest,” and another Charge to the Graveyard in his End Phase.

Murray Set two cards to his Spell & Trap Card Zone. Ralambomiadana activated Lyla’s effect, destroyed “Torrential Tribute,” and tributed Lyla for Celestia. He sent “Solar Recharge,” “Necro Gardna,” Tragoedia, and another “Necro Gardna” to the Graveyard for Celestia’s cost, but Celestia’s target was Chained: “Waboku.” He Set a Spell or Trap, ended his turn, and sent “Wulf, Lightsworn Beast,” Recharge, and “Jain, Lightsworn Paladin” to his Graveyard for Lumina’s effect.

Murray activated “Black Whirlwind,” Summoned “Blackwing – Bora the Spear,” and searched “Blackwing – Gale the Whirlwind” from his Deck. He Special Summoned Gale, activated its effect to halve Celestia’s ATK and DEF, then Tuned Gale to Bora to Synchro Summon “Black Rose Dragon”!

“I’m thinking,” announced Ralambomiadana. He Chained “Beckoning Light,” ditching three cards to return “Judgment Dragon,” Lyla, and “Honest” back to his hand. Murray Set two cards to his Spell & Trap Card Zone, Set a third, and ended. He had 1 card remaining in hand.

Ralambomiadana drew “Royal Decree”! He Set it, Murray passed, and Ralambomiadana flipped Decree! Murray had no response. Ralambomiadana Special Summoned “Judgment Dragon,” paid 1000 Life Points, and destroyed “Royal Oppression,” “Waboku,” and “Trap Hole”! Ralambomiadana Summoned “Honest,” attacked with it, then attacked with the Dragon. Murray had 3900 Life Points left. Ralambomiadana took back his “Honest,” then sent 2 “Breaker the Magical Warrior,” Celestia, and “Chaos Sorcerer” to his Graveyard in the End Phase.

Ralambomiadana removed “Necro Gardna” from his Graveyard in Murray’s Draw Phase, preempting the possibility of “Kycoo the Ghost Destroyer.” Murray set a card to his back row, lost it to “Judgment Dragon” next turn (it was “Bottomless Trap Hole”), and Ralambomiadana Summoned “Honest” again. “Honest” attacked, “Judgment Dragon” attacked one more time, and Vincent Ralambomiadana was headed to the Finals!

France’s 2008 National Champion was now one match away from becoming a SHONEN JUMP Championship winner!

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)
You may have noticed that even though Ralambomiadana had “Judgment Dragon” in his hand while Murray had 3 face-down Spell or Trap Cards in Game 3, Ralambomiadana chose not to Summon it. Instead, he Set his “Royal Decree.” This way, he knew that he would safely be able to Summon “Judgment Dragon” on his next turn and clear the field with it while “Royal Decree” was face-up. The concept of holding key cards until you can safely play them is very important in the Yu-Gi-Oh! TCG. If Ralambomiadana had Summoned his “Judgment Dragon” as soon as he had drawn it, the Summon would’ve been negated by Murray’s “Royal Oppression” and Ralambomiadana easily could have lost the Match.

Matt Peddle (2009 Canadian National Championship Runner-Up; Five-Time Top 8 National Finalist)
After seeing his opponent get “Honest” back to the hand, Murray plays into it anyways by Synchro Summoning for “Goyo Guardian.” Out of options, Murray loses quickly. If he had waited he could have drawn into cards that would help him out of the bad situation he was in.

Click here to check out the next Feature Match.