Both of these players came into this round with 8-1 records, and will need one more win to essentially clinch a spot on Sunday. Neither player has played on the Pro Circuit yet, and they came into this round at the top of the standings. Certainly, at least one of them will walk away from Chicago with enough points to play in an upcoming PC. Both players are running Curve Sentinels.

Orellana played Boliver Trask to get Hounds of Ahab, and attacked for 1. He had the Hounds on turn 2, and Ramirez had no 2-drop. On turn 3, he played Sentinel Mark III, and Orellana matched him with one of his own. No Man Escapes the Manhunters made the Hounds vulnerable, and Ramirez attacked into it. Orellana played Nasty Surprise, and both characters were stunned. Finishing Move KO’d Ramirez’s only character, as Orellana continued to pull ahead.

Sentinel Mark Vs emerged on both sides of the table. Orellana had them go into battle, and Ramirez’s two power ups led to Orellana’s Savage Beatdown. Both Mark Vs were stunned, and the Hounds KO’d Ramirez’s. At this point, Orellana had four characters to Ramirez’s zero, and things were looking extremely bleak. He played a Mark V with boost, and Orellana played another Trask to get a Mark V, sans boost. Ramirez’s Flame Trap stunned Trask and the Hounds, and his attack leveled the field as bit, as Orellana was left with two Mark Vs to Ramirez’s single copy.

Both players had Bastion on turn 6. Orellana sent both of his Mark Vs at Bastion in a team attack, and the resulting power up war saw Bastion and a Mark V stunned. Finishing Move KO’d Bastion, as Orellana maintained his superior board position. However, Ramirez had Magneto, Master of Magnetism, and Orellana did not—he had to settle for Sentinel Mark V with boost. Magneto went after Bastion, and Orellana had Nasty Surprise. Before Bastion was stunned, Orellana spread power ups all over his team. Ramirez blew up two Genosha on the turn, and used Finishing Move to KO Bastion. Orellana still had strength in numbers, however, and his team was huge, thanks to Bastion’s help. Savage Beatdown put it over the top.

Christian Orellana wins!