This was it: in mere moments, we would have our first-ever North American Champion.  Both of these Duelists would be heading to Amsterdam for the Yu-Gi-Oh! TRADING CARD GAME World Championship in August, but right now it was all about the glory of the title win.  Hansel Aguero is piloting Tech Genus, while Samuel Pedigo is running Tour Guide Tengu Synchro.

Aguero started the Finals with a hand of Pot of Duality; Torrential Tribute; Trap Dustshoot; Reborn Tengu; T.G. Warwolf; and T.G. Striker.  He activated Duality, revealing another Duality; Horn of the Pahntom Beast; and another Warwolf.  He added Horn to his hand, then Summoned Reborn Tengu and Set Horn, Torrential, and Dustshoot.

Pedigo drew to 6 cards, and Aguero blasted him with Trap Dustshoot: Pedigo revealed his hand of Ryko, Lightsworn Hunter; Limit Reverse; Effect Veiler; Mystical Space Typhoon; Torrential Tribute; and Solemn Warning.  Aguero sent Pedigo’s Ryko back to his Deck.  Pedigo Set everything but his Veiler.

Aguero drew Compulsory Evacuation Device and attacked with Tengu, knowing Pedigo could’t stop it, and dishing out 1700 Battle Damage.  He Set another Spell or Trap.

Pedigo drew and Summoned a Tengu of his own!  He was pinned down by that Horn of the Phantom Beast, and ended his turn.

Aguero drew Solemn Warning, and Normal Summoned T.G. Warwolf, daring Pedigo to activate his Torrential Tribute.  Pedigo did it!  Both Tengus and Warwolf were destroyed, creating a chain: Aguero’s Tengu then Pedigo’s Tengu.  The way the Chain was constructed kept Pedigo from using his Solemn Warning to stop Aguero’s Tengu, and both Duelists Special Summoned another Tengu each.  Aguero attacked with his Tengu, and Pedigo flipped Mystical Space Typhoon, looking for that Horn: he hit Aguero’s Torrential Tribute instead.  Once play hit the Damage Step, Aguero flipped Horn to destroy Pedigo’s Tengu, and drew Skill Drain!  Pedigo Special Summoned his third Tengu from his Deck, bringing it out in Attack Position.  Aguero Set 2 more cards to his back row, and in the End Phase he used Warwolf’s effect to get T.G. Rush Rhino from his Deck.

Pedigo Summoned Effect Veiler, and Tuned it to Reborn Tengu in a desperate bid to defend himself with Ally of Justice Catastor: Aguero had no response.  Pedigo ended.

Aguero drew Solemn Warning and tried to Summon Rush Rhino: Pedigo negated the Summon with his Warning.  Aguero attacked Catastor with Reborn Tengu, and flipped Skill Drain to negate Catastor’s effect! Aguero drew another Skill Drain with Horn of the Phantom Beast.  He Set a Spell or Trap.

Pedigo activated Dark Hole, destroying Tengu: Aguero Special Summoned another.  Pedigo had 2 cards left: 1 in-hand and the other Set in his Spell and Trap Card Zone.  He Summoned Tour Guide from the Underworld, then activated Limit Reverse, Special Summoning Effect Veiler.  That let him Synchro Summon Armory Arm, and when it attacked, Aguero kicked it back to the Extra Deck with Compulsory Evacuation Device!  Pedigo had nothing left!

Aguero drew Solemn Judgment, and Summoned T.G. Striker.  He attacked with Striker and Tengu, then Set Judgment.

Pedigo drew and Set a monster.

Aguero drew Book of Moon and attacked with Reborn Tengu, bouncing off Pedigo’s face-down Debris Dragon!  He Set Book.

Pedigo passed.  Aguero drew Dark Bribe, and Pedigo conceded the Duel, realizing he couldn’t fend off Aguero’s next attack!

