These two well-known Vs. professionals each have one loss coming into the round. Alex Smith is a Denver pro who made Top 8 at $10K Indy. Luke Bartter is an Australian pro, a member of the VsParadise team and one of the most recognizable players from that area of the world. Luke won the coin flip and chose to take the odd initiatives. The players wished each other good luck (a civility that is all-too-rarely heard), and play began.

Alex mulliganed, while Luke kept his hand. Neither player had a first-turn play. Alex started the party on the second turn with Maxwell Lord. He discarded Captain Boomerang, George Harkness to Maxwell’s ability . . . and missed. “That’s embarrassing,” said Alex, noting the lack of Team-Ups in his deck. Luke recruited the same Captain Boomerang that Alex had discarded. The characters traded, and that was the turn. On turn 3, Luke had Floronic Man, Jason Woodrue in front of Boomerang. Alex recruited Shadow-Thief in the hidden area. He used it to search out a copy of Illusionary Warriors, which also came into play in the hidden area. Luke took a quick look at his resources before declaring his attacks. He decided to send Boomerang into Maxwell. Before the attack resolved, Alex teamed up with Gang-Up, netting each player a card. Floronic Man attacked directly, and Luke passed. Alex team attacked his characters into Floronic Man. Shadow-Thief and Floronic Man stunned, and both players’ 2-drops were lost at the end of the turn. Luke led the endurance race, 43–38.

“It’s an all-concealed deck,” said Alex as he recruited Batman, Hidden Crusader in the hidden area. Luke recruited Circe behind Floronic Man. Alex’s first attack brought Batman into Circe for a trade. Next, Shadow-Thief attacked Floronic Man. Alex powered-up, and he used Illusionary Warriors’s ally ability to make Floronic Man smaller. Luke exhausted Floronic Man to play Death Trap on Batman, then he allowed the stun. At the end of the turn, Luke lost Floronic Man. The endurance totals were now tied, 34–34.

Luke wasted no time in recruiting Crystal Frost ◊ Killer Frost on turn 5. He equipped it with an Nth Metal and set it in front of Circe. Before recruiting, Alex played Secret Files from his resource row. He got Martian Manhunter, J’onn J’onzz, while Luke searched up Gorilla Grodd. Alex recruited the Manhunter in the hidden area and then passed to Luke. Before declaring any attacks, Luke used Funky’s Big Rat Code to team up, and he put three cards into his KO’d pile. Luke declared a direct team attack for 16, and Alex allowed it. Alex attacked back, sending the Manhunter into Circe. He had no other attacks, and the turn ended with the endurance totals at 28–18 in Luke’s favor.

Turn 6 was Alex’s initiative, and he had The General. Luke played Membership Drive, then recruited . . . Ocean Master? Interesting. He had six cards in his hand, so perhaps it was the right play. He formed with Circe in front of Ocean Master, and Crystal next to Ocean Master in the support row. Alex went into the tank to consider his attacks, and for good reason—it was fairly clear that he wouldn’t be able to survive another turn. He finally declared an attack of The General on Crystal. She was powered-up due to Nth Metal, and Luke chose to use her ally power. He removed three cards in his KO’d pile from the game to ensure that The General wouldn’t ready this turn. Alex passed, and Luke used Ocean Master to give Crystal two +1 ATK / +1 DEF counters. Alex used Trial by Fire to attempt to force through the stun. Luke passed, and both characters stunned. Alex discarded a card to The General to recover him and move him to his support row. Alex’s next attack sent his Martian Manhunter into Circe; Luke simply reinforced. Neither player could muster another attack, and the turn closed out with Luke in the lead, 18–12.

On turn 7, Luke recruited Prometheus in front of Ocean Master. Crystal was set next to Ocean Master in the support row. Alex had an under-drop in the form of Gorilla Grodd. He set both of his characters in the support row. In the combat step, Alex tried to use Gorilla Grodd to take Crystal. Luke noted that The General was still exhausted, and therefore Alex couldn’t use Grodd. Alex grimaced as he realized his error, and play moved to Luke’s attacks. Luke sent Prometheus into Gorilla Grodd; Alex moved Martian Manhunter into the visible area to reinforce. As Luke considered his next attacks, Alex realized how hopeless his situation was, and he conceded.

Luke Bartter wins!