Round 11 Feature Match: Michael Alibakhsh versus Thomas Lippman
We’re in the final round of Swiss play, and we’re back with Thomas Lippman and his Archfiend Deck! He took a loss in his Feature Match yesterday, but he’s still got a great record. If he wins this Match, he’s got a good chance of making it into the Top 32. He’ll have to beat Michael Alibakhsh to do that, who’s packing a Geargia Deck capable of slowly controlling the game, or exploding thanks to Karakuri Synchro Monsters.
Duel 1
Lippman began with Archfiend Heiress, Dark Hole, Falling Down, Compulsory Evacuation Device, Mirror Force, and Mind Control. He Set Heiress and both Trap Cards.
Alibakhsh played Geargiano Mk-II, which Special Summoned another copy from his hand. He Xyz Summoned Wind-Up Zenmaines in defense position, then Set three back row cards.
Lippman drew Archfiend Commander. He Flip Summoned Heiress, then Special Summoned Commander to destroy Heiress. That let him add Archfiend’s Roar to his hand. Falling Down came next, but it was destroyed by Mystical Space Typhoon. Lippman Set Roar to finish.
Alibakhsh passed.
Lippman drew another Commander. He passed.
Alibakhsh Set a monster.
Lippman drew Archfiend Emperor, the First Lord of Horror. He flipped Archfiend’s Roar to bring Archfiend Heiress to the field, then Normal Summoned Archfiend Emperor. He banished Archfiend’s Roar to destroy Alibakhsh’s Solemn Warning, then Special Summoned Commander from his hand. It destroyed Heiress, and he searched out Archfiend Palabyrinth and activated it. He targeted Archfiend Emperor with Palabyrinth, and banished Commander for its effect. He brought another Archfiend Emperor to the field, which banished Heiress to destroy Alibakhsh’s Seven Tools of the Bandit.
Finally, the first Emperor destroyed Geargiarmor in battle, letting Alibakhsh search out Geargiaccelerator. At the end of the turn, the first Emperor was destroyed since it was Normal Summoned with its effect.
Alibakhsh played Geargiano Mk-II, and Special Summoned Geargiarmor from the Graveyard. He Special Summoned two copies of Geargiaccelerator, then stacked one with Geargiarmor for Gear Gigant X. Lippman dealt with that using Compulsory Evacuation Device, and Alibakhsh passed.
Lippman drew Archfiend Heiress and Normal Summoned it, then stole Geargiano Mk-II with Mind Control. He Xyz Summoned Temtempo the Percussion Djinn, which knocked an Xyz Material off Zenmaines! Temtempo attacked Zenmaines, Emperor finished it off, and Commander destroyed Geargiaccelerator. That gave Alibakhsh Geargiano Mk-II. In Main Phase 2, Lippman used Palabyrinth to target Commander, and banished Temtempo. He brought another Commander to the field, then stacked them for Photon Strike Bounzer.
Alibakhsh still had 8000 Life Points, but only three cards in his hand to work with. He played Geargiano Mk-II, and Lippman used Bounzer to negate it and deal 1000 damage. Alibakhsh Set a back row card.
Lippman drew Mystical Space Typhoon. He used Archfiend Emperor, banishing Heiress to target Mystical Space Typhoon, and Alibakhsh Chained it to destroy Mirror Force. Emperor and Bounzer attacked directly, and Lippman Set Mystical Space Typhoon.
Alibakhsh Special Summoned Redox, Dragon Ruler of Boulders from his hand in defense position, banishing 2 Geargiano Mk-II. It didn’t matter in the face of the First Lord of Horror, because Lippman simply blew Redox away and attacked directly to end the first Duel!
Thomas Lippman takes the lead with Archfiends! Can he really make it to the Top 32 with them?! He’ll need to win one more Duel to find out, but Alibakhsh will be looking to make the most of his Side Deck and take the next two games.
Duel 2
Alibakhsh started this time, with Pot of Duality. He revealed Mind Crush, Geargiaccelerator, and Full House. He took Full House, then Set a monster with three back row cards.
Lippman’s hand was Mind Control, Solemn Warning, Tour Guide From the Underworld, 2 Archfiend’s Roar, and Archfiend Palabyrinth. Tour Guide brought Archfiend Heiress to the field, and both Fiends were stacked for Number 49: Fortune Tune in defense position. He Set Warning and a Roar.
