. Yu-Gi-Oh! TCG Event Coverage » Final Round: Michael Anderson vs. Stephen Silverman
Home > 2010/01 - Los Angeles, California, SHONEN JUMP Championships > Final Round: Michael Anderson vs. Stephen Silverman

Final Round: Michael Anderson vs. Stephen Silverman

January 10th, 2010

Over 1600 Duelists have fallen one by one, and now only two remain! Michael Anderson is the last of a contingent of Duelists from Seattle, Washington who came to this tournament, while Stephen Silverman traveled here all the way from Philadelphia. After Twilight swept SHONEN JUMP Championship Columbus, both of these competitors are playing pure Lightsworn Decks – no Chaos Sorcerers and no Dark Armed Dragons! With both competitors playing hugely explosive Decks, this one is most certainly anybody’s game.

Silverman opened the Match with “Gold Sarcophagus,” removing “Judgment Dragon” from his Deck so he could claim it in 2 turns. He activated “Charge of the Light Brigade” next, sending “Necro Gardna,” “Mystical Space Typhoon,” and “Wulf, Lightsworn Beast” to his Graveyard to get “Aurkus, Lightsworn Druid” from his Deck. He Special Summoned Wulf, Set a card to his Spell & Trap Card Zone, and sent “Beckoning Light” and “Solar Recharge” to his Graveyard in the End Phase.

Anderson’s hand was “Archlord Kristya,” “Ehren, Lightsworn Monk,” “Celestia, Lightsworn Angel,” “Garoth, Lightsworn Warrior,” “Solar Recharge,” and “Solemn Judgment.”  He activated Recharge, discarded Garoth, and drew 2 copies of “Lumina, Lightsworn Summoner,” sending Celestia and Kristya to his Graveyard. He Summoned Ehren, attacked Aurkus, and Silverman protected it with “Necro Gardna.” Anderson Set a card to his Spell & Trap Card Zone and ended, sending “Heavy Storm” and 2 “Charge of the Light Brigade” to his Graveyard.

Silverman Tributed Aurkus for Celestia, but Silverman negated the Summon with “Solemn Judgment”! Wulf attacked Ehren anyways, destroying her, and Silverman ended. Anderson drew another Lumina, discarding one Lumina to try and bring her back. Silverman Chained “Royal Oppression”! The on-field Lumina was destroyed and Anderson just had to end his turn. Moments later Silverman was attacking for the win with Wulf and Lyla!

TheFinals

Stephen Silverman steals the first Duel with a surprise “Royal Oppression,” riding “Wulf, Lightsworn Beast” to victory! He was now just a single Duel away from winning this entire tournament! Side Decking was fast and over in mere moments.

Anderson opened with “Archlord Kristya,” “Garoth, Lightsworn Warrior,” “Aurkus, Lightsworn Druid,” “Lumina, Lightsworn Summoner,” Solar Rechareg, and “Monster Reincarnation.” He discarded Aurkus for Recharge, drew “Honest” and Lumina, and sent “Plaguespreader Zombie” and “Judgment Dragon” to his Graveyard. He Summoned Lumina, discarded another to try and Summon her, and lost out to a Chained “D.D. Crow”! He sent “Bottomless Trap Hole,” “Ryko, Lightsworn Hunter,” and “Celestia, Lightsworn Angel” to his Graveyard.

Silverman discarded Lumina for “Solar Recharge,” drawing 2 cards and sending “The Transmigration Prophecy” and “Blackwing – Gale the Whirlwind” to the Graveyard. He activated “Soul Exchange,” Tributed Lumina for “Celestia, Lightsworn Angel,” and Set a card to his back row. Anderson drew another “Monster Reincarnation.” He Summoned Garoth, attacked Celestia, and entered damage calculation to activate “Honest” – Celestia was destroyed by the attack. Anderson was in trouble though, with a hand of two “Monster Reincarnations” he couldn’t really use, and an “Archlord Kristya” he couldn’t Summon yet.

Silverman Summoned Lyla, discarded his own Kristya for “Lightning Vortex,” and made a direct attack. He sent Celestia, “Judgment Dragon,” and “Wulf, Lightsworn Beast” to his Graveyard, Special Summoning Wulf!

Anderson drew “Beckoning Light.” He discarded Kristya for “Monster Reincarnation,” took back “Judgment Dragon,” and tried to Special Summon it – but Silverman had “Royal Oppression” again! Anderson had 6300 Life Points left, while Silverman had 5350 but total control over the Duel. All Anderson had left was “Beckoning Light” and “Monster Reincarnation.” He activated Reincarnation, took back Garoth, attacked Lyla, and ended with nothing left but the Garoth. Things were clearly drawing to a close.

Silverman drew, activated “Charge of the Light Brigade,” sent “Torrential Tribute,” Lumina, and another Charge to his Graveyard, and got a Garoth of his own. He Summoned it, sent Wulf to attack Anderson’s Garoth, destroyed it, and attacked with his Garoth for a total of 2100 damage. Anderson was down to 4200 Life Points.

He drew a “Wulf, Lightsworn Beast” and ended. Next turn Silverman drew “Necro Gardna” and Summoned it to make just enough damage for victory!

Thanks to “Royal Oppression” in both of his Duels, Stephen Silverman has just won SHONEN JUMP Championship Los Angeles, the biggest trading card game tournament of all time!

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See what our panel of experts had to say about this Duel after the event was over.

Michael Kohanim (2009 World Championship Competitor)

Silverman was able to lock down his opponent with “Royal Oppression” after establishing a strong field presence. This strategy seems to be a rising in popularity in competitive tournaments, as Duelists are beginning to splash “Royal Oppression” into whatever Decks they’re playing. Players will need to start making plays based on the possibility their opponent may have a “Royal Oppression” down no matter what Deck they’re playing.

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Matt Peddle (2009 Canadian National Championship Runner-Up; Five-Time Top 8 National Finalist)

There wasn’t anything Anderson could’ve done in this Match. Silverman’s Deck was simply tuned perfectly to allow him to adjust to whatever his Deck sent to the Graveyard. Getting a free “Wulf, Lightsworn Beast” is usually good, but not game-breaking. But when you pair that with “Royal Oppression” and “Celestia, Lightsworn Angel” your opponent is going to have a difficult time coming back. That’s exactly what happened this Match.

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Michael McTavish (Top 8 Finalist – 2009 Canadian National Championship)

I think everyone should be expecting to see more “Royal Oppression” in Lightsworn Decks from now on. In this Match alone you can see how vital it was to not only Silverman’s finals victory, but the tournament victory as a whole. Played correctly with the right timing, “Royal Oppression” ruins a lot of strategies in today’s game and is sure to provide a good player with many surprise successes.

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