Alex Sacal and Luis Eduardo Acero Contreras, featured players from Day 1, faced off in the quarterfinals.

Sacal won initiative and opted to take turn 1. Both players opened with 1-drops: Sacal with Dawn Granger ◊ Dove and Luis with Alfred Pennyworth. That Alfred was used to fetch Marvel Team-Up. It also seemed that Luis had ideal draws thus far, recruiting Tim Drake on turn 2 as well.

However, Sacal followed up Dove with a turn 2 Hank Hall ◊ Hawk, setting Robin up for a potential beating. Robin attacked Dove for the double stun, but Luis was forced to take some damage from Hawk.

Turn three came in a big way for Sacal, as he recruited Roy Harper ◊ Arsenal. Luis recruited Batman, World’s Greatest Detective. This match seemed like it was going to hinge on Utility Belt, either on the card’s impact or its lack of play. Luis hadn’t recruited one yet. Dawn and Roy Harper attacked Batman, who threw up a Bat-Signal for the Caped Crusader version of himself. Roy and Batman were then stunned. Hawk stunned Tim Drake, and Luis was forced to KO him in recovery.

Luis recruited Dr. Doom, Diabolic Genius and promptly hid him behind Batman to start off turn 4. For Sacal, USS Argus brought about a recruit of Terra – those Utility Belts were sorely needed if Luis was to survive. Doom, backed by Doomstadt, attacked Terra, and Terra activated in response to stun Batman. Sacal then Ka-Boom!ed the Doomstadt and went to work with Dove and Arsenal to continue decimating Luis’ endurance.

Sacal went on the offensive on turn 5, recruiting Beast Boy and giving Roy Harper a Twin Firearms. Luis answered back with Dick Grayson ◊ Nightwing, High-Flying Acrobat, finally using that Marvel Team-Up. Sacal thought long and hard. All weekend, it was possible to tell when he was about to make a move to win the game, because he suddenly looked calculating, his eyes scanning the table over and over before doing anything. Finally, he team attacked Arsenal and Dove against Dick Grayson. Knowing that Arsenal was the turn’s biggest threat, Luis responded with Mystical Paralysis on Arsenal. Terra and Dove then went after Dick instead, but Dick was saved by an Acrobatic Dodge, and Luis opted to stun back Dove. Beast Boy and Hawk then went after Dick Grayson, finally stunning him and Beast Boy. The turn hadn’t gone the way Sacal had hoped.

On turn 6, Luis set and flipped Latverian Embassy—this was what he needed. He then recruited Batman, Caped Crusader and gave Nightwing a Utility Belt, but not before Arsenal activated to stun Batman. Had Luis recruited the Utility Belt first, things would have gone differently.

At 4 resources at that point, Sacal recruited Red Star. Dick Grayson attacked Terra, but a Heroic Sacrifice from Hawk kept her alive. Luis then pulled Dr. Doom, Victor Von Doom with a Faces of Doom. Dr. Doom then attacked Roy Harper for the double stun. Sacal made no counter-attack. Luis recovered Batman, since the Dr. Doom in play being KO’d wasn’t a big deal due to the Victor Von Doom he had in his hand.

On turn 7, Sacal recruited Garth ◊ Tempest, and formed up for attack. Luis recruited his Dr. Doom and hid Nightwing behind him. Garth, Terra, Red Star, and Beast Boy then team-attacked Dr. Doom. Sacal activated Tamaran on Red Star but was met with an Unmasked. Dr. Doom and Red Star were stunned. Teen Titans Go! readied the remaining three attackers. It would have been an easy series of plays had Luis not had a Utility Belt on the field, but as it stood, it was a difficult turn for Sacal. Garth and Beast Boy then attacked Nightwing for the stun, and Beast Boy ate it. Terra and Arsenal then attacked Batman, and that was enough for Luis to concede game 1.

Game Two

Luis mulliganed, and Sacal opened strong