Here in Day 2, Tahmid Zaman and James Huang were both 8-1 heading into this round, each just two wins away from a guaranteed spot in the Top 32.  Each Duelist is playing a major Deck that’s put in a big showing here this weekend – Zaman’s playing Geargias, while Huang is running Traptrix Hands.  Both this Deck and Traptrix Hand Artifacts have had a big presence, so this Feature Match will be representative of a major match-up in this tournament, and potentially countless tournaments in the coming weeks.

 

Zaman started off Day 2 with Upstart Goblin.  He Summoned Geargiarsenal, Tributed it off to Summon Geargiano, Tributed it for Geargiarsenal, Special Summoned Geargiaccelerator, and made Gear Gigant X.  He searched Geargiaccelerator and Set three cards.

 

Huang opened with a hand of Traptrix Myrmeleo; two Call of the Haunted; Book of Moon; Trap Hole; and Pot of Duality.  He tried to Summon Myrmeleo, lost it to Solemn Warning, and activated Duality, revealing two Mystical Space Typhoon and Traptrix Trap Hole Nightmare.  He added a Typhoon to his hand and shuffled the rest back.  He Set everything but one of the Calls.

 

Zaman activated the effect of his Gear Gigant X again, this time searching out Geargiano Mk-II.  With his Xyz Materials spent, Zaman attacked with Gigant X for 2300 Battle Damage and Set a monster.

 

Huang drew Wiretap – still no real aggression thus far.  He Set Wiretap and ended.

 

Play was back to Zaman, who attacked again with Gear Gigant X; Huang flipped Book of Moon to put it face-down, and in Main Phase 2 Zaman Flip Summoned Geargiarmor, leading Huang to respond with Trap Hole.  Zaman searched another Geargiaccelerator with his Geargiarmor’s effect, clarified which of Huang’s backrow cards was the the newest set from last turn, then drew a card with Upstart Goblin. He Normal Sumoned Geargiano Mk-II, revived Geargiano with Mk-II’s effect, and overlaid both to Xyz Summon Soul of Silvermountain.  He used its effect to lock down the Wiretap, and in the End Phase Huang considered a play, but didn’t make one.

 

 

Huang drew and Set Breakthrough Skill.  Still no action.  He had 7700 Life Points.

 

Zaman activated Soul of Silvermountain’s effect, targeting and forcing Huang’s Breakthrough Skill.  He Flip Summoned Gear Gigant X, left Soul of Silvermountain in Defense Position, and made another direct attack for 2300 Battle Damage.  “Go ahead.”

 

Finally – Huang drew Fire Hand.  He Set it and continued to hold back his second Call of the Haunted, leaving it in his hand.

 

Zaman took a moment considering his two Set cards in his Spell and Trap Card Zones: he had six cards in hand, and Normal Summoned Geargiano Mk-II to Special Summon back Geargiaccelerator.  He Special Summoned another from his hand, overlaid both, and brought out Abyss Dweller in Attack Position, clearly smelling the Fire Hand.  He activated Dweller’s ability and ran Fire Hand down with Gear Gigant X, then made direct attacks with Geargiano Mk-II and Abyss Dweller.

 

 

Huang drew Ice Hand, looking at that Abyss Dweller with its remaining Xyz Material.  He activated Call of the Haunted, targeted Traptrix Myrmeleo, and Zaman Chained Vanity’s Emptiness.  Huang responded with Mystical Space Typhoon to beat it, and Zaman Chained Maxx “C”.  Huang brought up his Myrmeleo and destroyed Zaman’s Torrential Tribute with its effect.  He Normal Summoned Ice Hand, overlaid it with Myrmeleo and Xyz Summoned Evilswarm Exciton Knight, giving Zaman a draw with Maxx “C”.  He activated Evilswarm Exciton Knight’s effect, Zaman Chained Abyss Dweller’s ability, and Zaman lost his Gear Gigant X, Geargiano Mk-II, Soul, and Abyss Dweller to Huang’s Wiretap.  Zaman Summoned back Geargiano with Gear Gigant X, Huang ran it over, and Huang Set his Call of the Haunted.

 

Zaman blasted the Call with Mystical Space Typhoon, Summoned Geargiarmor, and Special Summoned Geargiaccelerator to Xyz Summon Number 101: Silent Honor ARK.  He took Evilswarm Exciton Knight – Huang’s last and only card – as an Xyz Material, attacked, and Set one card to his backrow.

 

Huang ripped Pot of Dichotomy!  He shuffled back Ice Hand, Fire Hand, and Traptrix Myrmeleo to draw Traptrix Trap Hole Nightmare and Traptrix Dionaea.  He Set both.  He had just 600 Life Points remaining.

 

Zaman Summoned Geargiarmor, activated the effect of Maxx “C”, and made two attacks for the win!

 

 

James Huang’s Deck implodes from the get-go, and Tahmid Zaman rides an easy grind to his first win in the Match!  Huang would have to catch some better luck and really be on top of his game to pull this one out.  Even if he could win Game 2, Zaman would play first in Game 3 and even an average hand could allow him to put together the kind of huge, controlling openings that have served Geargia so well in this tournament.

