X-Sabers, Zombies, Gladiator Beasts, Blackwings, Chaos, and at least 3 Lightsworn variants are all in contention in this Top 16 field, but 1 Deck really stands out from the pack. Alex Mitchell is running a LIGHT Machine Deck packing “Blue Thunder T-45,” “Lord British Space Fighter,” “Victory Viper XX03” and more. The game plan? Use double-attacking monsters and Token-generating effects with “Honest” and “Limiter Removal” for game-winning combos. This morning he’s up against Adric High, one of 3 Zombie Lightsworn Duelists in Day 2. The catch? High lost to Mitchell in Round 3 yesterday: Mitchell won that Match 2-0.

High got the Duel started with “Charge of the Light Brigade,” sending “My Body As A Shield,” “Solar Recharge,” and “Burial From a Different Dimension” to his Graveyard to get “Lumina, Lightsworn Summoner” from his Deck. Another Charge sent “Necro Gardna,” “Allure of Darkness,” and a third Charge to the Graveyard, getting “Lyla, Lightsworn Sorceress.” Still no Lightsworn or Zombies in the Graveyard for High. He Summoned Lyla, Set a card to his Spell & Trap Card Zone, and sent “Allure of Darkness,” “Goblin Zombie,” and “Chaos Sorcerer” to his Graveyard.

Mitchell opened with a hand of 2 “Creature Swaps,” “Honest,” “Enemy Controller,” “Lord British Space Fighter,” and “Jade Knight.” He Summoned “Jade Knight,” activated “Creature Swap” to trade it for High’s Lyla, and attacked. High negated the attack with “Necro Gardna.” Mitchell turned Lyla to Defense Position, targeted High’s “Burial From a Different Dimension,” and High Chained it to return his “Necro Gardna” to his Graveyard. In the End Phase Mitchell sent “Honest,” “Nobleman of Extermination,” and “Dark Bribe” to the Graveyard.

High Summoned “Jain, Lightsworn Paladin,” attacked Lyla with “Jade Knight,” and struck with Jain for 1800 damage. He Set a card to his back row, then sent “Foolish Burial” and “Bottomless Trap Hole” to his Graveyard with Jain.

Mitchell drew “Torrential Tribute.” He Summoned “Lord British Space Fighter,” attacked “Jade Knight,” and the attack was once again negated. Not wanting to waste that “Honest” defending Lord British next turn, Mitchell Set “Enemy Controller,” then Set “Torrential Tribute.”

High Tributed “Jade Knight” for “Caius the Shadow Monarch,” targeted Lord British, and Mitchell Chained “Torrential Tribute” to clear the field! High had 1 card Set in his back row and 3 cards in hand, ending.

Mitchell drew another “Jade Knight.” He Summoned it, attacked for 1000 Battle Damage, and ended. High Summoned Lumina, discarded “Plaguespreader Zombie” to Special Summon Lyla, and used her effect to target Mitchell’s Set “Enemy Controller.” He Chained it, turned Lumina to Defense Position, and High sent “Bottomless Trap Hole,” “Trap Dustshoot,” “Caius the Shadow Monarch,” “Solar Recharge,” “Zombie Master,” and “Chaos Sorcerer” to the Graveyard.

Mitchell drew “Shining Angel,” holding that, “Honest,” and “Creature Swap,” with “Jade Knight” on the field. He Set the Angel, activated “Creature Swap,” and traded “Shining Angel” for Lyla. “Jade Knight” attacked “Shining Angel,” but High flipped another “Burial From a Different Dimension,” returned “Necro Gardna” to his Graveyard a second time, and removed it a third time. In the End phase Mitchell sent Dark Bribe, “Blue Thunder T-45,” and “Morphing Jar” to his Graveyard. High drew to 3 cards in hand, with 2 monsters (Lumina and “Shining Angel”) on the field. High discarded “Wulf, Lightsworn Beast” for Lumina’s effect, bringing back Jain, and placed a card on top of his Deck to Special Summon “Plaguespreader Zombie.” He Flip Summoned “Shining Angel,” Tuned that, Lumina, and “Plaguespreader Zombie” together, Synchro Summoned “Mist Wurm,” and bounced “Jade Knight” and his own Lyla to their owners’ hands. Two attacks later Mitchell was down to 1900 Life Points.

