Top 16 Feature Match: Bobby Barone Versus Loukas Peterson
Bobby Barone is playing Atlantean Mermails with multiple copies of Bahamut Shark and Mermail Abysstrite, as well as Mermail Abyssocea and Mermail Abyssturge. Loukas Peterson is running Spellbooks, packing multiple Spellbook of Eternity and Temperance of Prophecy for World of Prophecy. These are going to be two of the biggest Decks in competition over the next few months, but for now, the relevance of this match-up was more immediate. One of these competitors was going to the Top 8. The other one was going home.
Barone got us started, Summoning Mermail Abysspike to discard Atlantean Heavy Infantry, searching out Mermail Abyssgunde. He then Special Summoned Aqua Spirit, banishing the Infantry to Xyz Summon Bahamut Shark. He detached Abysspike to Special Summon Mermail Abysstrite, then Set two cards to his back row.
Peterson had a hand of Spellbook of Life; Spellbook of Eternity; Spellbook of Fate; Book of Moon; Spellbook of Power; and Temperance of Prophecy. It didn’t seem like a great hand, but Peterson was ready to make the most of it. He Summoned Temperance, activated Power to boost its ATK, and Set Spellbook of Life. He then banished Power for Spellbook of Fate, bouncing Life back to his hand. That let him activate Eternity to get back Power. He activated Temperance’s effect to Special Summon World of Prophecy, retrieving his Spellbook of Fate and Spellbook of Eternity. He then revealed four Spellbooks for World’s effect, clearing the field entirely!
Barone used Abysstrite to Special Summon back his Abysspike, pitching Abyssgunde to search for another. World of Prophecy attacked to destroy Abysspike, and Peterson Set Power and Book of Moon. What a huge turn for Peterson.
Barone Summoned Mermail Abysspike and pitched his second Abyssgunde to search out a third copy of Abyssgunde! He Special Summoned back his first Abysspike with the second Abyssgunde, then Xyz Summoned Lavalval Chain in Defense Position – Peterson responded with Book of Moon, turning it face-down.
Petrson drew a second Spellbook of Eternity. He activated his Set Power to attack and destroy Lavalval Chain, searching Spellbook of Secrets with Power’s effect. He activated it in Main Phase 2, searching Spellbook Magician of Prophecy, then Normal Summoned that to get Spellbook of the Master. He activated it, revealing Spellbook of Eternity to copy Secrets: Peterson searched out The Grand Spellbook Tower from his Deck, then activated it. He Set Eternity and Fate, with exactly three Spellbooks in his Graveyard.
Barone Summoned another Mermail Abysspike, pitching the last Abyssgunde to get Atlantean Marksman and Special Summon back another Abysspike. He pitched Marksman to Special Summon Mermail Abyssteus next, destroying Peterson’s Spellbook of Eternity and searching Mermail Abysslinde with Abyssteus. He overlaid the Abysspikes for Number 85: Crazy Box – Peterson banished his three Spellbooks for Fate, banishing Crazy Box. Barone ended with one card in hand and one Abyssteus on the field.
Peterson drew Spellbook of Secrets, then drew Mirror Force off of Tower’s effect. He activated Eternity to get back his Spellbook of the Master, then played Secrets to get Spellbook Magician of Prophecy. He Summoned that to search for Spellbook of Fate, then revealed Fate for Master to copy Eternity, getting back Power. He activated it, boosting World’s ATK, and attacked over Abyssteus with it. Each Magician then made a direct attack, and Peterson Set Fate and Mirror Force.
Barone Summoned Mermail Abysslinde, attacked, and lost it to Spellbook of Fate.
Peterson drew Effect Veiler, then got another Fate off The Grand Spellbook Tower. He overlaid his Magicians to Xyz Summon Daigusto Phoenix, and detached to attack twice with it. World struck next, dropping Barone to 1100 Life Points. Peterson Set Fate.
Barone Summoned Tidal, Dragon Ruler of Waterfalls, banishing Abysspike and Bahamut Shark. He attacked Phoenix, and when Peterson flipped Mirror Force it was all over! Barone conceded the first Duel.
Barone opened Game 2 with three Set cards to his back row.
Peterson had High Priestess of Prophecy; two Spellbook Magicians of Prophecy; The Grand Spellbook Tower; Spellbook of Wisdom; and Temperance of Prophecy. He Summoned a Magician to get Spellbook of Secrets, used it to search out Spellbook of the Master, and activated it, revealing Tower to search Spellbook of Fate. He revealed Tower, Fate, and Wisdom to Special Summon High Priestess. He attacked with Magician, prompting Barone to flip Abyss-sphere; Peterson chained Wisdom targeting his Magician and calling Traps. Abyss-sphere resolved and Barone Special Summoned Mermail Abysslinde in Main Phase 2. Barone flipped Imperial Iron Wall, but Peterson chained Spellbook of Fate to banish the Wall. He banished Fate from his Graveyard to destroy Barone’s Set Mystical Space Typhoon, then Set The Grand Spellbook Tower. In the End Phase Barone Special Summoned Mermail Abyssturge, discarding Atlantean Heavy Infantry to take back his Mermail Abysslinde and to destroy High Priestess.