Alibakhsh flipped Geargiarmor, and it was destroyed by Solemn Warning. He played Geargiano Mk-II next, bringing Geargiarmor back to the field. He flipped it face-down, and passed.
Lippman drew Effect Veiler, and gained 500 Life Points with Fortune Tune’s effect. He switched Fortune Tune to attack position and collided it with Geargiano Mk-II, but Alibakhsh responded with Macro Cosmos! Lippman took 600 damage, and was unable to use his Heiress as planned, so he detached Tour Guide. He Set his second Roar.
Alibakhsh destroyed a Roar with Mystical Space Typhoon, then flipped up Geargiarmor to add Geargiaccelerator to his hand. He Special Summoned it, then Normal Summoned another Geargiarmor. He Xyz Summoned Gear Gigant X, which searched out Genex Ally Birdman. He turned Geargiarmor face-down, and passed.
Lippman drew Tour Guide From the Underworld, and gained 500 more Life Points with Fortune Tune. He played Tour Guide and got Heiress from the Deck, and Xyz Summoned Wind-Up Zenmaines. He sent Zenmaines into Gear Gigant X, and detached Tour Guide so it would survive the battle. He switched Fortune Tune to defense position, and finally Zenmaines destroyed Macro Cosmos.
Alibakhsh used Gear Gigant X to add Karakuri Watchdog mdl 313 “Saizan” to his hand, then flipped Geargiarmor to get Geargiaccelerator. He Normal Summoned Saizan and Special Summoned Geargiaccelerator, and combined them for Karakuri Steel Shogun mdl 00X “Bureido”, prompting Lippman to drop his Effect Veiler and negate it. Alibakhsh discarded Redox, Dragon Ruler of Boulders and Geargiano to revive Saizan, and tuned it to Geargiano Mk-II to Synchro Summon Karakuri Shogun mdl 00 “Burei”! Burei brought another Saizan out. Alibakhsh flipped Geargiarmor face-down, then had Burei turn it up again so he could search out Geargiarsenal. He tuned Saizan to Geargiarmor for Stardust Dragon, and entered his Battle Phase.
Gear Gigant X attacked Fortune Tune, which detached Heiress to survive. Heiress gave Lippman Trance Archfiend. Burei and Bureido wiped out Zenmaines together, and Stardust finished off Fortune Tune.
Lippman drew Effect Veiler. He played Trance Archfiend out, then stole Stardust Dragon with Mind Control. Archfiend’s Roar revived Heiress, and he played Palabyrinth. He targeted Trance Archfiend, banishing Heiress to bring Archfiend Cavalry to the field, and Alibakhsh flipped Overworked! Lippman was unable to use the stolen Stardust Dragon due to Mind Control’s restrictions, and Lippman conceded!
Michael Alibakhsh evens the score! The winner of this final Duel would have a chance at the Top 32, but there were only mere minutes left in the round. The clock would be running out right about when the next Duel would start.
Duel 3
Lippman led with Bottomless Trap Hole, Heiress, Torrential Tribute, Mystical Space Typhoon, and two copies of Mistake. He Set everything.
Alibakhsh Set four back row cards and a monster.
Lippman drew Effect Veiler and passed.
Alibakhsh Set a back row card, and lost Soul Drain to Mystical Space Typhoon in the End Phase, and time in the round was called. After this, there would be five turns to determine a winner.
Lippman drew Tour Guide From the Underworld and played it, bringing out Heiress, and Alibakhsh flipped Chain Disappearance! Two of Lippman’s copies of Archfiend Heiress were banished. Lippman continued, and Flip Summoned the third Heiress. He Xyz Summoned Fortune Tune in defense position.
Alibakhsh flipped up Geargiano, then Normal Summoned Geargiaccelerator. It attacked Fortune Tune, and Lippman detached Heiress to keep Fortune Tune around. That let him add Archfiend Cavalry to his hand.
Lippman drew Trap Stun, and Alibakhsh made him discard Archfiend Cavalry with Mind Crush. Lippman gained 500 Life Points with Fortune Tune, and Set Trap Stun. He thought a while, and Set the Effect Veiler as well.
Alibakhsh sent Geargiaccelerator after Fortune Tune, and Geargiano destroyed Effect Veiler. Since he couldn’t deal any damage to outweigh Fortune Tune’s effect, Lippman was the winner!
Thomas Lippman is victorious with Archfiends!
