“You realize if you win this, you’re sleeping outside the room tonight,” joked Green.  Michael Green and Michael Kash are long-standing friends, and traveled here together this weekend.  Now they were facing off in the Top 8!    “And it’s a looooong drive to Dayton!” added Green.  Both Duelists laughed.

“Your deck is so good, though,” said Green, offering Michael Kash some serious praise in return for his jesting.  “I’m so glad they came up with this format.  There’s so much less pressure: you can just have fun with it, you don’t have to be super-stressed.  You’re just given the hand you’re dealt, you don’t have to worry about who owns the biggest collection.”

Duel One

Green started the Match with a hand of Skill Drain; Darkworld Shackles; Phantom of Chaos; Abyssal Kingshark; Zombyra the Dark; and Needle Ceiling.  He Summoned Zombyra and Set his Traps.

Kash activated Burden of the Mighty!  We’ve seen Burden shape entire Duels here this weekend, and this might be another one on that list.  Kash Summoned Vortex Trooper, and shuffled back two of his in-hand cards to draw two more.  He Set two cards to his Spell and Trap Card Zone.

Green drew Amazoness Sage and Summoned Abyssal Kingshark.  He sent Zombyra to attack Vortex Trooper, and succeeded in hammering home 1700 Battle Damage: Zombyra dropped to 1500 ATK.  Kingshark attacked, but Kash defended his Life Points with Metal Reflect Slime.

Kash destroyed Green’s face-down Skill Drain with a blind Mystical Space Typhoon, and Summoned Mad Dog of Darkness: Green flipped Needle Ceiling, destroying three of the four face-up monsters on the field.  His Abyssal Kingshark survived, thanks to its effect!

Green Summoned Pitch-Black Warwolf, and Kash activated Fiendish Chain to tie it down.  Kingshark made a direct attack.

Kash Summoned Exarion Universe and ran over Kingshark.

Green drew another Needle Ceiling, and Summoned Amazoness Sage. He equipped Exarion with Darkworld Shackles, then attacked over it with the Sage to destroy Fiendish Chain with the Sage’s ability.  That let the Warwolf attack directly.  Green Set Ceiling.

Kash blew it away with Mystical Space Typhoon, then Summoned Makyura the Destructor to destroy Amazoness Sage with an attack.

Green drew Card Guard, then Summoned Phantom of Chaos to banish Zombyra and copy its ATK.  Phantom ran over Makyura, and Pitch-Black made another direct attack.

Kash Set a monster.

Green drew Alector, Sovereign of Birds, and Normal Summoned Card Guard.  He banished Amazoness Sage for Phantom of Chaos’ effect, but slammed the Phantom into Charcoal Inpachi when he tried to attack.  Still, because the Phantom Sage attacked, and Green could finally destroy Burden of the Mighty!  In Main Phase 2, Green placed Card Guard‘s Guard Counter on Pitch-Black Warwolf, and ended.

Kash Summoned Dark Valkyria and attacked to destroy Phantom of Chaos.

Green drew Dark Resonator.  He Tributed Card Guard to Summon Alector, then swung over Dark Valkyria, destroying her.

Kash discarded The Calculator to Special Summon The Tricky, attacking Warwolf to knock away its Guard Counter.  Green had 1100 Life Points left.

Green drew and Summoned Botanical Lion, and stacked it with Warwolf to Xyz Summon Gem-Knight Pearl.  Pearl destroyed The Tricky; Alector destroyed Inpachi; and Kash conceded moments later!

Michael Green battles through Burden of the Mighty, largely by ignoring it even when he had the opportunity to destroy it (!), and takes the first Duel!  Michael Kash would open Duel 2.

Duel Two

Kash Summoned Botanical Lion and Set two cards to his Spell and Trap Card Zone.

Green had Zombyra the Dark; Prideful Roar; Abyssal Kingshark; Insect Knight; Card Guard; and Tragoedia. He tried to Summon Zombyra, but Kash negated the Summon with Solemn Judgment!  Green Set Roar, but lost it to Kash’s Dust Tornado in the End Phase.

Kash Summoned Drillroid. It attacked for 1600 Battle Damage, and Lion swung for 1900.  Green Special Summoned Tragoedia with 1800 ATK.  Kash Set a single Spell or Trap.

Green drew Insect Knight, and Kash flipped Ring of Destruction in the Draw Phase to destroy Tragoedia!  Both Duelists took 2400 damage: Kash dropped to 1600 Life Points.  Green Summoned Card Guard, attacking over Drillroid and knocking Kash down to 1300 Life Points.  Green had 2100 Life Points himself.

Kash Summoned The Calculator, and it hit the field with 1800 ATK.  Botanical Lion attacked to destroy Card Guard, and Calculator made a direct attack for 600 Battle Damage.  That left Kash wide open next turn, as Green crashed over The Calculator with Insect Knight to take the Match!

Michael Green takes a fairly quick 2-0 victory, playing aggressively and pulling off a slick Needle Ceiling / Abyssal Kingshark combo along the way!