A first-turn Trap Dustshoot backed by Horn of the Phantom Beast and Reborn Tengu proves to be utterly unbeatable for Samuel Pedigo, as Hansel Aguero captures the first Duel with ease!  One more win would make Aguero the North American Champion… And would vault Tech Genus Decks to the forefront of competitive Dueling for weeks to come.

Pedigo needed to win 2 Duels straight.  He started the second Duel with Blackwing – Zephyros the Elite, Normal Summoning it and Setting 2 cards to his Spell and Trap Card Zone.

Aguero had Pot of Avarice; Pot of Duality; Mystical Space Typhoon; T.G. Striker; T.G. Warwolf; and Call of the Haunted.  He activated Mystical Space Typhoon to destroy Pedigo’s Set Solemn Warning, then Special Summoned Striker.  That let him Special Summon Warwolf, and he Tuned them together to Synchro Summon T.G. Wonder Magician!  The Magician’s effect destroyed Pedigo’s Set Debunk!  Wonder Magician ran over Zephyros, and Aguero Set Duality and Call.

Pedigo Set a monster.

Aguero drew Horn of the Phantom Beast.  Pot of Duality let him choose between TG1-EM1; Horn; and Thunder King Rai-Oh, and he added Thunder King to his hand.  He Summoned it, then attacked Pedigo’s Set monster with Thunder King: it was Debris Dragon, and neither monster could take it down!  Aguero Set Horn.

Pedigo passed.

Aguero drew Book of Moon.  He Set it and ended.

Pedigo Set a Spell or Trap.

Aguero drew Dark Bribe.  He considered a moment, possibly feigning more options than he really had, and Set the Bribe.

Pedigo Set a second card to his Spell and Trap Card Zone.

Aguero drew Solemn Warning.  He flipped Call of the Haunted to target T.G. Warwolf, then Special Summoned it: Pedigo responded with Torrential Tribute.  Aguero let it go, drawing a card with Wonder Magician: Royal Oppression. He Set Oppression and Warning, then got T.G. Rush Rhino from his Deck with Warwolf’s effect in the End Phase.

Pedigo drew to 5 cards in hand, with 1 Set in his Spell and Trap Card Zone.  Aguero had 5 cards in his back row, with 2 cards in hand.  Pedigo tried to Summon Reborn Tengu, and Aguero negated the Summon with Solemn Warning: the Duel stood at 5900 Life Points to 7700, with Pedigo in the lead. Pedigo activated Call of the Haunted, and Aguero Chained Royal Oppression: Pedigo Chained Mystical Space Typhoon, and Aguero Chained Dark Bribe!  The crowd absolutely erupted!  Call of the Haunted was negated, and Pedigo drew a card.

Aguero drew Compulsory Evacuation Device.  He Summoned T.G. Rush Rhino and attacked for 2000 Battle Damage.  Aguero Set Compulsory.

Pedigo activated Giant Trunade, and the crowd exploded again as the field was cleared!  Pedigo Summoned Reborn Tengu, then discarded Spore for One for One!  Pedigo Special Summoned Glow-Up Bulb from his Deck, and he Tuned it to Tengu for T.G. Hyper Librarian.  He Special Summoned his last Tengu from his Deck, then sent Thunder King Rai-Oh from his Deck to the Graveyard to revive Glow-Up Bulb. Pedigo revealed his last card: Pot of Avarice!  He sent 5 monsters from his Graveyard back to his Deck, including both of his Tengus, Zephyros, and Debris Dragon, to draw 2 more cards!  Pedigo Tuned the Bulb to Tengu to Synchro Summon another Librarian, drawing for the first copy.  He Special Summoned a Tengu, then banished Glow-Up Bulb to Special Summon Spore as a Level 2 Tuner.  He Synchro Summoned Brionac, Dragon of the Ice Barrier, and drew 2 cards with his Librarians!  He Special Summoned another Tengu, and was now holding a hand of 5 cards.  Pedigo attacked with everything for the win!

