Round 11 Feature Match: Alistar Albans vs. Theerasak Poonsombat
Theerasak Poonsombat won the U.S. National Championship in 2005, and now he’s back competing for another shot at the World Championship. He drove for 30 hours to get here from California and won’t let anyone stand in his way. But his opponent, Alistar Albans flew in from Baltimore and will be facing off against Poonsombat’s X-Saber Deck with his Herald Deck this round. Both Duelists were 8-2 in the tournament heading into round 11, so a win here would guarantee one of these Duelists a spot in the Top 64.
Albans won the dice roll and chose to go first. He Summoned Manju of the Ten Thousand Hands and searched his Deck for Advanced Ritual Art to add to his hand. Then he activated Advanced Ritual Art and Special Summoned Herald of Perfection from his hand by sending 2 copies of Happy Lover and 2 copies of Mokey Mokey from his Deck to his Graveyard. Next, he Special Summoned Archlord Kristya and returned Happy Lover from his Graveyard to his hand. He ended his turn with Herald of Perfection, Manju, and Archlord Kristya on the field.
Poonsombat opened up with Royal Oppression, Mystical Space Typhoon, Gold Sarcophagus, Solemn Judgment and Book of Moon. He drew Spirit Reaper on his first turn! He activated Gold Sarcophagus to start things off and searched his Deck for Smashing Ground. He removed it from play to reclaim it in 2 turns. Then he Set Spirit Reaper, Solemn Judgment, and Book of Moon, ending his turn.
Albans activated Dark Factory of Mass Production next turn to return 2 Normal Monsters from his Graveyard to his hand. Then he Summoned Freya, Spirit of Victory to the field and switched his Herald of Perfection to Attack Position. He attacked into Poonsombat’s Set Spirit Reaper, unable to destroy it. He passed.
Poonsombat drew and passed.
Albans switched Freya and Herald of Perfection to Defense Position next turn and passed.
Poonsombat drew Book of Moon next turn and reclaimed his Smashing Ground from Gold Sarcophagus. He passed.
Albans Set a back row and ended his turn.
Poonsombat drew XX-Saber Boggart Knight next turn. He Set Mystical Space Typhoon and Book of Moon and ended his turn.
Albans Set a back row and passed.
Poonsombat drew Sangan, Set it, and ended his turn.
Albans attacked Sangan with Archlord Kristya next turn and Poonsombat activated its effect. Albans negated its effect by discarding Mokey Mokey from his hand.
Poonsombat drew XX-Saber Emmersblade next turn and Set it. He passed.
Albans attacked it with Archlord Kristya and discarded Mokey Mokey to negate the effect, not realizing Kristya would negate the effect anyway.
Poonsombat drew and passed.
Albans drew and passed, discarding Sonic Bird in the End Phase.
Poonsombat drew and passed.
Albans drew and passed, discarding another Sonic Bird in the End Phase.
Poonsombat Set a back row and passed.
Albans discarded Happy Love in the End Phase and passed.
Poonsombat activated Mystical Space Typhoon next turn to destroy one of Albans’s back rows, but Albans discarded Happy Lover to negate it. “You really Main Deck Reaper,” Albans said, slightly frustrated. Poonsombat passed.
Both players counted their Decks during Albans’s next turn. Poonsombat had 24 cards in his Deck, while Albans had 19 cards. Albans activated Pot of Avarice, sending 5 monsters in his Graveyard back to his Deck to draw 2 new cards. Albans Set 2 back rows and ended his turn.
Poonsombat activated Dust Tornado next turn to destroy a Dark Factory of Mass Production and then Set Giant Trunade so he wouldn’t need to discard any cards in his End Phase.
Albans Set a back row and passed.
Poonsombat Set a monster and passed.
Albans attacked the Set Boggart Knight with Archlord Kristya next turn and Set a back row before ending his turn.
Poonsombat drew XX-Saber Emmersblade, Set it, and passed.
Albans attacked Emmersblade with Archlord Kristya next turn and discarded Sonic Bird in his End Phase.
Poonsombat discarded Heavy Storm in his next End Phase.
Albans discarded Dawn of the Herald in his next End Phase.
Poonsombat discarded Mind Control in his next End Phase.
Albans discarded Herald of Perfection in his End Phase.
Poonsombat discarded Royal Oppression in his End Phase.
Albans discarded Royal Decree in his End Phase.
Poonsombat discarded XX-Saber Darksoul in his next End Phase.
