April 25, 2009
Top 16 Feature Match:
Jeff Jones Versus Jason Holloway
The biggest Match of the Top 16 was undoubtedly this one – SHONEN JUMP Championship circuit regular and repeated Day 2 competitor Jeff Jones, versus SHONEN JUMP Champion Jason Holloway! While Holloway was running Lightsworn, Jones was playing an innovative DARK “Skill Drain” Deck that was teched to metagame strategies exactly like Holloway’s. This one was going to be a great match!
“I’m not gonna lie” commented Jones. “I’m really, really nervous. I haven’t played in large tournaments for over a year – I can’t help but feel a little bit rusty.” Jones’ trepidation seemed genuine – after a year out of Dueling he was finally back in the spotlight, and no single moment in his Dueling career mattered more than this.
Jones offered Holloway a handshake to get the match started, and opened with a hand of “Skill Drain,” “Beast King Barbaros,” “Dark Armed Dragon,” “Solemn Judgment,” “Cyber Dragon,” and “Phoenix Wing Wind Blast.” He Set “Skill Drain,” Set Solemn, Normal Summoned Barbaros, and ended – a strong opening that may give Holloway some serious trouble.
Holloway Set two cards to his Spell and Trap Card Zone, Set a monster, and ended. Jeff was a bit fazed: “Oh shut up! You drew Crush Card?” Jeff drew “Destiny Hero – Malicious,” Set Wind Blast to put Malicious to use, and flipped “Skill Drain” in Main Phase 1. If Holloway DID have “Crush Card Virus,” now would be the time to use it.
Barbaros attacked, and Holloway flipped “Crush Card Virus”! He Tributed his “Necro Gardna,” Jones chained “Solemn Judgment,” and Holloway chained his Solemn! Barbaros went down, and Jones lost his “Dark Armed Dragon” and “Cyber Dragon”! Play was to Holloway.
“Monster Reborn” got him Jones’ own Barbaros, which hit the field with 3000 ATK. It attacked, Jones took the hit, and he dropped to 500 Life Points. Holloway had three cards in hand, while Jones had nothing but Malicious in hand, Wind Blast Set, and “Skill Drain” on the field. Holloway Set a monster to finish out.
Jones topped another “Skill Drain” next turn – not much help at all given his imperative to discard “Destiny Hero – Malicious” for “Phoenix Wing Wind Blast.” He passed, Holloway attacked with Barbaros, and Jones sent it back to the top of his Deck with “Phoenix Wing Wind Blast” – he discarded Malicious. Holloway was just overwhelming Jones with a superior range of information and options. He knew every card Jones had access to, including his next draw (the Barbaros) – which Jones would lose to “Crush Card Virus.” Holloway Set a second monster, Jones drew Barbaros, and lost it to the Virus’ effect.
He Special Summoned his second Malicious in Defense Position – “I assume you’ve got a monster with more than 800 ATK?”
“Why don’t you attack and find out” replied Holloway.
“If you’ve got it, just show it to me.”
“I’ve got “Honest”” remarked Holloway, flashing it from his hand. Jones scooped and dove straight for his Side Deck.
Jason Holloway disassembles a strong opening from Jeff Jones, riding “Crush Card Virus” to a successful Game 1 win! That had to be demoralizing – the Crush was all that turned an otherwise-favorable Duel for Jones into a slaughter.
Jones opened by Setting “Trap Dustshoot” and “Dust Tornado”: he activated Dustshoot on Holloway’s turn – Holloway revealed two “Malevolent Catastrophes,” “Solemn Judgment,” “Solar Recharge,” “Necro Gardna,” “Garoth, Lightsworn Warrior,” and shuffled back Garoth at Jones’ request. He Set Gardna, Set a Spell or Trap Card and ended. He lost the Set spell/trap, Malevolent, to “Dust Tornado” next turn.
Jones Summoned Barbaros, smashed through Gardna, and Set “Solemn Judgment.” Holloway Set another card to his back row, Jones attacked for 1900 damage, and play was back to Holloway. He drew another copy of Garoth, discarded it for “Solar Recharge,” and drew two cards before sending “Mirror Force” and “Judgment Dragon” to his Graveyard . “Go ahead.” He had no other moves.
Jones drew another Barbaros, activated “Allure of Darkness,” and drew into a hand of Barbaros, “Phoenix Wing Wind Blast,” “D.D. Crow,” “Brain Control,” “Heavy Storm,” and “Destiny Hero – Malicious.” He removed the latter, Summoned a second copy of Barbaros, and attacked for a total of 1900 damage – he lost his Solemn to Malevolent Catastrophe, and one attack was negated by “Necro Gardna’s” effect. Jones Set Wind Blast and ended. Holloway Set a card to each Zone and ended his turn.
Jones drew “Dark Grepher,” discarded “D.D. Crow” for Wind Blast, and blew away Holloway’s monster. “Heavy Storm” cleared another Catastrophe, Jones Summoned “Dark Grepher,” and that was enough damage for game!
