Top 16 Feature Match: Desmond Boyd vs. Christopher Krause
Both Desmond Boyd and Christopher Krause are playing X-Sabers, but each Duelist won their way to the Top 16 by putting a different spin on the Deck. Desmond Boyd has a strong defense combined with the power to search out Rescue Cat. Krause, on the other hand, plays with a little more speed and an added dose of disruption. The winner here would move on to the Top 8!
Boyd opened the Match with a hand of Gold Sarcophagus, Mind Control, Dust Tornado, Book of Moon, Giant Trunade, and D.D. Crow. He activated Gold Sarcophagus and sent Rescue Cat from his Deck to his ‘removed zone’: he’d add it to his hand in 2 turns. Given the monster-light state of his hand, he was going to need it. He Set Book and ended.
Krause Summoned Sangan, attacked for 1000 Battle Damage, and Set 3 cards to his Spell and Trap Card Zone.
Boyd drew Solemn Judgment – still no monster except D.D. Crow, but now he could add another layer of insurance to his Rescue Cat play. He Set Dust Tornado.
Krause Normal Summoned XX-Saber Fulhelmknight. Not wanting to see a Synchro Summon and a Sangan search, Boyd turned Fulhelmknight face-down with Book of Moon. Sangan attacked again, Krause ended, and Boyd destroyed his face-down Mind Crush with Dust Tornado.
Boyd drew another Gold Sarcophagus, and added Rescue Cat to his hand from the first one’s effect. He activated Giant Trunade and cleared the Spell and Trap Card Zones. He Summoned Rescue Cat, sent it to the Graveyard to Special Summon 2 X-Saber Airbellums from his Deck, and after spending a few moments thinking, activated Mind Control to take his opponent’s Fulhelmknight. Airbellum attacked Sangan, the next Airbellum attacked directly, and Krause had to discard his Reinforcement of the Army to Airbellum’s effect. Krause had searched Rescue Cat from his Deck, and in Main Phase 2 Boyd Synchro Summoned XX-Saber Gottoms. Boyd activated Gold Sarcophagus to remove Brain Control, and he finished out by Setting Solemn Judgment.
Krause Normal Summoned Rescue Cat, and Boyd negated the Summon with Solemn Judgment. That put him at 3000 Life Points exactly, and Krause activated Brain Control to take the 3100 ATK XX-Saber Gottoms! Boyd immediately conceded, knowing that a Duel-ending attack was about to follow.
“That was awful,” remarked Boyd, who had seen none of his trademark defense and was quickly defeated as a result. An unbalanced hand for his opponent gives Christopher Krause an easy win in the First Duel! One more, and he’d be in the Top 8! Both competitors did some serious Side Decking, and Boyd thought long and hard about his choices.
Boyd opened Duel 2 with Trap Dustshoot, Gorz the Emissary of Darkness, Giant Trunade, X-Saber Airbellum, Book of Moon, and XX-Saber Fulhelmknight. He Set Trap Dustshoot and passed, ready with that Gorz.
Krause Summoned Thunder King Rai-Oh, attacked for 1900 Battle Damage, and Set 2 cards to his back row.
Boyd drew another Fulhelmknight, and Set X-Saber Airbellum. He Set Book of Moon.
Next turn he flipped Dustshoot, revealing Krause’s hand: Sangan, Fossil Dyna Pachycephalo, XX-Saber Emmersblade, and Gold Sarcophagus. He sent Fossil Dyna back to his opponent’s Deck, leaving Krause to Normal Summon Emmersblade. Emmersblade attacked, destroyed Airbellum, and when Thunder King attacked Boyd turned it face-down with Book. Krause activated Gold Sarcophagus in Main Phase 2 and removed Rescue Cat from his deck.
Boyd drew XX-Saber Darksoul. He Normal Summoned Fulhelmknight, attacked Thunder King, and Krause bounced Fulhelmknight back to Boyd’s hand with Compulsory Evacuation Device.
Krause Normal Summoned XX-Saber Boggart Knight next turn. He made a direct attack with Emmersblade, attacked with Boggart Knight, and Boyd Special Summoned Gorz the Emissary of Darkness and a 1900 ATK / 1900 DEF Emissary of Darkness Token in Defense Position. Krause ended.
Boyd drew D.D. Crow. “You get that next turn?” he asked, confirming that Krause would get his Rescue Cat in the next Standby Phase. Krause replied that he would. The Duel stood at 2900 Life Points to 8000, with Krause in the lead. After a lot of thinking, Boyd turned both of his monsters to Attack Position. The Emissary of Darkness Token attacked to destroy Thunder King, and Gorz attacked over Boggart Knight. With Thunder King gone, Boyd Set XX-Saber Darksoul.
Krause got his Rescue Cat next turn, Summoned it, and used it to Special Summon Airbellum and Darksoul from his Deck. He Tuned them together for Goyo Guardian, and with 2 cards left in-hand, he sent Emmersblade to attack Gorz. Emmersblade was destroyed and Krause took 1400 damage, but he Special Summoned Fulhelmknight from his Deck! Goyo Guardian attacked Gorz to Special Summon it to Krause’s side of the field, Fulhelmknight destroyed Darksoul, and when Fulhelmknight’s effect triggered, Krause Special Summoned Airbellum and made a direct attack, costing Boyd 1600 Life Points and his D.D. Crow. Krause Set a second back row card, moved to his End Phase, and got X-Saber Pashuul from his Deck. Boyd got XX-Saber Boggart Knight.
Boyd drew Cyber Dragon next turn. He activated Giant Trunade, clearing Krause’s Spell and Trap Card Zone. He Special Summoned Cyber Dragon, Normal Summoned Boggart Knight, and used its effect to Special Summon his Fulhelmknight from his hand. He sent his Fulhelmknight to attack Krause’s, and Krause didn’t negate the attack, so both were destroyed. Cyber Dragon attacked over Airbellum, and Boyd was done for the turn. He ran the numbers in his head as Krause drew for his next turn, and conceded before Krause could make a move.
Christopher Krause moves on to the Top 8!