Top 8 Feature Match: Joseph Giorlando vs. Wilson Tsang
With 6 different Deck types, the Top 8 for this tournament is nothing short of incredible! Not only were Dark World and Piper Chaos still in contention, but this Match would see Joseph Giorlando’s Skill Drain Elemental HEROes up against the slickest Wind-Up variant in the tournament; Wilson Tsang’s Beastly Wind-Ups, armed with Ape Fighter, Photon Saber Tiger, and Horn of the Phantom Beast! This one was anybody’s game, but Skill Drain could certainly prove to be a deciding factor in Giorlando’s favor.
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Duel One
Giorlando kicked things off with E – Emergency Call, Pot of Duality, Reinforcement of the Army, Hero Blast, Elemental HERO Neos Alius, and Solemn Warning. He used Emergency Call to fetch Elemental HERO Stratos from his Deck, then Summoned that to get another Neos Alius. Pot of Duality revealed Miracle Fusion, Dark Hole, and Thunder King Rai-Oh; Giorlando took Miracle Fusion. He Set Warning and Reinforcement of the Army.
Tsang wiped them with Heavy Storm next turn, then Set 2 cards to his Spell and Trap Card Zone.
Giorlando drew Book of Moon, and Summoned Neos Alius; Stratos and Neos Alius both made direct attacks! Giorlando then Set three cards to his back row, losing his Miracle Fusion to Mystical Space Typhoon in his End Phase!
Tsang activated Dark Hole, then Special Summoned Neos Alius with Monster Reborn for a quick 1900 Battle Damage. He Set a second card to his back row.
Giorlando Summoned the next Alius, attacked, and was bested by Forbidden Lance! Giorlando’s Neos Alius went down. Giorlando Set his last card to his back row.
Tsang attacked with Neos Alius, and Giorlando destroyed Neos Alius with Hero Blast, getting back the other Alius to his hand.
Giorlando Summoned Neos Alius, attacking to drop Tsang to 2400 Life Points. He Set his last card to his Spell and Trap Card Zone.
Tsang looked a bit frustrated, then Summoned Wind-Up Rabbit.
Giorlando attacked the Rabbit, and when Tsang tried to banish it with its own effect, Giorlando shut him down with Skill Drain! Tsang was conceding moments later.
Heavy Storm, Dark Hole, and Monster Reborn just aren’t enough to redeem a monster-deficient hand for Wilson Tsang, and Joseph Giorlando manages to recover and take the first Duel! Side Decking was lengthy on both sides of the table.
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Duel Two
Tsang opened with Tour Guide from the Underworld, Special Summoning Sangan and stacking it to Xyz Summon Wind-Up Carrier Zenmaity. Tsang Special Summoned Wind-Up Rabbit with its effect, then Set 2 cards to his back row. Did Tsang have Horn of the Phantom Beast?
Giorlando had Solemn Warning, 2 Pot of Duality, Thunder King Rai-Oh, Elemental HERO Neos Alius, and Elemental HERO Stratos. He activated Duality, revealing another Duality, Mystical Space Typhoon, and Super Polymerization; Giorlando added Super Polymerization to his hand. He Summoned Neos Alius and attacked Zenmaity, losing out to Forbidden Lance in battle. Giorlando Set Warning and Super Poly.
Tsang tried to Special Summon again with Zenmaity, but the effect was negated with Solemn Warning. He Summoned another Rabbit, made two direct attacks, and set a second Spell or Trap to defend them.
Giorlando drew Solemn Judgment and Summoned Elemental HERO Stratos; Tsang tried to negate its effect with Fiendish Chain, but Giorlando Chained Super Polymerization (discarding Pot of Duality for its cost), sending a Rabbit to the Graveyard alongside Stratos for Elemental HERO Gaia. That let him keep Stratos’ effect from being negated! Gaia attacked Rabbit, Tsang banished it, and Gaia made a direct attack. Giorlando Set a back row.
Tsang Summoned Ape Fighter. He attacked, and activated Compulsory Evacuation Device to try and bounce away Gaia; Giorlando negated the Device with Solemn Judgment, and Ape Fighter was destroyed in battle.
Giorlando Summoned Thunder King Rai-Oh, and attacked; Tsang had 4800 Life Points. He banished Rabbit, and dropped to 700 Life Points.
Tsang brought back his Rabbit. He had three cards in hand, and started to shake his head as he consdiered his options. He Set a monster, then Set a Spell or Trap.
Giorlando drew Dark Bribe, adding it to his hand of Maxx “C” and Elemental HERO Neos Alius. “You’re at 700?” asked Giorlando, considering his play for quite a while. Victory was so close, but if Tsang’s face-down back row card was a game-changer, aggression could be ruinous. Giorlando attacked, destroying Rabbit, then attacked to destory Tsang’s Set Photon Saber Tiger! No back row help there after all. Tsang drew and Set a monster next turn, but when Giorlando attacked with Gaia and Thunder King next turn, Tsang immediately conceded.
Joseph Giorlando takes Skill Drain Heroes to the Top 4!