Alfonso Bueno was running an aggressive Syndicate/Crime Lords deck, while Carl Perlas of Team Realmworx was playing Spider-Friends/Marvel Knights.

Bueno quickly decided to keep his opening hand, but Perlas took quite a while deciding. He eventually opted to keep as well, and Bueno began with the initiative and a Mendel Stromm. “This is not good!” exclaimed Perlas, as he took 2 endurance loss. “I shouldn’t have kept my hand!” he laughed, as he passed his build on turn 2 without playing a drop.

“Play Cobra and search for Hyde,” announced Bueno. He swung with both for 4, setting the score at 50 to 44.

Turn 3 would see Bueno recruit that Mr. Hyde, while Perlas recruited Spider-Man, Friendly Neighborhood Spider-Man. As Bueno pondered his attack, Perlas looked over the field and mouthed a word we can’t mention in coverage. Hyde and Cobra took down Spider-Man, and Mendel poked Perlas.

Turn 4 would see Perlas finally get some momentum going, recruiting Will O’ The Wisp and pushing both characters to the front row. Bueno recruited Mysterio with boost and formed both Mysterios up behind Stromm and Hyde, leaving Cobra without a reinforcer in the front row. Will O’ flew over Mr. Hyde to attack one of the Mysterios, but a Hired Goons gave Mysterio a pump. Bueno followed it up by killing off Stromm and giving Mysterio his counter, ensuring the double-stun. Perlas attempted to use Head Shot on Will O’ The Wisp, but he wasn’t yet teamed up so the card was reset.

Next, Spider-Man attacked into Cobra. Cobra powered-up, but so did Spider-Man, and Cobra went down unaccompanied. It was Bueno’s turn to dish out some hurt, and Mysterio attacked into Spider-Man. Spidey dodged with a Spider Senses, but Spider Slayers was there in Bueno’s resource row. He played it, forcing Perlas to power-up, and in response, Bueno played yet another Slayers. “Ugh, next turn is going to be brutal,” Perlas lamented. Spidey stunned, putting the score at 35 to 31. Perlas held onto Will O’ while Bueno kept Hyde and Mysterio.

“Carnage?” asked Perlas, perhaps hopefully. One character, he could deal with—it was a swarm that he feared. “Nope”, replied Bueno, recruiting Rhino. He paid 8 endurance to flip down the two copies of Spider Slayers, and then paid 2 resource points to equip a Goblin Glider to Rhino and a second one to Mysterio. “This is not looking good, ’cause I’m passing,” admitted Perlas. Rhino swooped in to attack Will O’, and he was backed by two Spider Slayers and an Honor Among Thieves. Hyde and Mysterio then attacked directly for 16, and that was the game. Missing his 1, 2, and 5-drops was a death sentence for the unlucky Carl Perlas.

Match Win: Alfonso Bueno