Quang Nguyen and Vidianto Wijaya, who live fewer than forty miles apart from one another, face each other in the semifinals. Nguyen, who finished fourth at the end of Day 2, was running a rogue X-Mental deck that only earned him seven wins on Day 1, but he battled his way successfully through the Draft portion of the event. Wijaya, who came in first at the end of Day 2, ran a more tried-and-tested Squadron deck.

Oddly, though, Wijaya’s well-practiced against his opponent’s deck; he faced a very similar deck in the quarterfinal, one of only four of that archetype that were represented on Day 1.

Although Wijaya is favored in this semifinal, Nguyen might have some unpredictable tricks up his sleeves (which are emblazoned with a lightning bolt and shield).

Nguyen won the coin toss and recruited a first turn Artie. Wijaya responded with a Joystick and Image Inducer, attacking Nguyen for 3 endurance.

An underdropped Electric Eve was Wijaya’s sole recruit turn 2, while Nguyen had Postman. Electric Eve ran into Postman; Nguyen evaded his Leech and reduced the attack.

Eve evaded. Then Joystick attacked Postman. Neither lost a character and totals were 42 to 48 in Wijaya’s favor.

Turn 3 saw Tarot joining Nguyen’s side of the table, forming up with everybody in the front. Melissa Gold ◊ Songbird was one turn too late on Wijaya’s side of the table. The multiple Pro Circuit Top 8 player formed up with Eve and Melissa in the back and Joystick protecting Melissa.

Tarot’s ability got a Jean Grey, Red for Nguyen.

Artie attempted to attack Eve, but she evaded. Nguyen sent Tarot into Joystick, who was reinforced by Melissa Gold. Before the attack resolved, Artie Mutant Massacred Electric Eve and then evaded to reduce Joystick’s ATK to prevent stunback.

The Postman delivered beats to Melissa Gold, putting the life totals at 44 to 40 in Wijaya’s favor, though Nguyen had the upper hand in characters with three to a lone Joystick.

Wijaya, with the initiative on turn 4, recruited Golden Archer from his resource row and replaced it. He gave the marksman an Image Inducer. Nguyen brought out Professor X, Headmaster and teamed-up Morlocks, Hellfire Club, and X-Men with a copy of Mutopia.

He formed up with Artie in front of Postman and Tarot defending the Professor.

Joystick, a 5 ATK / 3 DEF, ran into Artie, who was reinforced by Postman. Artie then gave -1 ATK to the gilded bowman. The Archer attempted to swing into the Postman, who evaded. Archer ran over to Tarot and with a power-up from hand. Nguyen reinforced with Prof X.

Nguyen was now gaining card advantage with the good Professor and Tarot. On his initiative on turn 5 he recruited Sage, Tessa and Mastermind in the concealed area.

“You only have like 16 guys to my two—aren’t I supposed to be the aggro deck here?” Wijaya asked, looking at Nguyen’s massive character advantage.

“I guess I’m just more aggressive.”

“Do you speak Japanese?” Wijaya asked, recruiting a second archer in the form of a Japanese Hawkeye, Clinton Barton. With his last resource, Wijaya played Ape X and sought out an Image Inducer, recruiting it on the monkey.

Tarot declared an attack on Hawkeye, who tried to shoot Sage, Tessa. Nguyen responded by using Sage’s ability to discard Artie and draw and discard. The attack resolved with Sage, Hawkeye, and Tarot all stunned. Endurance was at 40 to 29 in Wijaya’s favor.

Wijaya ran Artie into Ape X for a simple attack and a mutual stun, targeting Golden Archer with the stun ability. Professor X ran into Golden Archer, powering-up to avoid the stunback. Golden Archer activated to burn Nguyen for 6 damage and Wijaya revealed a Rocket Central to stun Professor X. Mastermind swung into Joystick, but the attack was made illegal by a timely Panacea Potion on Golden Archer.

Wijaya played two Turnabouts on Postman, who delivered an attack on a Golden Archer that became reinforced by Joystick.

A final attack of Mastermind on Joystick made for an entirely stunned board.

