Top 4 Feature Match: Kamal Crooks-Valdez vs. Jeremy Mitchell
We’re down to just four Duelists! There are lots of similarities between these two Duelists – they’re both from Florida, both are playing Pendulum Magicians, and both have come just shy of glory, having each taken second place at UDS Invitationals in recent times. Only one can move on from here to get another chance at a big win!
Duel 1
Crooks won the die roll and chose to play first. He began with a hand of Magical Abductor, Mythical Beast Master Cerberus, Dragon Shrine, Astrograph Sorcerer, and Mythical Beast Jackal King. He played Abductor in his Pendulum Zone, then played Dragon Shrine to send Supreme King Dragon Darkwurm to the Graveyard. He Special Summoned Darkwurm, adding Supreme King Gate Zero to his hand. He played Astrograph Sorcerer in his other Pendulum Zone and used its effect to Special Summon Stargazer Magician. He used Stargazer and Darkwurm to play Heavymetalfoes Electrumite, which placed another Astrograph Sorcerer in the Extra Deck. He played Master Cerberus in his Pendulum Zone, then used Abductor’s effect, removing three Spell Counters from it to put Chronograph Sorcerer in his hand. He had Electrumite destroy Abductor to get Astrograph Sorcerer to his hand. He Special Summoned Astrograph and added another Astrograph to his hand, and Electrumite let him draw Foolish Burial. He used Master Cerberus’s effect, destroying it to add another Jackal King to his hand. He played it in his Pendulum Zone and had it Special Summon Master Cerberus. He used Electrumite and Master Cerberus to play Zefra Metaltron, then played Chronograph and Gate Zero in his Pendulum Zones. He Pendulum Summoned Darkwurm, Astrograph, and Jackal King from his Extra Deck, as well as Jackal King from his hand! He used Darkwurm and Astrograph to play Supreme King Dragon Starving Venom, and had it copy Electrumite. It destroyed Chronograph to add Astrograph Sorcerer to his hand. He Special Summoned the Astrograph and added a new Chronograph to his hand. He stacked both Astrographs for Odd-Eyes Absolute Dragon. He activated Chronograph in his Pendulum Zone. He used its effect to Special Summon Timegazer Magician. He used Timegazer with a Jackal King for a second Starving Venom, once again copying Electrum. He had it destroy Gate Zero to put Jackal King back in his hand. He Tribute Summoned it using Absolute Dragon, and Absolute Special Summoned Odd-Eyes Vortex Dragon in Defense Position. Finally, he used both Starving Venoms to play Number 38: Hope Harbinger Dragon Titanic Galaxy! His ending field was Jackal King with two Spell Counters, Vortex Dragon, Titanic Galaxy, and Zefra Metaltron!
Mitchell played Darkwurm, and it was negated by Jackal King. Mitchell Special Summoned Astrograph Sorcerer from his hand, adding another Darkwurm to his hand. He played another Astrograph Sorcerer in the Pendulum Zone and used its effect to Special Summon Stargazer Magician. He played Wisdom-Eye Magician and Harmonizing Magician in his Pendulum Zones – Crooks negated Harmonizing Magician with Vortex Dragon. Mitchell had a second Harmonizing Magician, but Crooks negated that one with Titanic Galaxy. Mitchell went to the Battle Phase, but realized Titanic Galaxy would prevent him from doing anything. He couldn’t break through Crooks’s incredible opening field, and conceded.
Duel 2
Mitchell played first this time, leading with Darkwurm to get Gate Zero. He played Chronograph and used it to Special Summon Timegazer Magician, and Link Summoned Heavymetalfoes Electrumite. It put Astrograph Sorcerer in the Extra Deck. Mitchell played Gate Zero and destroyed it with Electrumite to get Astrograph to his hand. He Special Summoned it and added another Gate Zero to his hand, then drew a card with Electrumite’s other effect. He played his new Gate Zero along with Harmonizing Magician, and Pendulum Summoned Gate Zero and Chronograph from his Extra Deck. He used Gate Zero and Astrograph to play Odd-Eyes Absolute Dragon, then used that with Electrumite for Zefra Metaltron. Absolute Special Summoned Odd-Eyes Vortex Dragon. Mitchell Set one card to his back row to finish his turn.