Albans discarded Solemn Judgment in his End Phase.
Poonsombat discarded Gottoms’ Emergency Call in his End Phase.
Several turns for each Duelist passed quickly, with the Duelists just drawing a card and immediately discarding a card from their hand in the End Phase.
Finally, when Albans had just 4 cards in his Deck and Poonsombat had just 6, Albans activated Dark Factory of Mass Production to return 2 of his Normal Fairies to his hand. Then he activated Heavy Storm and Poonsombat negated it with Solemn Judgment by paying 4000 Life Points. Next, Albans discarded 2 copies of Happy Love from his hand in the End Phase.
Poonsombat drew a card and Set a back row.
Albans drew a card and discarded Mokey Mokey.
Poonsombat drew a card and discarded Gorz the Emissary of Darkness.
Albans drew a card and Set a back row.
Poonsombat drew XX-Saber Fulhelmknight and discarded it.
Albans drew a card and then had just 1 card remaining his Deck. He conceded, with no Main Decked ways to eliminate Spirit Reaper, and knowing he would run out of cards in his Deck.
There were just 15 minutes left in the round before Side Decking. Alistar Albans chose to go first in Duel 2!
Albans activated Preparation of Rites to search his Deck for Herald of Perfection and add it to his hand. Then he Set a back row and ended his turn.
Poonsombat opened up with Call of the Haunted, Solemn Judgment, 2 copies of Banisher of the Radiance, Brain Control, and Giant Trunade. He activated Giant Trunade and then Summoned banisher to the field. Banisher attacked and Albans dropped to 6400 Life Points. Poonsombat Set 2 back rows and ended his turn, in great shape.
Albans Set a card to each zone and passed.
Poonsombat drew Smashing Ground next turn. Then he attacked Albans’s face-down monster with Banisher, removing Mokey Mokey from the game. He passed.
Albans Summoned Sonic Bird next turn and activated its effect to search his Deck for Advanced Ritual Art and add it to his hand. Then he Set a back row and ended his turn.
Poonsombat drew XX-Saber Fulhelmknight next turn. He Summoned XX-Saber Fulhelmknight to the field and then activated Brain Control to take control of Sonic Bird. Fulhelmknight, Sonic Bird, and Banisher of the Radiance attacked Albans directly, and Albans dropped to 2100 Life Points. Poonsombat Tuned Fulhelmknight with Sonic Bird in Main Phase 2 to Synchro Summon Black Rose Dragon.
Albans drew a card next turn, Set a monster and a pack row, and passed.
Poonsombat drew XX-Saber Darksoul next turn. Then he attacked Albans’s Set Mokey Mokey with Banisher of the Radiance and attacked directly with Black Rose Dragon to finish the Duel!
After a long Duel 1 and a quick Duel 2, Theerasak Poonsombat takes a 2-0 victory and advances to the Top 64 with his X-Sabers!
Post-Event Analysis!
See what our panel of experts had to say about this Duel after the event was over.
Jason Grabher-Meyer (The Old Man of Dueling)
Poonsombat won both Duels of this Match with key Effect Monsters: Spirit Reaper in Duel 1, and Banisher of the Radiance in Duel 2. Albans could’ve powered through both monsters if he’d played Forbidden Chalice; it would’ve destroyed Spirit Reaper and negated Banisher’s effect long enough to let Albans Ritual Summon. Since Forbidden Chalice can even negate a Herald Duelist’s own Archlord Kristya’s effect long enough to allow for Special Summoning, it’s a great card that Herald Duelists should really consider.
Michael Kohanim (2009 World Championship Competitor)
Spirit Reaper can be a great card to use against Herald Decks. Albans started the Duel with his ideal opening, but still lost to Poonsombat because he was unable to destroy Spirit Reaper. When using a Herald Deck, make sure your Deck contains at least one card that can be used to get rid of a monster like Spirit Reaper. This includes a Tuner like Herald of Orange Light, which can be used to Synchro Summon Brionac, Dragon of the Ice Barrier and Red Dragon Archfiend. If you’re not prepared to take down a Spirit Reaper, you risk losing the Duel every time you encounter one.
P.J. Tierney (Duelist from across The Pond)
Albans’ Herald Deck is capable of controlling Duels like no other Deck can, but Duel 1 highlighted a key weakness in the Deck. If Albans had 1 or 2 copies of Smashing Ground in his Deck, he could have gotten past the Reaper and won the Duel easily.
