Top 8 Feature Match: Aaron Furman vs. Gaetan Georges
Aaron Furman is fresh off his UDS Invitational win with Metalfoes, but has chosen to pick up Majespecter as his Pendulum strategy of choice for this weekend. Ties of the Brethren allows the strategy to accelerate to its midgame immediately, and feels just a little too similar to opening with Rescue Rabbit into Evolzar Laggia in previous Advanced Formats. Furman’s opponent is Gaetan Georges, a regular face at the Yu-Gi-Oh! Championship Series. He has piloted Blue-Eyes all the way to the Top 8 and is looking to go all the way. Both Duelists bantered back and forth before the Match started, but as light as they made this seem, one of them was going home while the other is moving on to the Top 4. It’s time to Duel!
Duel One
Furman won the roll and chose go first.
Furman opened with Terraforming, Ties of the Brethren, Majespecter Raccoon – Bunbuku, Majespecter Toad – Ogama, and Majespecter Crow – Yata. He Normal Summoned Majespecter Toad – Ogama and Set Majespecter Tornado from his Deck, then activated Ties of the Brethren, to which which Gaetan responded with Maxx “C”. Furman got Majespecter Crow – Yata and Majespecter Fox – Kyubi, triggering both to add Majespecter Tempest and Majespecter Cyclone. Next, he activated Terraforming to add Secret Village of the Spellcasters to his hand, which he slammed down onto the field. He Set three cards to his back row before ending.
Georges started by Special Summoning Blue-Eyes Alternative White Dragon, and with no response from Furman he took a moment to consider his next play. He ultimately decided to Normal Summon The White Stone of Ancients, which prompted Furman to flip his Majespecter Tornado Tributing his Majespecter Fox – Kyubi to banish the opposing Blue-Eyes Alternative White Dragon. Georges went into his Battle Phase and crashed The White Stone of Ancients into Majespecter Toad – Ogama, but when he moved to his End Phase and tried to activate its effect, Furman negated it with Majespecter Tempest by Tributing his Toad.
Furman drew Pot of Desires for his turn and banished ten cards to draw Terraforming and Majespecter Toad – Ogama. He activated Terraforming to add Majesty’s Pegasus to his hand, and then Normal Summoned Majespecter Raccoon – Bunbuku and used its effect to add Majespecter Fox – Kyubi to his hand. Furman considered his next move before placing Majespecter Cat – Nekomata and Majespecter Toad – Ogama into his Pendulum Zones and declaring a Pendulum Summon for two copies of Majespecter Fox – Kyubi and Majespecter Toad – Ogama. He triggered one Majespecter Fox – Kyubi along with Majespecter Toad – Ogama, adding Majespecter Tornado and adding Majespecter Tempest to his hand. He activated Majesty’s Pegasus over his Secret Village of the Spellcasters which gave his Majespecters enough ATK to end the Duel!
Furman’s insane opening with Ties of the Brethren and Terraforming leads to a quick game one. Can Georges fight hard enough to win back-to-back Duels? Or will this be the end of his tournament life?
Georges chose to go first.
Duel Two
Georges Set two cards and passed. Not the opening he was looking for with his back against the wall.
Furman started with a hand of Majespecter Tempest, Majespecter Toad – Ogama, Majespecter Cat – Nekomata, Dark Hole, and Archfiend Eccentrick before he drew Majespecter Fox – Kyubi. He placed Archfiend Eccentrick in his Pendulum Zone along with Majespecter Cat – Nekomata, but lost both out to Georges’ Twin Twisters ditching Blue-Eyes White Dragon. Furman pressed forward and Normal Summoned Majespecter Toad – Ogama which he used to Set Majespecter Tornado from his Deck. He declared a direct attack and ended not wanting to Set another Trap into a potential Twin Twisters. “Good call.” Noted Georges.
Georges ripped Pot of Desires, and banished ten cards from his Deck before drawing two. He then activated Trade-In and ditched a Blue-Eyes White Dragon to draw two more cards. Georges Tributed Furman’s Majespecter Toad – Ogama for Gameciel, the Sea Turtle Kaiju, then activated The Melody of Awakening Dragon by discarding The Fabled Catsith to add Blue-Eyes White Dragon and Blue-Eyes Alternative White Dragon to his hand. The Fabled Catsith triggered to destroy Furman’s Majespecter, then Georges Special Summoned Blue-Eyes Alternative White Dragon and activated Return of the Dragon Lords to bring back Blue-Eyes White Dragon. Two direct attacks left Furman with a slim 2000 Life Points, and after considering some options Georges chose to pass.
Furman drew Majespecter Toad – Ogama for turn. He tried to sneak a Dark Hole, but Georges immediately banished Return of the Dragon Lords to stop it. Furman scaled Majespecter Toad – Ogama and Majespecter Fox – Kyubi, but after considering what Pendulum Scale Furman’s last card in hand could be, Georges used Phoenix Wing Wind Blast to send Majespecter Fox – Kyubi to the top of Furman’s Deck. After feigning that the Trap in his hand was the Scale that would win him the Duel, Furman conceded!
Georges’s initially rough start was fixed with a Pot of Desires that got him back into the game. Without a Field Spell or Ties of the Brethren, Furman’s Majespecters played a fairly weak game compared to the impressive might of the Blue-Eyes White Dragon. Is Furman’s faith in the heart of the cards strong enough for his Deck to listen?
Furman said he was opting to go first. Georges responded, “Please no Ties of the Brethren.”
Duel Three
Furman began Duel 3 with Ties of the Brethren, Majespecter Crow – Yata, Majespecter Raccoon – Bunbuku, Majespecter Fox – Kyubi, and Secret Village of the Spellcasters. He Normal Summoned Majespecter Crow – Yata and used it to add Majespecter Cyclone to his hand, then activated Ties of the Brethren to Special Summon Majespecter Fox – Kyubi and Majespecter Toad – Ogama. He added Majespecter Tempest to his hand and Set Majespecter Tornado. He slammed down the Secret Village of the Spellcasters and Set his Majespecter Tornado and Majespecter Cyclone before ending his turn.
Georges was forced to Set a card and pass, likely locked under the Secret Village of the Spellcasters.
Furman drew Luster Pendulum, the Dracoslayer and considered how far he could press his advantage. He placed Majespecter Fox – Kyubi and Luster Pendulum, the Dracoslayer into his Pendulum Zones, then used Luster Pendulum, the Dracoslayer to destroy Majespecter Fox – Kyubi to add another copy. He Pendulum Summoned Majespecter Raccoon – Bunbuku and Majespecter Fox – Kyubi, triggering both effects to add Majespecter Unicorn – Kirin and Majespecter Tempest to his hand. He Tributed Majespecter Crow – Yata to Normal Summon Majespecter Unicorn – Kirin, then went into his Battle Phase and dealt a massive 7500 Life Points of damage. In Main Phase 2, he Set the Majespecter Tempest and ended his turn.
Gaeten drew and thought hard for a moment, flipping his Set Phoenix Wing Wind Blast ditching Dragon Spirit of White to spin the Secret Village of the Spellcasters that was locking him down to the top of Furman’s Deck. He then activated The Melody of Awakening Dragon ditching a second copy to add Blue-Eyes Alternative White Dragon and Blue-Eyes White Dragon to his hand; but once he assessed the back row Furman had Set, he conceded the Duel!
Boom! Ties of the Brethren leads Furman to a steamroll victory and he is in the Top 4! Will Aaron Furman be the first Duelist to take home a UDS and YCS title?
