Top 64 Feature Match: Erick Laurentino Ramirez Rodriguez (Nekroz) Versus Eduardo Flores Nativitas (Qliphorts)
Yesterday’s field of 599 Duelists has dwindled down to this: 64 competitors now fighting for their survival in the tournament. From here on out the 2015 Central American World Championship Qualifier is single elimination – one slip, one mistake, or one misplaced judgment can take any of these Duelists out of the tournament. Perfection’s the order of the day. For these Duelists, an entire year of practice and playtesting all comes down to this – six Rounds of high-pressure competition for the ultimate prize.
One Duelist is going to the World Championship in Japan. Sixty-three more are going home. In a matter of hours we’ll know who’s going where, as we crown our new Central American Champion.
Erick Laurentino Ramirez Rodriguez (left in picture below) is no stranger to Championships – he was the National Champion of Mexico last year, and took third place at Nationals this year! His opponent is Eduardo Flores Nativitas, a fellow Mexican Duelist from right here in Mexico D.F. This is the match-up that’s defined this tournament so far: Ramirez is running Nekroz, while Nativitas is playing Qliphorts. Both Duelists have some big tricks up their sleeves, so get ready. Ramirez won the roll and opted to play second.
Nativitas opened the Match with two cards Set to his Spell and Trap Card Zone.
Ramirez had Nekroz of Valkyrus; Mystical Space Typhoon; Book of Eclipse; Shurit, Strategist of the Nekroz; Reinforcement of the Army; and Nekroz Cycle. He activated Cycle, Ritual Summoning Valkyrus by Tributing Shurit. Nativitas destroyed Valkyrus with Torrential Tribute, but Ramirez searched Nekroz of Brionac with Shurit’s effect. That got him Nekroz of Trishula from his Deck and he banished Brionac and Cycle to search for Nekroz Mirror. He activated it looking for that Trishula play, but Nativitas blasted him with Mind Crush! Ramirez discarded Trishula and Set his Typhoon and Book, stymied for the turn.
Nativitas drew a card with Upstart Goblin and Normal Summoned Qliphort Stealth for a quick 1800 Battle Damage. He Set two more cards to his back row.
Ramirez banished Mirror and Shurit to get Nekroz Cycle from his Deck, then searched for another Shurit with Reinforcement of the Army. He activated Cycle to pitch the Shurit, then Ritual Summoned back the Trishula! This time it worked, banishing Nativitas’ Upstart Goblin from his Graveyard, his Qliphort Stealth from the field, and his Qliphort Disk from his hand! Ramirez followed up with Manju of the Ten Thousand Hands to search Nekroz of Brionac, then attacked with Manju and Trishula to knock his opponent down to 3900 Life Points.
Nativitas Normal Summoned Qliphort Helix, attacked Manju, and Ramirez responded with Book of Eclipse to turn everything face-down. In the End Phase Helix flipped face-up to draw Nativitas a card off Eclipse’s effect.
Ramirez drew Preparation of Rites and Flip Summoned his Manju to get Nekroz of Unicore from his Deck. He was savagely out-carding Nativitas, but Nativitas still had those two set backrows – there was still a lot to worry about. Ramirez Flip Summoned Trishula, searched Nekroz of Unicore with Rites to get back his Nekroz Cycle from the Graveyard, and discarded Unicore to recover his Shurit.
He activated Cycle, Tributed Shurit, and Ritual Summoned Nekroz of Valkyrus from his Graveyard. Shurit got him Nekroz of Clausolas, and that searched Nekroz Kaleidoscope. He discarded Brionac next to get Dance Princess of the Nekroz, which would offer him some protection against Nativitas’ backrow cards. When he activated Nekroz Kaleidoscope Nativitas knew it was over, and he swiftly conceded to move to Game 2.
Eduardo Flores Nativitas can’t get to a Qliphort Scout, and Erick Laurentino Ramirez Rodriguez presses his early advantage to end the Duel as quickly as possible, playing out of a hefty Mind Crush! The Match would now change tone, as both competitors had excellent Side Deck plans for this match-up.
Nativitas chose to play first, opening with Necrovalley, Qliphort Helix and a Set card to his back row.
Ramirez had two copies of A Wingbeat of Giant Dragon; Preparation of Rites; Nekroz Cycle; Nekroz of Brionac; and Nekroz of Valkyrus. He discarded Nekroz of Brionac to search his Deck for Shurit, Strategist of the Nekroz, Set it, and activated Preparation of Rites to search… Nekroz of Catastor! Not a card we see very often. Since Catastor’s a Dragon, it would help Ramirez play his Wingbeats. His plan seemed to be quickly coming together.
Ramirez Set Wingbeat, then activated Cycle: Ramirez Chained Maxx “C” for a draw, while Ramirez Tributed Shurit to Ritual Summon Catastor. Shurit got him Nekroz of Brionac and he flipped Wingbeat to destroy Ramirez’s Set Skill Drain and Necrovalley, returning Catastor to his hand. Now free of Necrovalley he banished Brionac and Cycle to search Nekroz Mirror, then activated it, banishing Shurit to Ritual Summon Nekroz of Valkyrus. That gave Nativitas another draw off Maxx “C”, and Ramirez attacked to destroy Qliphort Helix. He ended his turn with three cards in hand and Valkyrus on the field.
Nativitas drew to four cards with Helix in his Extra Deck. He activated Qliphort Helix and Qliphort Disk as Pendulum Spells to Pendulum Summon his prevous Helix, then activated a second Necrovalley!
Ramirez searched Nekroz of Clausolas with Brionac, discarding it to search Nekroz Kaleidoscope. He activated it to send Musician King to his Graveyard, again Ritual Summoning Nekroz of Catastor! That let him activate the second Wingbeat to blow away Necrovalley, Helix, and Disk, and with no way to defend himself or mount a comeback. Nativitas immediately gave Ramirez the handshake, grinning in disbelief at the second Wingbeat!
Erick Laurentino Ramirez Rodriguez uses Nekroz of Catastor not once, but twice, to fire off two copies of A Wingbeat Of Giant Dragon, shattering his opponent’s two copies of Necrovalley! The former Mexican Champion powers through an unbelievable second Duel for a 2-0 victory that takes him to the Top 32.
