Adam Horvath is an experienced Magic: The Gathering player, boasting top finishes in a variety of high-level events. His opponent in round 18 is Gabe Walls, whom you may recognize from various featured matches over the weekend, as well as his Top 8 appearance at PC Indy.

Adam won the option and chose to start with the initiative on odd turns. He started with a blank board for the first two turns, while Gabe played Rocket Racer and Black Cat, Master Thief to bring the noise. Adam came alive on turn 3 with Solo, revealing Ezekiel. Meanwhile Gabe continued to play his curve with Prodigy. Gabe left all of his characters in the front. Adam declared an attack against Prodigy with Solo, flipping and activating Mojoverse to boost Solo’s stats. Both characters were stunned, allowing Gabe's other characters to swing directly.

Gabe KO'd his 2-drop Black Cat, Master Thief to play Black Cat, Felicia Hardy on turn 4. Adam recruited Kraven the Hunter and put him in front of Solo. Gabe had Black Cat attack Kraven. Black Cat’s effect triggered, sending Iceman, Cool Customer from the top of Adam's deck to his KO'd pile. Gabe increased Black Cat’s stats with Surrounded to prevent her from being stunned. Prodigy went after Solo, then Rocket Racer attacked directly. Adam KO'd Solo and recovered Kraven.

Adam recruited Scorpion on turn 5 and left both of his characters in the front row. Gabe recruited Archangel, Angel of Death behind Prodigy, and he moved Black Cat behind Rocket Racer. Adam declared an attack on Prodigy with Scorpion, but not before targeting Archangel with Kraven's ability. Both players passed and Prodigy was stunned. Gabe flipped up My Hero and chose Rocket Racer, but Adam still went after Archangel with Kraven, saying flatly “I’m not that stupid.” “Darn. Thought I’d try” laughed Gabe. He activated Mojoverse to boost Kraven’s stats and both Kraven and Archangel got stunned. During the recovery phase Gabe KO'd Prodigy. The endurance totals were close, with Gabe at 26 and Adam at 25.

On turn 6, Gabe recruited Kaine, who protected Archangel. He also moved Black Cat to the front. Adam recruited Dusk and Shocker, with Dusk behind Kraven, and Shocker behind Scorpion. Gabe flipped up Going My Way? to give his Spider-Friends characters flight and range for the turn, and then declared an attack on Shocker with Kaine. After a question for the judge, Adam allowed the attack, and Kaine KO'd Shocker. Gabe moved on to hitting Scorpion with Archangel. Adam played Grounded on Archangel in order to keep him from avoiding being stunned. Again, both combatants were stunned. Black Cat swung at Kraven, causing Spider-Man, Alien Symbiote to be discarded from the top of Adam’s deck, and forcing him to discard Man-Wolf from his hand. Gabe powered-up Black Cat to make the save. Adam KO'd Kraven and recovered Scorpion. Gabe kept Archangel. Gabe led Adam 21 to 3 at that point.

Time was called as the players began their seventh and final turn. Adam recruited his 7-drop: Spider-Man, The Amazing Spider-Man. Adam asked for a ruling involving Scorpion, who can make characters lose reinforcement, and Gabe’s Rocket Racer. After Alex Charsky clarified the ruling (they would lose reinforcement), the turn continued. Adam recruited Scarlet Spider and Prowler, then moved all of his characters to the front. He thought better of it and moved Rocket Racer behind Scarlet Spider to give Scarlet Spider reinforcement. Adam attacked Prowler with Dusk, stunning it and dropping Gabe down to 19 endurance. Next, Adam sent Scorpion after Black Cat, but Gabe paid 1 endurance to move Rocket Racer behind Black Cat to reinforce her. Gabe took 4 more damage. Adam finally declared an attack on Archangel with Spider-Man. The attack was legal, and Adam pumped up Spider-Man with Big Bully and Mojoverse, increasing his ATK to 17. Gabe played Grounded to bring it down a notch. The attack reduced Gabe’s endurance total to 0. Adam flipped up Pleasant Distraction, targeting Scarlet Spider, and finally discarded Ezekiel to exhaust Kaine with Spider-Man. Gabe was left without attackers, and conceded the game.