This match pitted Shota Yasuoka, who was already featured once today, against Rei Hashimoto, the finalist of the same $10K Tokyo (January 2006) at which Shota made Top 8. Rei won the decision and took evens. Rei was running Hellfire Club, a matchup that is usually bad for Shota’s Mental Deck.

The game did not actually start until turn 3, when Rei finally played a Mastermind, Dark Dreamer to put some pressure on Yasuoka. He continued the pressure the following turn with Professor X, Headmaster, to which Shota finally answered with Empath. Rei sent Empath into Professor X and flipped over a Shaw Industries. Professor X was powered-up, earning a mutual stun and allowing for Mastermind to go unimpeded and put Shota at 36.

Shota dropped Emma Frost, Friend or Foe, which Rei answered with a Memory Probe, exhausting Empath. Instead of finding a 5-drop, he found a Sage, Tessa and used her ability, finding a Courtney Ross to join her in the hidden area. He then exhausted both of the newly played characters to play Power and Wealth to find The Hellfire Club. Both players passed their attacks, and it was on to turn 6.

Rei played Magneto, Black Lord, only to find himself face-to-face with Jean Grey, Red. Sage, Courtney, and Mastermind team attack into Emma Frost with no resistance besides the Eye of the Storm that was played before the stun. Empath went after Professor X, only to meet Mental Domination and earn a mutual stun. Rei chose to KO Empath in order to flip his Mental Probe face down, and then moved Magneto into the visible area to attack Jean Grey, bringing Shota down to 22 in comparison to Rei’s comfortable 39.

Shota led off Turn 7 with Enemy of My Enemy to get Exodus, which Rei answered with Sebastian Shaw. Power Play took the initiative from Shota, and Magneto stunned Emma Frost. Sebastian Shaw swung into Jean Grey, which earned a Mind Control on Sebastian. Sebastian KO’d Courtney Ross and Sage to ready and attack Exodus. Duck and Cover on Exodus was met with Magneto stunning Professor X to remove the X-Men affiliation from Exodus. Shota made up for it by playing Shrink on Exodus and mental Domination on Sebastian, getting the stun and saving his board.

Turn 8 began with Rei at 10 and Shota at 7. Shota dropped Magneto, Ruler of Avalon, who was opposed by Donald Pierce, Courtney Ross, and a Hellfire Club Initiate. With no visible characters in his way, Shota sent in both Magneto and Exodus, and then played X-Treme Maneuver on Donald Pierce, earning a scoop. Shota Yasuoka wins!