Round 8 Feature Match: Robert Boyajian versus Justin Delhon
With 5-2 records headed into this, the last Round of Day 1 competition, these two veteran Duelists were fighitng for their lives in this tournament! A win here and two more wins tomorrow could see one of these competitors headed to the Top 32. But one stumble – just a single misstep! – would knock one of them straight out of contention. The last time these two Duelists squared off, it was in the Top 4 of YCS Indianapolis in 2011. It was a knock-down dragout Match that saw Boyajian win his way to the Finals, before winning the entire Championship mere minutes later.
Now it was time for a rematch! Robert Boyajian is playing Mermails, while Delhon is running Chaos Dragons.
Boyajian opened the Match with a hand of Genex Controller; two Abyss-sphere; two Salvage; and Atlantean Dragoons. Rough hand. He Set a ‘sphere.
Delhon Normal Summoned Tour Guide from the Underworld to Special Summon Sangan. He attacked with Tour Guide, but Boyajian responded with Abyss-sphere; Delhon Chained with the effect of Maxx “C”! Boyajian Special Summoned Mermail Abysspike to block the attacks, then discarded Dragoons for Abysspike’s negated effect, searching out Deep Sea Diva. Delhon slammed Sangan into Abysspike, getting another Maxx “C” and Special Summoning Tragoedia from his hand! Tragoedia attacked with 3000 ATK, running over Abysspike. Allure of Darkness in Main Phase 2 got him two draws, and he banished Red-Eyes Darkness Metal Dragon. Delhon shifted Tragoedia to Level 3; overlaid it with Tour Guide; and Xyz Summoned Wind-Up Zenmaines in Defense Position.
Boyajian drew Heavy Storm and Normal Summoned Deep Sea Diva. He activated its effect; Delhon Chained his second Maxx “C”; and drew a card when Boyajian Special Summoned Atlantean Heavy Infantry. He Set his second ‘sphere.
Delhon Normal summoned Card Trooper, sending Effect Veiler, Lightpulsar Dragon, and Ryko, Lightsworn Hunter to the Graveyard to boost it up to 1900 ATK. Zenmaines attacked over Diva, and Trooper ran down Heavy Infantry. Delhon moved to his End Phase and Boyajian considered activating his Abyss-sphere. He eventually decided not to.
Boyajian finally got a Genex Undine. He returned his Diva and Heavy Infantry to his hand with Salvage, then Normal Summoned both to Special Summon Atlantean Marksman. He flipped Abyss-sphere to Special Summon Mermail Abysspike.
Boyajian attacked Card Trooper with Atlantean Marksman, letting Delhon draw a card with Trooper’s effect. The successful attack triggered Marksman’s ability, allowing Boyajian to Special Summon Atlantean Dragoons. He rapped his fingers on the table, counting out the moves he was contemplating before attacking Zenmaines with Abysspike, then Dragoons, then making a direct attack with Diva. Zenmaines was still on the field, but in Main Phase 2 Boyajian Tuned Diva, Marksman, and Heavy Infantry to Synchro Summon Gungnir, Dragon of the Ice Barrier! He discarded Genex Controller to destroy Zenmaines, then overlaid his Dragoons and Abysspike to Xyz Summon Abyss Dweller!
Delhon drew to seven cards in hand, and activated Monster Reborn to bring back Sangan. He banished Tour Guide and Ryko to Special Summon Black Luster Soldier – Envoy of the Beginning, then attacked to destroy Gungnir… unwittingly destroying his Black Luster Soldier too! Delhon hadn’t realized that Abyss Dweller’s effect had boosted Gungnir to 3000 ATK, just enough to match BLS! Delhon heaved a sigh, disappointed in himself: “That might have cost me the game. Go.”
Boyajian drew Tragoedia. He activated Dweller’s effect to detach Dragoons, and searched out Moulinglacia the Elemental Lord from his Deck with seven WATER monsters in his Graveyard! He took back Deep Sea Diva and Atlantean Heavy Infantry with Salvage and Special Summoned Moulinglacia the Elemental Lord to discard Delhon’s Solar Recharge and Lightpulsar Dragon! Boyajian had searched Moulinglacia for free; traded one in-hand card for two; and discarded two cards from his opponent’s hand, and he was nowhere near finished. He Normal Summoned Heavy Infantry to Normal Summon Diva, Special Summoning Atlantean Marksman.
Boyajian continued, overlaying Diva and Infantry to Xyz Summon Gachi Gachi Gantetsu. He sent Abyss Dweller to attack Sangan, then made a direct attack with Marksman. Delhon immediately conceded.
A tremendous misplay leads Justin Delhon to send his Black Luster Soldier to its demise, and it’s all downhill from there! Robert Boyajian capitalizes with a massive string of plays to steal Delhon’s momentum and take the first duel! “Why did I DO that?!” Delhon gave a moan, before snapping himself out of it and going for his Side Deck.
