Round 9 Feature Match: Sorosh Saberian versus John Camerino
Two more Rounds of Swiss competition remain in this tournament, and these competitors are both 6-2, clinging to life in the main event! Sorosh Saberian is running a promising build of Mermails with Spiritual Water Art – Aoi, and his opponent John Camerino is piloting Agents. These Duelists had practiced and playtested with each other this very weekend, so both knew all about the other’s strategy. While Saberian has made the Top 32 of numerous big tournaments, this is Camerino’s first YCS. A win here would be a pretty big feather in Camerino’s proverbial cap.
Saberian got us started with a hand of Mermail Abysspike; Tragoedia; Deep Sea Diva; Heavy Storm; Spiritual Water Art – Aoi; and Mystical Space Typhoon. He Set Typhoon and Water Art.
Camerino Summoned Thunder King Rai-Oh and attacked for 1900 Battle Damage. Saberian Special Summoned Tragoedia. He Set Torrential Tribute, but lost it to Saberian’s Typhoon in the End Phase.
Saberian drew Atlantean Marksman and attacked over Thunder King with Tragoedia. He Normal Summoned Abysspike in Main Phase 2 and pitched Marksman to search his Deck for Genex Undine.
Camerino drew, and Saberian blasted him with Water Art Tributing Abysspike: Camerino had The Agent of Creation – Venus; Mystical Shine Ball; Dark Hole; Master Hyperion; and Tour Guide from the Underworld.
“Oh God…” Saberian took a moment to carefully consider what he’d send to the Graveyard. He eventually chose to send away The Agent of Creation, leaving Camerino briefly stranded with his Hyperion but knowing he’d lose his Tragoedia to Tour Guide. Camerino Summoned Tour Guide to Special Summon another; overlaid to Xyz Summon Number 17: Leviathan Dragon; and buffed it up to 2500 ATK. Leviathan attacked to destroy Tragoedia.
Saberian drew Mermail Abysslinde and Normal Summoned Deep Sea Diva, Special Summoning Atlantean Marksman from his Deck. He Synchro Summoned Ally of Justice Catastor to destroy Leviathan Dragon, then Set Heavy Storm.
Camerino Set a back row card.
Saberian drew another Abysslinde, then flipped his Heavy Storm to destroy Camerino’s face-down Call of the Haunted. He Summoned Genex Undine and sent Atlantean Dragoons to the Graveyard, getting Genex Controller and Moulinglacia the Elemental Lord from his Deck, with five WATER monsters in his Graveyard! Camerino had three cards in his hand: “I need to not hit Shine Ball,” laughed Saberian. He Special Summoned Moulinglacia and discarded Shine Ball from Camerino’s hand, but then hit Master Hyperion! Saberian attacked with everything.
Camerino cleared the field with Dark Hole, and Set his last card to his back row.
Saberian drew Salvage, going to four cards in hand with a blank field. He activated Salvage to get back Undine and Atlantean Marksman. “That’s probably a Call… Has to be a Call or a Torrential Tribute.” Saberian mused about Camerino’s backrow card, and Set Abysslinde.
Camerino drew and Set another Spell or Trap.
Saberian drew Torrential Tribute. He Normal Summoned Undine again, sending Dragoons to the Graveyard to get another Genex Controller and Mermail Heavy Infantry. He Flip Summoned Abysslinde and attacked, drawing out Camerino’s Call of the Haunted for Master Hyperion. Saberian slammed Abysslinde into Hyperion to Special Summon Mermail Abysspike, pitching Heavy Infantry to destroy Master Hyperion and get another Abysslinde with Abysspike’s effect. “You can’t have another Call set, that’s just silly.” Saberian attacked, and Camerino revealed Torrential Tribute, which was useless. Abysspike’s attack connected and Saberian took the first Duel!
An early game Tragoedia let’s Sorosh Saberian overcome Camerino’s opening Thunder King Rai-Oh, and Spiritual Water Art – Aoi lets him make flawless reads on virtually every move John Camerino makes in the mid-game! After brief Side Decking, both Duelists quickly moved to the second Duel.
Camerino opened up with Banisher of the Radiance. Seemed a little desperate with no back row.
Saberian had two Mermail Abysspike; Atlantean Marksman; Mind Control; Soul Taker; and Mermail Abyssmegalo. He took Banisher with Mind Control, then Summoned Atlantean Marksman for a direct attack. He Special Summoned Atlantean Dragoons, and made a direct attack with that before overlaying Marksman and Banisher in Main Phase 2. He Xyz Summoned Wind-Up Zenmaines in Defense Position.
Camerino Summoned Card Trooper, sending The Agent of Creation – Venus; Tour Guide from the Underworld; and Solemn Warning to the Graveyard. Camerino attacked to destroy Dragoon.
Saberian drew Dark Hole and Summoned Abysspike, discarding his second Abysspike to get Genex Undine.
He turned Zenmaines to Attack Position and swung over Trooper with Abysspike. He followed up with a direct attack with Zenmaines, and Camerino Special Summoned Tragoedia. “Can I get gamed here,” wondered Saberian allowed. “Hopefully not!” He laughed. “Go ahead!”
Camerino drew for his turn: “It’s so funny, I drew the Tragoedia off the Card Trooper.” That explained why he hadn’t Summoned it off the Abysspike’s attack. Tragoedia attacked over Abysspike, dropping Saberian to 5900 Life Points. Camerino had 2100 left, and Set a single card to his back row. Tragoedia had 3000 ATK.
Saberian drew another Genex Undine. He activated Dark Hole to destroy Tragoedia, and detached a Material from Zenmaines to keep it around. He Summoned Undine to kick Atlantean Dragoons to the Graveyard, getting Genex Controller and Moulinglacia the Elemental Lord with five WATER monsters yarded. “Even if that’s Torrential, I still get two cards. That’s pretty good. But it’s probably Call. If it’s Call I’ll live.” Saberian Special Summoned Moulinglacia the Elemental Lord, making Camerino… concede! He revealed that his Set card was actually Mystical Space Typhoon, and he was stuck with a hand of Monster Reborn, Honest, Spirit Reaper, Mystical Shine Ball, and Master Hyperion! “I didn’t think you were going to Dark Hole,” he remarked.
Sorosh Saberian moves on with a 7-2 record, one win away from a likely seat in the Top 32! This Match was a clinic on the power of Moulinglacia the Elemental Lord.
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