This is what it’s all about: one of Canada’s greatest competitors facing off against the American winner of the North American Championship!  Toronto’s own Sorosh Saberian is playing Mermails while Patrick Hoban’s running Dragunities, and both Duelists have been tearing it up all weekend long.  Interesting aside?  These two competitors have never Dueled each other before.  Over in the other Top 4 Match, Sehabi Kheireddine is taking Blackwings against Edward Kuang’s Dragon Rulers;  four Duelists, four different decks.

Would Mermails or Dragunities be headed to the Finals?  Would we see an all-Canadian Finals?  We were about to find out!

Saberian kicked things off with Maxx “C”; Mermail Abyssmegalo; Mystical Space Typhoon; Mermail Abyssteus; Mermail Abyssleed; and Mermail Abysslinde.  He discarded Abyssleed to Special Summon Abyssteus and searched Mermail Abyssocea with its effect. Saberian Summoned it, then targeted Abyssteus with its effect to trade Abyssteus for Mermail Abysslinde and Mermail Abyssgunde in Defense Position.  He overlaid Abyssgunde and Abyssocea for Wind-Up Zenmaines, then Set Typhoon.

Hoban was up: Terraforming got him Dragon Ravine, and he activated it, discarding Redox, Dragon Ruler of Boulders for its effect: Saberian Chained Mystical Space Typhoon to destroy Ravine and stop its effect.  Hoban had four cards in-hand to Saberian’s three, and Saberian’s on-field Abysslinde and Zenmaines.  Hoban discarded Dragunity Dux for Tempest, Dragon Ruler of Storms, searching Dragunity Phalanx, then Set a monster and Set a backrow card.

Saberian drew Mermail Abyssturge.  He turned Abysslinde and Zenmaines to Attack Position, then sent Abysslinde to destroy Hoban’s Set Phalanx in battle.  Zenmaines made a direct attack for 1500 Battle Damage.

Hoban drew to two in hand with one card Set. He Summoned Dux, equipped it with Phalanx, and banished Redox and Dux to Special Summon Tempest: Saberian chained Maxx “C” to draw Mermail Abysspike.  Phalanx was still equipped to Dux.  Hoban searched another Redox with the effect of the first.  He attacked Abysslinde with Tempest and flipped Vanity’s Emptiness, stopping Saberian from making a Special Summon!

Saberian drew another Maxx “C”, adding it to his hand of…

He ran Wind-Up Zenmaines into Dux, detaching a material, then Set a monster.  Zenmaines let him destroy Dux, destroying Vanity’s Emptiness and Phalanx in the process.   Hoban took back his Tempest.

Hoban activated Gold Sarcophagus to banish Blaster, Dragon Ruler of Infernos, searching another one to add to his hand.  He banished Tempest for Sacred Sword of Seven Stars, drawing two cards and getting another Tempest from his Deck.  Suddenly he was back to five cards in hand!  He Set one to his back row.

Saberian ripped Mystical Space Typhoon.  Hoban had 6500 Life Points, while Saberian had 7700.  Saberian Summoned Abyssturge, discarding Mermail Abysspike to retrieve Abyssgunde.  He Flip Summoned Abysslinde and attacked with all three monsters, dropping Hoban to 1800 Life Points.  He Set Typhoon.

Hoban banished another Tempest with another Sacred Sword, drawing tow and this time searching Dragunity Arma Mystletainn.  He drew a card with Upstart Goblin, sending Saberian to 8700 Life Points, then Normal Summoned Dragunity Phalanx: Saberian dropped his second Maxx “C”.  Hoban Special Summoned Mystletainn anyways, giving Saberian Aqua Spirit.  He attached Phalanx to Mystletainn and Saberian destroyed it with Mystical Space Typhoon.  Hoban banished Dux from his Graveyard and Redox from his hand to Special Summon Blaster from his hand.  Saberian drew Atlantean Marksman, and Hoban searched another Redox.  Hoban made two attacks to destroy the Zenmaines, then Set two more cards to his back row.

Saberian drew Tidal, Dragon Ruler of Waterfalls.  He discarded Marskman and Abyssgunde for Mermail Abyssmegalo, constructing the chain with Marksman as Chain Link 1, Abyssgunde as Chain Link 2 targeting Abyssleed, and Abyssmegalo at Chain Link 3.

Marksman had targeted Hoban’s Return from the Different Dimension, and he Chained it to Special Summon back two copies of Redox and a Tempest.  Saberian searched Abyss-sphere Special Summoned back his Abyssleed.  He had Tidal, ‘sphere, and Aqua Spirit in hand.

