Round 9 Feature Match: Tha Vang versus Jonathon Gomez
Five of our VIP Duelists have made it to Day Two, Oklahoma’s Tha Vang being among them. With a more standard Qliphort variant, he has put up a 6-2 record thus far in the tournament and is hoping to win his next two rounds to make sure he can guarantee his spot in Top 32. However, his path won’t be that easy, as his opponent this Round is Southern California’s Jonathon Gomez, someone who is no stranger from the Feature Match Area. He is Dueling today with Burning Abyss playing a Main Deck Copy of Hidden Armory to search Snatch Steal, with additional in his Side Deck in order to access a copy of Magnum Shield! This sweet tech is the way he plans to trump the indomitable Apoqliphort Towers.
Vang won the roll and chose to start
Duel One:
Vang opened with a hand of Summoner’s Art, Vanity’s Emptiness, Forbidden Chalice, Night Beam, and Skill Drain. He activated Summoner’s Art to search Qliphort Scout, then placed it on his Pendulum Scale and paid 800 Life Points to add a copy of Qliphort Helix to his hand. He Summoned the Helix, Set everything but Night Beam, and ended.
Gomez drew and started off strong by revealing Rubic, Malebranche of the Burning Abyss and Scarm, Malebranche of the Burning Abyss in succession, Special Summoning both and overlaying for Dante, Traveler of the Burning Abyss. He tried to activate its effect but Vang had Skill Drain, Gomez still got to fill his Graveyard with some Traps including Breakthrough Skill. He then activated Snatch Steal to take the opposing Qliphort Helix, and after some direct attacks Vang fell to 2800 Life Points. He overlayed for Downerd Magician in Main Phase 2 before ending.
Vang drew another copy of Night Beam and gained 1000 Life Points from the Snatch Steal. He thought for a second and then paid 800 more for Qliphort Scout to search Qliphort Shell. He Normal Summoned the Shell, then swung over the stolen Qliphort Helix. He Set a Night Beam in Main Phase 2 before ending.
Gomez drew and slammed down Hidden Armory! He milled Farfa, Malebranche of the Burning Abyss and grabbed back his Snatch Steal from the Graveyard, taking the opposing Qliphort Shell and immediately moving to Battle Phase to attack for game.
It seems to be a trend for Gomez to quickly win Feature Matches, so he was pretty happy that he could keep that going. We can’t count Vang out though, Qliphort is very good at opening almost unbeatable hands with going first but it really relies on Qliphort Scout. Will Vang be able to draw ideally the following game?
Vang chose to go first
Duel Two:
Vang opened with a hand containing Skill Drain, Forbidden Chalice, Qliphort Carrier, and two copies of Mystical Space Typhoon. He Normal Summoned Qliphort Carrier and then Set the rest of his hand before ending.
Gomez started lightning fast as he Special Summoned Cir, Malebranche of the Burning Abyss and then Normal Summoned Scarm, Malebranche of the Burning Abyss, overlaying both for Dante, Traveler of the Burning Abyss. He activated its effect and when Vang responded with Skill Drain Gomez had a Twister! He milled some useless spells and traps before moving to Battle Phase, but when he tried to run over the Qliphort Carrier Vang had Forbidden Chalice during Damage Step to save his Carrier and destroy the Dante, Traveler of the Burning Abyss. Gomez got to add back Cir, Malebranche of the Burning Abyss, and then in Main Phase 2 activated Foolish Burial to send Graff, Malebranche of the Burning Abyss and Special Summon Scarm, Malebranche of the Burning Abyss from his Deck. He Set a back row, and then during the End Phase went to search for the previously yarded Scarm but Vang had a copy of Mystical Space Typhoon to get rid of the newly Set Karma Cut. Gomez eventually added Tour Guide from the Underworld via the Scarm.
Vang drew Saqlifice, then equipped it before using his own Mystical Space Typhoon to destroy the Saqlifice. He searched out Qliphort Scout, then paid 800 after placing the Scout on scale to add another Saqlifice to go full circle. He equipped it to his Qliphort Carrier before ending.
Gomez drew and Special Summoned Rubic, Malebranche of the Burning Abyss from his hand and Synchroed it along with his Scarm, Malebranche of the Burning Abyss away for Virgil, Rock Star of the Burning Abyss. He used Virgil, Rock Star of the Burning Abyss discarding Graff, Malebranche of the Burning Abyss to spin away the opposing Qliphort Carrier, Special Summoning a Scarm, Malebranche of the Burning Abyss from his Deck. He Special Summoned Cir, Malebranche of the Burning Abyss next, overlaying for Dante, Traveler of the Burning Abyss. After he Normal Summoned his last card, Tour Guide from the Underworld and Vang immediately conceded.
After another game ending after just a few turns, Gomez continues to prove the overall consistency, power, and speed of Burning Abyss. He is now one win away from making it into Top 32!