Crooks had a hand of Gate Zero, Harmonizing Magician, Duelist Alliance, 2 Black Fang Magician, and an Ash Blossom & Joyous Spring he just drew. He played Duelist Alliance, adding Pendulum Call to his hand. Pendulum Call discarded Black Fang, and Vortex Dragon negated it. Crooks played Black Fang and Gate Zero in his Pendulum Zone, and Mitchell flipped Dimensional Barrier to shut him down! Crooks Set Ash Blossom.
Mitchell Pendulum Summoned, and Crooks knew it was already over – he picked up his cards, ready to move to the third Duel!
Duel 3
Crooks began with Dimensional Barrier, Black Fang, Purple Poison Magician, and a pair of Chronograph Sorcerers. He played Chronograph in his Pendulum Zone, but had its effect negated by Ash Blossom. He played Purple Poison in the other Pendulum Zone and Pendulum Summoned Black Fang and Chronograph. He used them to play Electrumite, which put Astrograph Sorcerer in the Extra Deck. He destroyed Chronograph with its effect, putting Astrograph in his hand. He drew Foolish Burial with Electrumite’s other effect. He Set Dimensional Barrier to finish.
Mitchell played Darkwurm, and Crooks flipped Dimensional Barrier. Mitchell sent Darkwurm to attack Electrumite, destroying both monsters. He Set three cards to his back row.
Crooks drew Pendulum Call. He played Foolish Burial for Darkwurm, and Special Summoned it to get Gate Zero. He discarded the Gate for Pendulum Call, putting Harmonizing Magician and Black Fang in his hand. He played Black Fang in the Pendulum Zone, and Mitchell flipped his own Dimensional Barrier. Crooks sent Darkwurm to attack directly.
Mitchell played Wisdom-Eye Magician in his Pendulum Zone, using it to get Oafdragon Magician in its place. Oafdragon put Wisdom-Eye Magician back in Mitchell’s hand. He Pendulum Summoned Wisdom-Eye from his hand and Darkwurm from his Extra Deck, which added Gate Zero to his hand. He used both of his monsters to Xyz Summon Tornado Dragon, and attacked Crooks’s Darkwurm.
Crooks drew Jackal King. Mitchell used Tornado Dragon to destroy Black Fang, and Crooks Special Summoned Astrograph Sorcerer, adding another Black Fang to his hand. Astrograph attacked Tornado Dragon, and Crooks used Purple Poison’s two effects to increase Astrograph’s ATK and destroy Mitchell’s Black Fang! Crooks Normal Summoned Harmonizing Magician in Main Phase 2, using it with Astrograph Sorcerer to play Electrumite. He put Jackal King in his Pendulum Zone, and activated Electrumite’s effect – Mitchell had Wavering Eyes! He destroyed his own Oafdragon Magician and Crooks’s Jackal King, adding Harmonizing Magician to his hand. Crooks played Gate Zero and Black Fang in his Pendulum Zones, and Mitchell flipped up another Wavering Eyes! He got another Harmonizing Magician. Crooks passed with nothing but Electrumite.
Mitchell activated Darkwurm’s effect in the Graveyard, but didn’t search for a Gate – he must have just drawn it. He Normal Summoned Harmonizing Magician and Link Summoned Electrumite. He played Gate Zero and used Electrumite to get Oafdragon back, then drew a card. He played Oafdragon and Harmonizing Magician in his Pendulum Zone, and Pendulum Summoned Black Fang and Darkwurm from the Extra Deck, as well as Gate Zero and Harmonizing Magician from his hand. He used Harmonizing to Special Summon Purple Poison from his Deck. He stacked Darkwurm and Purple Poison for Supreme King Dragon Dark Rebellion. He then used Harmonizing and Black Fang for Supreme King Dragon Starving Venom!
He entered the Battle Phase, and moments later it was decided – Jeremy Mitchell is moving on the finals!
