Hans Joachim Hoh is one of the biggest stars in Vs. System. Widely regarded as Europe’s top player, the German has made the Top 8 of the last SEVEN $10K events he has played in. His opponent for the first round is Matt Tatar, a former foot model (not kidding) from Germantown, Maryland. Today is Matt’s birthday, although I couldn’t find out how old he is, because that’s not the type of information models disclose. 

Hans won the choice for initiative and selected odds. He sent his first hand back, while Matt kept. Hans kicked off the action with Joystick and equipped her with a Jetpack. Matt simply passed. Hans then played Surprise Attack out of his hand and attacked Matt directly, knocking him down to 40 on the first turn.

Matt played She-Thing, a nice play against Hans’s equipment-heavy deck. Hans played Shape and put Shape in front on Joystick. Matt sent She-Hulk after Shape, and both players lost 3 endurance. Hans then sent Joystick after Matt again and powered-up, trying to reduce his hand size and apply additional pressure.

On the third turn, Hans recruited Lady Lark out of his resource row and equipped her with Thunderjet, emptying his hand in the process. Tatar had no recruits at all. After Hans attacked She-Hulk with Lady Lark, he attacked directly with his 6 ATK Shape and his 7 ATK Joystick, knocking Matt down to 10 endurance by the end of the third turn!

On the fourth turn, Matt played a resource and flipped Null Time Zone. In response, Hans played a freshly drawn Surprise Attack, punishing Matt for not putting She-Hulk in the support row the previous turn. Matt then began his rally, recruiting Dr. Doom, Diabolic Genius and flipping Common Enemy with his effect on the chain. He turned the team-up down, then flipped it back up for an additional card. This was Hans’s turn to miss—he completely passed on his recruit. Matt took the opportunity to Reign of Terror twice, sending Hans’s entire team back to his hand. Matt then attacked directly for 10. 

On the fifth turn, Hans recruited Shape and Lady Lark again, while Matt played Boris, Personal Servant of Dr. Doom and used him to go find It’s Clobberin’ Time. Next, Matt recruited another Boris along with Medusa, Inhuman. Matt then formed with everyone but Dr. Doom in the front row, putting the Doctor behind Medusa. This seemed like an awfully aggressive formation given the circumstances, and the reason for Matt’s play became clear when he went to attack, forgetting that it was in fact Hans’s initiative. Matt was forced to use Boris to fetch Mystical Paralysis, exhausting Lady Lark. Hans then attacked She-Hulk with Shape and played Other-Earth, attempting to go for an exactly lethal attack, but Matt played two power-ups to stave off death for another turn. 

On the sixth turn, Matt recruited Dr. Doom, Victor Von Doom—replacing the other Doctor—and passed. Hans continued to flounder for drops, recruiting only Joystick. Matt played yet another Reign of Terror (sending back Shape and Joystick) and smashed Lady Lark with Dr. Doom. The rest of Matt’s team came in for a direct attack with the help of a Savage Beatdown, and now it was Hans with his back against the wall.

 

When on the seventh turn Hans could only re-recruit Lady Lark and Shape, a Thing, The Ever-Lovin’ Blue-Eyed Thing was enough for the concession, completing one of the most dramatic comebacks I have ever seen.

Matt Tatar wins 1-0.