Jeff Jones battles back to press this Match to one more Duel! Both competitors did some more Side Decking before Game 3 began. “If you’re not playing Lightsworn, every Deck should be playing “Trap Dustshoot”” remarked Jones. “Last format was iffy, but in this one it’s the second best Trap Card you can play.”
Holloway opened with “Solar Recharge,” discarding “Lumina, Lightsworn Summoner” and sending “Charge of the Light Brigade” and “Royal Oppression” to the Graveyard. He Set a monster and ended. “Go.”
Jones had “Plaguespreader Zombie,” “Dust Tornado,” “D.D. Crow,” “Destiny Draw,” “Allure of Darkness,” and “Sangan.” He activated Allure, drew “Skill Drain” and another Crow, and pitched a Crow for Allure’s effect. Jones Summoned “Sangan” and attacked! “Be the one Ryko! Yeah!”
Holloway reluctantly flipped his Ryko over. “Yeah!” “Sangan” was destroyed, Holloway sent “Charge of the Light Brigade,” “Honest,” and “Necro Gardna” to his Graveyard, and Jones grabbed “Destiny Hero – Malicious” from his Deck with “Sangan” – a big read by Jones! He discarded Malicious for “Destiny Draw,” drew another “Skill Drain” and “Destiny Hero - Fear Monger,” Set “Skill Drain,” and ended.
He lost the Drain to “Heavy Storm” next turn, and Holloway Summoned “Lumina, Lightsworn Summoner.” He discarded “Garoth, Lightsworn Warrior,” tried to Special Summon it, but lost out to Jones’ “D.D. Crow”! He attacked for 1000 damage – Holloway didn’t look happy that Jones had the second Crow. He’d look less even less amused when he found out Jones had a second “Skill Drain.” Holloway Set two cards and ended his turn, sending three cards to his Graveyard.
Jones drew Barbaros and removed Malicious from his Graveyard to Special Summon another copy from his Deck. He Normal Summoned “Plaguespreader Zombie,” tuned it to Malicious, and examined Holloway’s Graveyard before Synchro Summoning “Colossal Fighter”:" “You do play “Mirror Force,” but I’m still Summoning this.” Holloway had to flip “Solemn Judgment” to negate the Summon.
Jones Set “Skill Drain” and “Dust Tornado” to finish out. Holloway drew to two cards in hand, attacked with Lumina for 1000 damage and ended. He sent “Judgment Dragon,” “Royal Oppression,” and that clutch “Mirror Force” to the Graveyard with Lumina’s effect. Jones flipped “Dust Tornado” in the End Phase, forcing Holloway to activate “Beckoning Light” to ditch his “Honest” and “Wulf, Lightsworn Beast” for two copies of “Honest” – his “Judgment Dragon” was useless, as he only had three Lightsworn in his Graveyard.
Jones drew “Phoenix Wing Wind Blast,” drawing to three cards in hand. He Summoned “Destiny Hero - Fear Monger,” tried to ram it into Lumina to trade off in battle, and Holloway had to remove “Necro Gardna” to stop Jones from destroying Lumina and claiming Fear Monger’s effect in the process. He Summoned Garoth next turn, turned Lumina to Defense Position, and ended his turn to try and claim a free card or two with Garoth, but Jones activated “Skill Drain” to stop the End Phase abilities of Holloway’s monsters!
He drew “Mystic Tomato” next turn and Summoned it, sending it to attack “Lumina, Lightsworn Summoner.” The threat of double “Honest” kept him from attacking over Garoth with his in-hand Barbaros, but if Holloway couldn’t keep two monsters on the field he’d fall to that “Phoenix Wing Wind Blast” Jones had Set. Lumina went down, Fear Monger went to Defense Position, and Holloway drew for his turn.
A Set Spell or Trap Card was his only play. “Go ahead.” Jones drew “Solemn Judgment,” Set it, and turned Tomato to Defense Position. Holloway passed next turn, and Jones drew “Elemental Hero Stratos.” He Set Barbaros and ended, trying to put together one big push with the Wind Blast and “Solemn Judgment” pinning Holloway down. The Duel stood at 5000 Life Points to 4000, with Jones in the lead. “That double “Honest” and that one Necro were killing me” remarked Jones.
“You’re gonna Summon Barbaros and go crazy.”
“If I do that I lose to double “Honest”” bluffed Jones, acting as if he didn’t have the Wind Blast and the capability to make game with that and the Barbaros he’d already Set. Holloway Summoned “Lyla, Lightsworn Sorceress” and ended.
Jones drew “Reinforcement of the Army” – only one minute remained in the round, and Jones was in the lead. He activated Reinforcement, searched “Destiny Hero - Defender” from his Deck, shuffled his hand, and Set Stratos! Not the play he had telegraphed to Holloway when he searched Defender.
