The times, they be getting intense here in Columbus-O. The cream of the crop is rising to the top, and if this round’s results are any indication, tomorrow is going to be a war.
Alex Tennett entered the round as the lone undefeated player, setting up the $15K LA champ for a showdown with wunderkind Rob Leander. Here’s a look at what happened in their table 1 match, as well as the remaining “one loss or less” matches at tables 2, 3, and 4:
Table 3: Gabe Walls vs. Mathew Hoffman
The first match of the four to finish, Walls and his partner in crime Roy Harper ◊ Arsenal did it again. They took out Hoffman, the highest-ranked Common Enemy player left in the tournament, on turn 7. While not it’s 100 percent, Walls is virtually assured a spot in tomorrow’s Top 8, as are the winners on tables 1, 2 and 4.
Table 4: David Bauer vs. Bam Bam Rich
Rich, who started out at a modest 2-1, is on yet another $10K tear. Bam Bam, who has some potentially huge news that will be discussed on metagame.com at some point before PC Amsterdam, has won his last six matches. In this match, his medium Brotherhood deck defeated Bauer’s Curve Sentinels. While Bauer failed to draw Overload and Bastion, Rich hit him for some 25 endurance with—of all things—Toad! Rich, who has more $10K Top 16s than you can count on one hand (barring your having some unique features) is in a good position to make his second Top 8.
Table 1: Alex Tennett vs. Rob Leander
Ho hum, another round, another Leander result. After his Teen Titans missed their first and second turn plays, he threw up his arms in disgust and said that Tennett’s undefeated streak would continue, but Alex had difficulties of his own. He missed the early game Alfred Pennyworth that The Brave and the Bold always wants to start things off with. Rob was correct in his assumption that he’d fall behind, but he made a monster comeback, with three Teen Titans Go! bringing him victory from the brink of defeat. We have no undefeated players left in the tournament.
Table 2: Sean Poestkoke vs. Ash Macabenton
When the dust had settled on the other three matches, the audience crowded around to see the end of this marathon. In the end, Sean’s Doom deck defeated Ash’s X-Stall, with the finishing move coming on turn 15 when Poestkoke’s Gamma Bomb killed the 28 ATK/26 DEF Imperiex. Big cards in a big moment, with the Bomb carrying Sean to Sunday play.
With tomorrow’s competitors likely including two-time $10K winner Rob Leander, $15k winner Alex Tennett, consistent powerhouse Bam Bam Rich, and professional gamer Gabe Walls, it could get awfully bloody before all is said and done.