April 26, 2009
Feature Quarterfinals Feature Match:
Joseph Franzo Versus George Garcia
Both of these Duelists play at legendary local hobby store Comic Odyssey, and these two competitors are long-time friends that play together every week. Garcia is running Gladiator Beasts, while Franzo is Day 2’s lone Blackwing Duelist. A win here for Garcia would be one more step towards a Gladiator Beast victory at this event. But victory for Franzo could be the start of a big upset in this weekend’s tournament!
Franzo opened with “Dekoichi the Battlechanted Locomotive,” “Blackwing – Bora the Spear,” “Threatening Roar,” “Reckless Greed,” “Crush Card Virus,” and “Allure of Darkness.” He Set Dekoichi, Set “Threatening Roar,” and ended.
Garcia activated “Heavy Storm” – he was met with Franzo’s chained “Threatening Roar,” and Set a Spell or Trap Card to end. Franzo flipped Dekoichi, drew, activated “Allure of Darkness,” removed Bora from his hand, and attacked for 1400 damage before Setting three cards to his back row.
“Gladiator Beast Samnite” was Summoned by Garcia, but he lost it to “Bottomless Trap Hole.” He Set another card to his Spell and Trap Card Zone, took another shot from Dekoichi, and Franzo Set a monster – shades of 2007, as Franzo plays ‘Protect the Dekoichi’ in a bid to ride the little train to victory.
Garcia was not in a good spot – he Normal Summoned “Gladiator Beast Murmillo,” Special Summoned “Test Tiger,” Tributed the Tiger, and traded Murmillo back to his Deck to Special Summon “Gladiator Beast Secutor.” ‘Greedy’ grinned Franzo. Garcia tried to attack Franzo’s face-down monster: Franzo responded with “Mirror Force,” but Garcia activated “Solemn Judgment”! Franzo drew for the Dekoichi that Secutor flipped in battle, then Secutor Special Summoned “Gladiator Beast Laquari” and “Gladiator Beast Bestiari” to the field, and Franzo chained the target of Bestiari’s effect: “Reckless Greed”! Garcia fused Bestiari and Secutor to Special Summon “Gladiator Beast Gyzarus,” destroyed both copies of Dekoichi with Gyzarus’ effect, and ended.
Franzo activated “Dark Eruption,” bringing back “Dekoichi the Battlechanted Locomotive” to his hand. He then activated “Allure of Darkness,” drawing to a hand of two Gale, two Dekoichi, Sirocco, “Threatening Roar,” and “Crush Card Virus.” He removed Dekoichi to pay for the Allure, Normal Summoned Sirocco, but lost it to “Bottomless Trap Hole.” He Set “Threatening Roar” and ended.
Franzo activated “Threatening Roar” next turn to keep Gyzarus from attacking and tagging out. He had two Gale, “Crush Card Virus,” and Dekoichi. He Summoned one copy of Gale, activated its effect, and sent it over Gyzarus – Gyzarus went down, a strong reminder of Gale’s strength even without a combo! Garcia ran some numbers before Summoning “Gladiator Beast Murmillo” (who really seemed to like hanging out in Garcia’s hand this game). Laquari ran over Gale, Murmillo made a direct attack, and the Life Points were 1900 to 6400 with Franzo still in the lead. Garcia traded Murmillo for a second Laquari and didn’t tag out the other.
‘Bora for game?!’ Franzo couldn’t draw the Blackwing he was looking for, but did draw “D.D. Crow”! He Set it, then Set “Crush Card Virus”! Garcia drew for his turn, Summoned “Gladiator Beast Equeste,” attacked, and Franzo flipped the Crush! Garcia was clearly frustrated – he lost three monsters from his field and two cards from his hand, leaving him with just one card in hand. Next turn Franzo’s Bora came off the top of his Deck – he Normal Summoned it, Special Summoned Gale, and attacked to end the Duel!
Joseph Franzo scores with a massive “Crush Card Virus” and is now just one Duel away from a place in the Top 4! Both competitors did some serious Side Decking before starting game 2.
The second Duel started with Garcia Summoning “Gladiator Beast Laquari” and Setting two cards to his Spell and Trap Card Zone.
Franzo had two Bora the Spear, “Blackwing – Shura the Blue Flame,” “Royal Oppression,” Gale, and “Reckless Greed.” He Normal Summoned Shura, Special Summoned Gale, and tried to halve Laquari’s ATK – Barcia chained “Gladiator Beast War Chariot” to negate Gale’s effect and destroy it. Shura attacked Laquari, Garcia flipped “Book of Moon” to stop the attack, and Franzo Set “Royal Oppression.” Garcia activated “Mystical Space Typhoon”!
“Royal Oppression” was destroyed, Laquari attacked through Shura, and Garcia refused to tag out. He Set two more cards to his back row, ended, and Garcia Set “Reckless Greed” and his draw for the turn - “Bottomless Trap Hole.” Garcia made a direct attack with Laquari, refused to tag out again, and Franzo drew Gale next turn.
