Kicking off the coverage we have two gentlemen with vast international Vs experience. Ross "Raider" Schafer and Alex "The Enforcer" Smith both have played multiple PCs with some success, and both come to the table looking clean, mean and focused. They exchange respectful pleasantries . . . and then POW!! It's on! The dice are rolled, and Raider takes odds.

Turn 1

Raider mulligans, as does The Enforcer . . .

Raider lays Mr. Mxyzptlk, Troublesome Trickster and passes, and Alex takes the beats.

Ross: 50

Alex: 49

Turn 2

Alex hits Poison Ivy, Deadly Rose, passes to Raider, who plays Straight To The Grave for his own Poison Ivy, Deadly Rose, Slaughter Swamps, and then brings her out.

Its girl-on-girl action from Alex, and Raider KOs Mr. Mxyzptlk, Troublesome Trickster to get Dr. Fate’s Tower. They biff for 2 endurance each, then pass to Turn 3.

Ross: 48

Alex: 47

Turn 3

Raider’s in control as he flips Dr. Fate’s Tower and then drops the Helm of Nabu and Amulet of Nabu on Poison Ivy, Deadly Rose, drawing and discarding as he goes. He brings a Deadshot, Floyd Lawton from the bin and passes, lamenting that he missed Dr. Light, Master of Holograms.

Alex plays Ape X, grabbing a Helm with the banana-eater. He packed on a Cloak of Nabu and a Helm of Nabu to Poison Ivy, Deadly Rose, then drops his own Deadshot, Floyd Lawton, drawing out a wry giggle from Raider. Raider pauses, checks his row, checks character stats and ZAP! Ivy on Ivy. Raider’s 6 ATK/5 DEF Ivy swings into Alex 4 ATK/4 DEF Ivy. Alex KOs the Ape in response, grabbing Ego the Living Planet, exhausts it, then take 4 breakthrough to go to 43. Then it’s DS on DS, making it 39 plays 46. More thinking then . . . Raider KOs his Deadshot to Poison Ivy, Deadly Rose for Phantom Zone.

Ross: 46

Alex: 39

Turn 4

Alex has his Ego exhausted on Raider’s Tower and goes deep into the think tank, then drops Lex Luthor, Criminal Genius. Raider seems to change color at this point, and brings back Mr. Mxyzptlk, Troublesome Trickster, Swamping for his own Lex Luthor, Criminal Genius. Alex plays Soul World in response, bringing back Martian Manhunter, J'onn J'onzz. Alex swings Lex into Lex, with Raider reinforcing. In a civil move, both players then pass, going to Turn 5.

Ross: 42

Alex: 35

Turn 5

Mr. Mxyzptlk, Troublesome Trickster does Raider favors again, and he plays Crystal Frost ◊ Killer Frost, Cold-Hearted Killer with a Cloak and Amulet making her jingle when she walks. Smith drops the Martian Manhunter into Concealed and passes.

Raider is very focused, and does some stat-checking before swinging Ivy and Crystal into Lex. After some more stat-checking, Alex goes into the tank for a while, then stuns Poison Ivy, Deadly Rose, taking 4 endurance damage himself. Raider then swings Lex into Ivy and has a power-up, triggering Crystal’s ability, targeting Martian Manhunter. Alex pays Martian Manhunter's 2 endurance and moves him into the visible area. Alex flips Sinister Citadel and thinks . . . and thinks . . . and thinks . . . then KOs Poison Ivy, Deadly Rose to the Manhunter for a counter. Manhunter belts Lex for 7 endurance. Both pass, and Martian Manhunter stays exhausted courtesy of Crystal’s ability.

Ross: 33

Alex: 27

Turn 6

The Enforcer plays then flips a Slaughter Swamp, grabbing a Lex. He then plays Gorilla Grodd, and passes to Raider. Raider does the Mxy thang, puts his hand down, picks it up again, makes a horse sound, then plays Poison Ivy, Deadly Rose and Mr. Mxyzptlk, Troublesome Trickster, saying something about this not being pretty. Then he Swamps, bringing back Deadshot, plays him, and prepares to receive . . .

Alex swings Grod into Ivy, moving Martian Manhunter's counter to the Gorilla. Raider KO's Mr. Mxyzptlk, Troublesome Trickster to Ivy for a Soul World, and uses it, paying 4 endurance to bring the Deadly Rose back to hand. He then KO's Ivy to Sinister Citadel, after using Crystal’s ability to stop Grodd from readying. Hot play! Then it’s Lex into Deadshot, with Crystal reinforcing, and we go to 27 endurance apiece.

Raider then swings Lex into Lex with a power up, using Crystal to once again target Martian Manhunter. Alex tries to grab The Phantom Stranger, Wandering Hero from the KO’d pile, Raider Phantom Zones it, Alex tries to Swamp it, and, finally, Raider removes Phantom Zone. Alex powers up and makes counters enough for his Lex to stay upright, while Raider’s Lex falls, and we're off to Turn 7.

Ross: 23

Alex: 21

Turn 7

It’s Raider’s initiative, and he does the Mr. Mxyzptlk, Troublesome Trickster thang, then lays Galactus, The Maker, reaching for Cosmic Counters as we go. Alex doesn't play a resource, but starts by playing Frankie Raye ◊ Nova, Optimistic Youth. He plays a Helm on his Lex, discarding a Phantom Stranger, then bringing him back to hand before laying Charaxes, Killer Moth!!! It takes super-judge Paul Ross 15 or so minutes to calm the ecstatic crowd and re-establish order, then Raider goes into the think tank. Time is called; it’s do or die!

Raider is sucking on his pen like it’s a Chupa Chup, then uses Meltdown on Lex's Amulet. Alex replies in kind, killing Crystal’s Cloak. Alex then sacks Charaxes to Grodd to grab Crystal, who Raider then sacks to put a counter on his Lex. Raider hits the tank again, before swinging Lex into Martian Manhunter. Alex uses Soul World, bringing back a Lex from the yard and takes the beats. Alex KOs Frankie to Sinister Citadel to put a counter on his Lex, and Raider realizes he just can't get through The Enforcers wall. He passes, and we move on to the final turn.

Ross: 23

Alex: 10

Turn 8

Alex decides he has had enough, and drops The Phantom Stranger, Wandering Hero and uses Ego on Raider’s Swamp at the same time. Raider plays Enemy of My Enemy in response, pitching Dr. Light, Master of Holograms for a Phantom Stranger of his own, then drops it, as well as Haywire.

Alex goes Lex into Lex and passes. Haywire doesn't last long and gets Lex another counter, as the Raider powers up Lex. Alex sacks Martian Manhunter to Grodd to steal Raider’s now-pumped Lex. It’s Lex & Lex on Galactus for a total of 20 ATK. A trade in Alex’s favor happens, making it 6 to 16. Grodd then bashes The Phantom Stranger, KO’ing guys all over the shop to make it 17 on 17. Both stun, and then The Stranger bashes Raider on the head for the win.

Alex “The Enforcer” Smith breaks his feature match losing-streak to take home the bacon in round 1.