Baez is a 28-year-old office worker from Puerto Rico who played in the PC this weekend, bounced out, and then came back with a vengeance in the $10K, winning his way to the semifinals. Unfortunately, his path is barred by a young man who has become quite the force in Vs. System. After finishing thirteenth at Pro Circuit So Cal, Adam Horvath then put on a stellar performance at Pro Circuit Amsterdam and took home the ultimate prize. He scrubbed out of the main event this weekend, but has only one loss thus far in the $10K and is on a mission to become the first Vs. System player to have both a PC title and $10K title to his name.

 

“Oooh, Michael won over there,” noticed Horvath.

 

“You going to relive Amsterdam?” I asked.

 

“I'm hoping. I know he wants another shot.”

 

Baez kept his opening hand filled with 2-, 4-, and 6-drops, and Horvath kept his as well. Dueling Hector Hammonds represented the recruits for both players and first blood was drawn. Baez hit his 3-drop with Invisible Destroyer, and Horvath brought forth his first Green Lantern recruit in Kreon, placing Kreon behind the Super-Futuristic Mind. The Destroyer attacked Hammond, but instead of stunning Hammond, Horvath used a team-up plus Sinestro Defiant to get a trade. Baez boosted his own Hammond by KO'ing the Destroyer and then stunned Kreon as well, making the endurance totals 43-40 in Baez's favor and leaving both players with only Hammonds on the board.

 

Turn 4 brought Kyle Rayner, Green Lantern of the Universe for Horvath and super squirrel Ch'p for Baez, with both players forming their big men in front of the brains of the outfit. Rayner smacked Baez's Hammond for 8 total endurance loss, and Baez passed the attack with no further action. Baez technically missed his 5-drop with Goldface, but the shiny Emerald Enemies character is still perfectly capable of causing problems, even as an under-drop. He matched the size of Hal Jordan, Green Lantern of Sector 2814, and Hal was Horvath's on turn 5. Baez directed Ch'p at Rayner, but Kyle received some Helping Hands, complicating matters. Baez added Dimming of the Starheart to the chain, dropping Jordan's willpower so that the squirrelly Lantern and Rayner still traded, but not before Horvath used Hammond to put Space Bears directly into play. Baez's beatdown continued, and when the dust cleared, Goldface and Hammond were left in play on the Puerto Rican's side of the board to square off against Kyle Rayner and Hal Jordan.

 

Horvath recruited a boom boom for turn 6 in Kilowog, discarding Rot Lop Fan and Major Force and forming the big boy in front, guarding Rayner with Jordan on Kyle's wing. Baez recruited Supermanhunter to his squad guarding Goldface. Rayner and Jordan team attacked Supermanhunter, stunning the 6-drop. Then, when Kilowog tried to bash Goldface, Baez put Lanterns in Love on the chain to try to flip the Manhunter back over, but a discarded Chopping Block foiled that plan. The attacks left Baez at 13 endurance and Horvath at 25.

 

Both players missed their 7-drops, Baez recruiting a Manhunter Giant and Sonar to the army as Horvath's only reinforcements came in the form of Virman Vundabar.

 

“Shouldn't be too greedy, probably,” Horvath mumbled as he considered his formation. Before putting his men in line, though, he used Virman to exhaust Goldface, unsure if Baez had the ability to fizzle the activation by flipping over two resources. Baez did not and scooped his squad up, conceding the first game to Horvath.

 

Horvath 1 - Baez 0

 

Baez took the odds and called on The Shark as his “aggressive” turn 1 drop. Hector Hammond walked over to Baez's side of the board on turn 2 and pimped Tomar Tu, and then Invisible Destroyer and Kreon joined the fray on turn 3. The Destroyer stunned Hammond, and then Golden Death let Tomar Tu take out Kreon, as well, giving Baez a strong start. Horvath played Rayner on turn 4 again and then flipped over In Evil Star's Evil Clutches, and then equipped Hammond with Chopping Block. Baez added Mark Shaw to his growing army, and now it was up to the PC winner to figure out how to cause some bloodshed of his own. Rayner whacked Tomar Tu and then tried to finish the job with Chopping Block, but Baez had the Lanterns in Love to save him. Ending turn 4, the endurance totals were Baez 38, Horvath 41.

 

Baez played Fatality on turn 5, causing Horvath to take a look at the card and declare, “It's rare, it must be pretty good,” but he matched the drop with Major Force. Shaw stunned Rayner, Fatality slit the Major's throat, and then the Shark and Destroyer teamed up on Hector Hammond while Hector chopped Fatality out of the game. Horvath was left with Hector alone (“I'm going to stick with Hector, he's been good to me”) against Baez's 1-, 2-, and 4-drops. Kilowog joined the fray for Horvath on turn 6, but Baez had a 6-drop of his own and Horvath was kept under the gun. Kilowog tried to stun Supermanhunter but was stymied by Pest Control and Helping Hand, leaving Adam a little frustrated, but still in things when Baez passed the turn without any attacks of his own.

 

Turn 7 brought forth Krona, Creator of the Anti-Matter Universe with a Catcher's Mitt for Baez, while Horvath called on the shadiest 7-drop in the game (Two-Face, Split Personality) to pull his feet from the fire. Krona and The Shark teamed up to try to stun Two-Face, but Nero Unleashed made sure the God went with him. Mark Shaw bashed Hector as the Mind Chopped down Baez's 7-drop, and then Tomar Tu gave Horvath an unimpeded kick in the teeth, but Adam moved Kilowog back from his hidden area during his own attack with Cosmic Conflict and caused just enough endurance loss to take home the game and the match and possibly set up a PC Amsterdam rematch with Michael Dalton, depending on the outcome of the other semifinal.

 

Horvath 2 - Baez 0