Saberian overlaid Abyssmegalo and Abyssleed for Mecha Phantom Beast Dracossack, detaching Abyssleed to Special Summon two Mecha Phantom Beast Tokens.  He Tributed one of them to destroy Hoban’s Set Trap Stun, then Tributed Dracossack and the remaining Token for Tidal.  It ran over Mystletainn in battle and Abysslinde attacked into Blaster, dropping Saberian to 5500 Life Points.

Saberian Special Summoned Abyssmegalo off Abysslinde to attack Tempest, then moved to Main Phase 2 to make another Dracossack.  He used it to destroy Hoban’s Reckless Greed, which he chained to draw two cards.  Hoban was down to 400 Life Points, and Saberian banished for Aqua Spirit, blowing away the rest of Hoban’s Life Points with Gagaga Cowboy!

“I had to get rid of both backrow cards before I could go in for Cowboy,” explained Saberian, breathing a sigh of relief.  Double Mystical Space Typhoon and double Maxx “C”, combined with some highly creative moves to seal the deal just prove to be too much for Hoban to fight out of!  Saberian was now just one win away from a seat in the Finals.

Hoban started Game 2 with Upstart Goblin, then banished Redox, Dragon Ruler of Boulders for Sacred Sword of Seven Stars; he drew two cards and got another Redox.  He banished Tempest, Dragon Ruler of Storms with Gold Sarcophagus to get Dragunity Phalanx, then discarded it for Cards of Consonance to draw two more.  He activated Dragon Ravine; discarded Redox; and searched for Dragunity Dux.  He Summoned it, brought back Phalanx, then went into Stardust Dragon via Dragunity Knight – Vajrayana!  He Set two cards to his back row, a huge opening!

Saberian had Mermail Abyssgunde; Mystical Space Typhoon; The Transmigration Prophecy; Atlantean Heavy Infantry; Mermail Abyssmegalo; and Effect Veiler.  He Set Typhoon and Transmigration.

Hoban flipped Reckless Greed to draw two cards, going to six in hand with one Set card, Ravine, and Stardust Dragon on the field.  He discarded Terraforming for Ravine, and when Saberian flipped Mystical Space Typhoon to try and destroy it, Hoban Tributed Stardust Dragon to negate Typhoon.  He got Dragunity Dux, Summoned it, and Saberian chained Transmigration Prophecy to send both Phalanx and Stardust Dragon back to their respective Decks!  He was still way behind Hoban, but it certainly helped.  Hoban pressed on, drawing another card with a second Upstart Goblin.  He had another Dragon Ravine!  “No!”  Saberian laughed, and Hoban discarded Terraforming to send Phalanx back to his Graveyard.  When he sent Dux to the Graveyard for Dragunity Arma Mystletainn, Saberian shut it down with Effect Veiler.  Hoban attacked to drop Saberian to 7900 Life Points.

Saberian drew Mermail Abyssteus.  He Special Summoned it by discarding Heavy Infantry, destroying Dragon Ravine and searching his Deck for Mermail Abysslinde.  He discarded Abysslinde and Abyssgunde for Mermail Abyssmegalo, but Hoban shut it all down with Vanity’s Emptiness!

Hoban was stuck skipping his Draw Phase next turn, but he banished Tempest for Sacred Sword of Seven Stars to draw two cards anyways, and searched out another Phalanx.  He played his third Upstart, then Normal Summoned Phalanx to make Crimson Blader!  He banished Phalanx and Mystletainn to Special Summon Redox; attacked over Abyssteus with Blader; then made a direct attack with Redox.  He Set two cards to his back row.

Saberian drew Maxx “C” and passed.  Hoban took his Redox back to his hand, and next turn he flooded the field with Return from the Different Dimension to take a decisive win!

Patrick Hoban strikes back, making a strong opening and pushing hard to get an early lead!  A great play with The Transmigration Prophecy lets Saberian stop two of Hoban’s plays in one move, but Hoban returned the favor a few turns later with a two-pronged Vanity’s Emptiness, locking in his control over the game!  One more Duel would decide the fate of these two stellar competitors.

Saberian had Mermail Abysspike; two Mermail Abyssteus; Mermail Abyssocea; Mystical Space Typhoon; and Mermail Abyssmegalo.  He discarded Abyssmegalo to Summon Abyssteus, searching Mermail Abyssgunde.  He then Summoned Mermail Abysspike and ditched Gunde for Abysspike’s effect: Abysspike got him another Abyssgunde, and the previous Abyssgunde Special Summoned Abyssmegalo back to the field.  That let Saberian Xyz Summon Mecha Phantom Beast Dracossack in Attack Position, and he Special Summoned two Mecha Phantom Beast Tokens before Setting Mystical Space Typhoon .