Samuel Pedigo comes back with a thunderous Giant Trunade, exploding with not one, but two copies of T.G. Hyper Librarian to steal the Duel and find new life in this Match!  It was an absolutely incredible comeback.  We were headed to one more Duel, and the winner would become the new North American Champion!  Aguero would start the final game.

Aguero opened with a hand of 2 Horn of the Phantom Beast; Royal Oppression; T.G. Striker; Pot of Duality; and Reborn Tengu.  He activated Duality, revealing Torrential Tribute; Dark Bribe; and T.G. Rush Rhino: he took Dark Bribe.  He Summoned Tengu and Set everything but Striker to his Spell and Trap Card Zone.

Pedigo Set a monster, and Set 3 cards to his back row.

Aguero drew Trap Dustshoot, and attacked with Tengu: Pedigo responded with Enemy Controller, turning Tengu to Defense Position to stop the attack.  Aguero Set another Spell or Trap, and Set Striker, his hand now empty.

Pedigo Tributed Glow-Up Bulb for Caius the Shadow Monarch, and Aguero had no response to the Summon: Caius’ effect banished T.G. Striker, and Pedigo activated Glow-Up Bulb’s effect, Special Summoning it by sending Mystical Space Typhoon from the top of his Deck to the Graveyard.  He Tuned it to Caius for Black Rose Dragon, and Pedigo responded with Royal Oppression to try and negate the Summon!  Pedigo had no response, and Black Rose went down to cheers from the crowd.

Aguero drew Rush Rhino!  He Summoned it, and attacked with Tengu and Rhino for a combined total of 3700 Battle Damage.  The Duel stood at 4300 Life Points to 7200, with Aguero leading.  Aguero had Royal Oppression; Rush Rhino; Tengu; and 4 Set cards in his back row.

Pedigo drew to 3 cards in hand, with 2 more Set in his Spell and Trap Card Zone.  He Set a monster, then Set a third card to his ack row.

Aguero drew another Rush Rhino!  He Summoned it too, and Pedigo responded with Bottomless Trap Hole, banishing it.  Tengu attacked into Debris Dragon, but in the Damage Step Aguero activated Horn of the Phantom Beast to power through and draw Thunder King Rai-Oh!  Rush Rhino attacked for another 2000 Battle Damage!

Pedigo Summoned Reborn Tengu and attacked Rush Rhino: Aguero flipped his second Horn in the Damage Step, and Pedigo Chained Solemn Judgment: Aguero Chained Dark Bribe!  Pedigo drew a card for Dark Bribe; Solemn Judgment was negated; and when Tengu was destroyed, Aguero drew Torrential Tribute.  Pedigo Special Summoned another Tengu in Defense Position from his Deck.

Aguero drew Dimensional Prison.  He sent his Tengu to destroy Pedigo’s, and drew Skill Drain: Pedigo got another Tengu.  Rush Rhino blasted through it, getting Aguero Mystical Space Typhoon.  Aguero now had 5 cards in hand, with 6 more cards on the field.  Mystical Space Typhoon in Main Phase 2 destroyed Pedigo’s Torrential Tribute, and Aguero Set Skill Drain.

Pedigo drew to 3 cards in hand with a bare field.  He shook his head a bit, and Summoned Thunder King Rai-Oh.  He Set a single Spell or Trap.

Aguero drew Compulsory Evacuation Device.  Pedigo had just 450 Life Points left, while Aguero had 7200.  Reborn Tengu attacked Thunder King, but Pedigo flipped Malevolent Catastrophe!  It was spectacular, and it destroyed a whole mess of cards, but it wasn’t enough!  Aguero Special Summoned another Tengu; attacked over Thunder King with Rush Rhino; and attacked with Tengu to finish the Match, and the tournament!

Tech Genus wins the North American World Championship Qualifier, and Hansel Aguero is our first-ever North American Champion!