Carl Manigat traveled here this weekend from New York, while YCS veteran Patrick Hoban hail from Atlanta.  Both of these competitors are playing Dragon Rulers, and both knew the deck enough to make it here, to the Top 16 of the North American WCQ.  That meant this match was going to come down to tech, stamina, and maybe a little bit of luck!

Hoban opened the match with a hand of Super Rejuvenation; Heavy Storm; Blaster, Dragon Ruler of Infernos; Gold Sarcophagus; Tempest, Dragon Ruler of Storms; and Redox, Dragon Ruler of Boulders.  He spent a moment considering his opening, then banished Redox and Tempest to Special Summon Blaster, getting another Redox and Lightning, Dragon Ruler of Drafts.  He then banished Tidal, Dragon Ruler of Waterfalls with Gold Sarcophagus, getting another Tidal from his Deck.  He pitched Tidal for Lightning to Special Summon Tempest and Tributed both Dragon Rulers to Set Redox.  He activated Super Rejuvenation, drawing four, then ripped another Rejuvenation and played it to draw another four cards!  He drew into the third Rejuvenation that time, and played it to draw four more cards!  He was left with eleven cards…

… and he discarded five of them to end the turn: two Sacred Sword of Seven Stars; Redox, Dragon Ruler of Boulders; Lightning, Dragon Ruler of Drafts; and Stream, Dragon Ruler of Droplets.

Manigat discarded Tempest and Lightning for Tempest’s effect next turn, getting Reactan from his Deck.  He pitched Reactan and Tidal for Reactan’s effect, and Hoban dropped Maxx “C”.  Manigat activated Super Rejuvenation, Set one card, and ended to draw four.

Hoban activated Heavy Storm, forcing Manigat to Book of Moon his own Redox.  Hoban Special Summoned Tempest from his Graveyard by banishing Stream and Lightning from his Graveyard, then banished Maxx “C” and Lightning for Redox.  He brought back Tidal next, Flip Summoned Redox, and that was enough for Manigat to concede!

Triple Super Rejuvenation powers Patrick Hoban to a decisive Turn 2 win, as Carl Manigat is forced to scoop to conserve time, and hope for better luck in Duel 2!

He opened with Burner’s effect, discarding Tidal, Dragon Ruler of Waterfalls to bring out Blaster, Dragon Ruler of Infernos.  He banished Burner and Tidal to Special Summon Redox, then searched Stream, Dragon Ruler of Droplets with the banished Tidal.  He overlaid both for Mecha Phantom Beast Dracossack in Defense Position, then Summoned his Mecha Phantom Beast Tokens.

Hoban had Swift Scarecrow; Flamvell Guard; Sacred Sword of Seven Stars; Lightning, Dragon Ruler of Drafts; Maxx “C”; and Tidal, Dragon Ruler of Waterfalls.  He pitched Tidal for Lightning’s effect, and Manigat Chained Maxx “C”.  Hoban Speical Summoned Tempest frm his Deck, then banished it for Sacred Sword of Seven Stars to draw Vanity’s Emptiness and Stream, Dragon Ruler of Droplets, and to search another Tempest.  He passed from there, unwilling to play further into Maxx “C”.

Play was back to Manigat, who Summoned Dragunity Corsesca and Tuned it to the two Tokens.  Hoban activated the effect of Maxx “C”, drawing a card when Manigat Synchro Smmoned Karakuri Shogun mdl 00 “Burei”.  He Special Summoned two more Mecha Phantom Beast Tokens to give Hoban another draw, then brought back Blaster for yet another.  He searched Redox, the attacked with Burei… into Swift Scarecrow.  Manigat moved to Main Phase 2 and Xyz Summoned Number 11: Big Eye with Blaster and Burei.

Hoban drew to nine cards in hand, but Manigat Tributed Big Eye for Deck Devastation Virus!  Hoban Chained his Maxx “C”, then lost Flamvell Guard and revealed the rest of his hand:

Hoban discarded Tidal for Stream, Special Summoning another Tidal.  He Special Summoned it back by banishing Lightning and Stream from his Graveyard, then overlaid both Tidals for Mermail Abyssgaios!  Hoban attacked with it to destroy Manigat’s Mecha Phantom Beast Dracossack, then discarded one Tempest for another to search out Burner, Dragon Ruler of Sparks.  He Set Vanity’s Emptiness, holding another Emptiness, Mystical Space Typhoon, Burner.

Manigat banished two from his Graveyard to try and Special Summon Redox from his Graveyard, but Hoban flipped Emptiness!  Manigat got Blaster, Dragon Ruler of Infernos from his Deck, and Tribute Set a monster.

Hoban drew Super Rejuvenation and revealed it under Deck Devastation Virus.  He activated Rejuvenation, destroying his own Vanity’s Emptiness, then banished Tidal and Flamvell Guard to Special Summon back Tidal – Manigat Chained Maxx “C”, drawing a card.  Hoban discarded Stream for Burner’s effect, Special Summoning Blaster, then Set another Emptiness.  In the End Phase he added Reactan and Redox to his hand with Rejuvenation, revealing them for Deck Devastation Virus.

Manigat Set two cards to his backrow.  Hoban took back his Blaster and Tempest.

Hoban drew Blaster, Dragon Ruler of Infernos.  He discarded Redox for Reactan to  Special Summon another Redox from his Deck, then Special Summoned Tidal from his Graveyard by banishing Burner and Stream.  Hoban Xyz Summoned Number 11: Big Eye and detached Redox to try and take Manigat’s Set monster, but Manigat negated the effect with Effect Veiler.  Hoban banished Maxx “C” and Swift Scarecrow to Special Summon Redox from his Graveyard, then brought back Tempst by banishing Redox and Reactan.  He overlaid them and Summoned another Big Eye!  That one didn’t work either, as Manigat had another Effect Veiler!  The crowd gave a building cheer, and Hoban ended.

Manigat discarded Blaster for Stream, and Hoban flipped his second Vanity’s Emptiness to shut it down!  Manigat drew two cards with Super Rejuvenation, then played another one to draw two more.

Hoban drew Effect Veiler.  He detached from Big Eye again, and this time he was able to take Manigat’s Set Redox!  The second Big Eye and Abyssgaios both attacked, lowering Manigato to 2400 ATK.

Manigat banished Tempest, Dragon Ruler of Storms with Sacred Sword of Seven Stars, drawing two cards and searching Lightning, Dragon Ruler of Drafts.  He Normal Summoned Reactan, turned Abyssgaios face-down with Book of Moon, and attacked to destroy it, knocking Vanity’s Emptiness into the Graveyard!  In Main Phase 2 Manigat brought out Tempest with Lightning, then banished Blaster and Lightning to Special Summon Tidal, Dragon Ruler of Waterfalls.  He overlaid it with Tempest for Number 11: Big Eye, but when the Summon went through Hoban cut it off with Effect Veiler!

Hoban drew Psi-Blocker.  He activated Mystical Space Typhoon to destroy Manigat’s Set Vanity’s Emptiness, then used his Big Eye to take Manigat’s Big Eye!  He Summoned Psi-Blocker to prohibit Swift Scarecrow and attacked with everything for game!

Patrick Hoban takes a spectacular 2-0 win, claiming victory with triple Number 11: Big Eye backed by Psi-Blocker!