Round 4 Feature Match: Edward Apaipong versus Glen Ewbank
Edward Apaipong is another won of our VIPs, venturing here from Southern California after being rewarded with the perks of two byes in addition to private seating and a private water cooler. He has chosen to play with Burning Abyss, utilizing Mask Change II to make sure he can fend off the other top Decks thanks to Masked HERO Dark Law. His opponent is Glen Ewbank, playing a fairly standard Qliphort variant designed to capitalize on consistency and back it up with powerful traps such as Vanity’s Emptiness and Skill Drain. Which of these two giants will continue on with a flawless record?
Ewbank won the roll and chose to go first.
Duel One:
Ewbank Set three to his back row and Normal Summoned Qliphort Carrier before ending his first turn.
Apaipong opened with two copies of Graff, Malebranche of the Burning Abyss, Tour Guide from the Underworld, Mask Change II, and Cagna, Malebranche of the Burning Abyss before drawing Alich, Malebranche of the Burning Abyss for turn. He Normal Summoned Tour Guide from the Underworld, but when he activated its effect Ewbank responded with Vanity’s Emptiness, Apaipong Chained Mask Change II but Ewbank had a second Vanity’s Emptiness! Apaipong discarded Cagna, Malebranche of the Burning Abyss for the Mask Change II cost, and used its effect to send Good & Evil in the Burning Abyss to the Graveyard. He ended not being able to do anything else.
Ebwank drew, Set a card to his back row and Normal Summoned Qliphort Stealth. He attacked over Tour Guide from the Underworld and then directly , putting Apaipong down to 5600 Life Points.
Apaipong drew Rubic, Malebranche of the Burning Abyss and Set it before ending.
Ewbank drew and went right to Battle Phase, declaring an attack with Qliphort Carrier but running into the large DEF of Apaipong’s Set Rubic, Malebranche of the Burning Abyss. He dove to his Extra Deck to consider his options, but ultimately decided to end.
Apaipong drew Cir, Malebranche of the Burning Abyss for turn, still trapped under the two copies of Vanity’s Emptiness. He ended after giving his Graveyard a quick look.
Ewbank drew for turn and slammed down Raigeki with a large snap. Rubic, Malebranche of the Burning Abyss was sent to the Graveyard and both Vanity’s Emptiness destroyed themselves. Ewbank then activated Qliphort Scout on a scale, using its effect to search Qliphort Carrier. That was enough for game and given Apaipong’s clear Field he conceded.
After simply losing to Vanity’s Emptiness, Apaipong is looking for better luck in the next game. On the other hand, Ewbank is hoping for an easy win like in Duel one. Can Apaipong manage to break through Ewbank’s traps or will Ewbank manage to stifle Apaipong long enough to win?
Apaipong chose to go first in the second Duel.
Duel Two:
Apaipong opened with a hand of Mystical Space Typhoon, Farfa, Malebranche of the Burning Abyss, Foolish Burial, and two copies of Typhoon . He activated Foolish Burial, sending Graff, Malebranche of the Burning Abyss to his Graveyard and Special Summoning Scarm, Malebranche of the Burning Abyss from his Deck. He then Normal Summoned Farfa, Malebranche of the Burning Abyss, overlaying the two Malebranches for Dante, Traveler of the Burning Abyss, using its effect to send Fire Lake of the Burning Abyss , Mystical Space Typhoon, and Good & Evil in the Burning Abyss to his Graveyard. He Set the rest of his hand before adding Cir, Malebranche of the Burning Abyss to his hand during the End Phase from Scarm, Malebranche of the Burning Abyss.
Ewbank drew and activated Summoner’s Art, adding Qliphort Scout and placing it on his Pendulum Scale. When he went to activate its effect, Apaipong Chained Typhoon to blow it away. Ewbank Normal Summoned Qliphort Carrier next, equipping it with Saqlifice and Setting two to his back row before ending.
Apaipong drew Raigeki for turn and thought for a moment while spreading out his Graveyard. He chose to activate Dante, Traveler of the Burning Abyss, sending two copies of Rubic, Malebranche of the Burning Abyss along with a Libic, Malebranche of the Burning Abyss to his Graveyard by detaching Farfa, Malebranche of the Burning Abyss to pump its ATK. He banished Good & Evil in the Burning Abyss from his Graveyard, sending Cir, Malebranche of the Burning Abyss to his Graveyard in order to add Scarm, Malebranche of the Burning Abyss. He then activated Cir, Malebranche of the Burning Abyss’s effect, Special Summoning Graff, Malebranche of the Burning Abyss from his Graveyard , but when he went to Normal Summon Scarm, Malebranche of the Burning Abyss Ewbank used Book of Moon to Flip the Graff, Malebranche of the Burning Abyss face down causing the Scarm, Malebranche of the Burning Abyss to destroy itself. Apaipong used Raigeki next, but Ebwank Chained Soul Transition, tributing his Qliphort Carrier to draw two cards. He then used the effects of Saqlifice and Qliphort Carrier, adding Qliphort Scout to his hand and returning Dante, Traveler of the Burning Abyss to the Extra Deck. Apaipong then ended his turn, adding Tour Guide from the Underworld to his hand thanks to Scarm, Malebranche of the Burning Abyss.
Ewbank drew and activated his freshly searched Qliphort Scout, but when he went to pay Apaipong activated his second copy of Typhoon to destroy it. Ewbank went on unphased, using Mystical Space Typhoon to destroy Apaipong’s Mystical Space Typhoon before activating a second copy of Qliphort Scout. He paid 800 more Life Points, paying himself down to 5600, adding Qliphort Disk to his hand. He placed Qliphort Stealth on the opposite end of his Pendulum Scale, then Pendulum Summoned two copies of Qliphort Scout from his Extra Deck along with Qliphort Carrier and Qliphort Stealth from his hand. He then tributed away Qliphort Carrier along with a Qliphort Scout for Qliphort Disk, immediately prompting the handshake from Apaipong!
After a series of super unlucky out comes, Edward Apaipong’s Burning Abyss loses to Glen Ewbank’s Qliphort, allowing Glen Ewbank to move on with an unscathed record.
