Matthew Nunn is playing what may become the next great Six Samurai Deck.  Armed with Shien’s Dojo and Asceticism of the Six Samurai in threes, Nunn’s build can Synchro Summon Legendary Six Samurai – Shi En or Naturia Beast with shocking consistency on turn 1.  But Nunn’s opponent won’t make victory easy: Ryan Spicer is a Duelist who’s racked up countless Top 16 and Top 32 appearances over the years.  He happens to be piloting the 1 Deck Nunn’s stated he doesn’t want to face: Monarchs.  Both competitors are 7-1, so a win here is integral to making the playoffs.  The victor will be a near-lock, while the other Duelist will need a win in the last round and some tiebreaker help to make the cut.

Nunn opened our day with a hand of 2 Shien’s Smoke Signals; Legendary Six Samurai – Enishi; Legendary Six Samurai – Kageki; Solemn Judgment; and Asceticism of the Six Samurai.  He used his first Smoke Signal to get Kagemusha of the Six Samurai from his Deck, Summoning it and activating Asceticism to Special Summon Elder of the Six Samurai.  He Tuned them together to Synchro Summon Naturia Beast, then Set Judgment.  It was Nunn’s ideal opening for this matchup.

Spicer Normal Sumoned Swap Frog, using its ability to send Treeborn Frog from his Deck to the Graveyard.  He returned Swap Frog to his hand.

Nunn drew Monster Reborn.  He activated his second Smoke Signal to get Hand of the Six Samurai from his Deck, then Normal Summoned Kageki to Special Summon Hand.  He attacked with Hand, scoring a direct shot for 1600 Battle Damage, then attacked for 1700 more with Kageki.  Naturia Beast struck for 2200 more, dropping Spicer to 2500 Life Points.  No Gorz the Emissary of Darkness for Spicer.

Spicer Special Summoned Treeborn Frog in Defense Position, then Normal Summoned Lonefire Blossom.  He Tributed it to Special Summon another from his Deck, then Tributed that to Special Summon Spore.  He Tributed Spore for Enemy Controller, targeting Naturia Beast, and Nunn negated it with the Beast’s effect.  Spicer Special Summoned Spore at Level 4; Tuned it to Treeborn Frog for Ally of Justice Catastor; and lost his Catastor to Solemn Judgment.  Spicer’s response was swift: “I’ll go first.”

Ryan Spicer concedes the first Duel, as Matthew Nunn opens up huge with Naturia Beast and Solemn Judgment to take total control!  There’s very little to stop that kind of opening in a Spell-heavy strategy like Monarchs.

Spicer opened the second Duel with Genex Undine, sending Treeborn Frog to his Graveyard and adding Genex Controller from his Deck to his hand.  He Set a Spell or Trap.

Nunn had Shien’s Squire; Kagemusha of the Six Samurai; Hand of the Six Samurai; Solemn Judgment; D.D. Crow; and Solemn Warning.  He Summoned Hand and attacked over Undine, allowing Spicer to Special Summon Tragoedia!  Nunn Set 2 cards to his back row.

Spicer drew for his turn, and lost his Treeborn Frog to D.D. Crow.  He tried to Summon Breaker the Magical Warrior, with Tragoedia still at a strong 2400 ATK.  Nunn negated the Summon with Warning.  Spicer attacked over Hand to destroy it, and activated Foolish Burial in Main Phase 2 to send another Treeborn to the Graveyard.

Nunn drew Chain Disappearance.  He Set Kagemusha and Disappearance.

Spicer attacked to destroy Kagemusha with Tragoedia.

Nunn drew Legendary Six Samurai – Kageki and passed.

Spicer made a direct attack, hitting with Tragoedia for 3000 Battle Damage!

Nunn drew Six Samurai United.  He briefly considered activating it, but thought the better of it and offered the concession.

Ryan Spicer strikes back, taking the second Duel almost as quickly as his opponent took the first!  Tragoedia controls everything from the get-go, giving Spicer the easy win. One more Duel would decide the winner: the victor here would be sitting pretty heading into the last Swiss Round.

Nunn opened with a hand of Legendary Six Samurai – Kizan; Legendary Six Samurai – Enishi; 2 Six Samurai United; Dark Hole; and Royal Oppression.  He activated both copies of United, then Normal Summoned Enishi and Special Summoned Kizan!  That put 2 Bushido Counters on each United, and Nunn used both to draw 4 cards: Chain Disappearance; 2 Double-Edged Sword Technique; and another Kizan.  He had a lot of cards, but no Tuners.  Nunn Set 4 cards to his back row.

Spicer Set a monster.

Nunn drew Gateway of the Six!  He attacked with Kizan, destroying Spicer’s Set Treeborn Frog, and chose not to attack with Enishi.

Spicer Special Summoned Treeborn; Nunn responded with Chain Disappearance; and Spicer Chained Enemy Controller, Tributing Treeborn to take Kizan!  He brought back Treeborn Frog in Defense Position, then ran over Enishi with Kizan!  He Tributed Kizan in Main Phase 2 for Raiza the Storm Monarch, spinning Nunn’s Royal Oppression back to the top of his Deck – not a great turn of events for Nunn.

Nunn drew the Oppression again next turn, and blasted the field with Dark Hole.  He Set Oppression, then activated Gateway and Normal Summoned Kizan, his last in-hand card, to put 2 Bushido Counters on the Gateway.  Spicer had 4 cards in hand, and Nunn activated Sword Technique: Spicer Chained Maxx “C”, drawing a card when Nunn Special Summoned his second Kizan and Enishi from the Graveyard.  That let Nunn get Grandmaster of the Six Samurai with Gateway: he Special Summoned that next, and Spicer drew again with Maxx “C”.  If Nunn attacked now and Spicer had Gorz, Tragoedia, or Battle Fader, this was over – Nunn would lose for sure.  But there was no other choice.  He went for it, throwing caution to the wind and announced his attacks: Enishi, the first Kizan, the second Kizan, and Grandmaster…

…Spicer had no response, and all 4 attacks hit their mark!  The Match was over!

A massive opening and some gutsy desperation leads Matthew Nunn to take the third Duel of the Match, sending him into Round 10 with an 8-1 record!  Nunn is virtually a lock for the Top 32.