Nguyen recovered Professor X with a Phoenix Rising and drew an extra card in the recovery phase, choosing to recover Mastermind. Wijaya kept a lone Golden Archer.

The score was 28 to 13 in Wijaya’s favor, but Nguyen had a mitt full of cards and an extra character on the board.

“You’ve got a 6-drop—I saw it when Tarot revealed her.” Wijaya said. “I lose.”

With Wijaya’s concession, the Morlock Mental deck was up by a game.

“If you win this one, you could possibly win the Pro Circuit,” Wijaya told Nguyen as they shuffled up for the second game.

With the initiative on his side this game, Wijaya mulliganed. Neither player hit his first drop, and they quickly moved on to the second turn that saw Nguyen recruiting Sage, Tessa and putting her in the visible area.

Wijaya played a Melissa Gold ◊ Songbird and put her in the back row. Nguyen used Sage’s ability to discard a Mastermind to draw and discard, signaling that he would not be missing his 3-drop. They traded stuns to put the endurance at 48 all.

Shape and Joystick joined the Squadron side of the table, forming up with Joystick and Melissa in the back and Shape protecting the sonic carapace.

Nguyen played Tarot and put both his characters in the back row with no range and no hope for an attack back.

Tarot revealed an Enemy of My Enemy.

“That’s not bad,” Wijaya said.

“I’d rather get free stuff,” Nguyen replied.

Melissa Gold attacked Tarot, who was reinforced by Sage. Shape, with +3 ATK from Mob Mentality, swung in on Sage for a big 6 ATK. Nguyen discarded a card to Sage’s ability and took the beats.

A direct attack from Joystick brought totals to 44–38 in Wijaya’s favor.

Nguyen played Enemy of my Enemy, discarding a copy of Tarot to get Professor X, Headmaster, who he then recruited and protected with the Tarot he had in play. He teamed them up with a Mutopia and drew a card.

Wijaya played his Golden Archer and formed up with Shape protecting the bowman and Joystick in the back.

Tarot gave nothing to Nguyen again and attacked Shape. A pair of power-ups ensured a mutual stun.

Nguyen sent his Professor X into Golden Archer and Wijaya played two copies of Answer the Call onto the chain, exhausted Golden Archer to deal 6 endurance loss, got a power-up with the first Answer the Call, and sought out Albert Gaines ◊ Nuke with the second Answer the Call.

Joystick then attacked Tarot for a mutual stun, but Nguyen recovered Tarot with a Phoenix Rising.

Endurance was at 37 to 25 going into the fifth turn. Wijaya recruited his Nuke, while Nguyen brought out Emma Frost, Friend or Foe.

Nguyen formed up with all his characters in the back row, and Golden Archer attacked Tarot. An attempt to reinforce was foiled by an Other Earth from hand. Wijaya increased the pain with the reveal of a Rocket Central.

Nguyen responded by using Emma Frost’s ability to turn down his Mutopia and topdeck a Turnabout for the stunback, but he still took 7 endurance loss including the breakthrough.

Nuke hit Professor X for 13 endurance loss and Nguyen chose not to recover Tarot.

Going into Turn 6, Nguyen was at 5 and Wijaya at 33, but with the initiative and two good characters, he had a good shot at pulling it out.

However, one Nuke can ruin your whole day, and that’s exactly what Wijaya had on the table.

Flipping down his Enemy of My Enemy with Emma Frost’s ability, Nguyen sought out Jean Grey, Red and recruited her. He formed up with Professor X and Emma Frost in the back row while Jean protected her teacher.

Wijaya recruited Electric Eve from his hand and followed up with an Answer the Call from his resource row, trying to choose the right character to ensure his win.

Settling on Shape, he recruited the malleable mutant and brought out Lady Lark, Linda Lewis.

“She’s the good one, not the 4 one,” Wijaya said.

Wijaya formed up with Electric Eve and Nuke protecting Lady Lark and Shape.

Jean Grey flew over to Electric Eve to go for the breakthrough, but Wijaya evaded her. Nguyen then played Extreme Maneuvers on Nuke, exhausting Jean Grey and Emma Frost.

