We all know Alex Shvartsman from Kings Games in New York, but Alan Havey isn’t quite as famous. Alan has only been featured one other time (at the $10K in Anaheim), and he’s looking to make a bigger name for himself.
Alan led off play on turn 1 with Chay-Ara ◊ Hawkgirl, while Alex opened up with the exact same play. Alan attacked into Alex’s Hawkgirl and dealt him 2 endurance loss in the process. Alan’s stunned as well, but he took an early 49-48 lead.
Turn 2 saw Alex play Retrieval Protocol ◊ OMAC Robot in the support row behind Hawkgirl. Alan recruited Blue Devil, Dan Cassidy in his support row, losing 4 endurance for recruiting him. Like Alex, he formed with Hawkgirl protecting his 2-drop. Alex announced his Chay-Ara ◊ Hawkgirl into Alan’s, and both players KO’d their Hawkgirls to search for Kendra Saunders ◊ Hawkgirls. Alex then attacked Retrieval Protocol ◊ OMAC Robot into Blue Devil, Dan Cassidy, and the players traded stuns.
Alan led off turn 3 with Kendra Saunders ◊ Hawkgirl in the front row protecting Blue Devil. Alex followed up with a much similar play, recruiting Kendra Saunders ◊ Hawkgirl in the front row protecting his Retrieval Protocol ◊ OMAC Robot. Alan announced Kendra Saunders into Retrieval Protocol ◊ OMAC Robot. Alex discarded Jakeem Williams to make Retrieval Protocol ◊ OMAC Robot a 3 ATK / 3 DEF and then flipped Magical Lobotomy to give Alan’s Kendra -1 DEF. The attack resolved with both characters becoming stunned, and then Alan announced Blue Devil, Dan Cassidy into Kendra Saunders ◊ Hawkgirl. “I’ll take 3 to your 2,” Alex said as Kendra Saunders stunned. Alan decided to KO Blue Devil, Dan Cassidy during the recovery phase and gained back 6 endurance for his effect. Alex decided to KO his Retrieval Protocol ◊ OMAC Robot, and each player had only Kendra Saunders ◊ Hawkgirl on the board at the start of turn 4.
During turn 4, Alex recruited Sand in his front row, while Alan mustered an underdropped Graziella Reza. Alan formed with both his characters in the support row and passed. Alex started the attack step by announcing his Kendra Saunders into Alan’s. This time it was Alan’s turn to try some tricks; he played Deflection from his hand, exhausting both his characters to give Kendra +2 DEF. Alex responded by flipping Forbidden Loyalties, teaming-up JSA and JLA, and discarded a copy of Blue Devil, Dan Cassidy to give his Kendra Saunders a +1 ATK / +1 DEF counter. Alan responded by flipping Checkmate Safe House, teaming-up Checkmate and JSA, and activated it to give his Kendra +1 DEF. Alex looked back at his hand and then allowed his Kendra Saunders to stun. Alex then announced Sand into Alan’s Kendra Saunders ◊ Hawkgirl, and then gameplay moved to turn 5.
Alan recruited Hourman III ◊ Hourman on turn 5 and formed with Kendra Saunders ◊ Hawkgirl protecting Graziella Reza, who was adjacent to Hourman. Alex recruited his own copy of Hourman III ◊ Hourman in his support row and formed with Kendra Saunders ◊ Hawkgirl protecting Hourman and Sand in the front row adjacent to Kendra Saunders. Alan declared Kendra into Sand and powered-up his Hawkgirl, earning the mutual stun. Graziella Reza attacked into Kendra Saunders, and Alan exhausted Checkmate Safe House to give Graziella Reza +1 ATK. Alex powered-up his own Kendra Saunders, Alan responded with I Still Hate Magic!, and his attack finally succeeded with both characters stunning. Alan then attacked with his Hourman into Alex’s Hourman. Alan powered his up, and Alex responded with Revitalize, exhausting Hourman to recover Sand. Play continued to the next turn after recovery with Hourman and Kendra Saunders left for Alan and Hourman and Sand for Alex.
Alex recruited Power Girl, Earth 2 in his front row and formed with her in front of Hourman. Alan recruited Sinestro, Villain Reborn in his support row and followed it up with Prince Khufu ◊ Hawkman in the front row protecting Sinestro, Villain Reborn. Alex first attacked with Power Girl into Hourman. Alan used Hourman’s effect to make him an 11 ATK / 11 DEF, then flipped Secret Checkmate HQ making Hourman a 13 ATK / 11 DEF. Alex responded with Watch the Birdie!, giving Hourman -3 ATK, and passed back to Alan. Upon resolution of the attack, Alan suffered 7 endurance loss. Alex declared Sand into Kendra Saunders ◊ Hawkgirl, and Kendra Saunders gained +2 ATK from Secret Checkmate HQ for the mutual stun. Alex then announced Hourman into Sinestro, Villain Reborn and used Hourman’s effect to go up to an 11 ATK / 11 DEF. Alan used Revitalize, exhausting Sinestro and Prince Khufu to recover his Hourman III ◊ Hourman. He then flipped Forbidden Loyalties to team up JSA and Villains United and discarded a copy of Sand from his hand to put a +1 ATK / +1 DEF counter on Sinestro, Villain Reborn. Alex responded with Knightmare Scenario to give Hourman another +1 ATK / +1 DEF.
On the next turn, Alan chose not to play a resource and recruited Bizarro, ME AM BIZARRO #1 in the support row. He formed with Prince Khufu ◊ Hawkman protecting Hourman III ◊ Hourman, and everyone else was formed in the support row. Alex recruited Harbinger in the support row and equipped Laser Watch to Sand. At the start of the combat phase, Alan replaced Secret Checkmate HQ replaced itself and entered his attack step. He declared a team attack with Prince Khufu and Sinestro on Power Girl, Earth 2. “I won’t be able to play any plot twists if he stuns,” Alan said. “That’s fine. I’ll take 6 to your 4.” The attack resolved, and Alan then thought about his next attack carefully. He declared Bizarro into Hourman, and both characters stunned. Alan examined his characters for a moment and then shook Alex’s hand, admitting defeat. It looks like Alex is on his way to yet another great finish!
Winner: Alex Shvartsman