Mitchell drew, his hand consisting of “Jade Knight,” “Honest,” and “Mirror Force.” He Summoned “Jade Knight,” Set “Mirror Force,” and ended. High Summoned Lyla next turn, destroyed “Mirror Force,” and activated “Brain Control,” making Mitchell’s “Honest” a non-factor and clinching the game.

The combos just don’t come together for Alex Mitchell, and Adric High grinds him down with a series of costly “Necro Gardna” plays that stall the Duel and rob Mitchell of his best moves! Mitchell would have to win the next 2 Duels to move on in this tournament. Side Decking was quick on both sides of the table, and both competitors wished each other good luck.

This time around, Mitchell’s hand was “Heavy Storm,” “Trap Dustshoot,” “Kycoo the Ghost Destroyer,” “Honest,” “Creature Swap,” and “Dimensional “Fissure”.” He Set “Trap Dustshoot” and ended, then flipped it, revealing High’s hand: “Jain, Lightsworn Paladin,” “Lumina, Lightsworn Summoner,” “Wulf, Lightsworn Beast,” “Caius the Shadow Monarch,” “Legendary Jujitsu Master,” and “Brain Control.” He sent Jujitsu Master to the Deck, then took 1800 damage from Jain. High sent “Goblin Zombie” and “Charge of the Light Brigade” to the Graveyard.

Mitchell drew another “Dimensional “Fissure”,” activated it, and Summoned “Honest.” He activated “Creature Swap,” took Jain, and attacked “Honest,” sending “Bottomless Trap Hole” and “Book of Moon” to the Graveyard in the End Phase. A very awkward start for Mitchell, who had no combo pieces in sight.

“Brain Control” let High take back his Jain, and he Tributed for “Caius the Shadow Monarch,” removing “Dimensional “Fissure”” and attacking for 2400 Damage. Mitchell drew “Call of the Haunted,” Set it, Set Kycoo, and ended. High drew “Allure of Darkness,” removed “Plaguespreader Zombie,” discarded Wulf for “Solar Recharge,” and sent a “Necro Gardna” and Lyla to the Graveyard. “Charge of the Light Brigade” Sent “Goblin Zombie,” Recharge, and “Burial From a Different Dimension” to the Graveyard, letting High get “Lyla, Lightsworn Sorceress.” He Summoned her, used her effect to destroy Call, and attacked Kycoo with Caius.

Mitchell drew “Mystical Space Typhoon,” adding it to his hand of “Dimensional Fissure” and “Heavy Storm,” and instantly conceded the Duel..

Adric High keeps Alex Mitchell off-balance in Duel 1, then takes advantage of a huge opening in Duel 2 to capture the Match win! “I’m building your Deck when I get home,” laughed High. Mitchell laughed too, thanked him for the Match, and wished him good luck. Adric High moves on to the Top 8!

(I’m also going to go home and build a Space Fighter Deck.)

See what our panel of experts had to say after the Duel.

Michael Kohanim (2009 World Championship Competitor)
Both Duelists played very well in this Match. It was a good move for High to activate “Brain Control” on Mitchell’s “Jade Knight” in the final turn of Duel 1, because it guaranteed him the win by allowing him to play around “Honest.” Many Duelists would have tried to attack for the win by destroying “Jade Knight” in battle first, without activating “Brain Control,” and Mitchell’s “Honest” would have been able to buy him an extra turn against those Duelists.

Michael McTavish (Top 8 Finalist – 2009 Canadian National Championship)
Two factors took away a lot of Mitchell’s thunder in this Match. First of all, the element of surprise was a big part of Mitchell’s strategy as a lot of Duelists would be caught off guard by his Deck in a sea of Blackwings, Lightsworn, and Zombies. Secondly, the heart of the cards was simply not with him as he couldn’t draw a useful card to save his life in game 2. Regardless, you’ve got to give it to him for reaching the top 16 in a SHONEN JUMP Championship with such a creative deck. Great work and congratulations to both players for making it so far.

P.J. Tierney (Duelist from across The Pond)

Mitchell had beaten High during Day 1 of this event with his Space Fighter Deck. However, since High knew what Mitchell was playing now, he would have remembered some of the plays that Mitchell made during their previous encounter. Since Mitchell had lost the ‘surprise factor’ that served him so well in Day 1, it was going to be a much more difficult Match this time round.