He Normal Summoned Bora, but Garcia destroyed it and removed it from play with “Bottomless Trap Hole”! This just wasn’t going Franzo’s way. Garcia took another swing with Laquari, dropping Franzo to 4400 Life Points. Franzo drew another “Bottomless Trap Hole” next turn, holding Gale and Bora with “Reckless Greed” and his first Bottomless both Set. He normal Summoned Gale, activated its effect with priority, then attacked Laquari – Garcia defended with “Enemy Controller,” turning Gale to defense position. Garcia still had three cards in hand with Laquari on the field, while Franzo had two cards Set, two cards in hand, and Gale on the table. He had to consider a Synchro Summon to keep himself from being too vulnerable, but after some visible consideration, he ended his turn without making any more moves.
Garcia hammered him with “Heavy Storm”! Franzo had to chain “Reckless Greed,” scoring “Heavy Storm” and “D.D. Crow” off the draw. This just kept getting worse. Garcia Normal Summoned Murmillo (for the third time this match?) and made two attacks, clearing Gale and dishing out 900 damage from Laquari. Laquari tagged out to “Gladiator Beast Equeste,” letting Garcia retrieve his “Gladiator Beast War Chariot.” Murmillo tagged out to Retiari, removing Franzo’s Shura from his Graveyard. Garcia was the clear favorite at the moment, and he ended his turn by Setting two cards to his Spell and Trap Card Zone.
Franzo hit him with “Heavy Storm,” costing Gracia “Shrink” and War Chariot! He normal Summoned Bora, swung over Equeste, and Set one card to finish his turn. Garcia reeled. He Set a monster and left Retiari in attack position.
Franzo got to draw again, no longer under “Reckless Greed’s” effect, and ran over Retiari with Bora. Garcia Set a Spell or Trap Card, Franzo attacked again with Bora, and this time punched 400 damage through Garcia’s face-down Samnite. A Set monster ended his turn. Garcia Normal Summoned “Gladiator Beast Laquari,” Franzo responded with “Bottomless Trap Hole,” Garcia chained “Torrential Tribute,” and Franzo chained “Crush Card Virus,” Tributing his “D.D. Crow”! Both Duelists were down to topdecking, and three turns of Setting spells and traps and passing ensued, sparked by Garcia’s activation of “Swords of Revealing Light.”
He Summoned “Gladiator Beast Laquari,” attacked, and Franzo blocked with “Book of Moon.” Laquari went face-down. Franzo Normal Summoned Sirocco, and had “Reckless Greed” and “Solemn Judgment” Set. He flipped Reckless, drawing another Reckless and an “Allure of Darkness” to pair with his one remaining in-hand card – Black Salvo! He drew “Sangan” and “Giant Trunade,” and removed Salvo for Allure’s effect. That left him with another Reckless, “Giant Trunade,” and “Sangan,” with Sirocco on the field and “Solemn Judgment” Set. Franzo was still restrained by “Swords of Revealing Light,” but he Set Reckless and ended – Swords was destroyed.
Garcia Flip Summoned his Laquari, then Normal Summoned “Rescue Cat”! Franzo pondered a moment, and decided not to respond with “Solemn Judgment.” Garcia Tributed the Cat to Special Summon “Gladiator Beast Samnite” and “Test Tiger,” then Tributed Tiger to tag back Samnite and Special Summon “Gladiator Beast Bestiari” – he targeted “Reckless Greed” with Bestiari’s effect and Franzoc chained it, drawing “Royal Oppression” and another Solemn. Moments later he was fusing for “Gladiator Beast Gyzarus,” but lost out to “Solemn Judgment” – neither of Garcia’s two Set cards were “Solemn Judgments,” and Gyzarus was destroyed! Franzo breathed a huge sigh of relief.
He started next turn with “Giant Trunade,” then Summoned “Sangan” and attacked for 3000 damage! Garcia had 4000 Life Points left, while Franzo had 1750. He Set two cards to his back row, Garcia Set all there of his cards, and next turn Franzo attacked with both of his monsters again – “Sangan” got through, but Sirocco was stopped by “Enemy Controller.”
Garcia Set a monster, Franzo could draw again, and topped “Monster Reborn”! He activated it, Special Summoned Bora the Spear from his Graveyard, turned “Sangan” to Defense Position, Sirocco to Defense Position, and used Sirocco’s effect to pump Bora to 3700 ATK! Bora attacked Garcia’s face-down monster, Garcia flipped “Enemy Controller,” and Franzo chained “Solemn Judgment”! Garcia did some brief math and offered the handshake before revealing his face-down “Gladiator Beast Secutor” – Bora hammered through it for 3400 damage and it was all over!
Joseph Franzo is taking Blackwings all the way to the Top 4!
At the other tables:
TABLE #1:
Jeff Jones’ DARK Skill Drain Deck defeated Justin Trias’ Gladiator Beasts.
TABLE #3
Jarel Winston defeated Jake Silver in a Lightsworn mirror match.
TABLE #4
Jerry Williams’ Lightsworn defeated Ricardo Gaytan’s DARK Synchro Deck.
-Jason Grabher-Meyer