 

Huang opened with Traptrix Myrmeleo; Soul Charge; Mystical Space Typhoon; Mind Crush;  Torrential Tribute; and Ice Hand.  He Summoned Myrmeleo to search Bottomless Trap Hole from his Deck, then Set everything but Soul Charge and Ice Hand.

 

Zaman drew a card with Upstart Goblin, Set a monster, and Set five cards to his Spell and Trap Card Zone.

 

Huang drew Fire Hand.  He attacked into Geargiarmor with Myrmeleo, letting Zaman search out Geargiaccelerator.  “Main Phase 2…” He Set Ice Hand, and in his End Phase Zaman flipped Geargiagear!  Zaman Special Summoned Geargiano and Geargiano Mk-II.  Huang responded with Torrential Tribute, but Zaman Chained Wiretap!

 

 

Zaman drew to two cards in hand, and activated Geargiarmor’s effect to put it face-down.  He Flip Summoned it, searched Geargiaccelerator, and Huang flipped Mind Crush.  Zaman had another Wiretap!  Mind Crush was negated and Zaman kept his Geargiaccelerator.  He overlaid Geargiano and Geargiano Mk-II at Level 4 to Xyz Summon Gear Gigant X, and when Huang had no response he detached Geargiano Mk-II to search for another Geargiano Mk-II from his Deck.  He Summoned it, revived the detached Geargiano Mk-II, and overlaid them both for Ghostrick Alucard.

 

That let him destroy Huang’s Set Mystical Space Typhoon, which Huang targeted to destroy Zaman’s Soul Drain.  Zaman flipped his last card, Mystical Space Typhoon, to destroy the final backrow in Huang’s Spell and Trap Card Zone, which he knew to be Bottomless Trap Hole.  That left him free to Special Summon Gear Gigant X, overlay for Abyss Dweller, detach for its effect, and run over the Ice Hand Huang was telegraphing.  Gear Gigant X took out Myrmeleo and Alucard made a direct attack to knock Huang down to 6200 Life Points.  He Set a Spell or Trap and ended with one card in hand plus three Xyz on the field.

 

Huang drew to three cards in hand: Fire Hand, Pot of Duality, and Soul Charge.  He had nothing on the field.  He activated Soul Charge targeting Ice Hand and Myrmeleo, his only two targets.  He used Myrmeleo’s effect to force Zaman’s Compulsory Evacuation Device, which he used to bounce Ice Hand off the field – Huang Summoned it again.  There was nothing left on the field for Huang to destroy with Ice Hand.  Once again, Huang had to resort to overlaying for Evilswarm Exciton Knight, blowing up the field – Zaman Special Summoned back Geargiano with Gear Gigant X.  Huang Set Duality and ended.

 

Zaman activated Mystical Space Typhoon to destroy Huang’s Duality, then replaced Geargiano with Geargiaccelerator and dropped another one from his hand!  He mad another Geargiaccelerator, ran over Evilswarm Exciton Knight, and searched for Geargiano Mk-II in Main Phase 2.

 

Huang drew Call of the Haunted.  He Summoned Fire Hand, ran it into Gear Gigant X, destroyed it with Fire Hand’s effect, and Special Summoned Ice Hand from his Deck.  Since the last thing to happen was Fire Hand Summoning Ice Hand, Zaman couldn’t Special Summon with Gear Gigant X’s ability.  That left Huang to attack freely with Ice Hand.  He Set Call to finish out.
Zaman drew to two cards in hand and Summoned Geargiano Mk-II to revive Geargiano.  He Xyz Summoned Soul of Silvermountain and Huang took a moment to read it, double checking its effect.  When Zaman activated its effect to target Call of the Haunted, Huang Chained it, bringing back Fire Hand!  Zaman attacked Ice Hand to destroy it, dodging its effect and dropping Huang to 2700 Life Point.  Zaman revived his Geargiarmor and ended with one card left in his hand.

 

Huang drew Soul Charge and went to his Graveyard.

 

 

Huang activated Soul Charge, targeting both of his Ice Hands.  He stacked them for Diamond Dire Wolf, popped it to destroy Zaman’s face-down Geargiarmor and turned Fire Hand to Defense Position.

 

Zaman ran it over next turn with Soul of Silvermountain, Fire Hand destroyed it, and Zaman got to Special Summon back his Geargiarmor.  He flipped it face-down in Main Phase 2.

 

Huang drew Traptrix Dionaea!  Four minutes remained in the Round; the pressure was on Huang to win this one ASAP.  He Summoned Dionaea, revived Myrmeleo, and overlaid Myrmeleo and Ice Hand for Number 50: Blackship of Corn.  He sent Blackship to attack and destroy Zaman’s Geargiarmor, but Zaman revealed his hand: Dark Hole and Geargiano Mk-II!  “You only have 600 Life Points left, so I’ll take it next turn.”

Huang gave him the handshake, knowing it was over!  Tahmid Zaman takes a 2-0 win, moving on with a 9-1 record as Geargia triumph over Traptrix Hands!