In this Semi-Final Match, Patrick Hoban is playing a pure Lightsworn build, while Satoshi Kato is running a Zombie Lightsworn variant with “Phantom of Chaos” and “Sky Scourge Norleras,” instead of “Judgment Dragon.” We saw Kato overpower more traditional Decks several times this weekend. Could he do it again, or would Hoban’s more established build take the Match? Whoever won here would be guaranteed a “Dark End Dragon,” and would move on to the Finals!

Hoban started the Match with “Lyla, Lightsworn Sorceress,” Setting a Spell or Trap and sending “Beckoning Light,” “Judgment Dragon,” and “Celestia, Lightsworn Angel” to his Graveyard. He activated “Trap Dustshoot” next turn, revealing Kato’s hand of “Mezuki,” “Giant Trunade,” “Burial From a Different Dimension,” “Charge of the Light Brigade,” “Foolish Burial,” and Lyla. He sent “Mezuki” back to Kato’s Deck, and Kato activated “Charge of the Light Brigade,” sending “Burial From a Different Dimension,” “Foolish Burial,” and “Mezuki” to his Graveyard, getting “Lumina, Lightsworn Summoner.” He Summoned Lyla, attacked his opponent’s Lyla, and both were destroyed. Kato ended with a bare field.

Hoban discarded “Garoth, Lightsworn Warrior” for “Solar Recharge,” drawing 2 cards, and sending another Recharge plus “Gold Sarcophagus” to the Graveyard. He activated “Charge of the Light Brigade” next, sending “Ryko, Lightsworn Hunter,” “Honest,” and “Beckoning Light” to the Graveyard to get “Aurkus, Lightsworn Druid.” He Summoned Aurkus, attacked for 1200 damage, and ended, sending “Plaguespreader Zombie” and “Charge of the Light Brigade” to the Graveyard in the End Phase.

Kato drew to a hand of “Necro Gardna,” Lumina, “Foolish Burial,” “Giant Trunade,” and “Burial From a Different Dimension.” He activated “Foolish Burial,” sent “Plaguespreader Zombie” to his Graveyard, and confirmed that his opponent didn’t have a “Necro Gardna” in the Graveyard. He then removed “Mezuki,” Special Summoned “Plaguespreader Zombie,” then Normal Summoned “Necro Gardna,” then Tuned his 2 monsters to Synchro Summon “Ally of Justice Catastor”! Catastor destroyed Aurkus and Kato ended.

Hoban activated “Cold Wave.” He followed up with “Lumina, Lightsworn Summoner,” discarded “Necro Gardna,” and Special Summoned Aurkus. He returned a card to the top of his Deck for “Plaguespreader Zombie,” Tuned Plaguespreader to Lumina, and Synchro Summoned his own Catastor! He attacked, prompting Kato to remove a “Necro Gardna” to keep his Catastor around. In the End Phase Hoban sent “Heavy Storm” and “Wulf, Lightsworn Beast” to the Graveyard, Special Summoning Wulf.

Kato drew “Phantom of Chaos.” He now had 4 cards in hand and “Ally of Justice Catastor” on the field, to his opponent’s “Ally of Justice Catastor,” Aurkus, Wulf, and single in-hand card. He placed a card on top of his Deck for “Plaguespreader Zombie,” Tuned it to Catastor, and Synchro Summoned “Black Rose Dragon” to clear the field! He Normal Summoned “Lumina, Lightsworn Summoner,” discarded “Phantom of Chaos” to Special Summon Lyla, and attacked with Lumina. Lyla made another attack, and Kato sent “Wulf, Lightsworn Beast,” “Giant Trunade,” “Phantom of Chaos,” “Goblin Zombie,” Lyla, and “Chaos Sorcerer” to the Graveyard. He Special Summoned Wulf.

Hoban attacked Lumina with Lyla, Set a Spell or Trap Card, and Summoned a free Wulf in the End Phase. Kato activated Lyla’s effect next turn, destroying Hoban’s “My Body As A Shield,” and stopped to consider the game state. He had Lyla in Defense and Wulf in Attack Posion, while Hoban had Wulf and Lyla in Attack Position. Kato had 2 in-hand cards: “Necro Gardna” and “Burial From a Different Dimension.” Hoban didn’t have any. Kato activated Burial, returning everything to his Graveyard. “Mezuki” let him Special Summon “Goblin Zombie,” he Tuned it to “Plaguespreader Zombie,” Synchro Summoned “Brionac, Dragon of the Ice Barrier,” and searched his Deck for “Mezuki” with “Goblin Zombie’s” effect.