Holloway sent Garoth to attack “Mystic Tomato,” and Jones searched Holloway’s Graveyard before Special Summoning another Tomato from his Deck in Attack Position. Lyla attacked it, and Jones prompted Holloway to move into the Damage Step – he played one copy of “Honest” to boost Lyla by another 1400 ATK, meaning he’d deal 1700 damage and drop Jones to 3300 Life Points. He played a second copy, and Jones dropped to 1900. Jones searched for “Krebons,” Summoned it with Tomato’s effect, and Holloway brought back “Honest” with “Monster Reborn.” “Activate and take it back?”
“You can’t – “Skill Drain.”” A huge error on Holloway’s part! Now all he had was his one remaining back row card and a single “Necro Gardna” in the Graveyard. Jones drew “Dark Armed Dragon” for his turn and time was called! “Did you do that as a bluff” wondered Jones aloud. Holloway still had one card remaining in his hand – could it be his third “Honest”? Even if it was, it wouldn’t finish Jones off if he attacked “Honest” – a bluff didn’t necessarily make sense.
“I can’t believe you’re that stupid, you’re one of the most serious players I’ve ever met. I don’t think you’d mess up like that. One Necro, right?”
“Yup” replied Holloway. Jones sighed and shook his head, debating his moves while he tried to figure out if Holloway was up to something, or had legitimately misplayed. Holloway was wearing his poker face.
“Okay” announced Jones. “Synchro.” He tuned “Krebons” to Fear Monger and Synchro Summoned “Goyo Guardian.” “Any response?” Holloway had nothing. Jones Flip Summoned his Set “Elemental Hero Stratos,” then Flip Summoned “Beast King Barbaros”! The spectating crowd practically gasped in unison. Holloway looked perturbed – he hadn’t seemed to have read either of those Set monsters accurately. “That’s fine.”
Jones was left holding “Destiny Hero - Defender” and “Dark Armed Dragon.” He activated “Plaguespreader Zombie’s” effect, Special Summoned it by sending Defender back to the top of his Deck, then tuned “Plaguespreader Zombie” to Stratos to Synchro Summon “Gaia Knight, The Force of Earth”! He had the Dark Armed in hand, with Solemn and “Phoenix Wing Wind Blast” still Set. Holloway had no response to the second Synchro Summon. The Duel stood at 1900 Life Points to 4000.
“Enter Battle Phase” announced Jones. “Gaia Knight, declare an attack on Garoth.” Holloway lost the Lightsworn Warrior and took 750 damage, dropping to 3250 Life Points. “Goyo Guardian” attacked “Lyla, Lightsworn Sorceress,” and Holloway took that one too – he dropped to 2150 Life Points. Barbaros attacked “Honest,” and Holloway defended it with “Necro Gardna.” “End my turn.”
Holloway turned “Honest” to Defense Position – only this turn and two more remained in the Duel. He Special Summoned “Judgment Dragon,” sent it after Gaia Knight, and Jones responded with “Phoenix Wing Wind Blast”! He discarded his “Dark Armed Dragon” to target “Judgment Dragon,” Holloway activated “Solemn Judgment” to try and negate the Wind Blast, and Jones flipped his own Solemn to negate Holloway’s and force the Wind Blast through! Jones had 950 Life Points, while Holloway had 1075 remaining. Jones breathed a sigh of relief – Holloway could do nothing but Set his remaining card, a monster. Jones knew it was over, and Holloway was quickly coming to the same conclusion. He ended his turn.
“I guess if it’s “Necro Gardna” you win? That’d make me really unhappy, cause now I deserve to win this game.” Jones drew his Defender again. “Well, I pray to God that’s not “Necro Gardna.”” He put his finger on Gaia Knight, pressed it forward, and Holloway flipped his Set card…
…”Card Trooper”! This one was over! Jones attacked through “Honest,” swung for game with Barbaros, and was headed to the Top 8!
At the other tables:
TABLE 1:
Justin Trias (#16 after Day One), playing Gladiator Beasts, defeated the Counter Fairy Deck of Maurice Brantley (#1).
TABLE 2:
Joseph Franzo (#2), playing Blackwings, defeated Mario Matheau’s LIGHT Skill Drain Deck.
TABLE 3:
Jake Silver (#14) automatically advanced after his opponent, Raul Rodriguez (#3), failed to show up for the finals. This would have been a Lightsworn mirror-match.
TABLE 4
Jerry Williams (#4), playing Lightsworn, defeated Hooman Farahbakhsh (#13) in a Lightsworn mirror-match.
TABLE 5
Ricardo Gaytan (#12), playing a DARK Synchro variant, defeated Xue Hao Hu (#5), who was playing Lightsworn.
TABLE 6
Jarel Winston (#6), playing Lightsworn, defeated Tyler Kobrofsky (#11), playing Gladiator Beasts.
TABLE 7
George Garcia (#7), playing Gladiator Beasts, defeated Bobby Chambers (#10), playing Lightsworn.
Heading into the Top 8, we’ll have 3 Lightsworn, 2 Gladiator Beasts, 1 Blackwing, 1 DARK Skill Drain, and 1 DARK Synchro variant.
-Jason Grabher-Meyer