Delhon Summoned Card Trooper to send Night Assailant, Chaos Sorcerer, and Monster Reborn to the Graveyard.
Boyajian had two Genex Undine; Skill Drain; Atlantean Dragoons; Mermail Abysslinde; and Pot of Avarice. Not bad at all! He Summoned Undine to get Genex Controller from his Deck, and kicked Atlantean Dragoons to his Graveyard to add Mermail Abyssmegalo to his hand. He attacked Trooper with Undine, dishing out 800 Battle Damage. Delhon drew a card. Boyajian Set Skill Drain.
Delhon Set a Spell or Trap.
Boyajian drew his second Genex Controller and Summoned it, attacking with Genex Undine. Delhon Special Summoned Tragoedia; Boyajian flipped Skill Drain to try and reduce its ATK; and Delhon Chained Mystical Space Typhoon to destroy Skill Drain before it could resolve. Boyajian Xyz Summoned Wind-Up Zenmaines in Main Phase 2.
Delhon activated Prohibition, calling Mermail Abyssmegalo.
Boyajian drew Abyss-sphere and Set it.
Delhon Set a monster, and when he reached his End Phase Boyajian flipped Abyss-sphere. Delhon Chained Maxx “C” and drew a card when Boyajian Special Summoned Mermail Abysslinde. When she was destroyed in the End Phase by Abyss-sphere, Boyajian Special Summoned Mermail Abysspike and pitched Atlantean Dragoons to get Deep Sea Diva and Atlantean Marksman to his hand. Delhon drew again with Maxx “C”. Delhon had six cards in hand, with Prohibition, Tragoedia, and a Set monster on the field.
Boyajian drew to eight cards in hand, getting Atlantean Marksman. He had Zenmaines and Abysspike on the field. He Summoned Deep Sea Diva and Delhon responded with another Maxx “C”! He drew another card when Boyajian Special Summoned Atlantean Heavy Infantry.
He Synchro Summoned Scrap Dragon, and used its effect to blow a Material off Zenmaines, destroying Tragoedia! Scrap Dragon attacked into Ryko, Lightsworn Hunter, and Delhon destroyed the Dragon. In the End Phase he discarded Genex Controller, and destroyed Prohibition with Zenmaines.
Delhon Normal Summoned Tour Guide from the Underworld to Special Summon Sangan, then pitched Lyla, Lightsworn Sorceress for Solar Recharge: he drew two cards and sent Ryko and Darkflare Dragon to the Graveyard. He banished to Special Summon another Darkflare, then banished that for Red-Eyes Darkness Metal Dragon, Special Summoning Lightpulsar Dragon from his hand! He overlaid Sangan and Tour Guide for Number 17: Leviathan Dragon and buffed it to 2500 ATK, then Special Summoned another Lightpulsar Dragon. Boyajian had 5400 Life Points. Delhon stacked his Dragons for Number 25: Force Focus and went for Black Luster Soldier – Envoy of the Beginning. It banished Zenmaines, and a series of direct attacks ended the second Duel!
Justin Delhon locks down Mermail Abyssmegalo with Prohibition, then unleashes a flurry of Special Summons to take the second Duel! Nine minutes remained in the Match. Whoever lost this last Duel was virtually out of the tournament.
Boyajian had two Salvage; Monster Reborn; Genex Undine; Dark Hole; and Atlantean Marksman. He Summoned Undine; got Genex Controller; and kicked Atlantean Dragoons to the Graveyard to add Deep Sea Diva to his hand. He Set a Salvage.
Delhon Summoned Card Trooper, sending two Tour Guide from the Underworlds and Black Luster Soldier – Envoy of the Beginning to the Graveyard to attack over Undine.
Boyajian drew Pot of Duality. He Summoned Marksman and attacked Card Trooper, Special Summoning Atlantean Dragoons from his Deck. Delhon Special Summoned Tragoedia. Boyajian used Monster Reborn to bring back his first Dragoons, then overlaid them for Abyss Dweller! He shook his head and gave a sigh at some sort of mistake or reflection – or maybe an opportunity? – that only he could see, then detached a Dragoons to get Mermail Abyssmegalo from his Deck. He Set Pot of Duality to continue the bluffing.
Delhon drew to six cards in hand, then discarded Night Assailant to take control of Atlantean Marksman with Tragoedia. He Special Summoned Dark Armed Dragon! Delhon banished one Tour Guide to destroy Salvage, then another Tour Guide to destroy Duality, clearing Boyajian’s back row.
Time was called, and Delhon shifted Tragoedia to Level 3. He activated Dark Armed Dragon’s effect, targeting Abyss Dweller, and Boyajian Chained its effect, getting Moulinglacia the Elemental Lord with Dragoons. Delhon Xyz Summoned Number 17: Leviathan Dragon, then Special Summoned Darkflare Dragon and Normal Summoned Sangan for game!
Justin Delhon moves on, finishing Day 2 with a 6-2 record!