Hoban searched Dragon Ravine with Terraforming, and Upstart Goblin got him another draw.  He banished Tempest, Dragon Ruler of Storms with Gold Sarcophagus, searching Dragunity Phalanx, then activated Dragon Ravine and discarded Phalanx to get send Blaster, Dragon Ruler of Infernos from his Deck to his Graveyard.  Saberian was saving that Mystical Space Typhoon, knowing he could use it to disrupt a potential Dux / Phalanx play; he could always destroy Ravine next turn with Dracossack.  Sure enough, when Hoban went for Dux, Saberian let him equip Phalanx from his Graveyard, then blasted the Phalanx with the Typhoon!  Hoban attacked over Abysspike and Set one card to his back row.  He had two cards left in hand.  He Set one more to his back row before passing.

Saberian drew Atlantean Marksman.  He discarded it for Abyssteus, Special Summoning it and searching for Mermail Abysspike; Hoban Chained his targeted Reckless Greed to draw two cards.  Saberian destroyed the last face-down, Vanity’s Emptiness, with Dracossack, then Summoned Abysspike and discarded Abyssgunde – he searched Mermail Abysslinde and Special Summoned back the first Abyssteus in Attack Position.  He overlaid both copies to Xyz Summon another Mecha Phantom Beast Dracossack, Tributed a Token to destroy Ravine, then Special Summoned two more Mecha Phantom Beast Tokens.  He ended his turn without attacking.

Hoban couldn’t draw due to Reckless Greed: he had three cards in hand; Dux on the field; and Blaster in his Graveyard.  He banished Phalanx from his Graveyard and Tempest from his hand to Special Summon Blaster, then searched Phalanx with Tempest’s effect.  He Summoned it, then Synchro Summoned Dragunity Knight – Vajrayana to bring back Phalanx: Phalanx attacked a Token; Vajrayana attacked a Token; and Blaster attacked over a Dracossack to destroy it.  In Main Phase 2 Hoban Synchro Summoned Scrap Dragon to destroy Blaster and the last Dracossack.  He Set one card to his back row.

Saberian drew Atlantean Dragoons.  He had Abyssocea and Abysslinde.  “That has to be a bluff, right?”  He Summoned Dragoons, then went into Bahamut Shark to Special Summon Mermail Abysstrite in Attack Position.  He’d detached Dragoons for that effect, so he got to search Heavy Infantry.  He sent Abysstrite to attack into Scrap Dragon, destroying Abysstrite, and Special Summoned back Mermail Abysspike.  That let him pitch the Heavy Infantry, destroying Scrap Dragon and searching out Mermail Abyssgunde!  Abysspike made a direct attack.

Hoban couldn’t draw, but he got his Tempest off Gold Sarcophagus.  He had one card Set and one other card in hand.  He banished Vajrayana and Tempest to Special Summon Blaster, then searched Mystletainn with Tempest.  That let him Synchro Summon Crimson Blader, swinging over Bahamut Shark for Blader’s effect!

Saberian drew Effect Veiler.  Time was called on his turn, and he Summoned Mermail Abyssocea.  Three turns would be played beyond this one.  Hoban had 6400 Life Points to Saberian’s 7300.  Saberian targeted Abysspike with Abyssocea, Special Summoning Abysslinde and sending Abysspike to the Graveyard.  He overlaid them both for Mechquipped Angineer!  He just had to wait out two turns of attacks from Hoban, and Angineer had two Materials to fuel its effect!  Would this actually work?

Hoban drew for his turn, now free of Reckless Greed.  He banished Mystletainn and Scrap Dragon to Summon back Blaster, then banished it for Sacred Sword of Seven Stars to draw two cards.  He attacked with Crimson Blader, and Saberian used Angineer’s effect to protect it and turn it to Defense Position.  Hoban Set three cards to his back row.

Saberian Set Abyss-sphere and a monster.  He flipped Angineer to attack mode, and lost ‘sphere in his End Phase to Mystical Space Typhoon.

Hoban was on his last turn!  He flipped Reckless Greed to draw two, going to three in hand.  He had two cards Set and Crimson Blader active… and couldn’t get through Angineer.  Hoban offered the handshake!

Sorosh Saberian’s last-minute gambit with Mechquipped Angineer pays off, and he’s headed to the Finals!