Barone Summoned Mermail Abysspike, pitching Abysslinde to search for Mermail Abyssgunde. Abyssturge attacked over Spellbook Magician of Prophecy, and Abysspike took a direct shot at Peterson’s Life Points. In Main Phase 2 Barone overlaid for Bahamut Shark, detaching Abyssturge to Special Summon Mermail Abysstrite. He Set a Spell or Trap.
Peterson Summoned Spellbook Magician of Prophecy, getting Eternity and using to take back Secrets. He copied Eternity with Master to get back Spellbook of Fate, then played Secrets to search Spellbook of Life from his Deck. He activated it, banishing a Magician to try and Special Summon High Priestess, but lost out to Barone’s Mystical Space Typhoon! Peterson Set Fate and ended.
Barone activated Bahamut Shark’s effect a second time, putting another Abysstrite on the field – this one in Attack Position. He followed up, pitching Abyssgunde and Mermail Abyssocea to Special Summon Mermail Abyssmegalo, searching an Abyss-sphere. His Abyssgunde then revived Mermail Abysslinde, and he turned his first Abysstrite to Attack Position. He attacked Magician with an Abysstrite, Peterson thought for a moment, and then conceded.
Peterson started the final Duel with a hand of Spellbook of Secrets; Rivalry of Warlords; Spellbook of the Master; Spellbook Magician of Prophecy; Mystical Space Typhoon; The Grand Spellbook Tower. He Summoned Magician to get Spellbook Library of the Crescent, activating it to choose Spellbook of Fate; Spellbook of Secrets; and Spellbook of Wisdom: he randomly got Secrets. He activated it, searching Spellbook of Fate, then used Master to mimic Secrets and get another Fate! He activated the Tower and Set four cards to his back row.
Barone discarded Mermail Abyssgunde for the effect of Tidal, Dragon Ruler of Waterfalls, sending Mermail Abysspike to his Graveyard. He revived Abysspike with Abyssgunde, then pitched Mermail Abyssleed for Abysspike’s ability. “That was actually really cool,” remarked Peterson, as Barone used Abysspike’s effect to get Atlantean Marksman. He Summoned Abyssturge, discarding Marksman to target Abyssgunde, retrieving it: Marksman targeted Peterson’s Rivalry of Warlords, but Peterson flipped it face-up to keep it on the field! Barone had three cards left in hand with his two Level 4’s on the field. When Barone attacked with Abyssturge, Peterson banished it with Spellbook of Fate. Abysspike attacked to destroy Spellbook Magician of Prophecy and Barone Set one card to his Spell and Trap Card Zone: it was Abyss-sphere, and an End Phase Mystical Space Typhoon cut it off at the pass.
Peterson drew High Priestess of Prophecy, then Soul Drain with Tower. He activated Secrets to get Spellbook Magician of Prophecy from his Deck, then Summoned it to get Spellbook of Eternity, getting back Secrets. “I’ll pass turn.”
Barone attacked Magician with Abysspike, and Peterson flipped his Magician face-down with Fate. When Abysspike hit Magician, Magician flipped, and Peterson searched his Deck for another Spellbook of Eternity with its effect.
Peterson drew Mystical Space Typhoon, then drew Spellbook of Fate with his Tower’s effect. He retrieved Spellbook of the Master with Eternity, then revealed Fate, Master, and Secrets to Special Summon High Priestess. Secrets got him Spellbook of Power from his deck, and he banished Spellbook of Secrets with High Priestess to destroy Barone’s Set Skill Drain – he chose not to chain it. Peterson activated Power, copied Power with Spellbook of the Master, then ran over Abysspike with his 4500 ATK Priestess. That let him search Secrets and Fate, and he Set three cards to his back row.
Play passed to Barone, and time was called at the beginning of his turn. Three more turns would be played after this one. Barone cleared the field with Dark Hole: he had just two cards left in hand, to Peterson’s four Set cards, his Rivalry, his Tower, and his one in-hand card. Barone was at 5100 Life Points to Peterson’s 6900. He banished Tidal to Special Summon Aqua Spirit, searching another Tidal from his Deck. He Normal Summoned Abyssgunde and attacked with it, then dropped Peterson to 3900 Life Points with an attack from Aqua Spirit.
Turn 1 of time. Peterson drew another Tower, then drew Effect Veiler with Tower. Peterson thought a bit, then activated Mystical Space Typhoon to target his own Tower. He played Secrets to get Spellbook of Life, then activated it to banish Magician and bring back High Priestess. He banished Secrets for her effect, destroying Aqua Spirit, then banished Abyssgunde with Fate to press through 2500 Battle Damage with Priestess. He activated another Tower.
Turn 2 of time, Barone’s last turn. He needed to even up the score or win, and he just couldn’t do it – Barone gave Peterson the handshake, and Peterson was headed to the Top 8!