Lady Lark attacked into Emma Frost, but a Duck and Cover from the resource row helped Nguyen survive. A Mutant Massacre from Nguyen was countered by a Panacea Potion, giving a counter to Lady Lark.

With a turn 7 offensive, Wijaya recruited Hawkeye from his resource row and didn’t replace. He had a front row of Nuke and Shape in front of Lady Lark and Hawkeye, with Electric Eve to the side.

Nguyen recruited Exodus and formed up with Emma Frost and Exodus protecting Jean Grey and Professor X.

Firing off Jean Grey’s ability, Nguyen replaced his six face-up resources.

Lark and a powered-up Shape teamed into Exodus for the stun. This put Nguyen at -3 endurance, while the stunback only hit Shape and reduced Wijaya to 22. A Flying Kick on Hawkeye allowed him to attack Professor X, Headmaster, and Nguyen conceded. The semifinal headed to a third game.

Nguyen had odds in the third game. As the only $10K winner in the Top 8 of this Pro Circuit, he’s hoping to repeat Adam Bernstein’s feat of winning both major events.

“That’s an ugly hand,” Nguyen said, discarding the Exodus, Rachel Summers, Mutant Massacre, and X-Treme Maneuvers for a new hand.

Turn 1 saw Wijaya play an unanswered Electric Eve and Image Inducer, who brought the endurance to 48–46 in Wijaya’s favor.

Wijaya led off turn 2 with a Melissa Gold ◊ Songbird, while Nguyen recruited a visible Sage. A couple of quick attacks later, it was 35–47 in Wijaya’s favor.

With the turn 3 initiative, Nguyen flipped an Enemy of My Enemy, getting rid of a Jean Grey, Red to go looking for Tarot.

It looked as though Nguyen had now gone through his entire top end curve, having discarded two Jean Greys and an Exodus to Sage’s ability and a third Jean Grey to get his 3-drop.

“Infinite Jean Greys,” Wijaya beamed, obviously pleased at this turn of events. Sadly, he had no recruits. Tarot netted no card for Nguyen, and Sage started off the combat with a run at Electric Eve that resulted in a mutual stun. An attack and mutual stun by Tarot left the endurance at 30 to 42.

Wijaya recovered his Electric Eve, deciding that the bigger body of Songbird wasn’t worth his opponent getting another Enemy of My Enemy.

Now on the offensive, Wijaya asked how many cards his opponent had.

“Six,” was the reply.

Golden Archer signed on to the Squadron, coming in from the resource row and getting replaced. Wijaya still had four cards in hand, which is unusual for a Squadron player. He protected his lone Morlock behind Golden Archer.

Nguyen had a copy of Psylocke, Armored Empath and hid her behind Tarot.

“He’s got six cards, two face down,” Wijaya said. “Does he have the Phoenix Rising?”

With a Mob Mentality and a Flying Kick on Electric Eve, Wijaya was able to stun Psylocke up the curve with 3 breakthrough endurance loss.

Archer then ran over to Tarot who, thanks to the help of a Mental Domination, got the stunback. An Airskimmer from hand increased the breakthrough. The board was stunned with endurance totals at 14 to 37 in Wijaya’s favor. With the last card in his hand, Wijaya played Answer the Call to find himself Nuke.

Nguyen recruited an excessively shiny Emma Frost, Friend or Foe and formed up with her in front of Psylocke. Nuke was recruited and Wijaya put him in front of his archer.

The two characters team attacked into Nuke for the stun on both 5-drops. On his attack step, Wijaya sent the archer into Psylocke, but was repelled by a pair of Duck and Covers.

Turn 6 saw Shape added to the Squadron roster. Wijaya formed up with Shape in the front protecting Golden Archer and Nuke taking up the flank.

Nguyen recruited Professor X and Sage in the hidden area.

“I think you have it,” Nguyen said. “I don’t see what I can do with this.”

He fired off Sage’s ability in an attempt to find some answers, and Wijaya sent Nuke and Shape across the board into Emma Frost.

As the endurance was 28 to 9, it looked grim for Nguyen.

Wijaya got the stun on Emma Frost and only took Shape as the stunback. Nguyen was finished off with burn from Golden Archer.

Wijaya goes on to an all-Squadron final match.