He proceeded to discard “Mezuki” for Brionac’s effect, bouncing away Wulf to Hoban’s hand. He removed “Mezuki,” Special Summoned “Goblin Zombie” again, and attacked Lyla with Brionac – Lyla went down. Wulf made a direct attack, Hoban blocked it with “Necro Gardna,” and “Goblin Zombie” made a direct attack, sending “Necro Gardna” to Hoban’s Graveyard! Hoban had nothing on the turn that followed though, and politely conceded.

Satoshi Kato takes the first Duel, as Hoban just didn’t seem to be able to put together big enough plays. “Black Rose Dragon” turns the tide and Kato capitalizes, now just 1 win away from a seat in the Finals.

Hoban discarded “Garoth, Lightsworn Warrior” for “Solar Recharge,” drawing 2 cards and sending “Fiend Comedian” and “Shiny Black “C”” to the Graveyard. “Charge of the Light Brigade” sent “Ryko, Lightsworn Hunter,” “Mirror Force,” and “Kycoo the Ghost Destroyer” to the Graveyard, getting Hoban “Aurkus, Lightsworn Druid” from his Deck. He was off to a great start.

Hoban Summoned Lumina, discarded Aurkus to Special Summon Garoth, Set a Spell or Trap, and sent 5 cards to the Graveyard. He didn’t net any draws with Garoth’s effect.

Kato had “Allure of Darkness,” “Phantom of Chaos,” “Foolish Burial,” “Lumina, Lightsworn Summoner,” “Tragoedia,” and “Mezuki.” He Summoned Phantom, Hoban responded with “Trap Dustshoot,” and Kato lost “Mezuki” to his Deck. This cut down the effectiveness of the Norleras play Kato could have set up with “Foolish Burial.” He activated Foolish anyways though, sending Norleras to the Graveyard. He copied its effect, then activated “Allure of Darkness” to draw 2 more cards: “Gorz the Emissary of Darkness” and “Plaguespreader Zombie.” He removed Gorz, activated the borrowed Norleras effect, and both players dropped their hands! Kato drew “Dark Armed Dragon,” and ended.

Hoban drew Kycoo, attacked, and removed “Plaguespreader Zombie” and Lyla. Kato drew a monster, Set it, and Hoban attacked; it was “Goblin Zombie.” It got Kato “Zombie Master,” and Hoban ended with 1 card in hand.

Kato drew, holding “Lumina, Lightsworn Summoner,” “Dark Armed Dragon,” and “Zombie Master.” He Special Summoned “Dark Armed Dragon,” Normal Summoned “Zombie Master,” discarded Lumina, and Special Summoned “Goblin Zombie” with “Zombie Master’s” effect. “Dark Armed Dragon” attacked Kycoo, Hoban removed “Necro Gardna” to negate the attack, and Kato traded his “Zombie Master” with Kycoo in battle. He attacked with “Goblin Zombie” next, putting Hoban’s “Thunder King Rai-Oh” in the Graveyard.

Hoban Set a monster, his only remaining card. Kato activated “Charge of the Light Brigade,” sending “Fiend Comedian,” “Bottomless Trap Hole,” and “Torrential Tribute” to his Graveyard to get Lyla. He removed a DARK monster to destroy Hoban’s face-down “Necro Gardna,” attacked with everything, and lost his Dark Armed attack to “Necro Gardna” as Hoban clung to his life in this tournament! Hoban conceded the next turn though, dissatisfied with his draw.

Satoshi Kato wins a copy of “Dark End Dragon,” and moves on to the Finals!

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

Michael Kohanim (2009 World Championship Competitor)
In Duel 2, Hoban should have activated “Trap Dustshoot” as soon as Kato began his turn. This way, he could have returned “Phantom of Chaos” to Kato’s Deck and prevented Kato from using Norleras’s effect. Since Kato’s Deck is capable of a lot of combos involving “Phantom of Chaos,” Hoban shouldn’t have risked Kato pulling one of them off. Activating “Trap Dustshoot” sooner would have made the early play with “Phantom of Chaos” impossible, and given Hoban information about Kato’s hand to use throughout the Duel.

Michael McTavish (Top 8 Finalist – 2009 Canadian National Championship)
Kato was able to control game 1 with a “Ally of Justice Catastor”, forcing his opponent to commit too heavily to the field, leading to a devastating “Black Rose Dragon” that single-handedly turned the Duel to his favor. Game 2 was placed in his favor after a well-timed “Sky Scourge Norleras” effect which led to both players hoping for the heart of the cards to be with them.

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

Kato’s decision to use “Sky Scourge Norleras” and “Phantom of Chaos” instead of “Judgment Dragon” was an interesting one. Although it’s a harder combo to pull off, it has the added benefit of getting rid of both players’ hands as well as their fields. Also, Kato gets to draw a card when this happens, which puts him in control if he draws a good one. In Duel 2 he drew “Dark Armed Dragon” this way, and it was a a key card in helping him win the Match and a “Dark End Dragon.”