Chancy Wigglestove’s only loss this weekend thus far, was owed to his decision to take a bathroom break in Round 10.  That cost him a game loss, which made for his only Match loss of the weekend, but didn’t stop him from being the top seed going into a Top 32 Feature Match where he dominated his opponent.

But now the whole game’s changed!  From this point forward the rest of the tournament will be played only with the War of the Giants: Round 2 decks these competitors just assembled.  Experience with Draft Play is everything, and there was a disparity in this match-up.

“I just read the cards for the first time,” commented Wigglestove.  “My deck sucks.  I passed up everything.  Someone told me Equip Spells were bad?  So I didn’t take any.”  That might not have been the best advice.

His opponent here in the first round of Draft Play is Rob Boyajian, winner of YCS Indianapolis and like Wigglestove, a veteran of the YCS circuit.  Boyajian described himself as having lots of draft experience with other games, and some draft experience in War of the Giants: Round 2.  “I knew which cards I was looking for and wanted to take.”  That might give him a significant edge.

Boyajian opened the Top 16 with Skill Successor; Forbidden Dress; Curse of Anubis; Evocator Chevalier; and Hyper Hammerhead.  He opted not to use his re-draw.  Wigglestove used his re-draw immediately.  Boyajian drew Rocket Pilder and Summoned Chevalier, Setting Dress, Curse, and Successor.

Wigglestove shuffled his hand a bit, considering his options before discarding Rope of Life to Special Summon The Tricky.  He attacked Chevalier, Boyajian moved to the Damage Step, and boosted Chevalier by 400 ATK with Skill Successor.  Wigglestove responded with a Chained Rush Recklessly!  That would put Chevalier to 2300 ATK, while The Tricky would go to 2700 ATK to beat it.  “You have how many cards left?  Three?  I’m fine with that trade.”  Boyajian lost his Chevalier and took 400 Battle Damage.  Wigglestove Normal Summoned Dark Valkyria and Set his last two cards to his Spell and Trap Card Zone.

Boyajian drew Mecha Phantom Beast Tetherwolf.  Wigglestove borrowed his Skill Successor: “This is the card I passed two copies of!  That’s pretty good.  I don’t know why I didn’t take that.”  Boyajian agreed: “It’s pretty good.”  He Summoned Tetherwolf, Summoning a Mecha Phantom Beast Token to go with it.

Boyajian sent the Tetherwolf to attack over Dark Valkyria, and banished Skull Successor to take the Valkyria down.  “I believe it’ll be your turn now, Duelist.  Go ahead.”  He really said that.  Probably because he knew we’d write it down.

Wigglestove drew for his turn and double-checked his set cards, giving them a read.  Then he carefully read Tetherwolf, and attacked the Mecha Phantom Beast Token with The Tricky.  Boyajian flipped Curse of Anubis, turning The Tricky and his own Tetherwolf to Defense Position: that saved the Mecha Phantom Beast Token.  “Go ahead.”

Boyajian drew Alexandrite Dragon and shifted his Tetherwolf back into attack.  He Summoned the Dragon, attacked over the Defense Position Tricky with Tetherwolf, and swung for 2000 clean with Alexandrite Dragon.  That let Wigglestove flip Damage Gate, Special Summoning his Dark Valkyria!  “I feel like I’m playing a brand new card game,” remarked Wigglestove.  “I don’t know the interactions.”

Wigglestove used his Normal Summon to turn on the effect of Dark Valkyria, activating to put a Spell Counter on it.  He remove the Counter to destroy Alexandrite Dragon, then ran over the Mecha Phantom Beast Token.  “Go ahead.”

Boyajian drew Slate Warrior and Summoned Hyper Hammerhead.  He equipped it with Rocket Pilder, to ensure that it wouldn’t be destroyed when he ran it at Dark Valkyria!  Boyajian took 300 damage, his Hammerhead survived, and Valkyria was bounced back to Wigglestove’s hand.  That freed the field so Boyajian could attack directly with Tetherwolf, dropping Wigglestove to 3600 Life Points.

Wigglestove attacked Hyper Hammerhead with Dark Valkyria, and Boyajian flipped Forbidden Chalice, targeting his Hyper Hammerhead.  Wigglestove responded with Forbidden Dress!  It was a net loss of 200 ATK for the Hammerhead, which was destroyed by battle.  But its effect still activated, bouncing away Dark Valkyria yet again.

Boyajian drew Dimension Gate, Summoned Slate Warrior, and made two direct attacks to take the first Duel!

Wigglestove matches Boyajian blow by blow, but a Hyper Hammerhead and Rocket Pilder combo lets Boyajian rule the field, quickly translating to a Duel-win!  Wigglestove now had to win two games back-to-back to make it to the Top 8.  Both competitors talked about the previous game as they shuffled up for Game 2.

Boyajian kept his hand: Forbidden Chalice; Rocket Pilder; Half or Nothing; Covering Fire; and Aye-Iron.  Wigglestove had already used his one re-draw, and opened with three Set cards to his Spell and Trap Card Zone.

Boyajian drew Gogogo Golem and Summoned Aye-Iron, opting to boost it to 2000 ATK instead of attacking.  He Set three cards to his backrow.

Wigglestove Set a fourth backrow.

Boyajian Normal Summoned Gogogo Golem, attacking for 1800 Battle Damage.  Wigglestove took it, then ate 2000 from Aye-Iron!

Wigglestove perused his options.  “This is so bad.”  After a long deliberation, he passed.

Boyajian drew Mirror Wall and attacked with Gogogo Golem.  Wigglestove flipped Mirror Wall, saving himself some damage and dropping to 2300 Life Points.  Boyajian Set his Mirror Wall, unbeknownst to Wigglestove.

Wigglestove destroyed his Mirror Wall, unwilling to pay himself into defeat to keep it around, and discarded Card Guard to Special Summon Power Giant!  Wigglestove had three cards in hand plus three cards set, with Power Giant on the field.  Boyajian had Aye-Iron, Gogogo Golem, four cards Set, and two cards in hand.  Wigglestove declared an attack with the Giant on Aye-Iron, and Boyajin flipped Covering Fire, targeting his Gogogo Golem for an ATK boost that would put it at 3800 ATK if Covering Fire were to resolve!  Wigglestove considered his possible responses, once again checking his Set cards: he couldn’t lose his only monster here, and damage was becoming a real concern.  He flipped Miniaturize, targeting Aye-Iron on the Chain!  Aye-Iron dropped to 2800 ATK, but it was still big enough to beat Power Giant.  Wigglestove flipped Nordic Relic Laevateinn, destroying Aye-Iron.

“I think I lose no matter what,” narrated Wigglestove.  He dropped to 200 Life Points to Special Summon Aye-Iron with Autonomous Action Unit.  He boosted it to 2000 ATK, then equipped it with Ribbon of Rebirth.

Boyajian drew Medium of the Ice Barrier and Summoned Hyper Hammerhead!  He equipped it with Rocket Pilder just like in the last Duel, and Wigglestove offered the handshake!

Victory in Constructed falls to ruin in Draft for Chancy Wigglestove, and Rob Boyajian is headed to the Top 8!