Former National Champion Max Suffridge was up against three-time Top 8’er Jeff Baumgartner. In an ironic twist, Baumgartner was playing Clock Tower control, the deck Suffridge pioneered at SJC Atlanta last year. In another interesting turn, Suffridge was siding a huge amount of spell and trap removal, going so far as to include two copies of Spiritualism! This one was going to be interesting.

Suffridge opened with Destiny Draw, discarding Destiny Hero – Malicious. He set a monster, and Baumgartner activated two Wave-Motion Cannons, and then placed three face down cards to his back row. It was a strong commitment so early in the game.

Card Trooper came down for Suffridge, and he sent Spirit Reaper, Destiny Hero – Fear Monger, and Phoenix Wing Wind Blast to his graveyard to boost Trooper to 1900 ATK. He flip summoned Sangan, attacked for 1000 damage, then attacked with Card Trooper. Baumgartner summoned Breaker the Magical Warrior and played Clock Tower Prison next turn.

“Where’s your hand at?” asked Suffridge.

“I don’t have a hand,” retorted Baumgartner with a grin. Breaker ran over Trooper and Baumgartner ended, his field covered in dice which he used as counters.

“This is tearing me down,” remarked Max. “This game is going too fast.”

“It was a pretty good hand, I’d say,” noted a confident Baumgartner.

Suffridge activated Brain Control, but Book of Moon turned its target, Breaker the Magical Warrior, face down. That left Suffridge to summon Snipe Hunter, discarding Mystic Tomato with priority to successfully destroy one of the Cannons. He discarded Destiny Hero – Disk Commander next, an odd choice in discard sequencing, to blow away the other Wave. That let him activate Pot of Avarice! Things were quickly turning around for Suffridge.

“That was the out,” remarked Baumgartner. “No Solemn or Skill Drain.” Suffridge drew his two cards, and the duel stood at 5100 to 5700 with Suffridge leading.

He discarded Mystic Tomato yet again, destroying Baumgartner’s Gravity Bind. A discard of Cyber Dragon then took down the Clock Tower! Two attacks wiped away Breaker and pressed through more damage.

Baumgartner summoned Card Trooper, sending Skill Drain, Different Dimension Capsule, and Dark Bribe to the graveyard for Trooper’s effect. Trooper attacked over Snipe Hunter and a set card to the spell and trap zone ended Baumgartner’s turn.

Reinforcement of the Army fetched Elemental Hero Stratos for Suffridge on the following turn. He shuffled his hand of Stratos, Raiza the Storm Monarch, and Breaker the Magical Warrior before deciding to remove his in-graveyard Malicious to special summon another in defense. He then summoned Stratos and blew away Baumgartner’s set Dark Bribe! Stratos attacked over Card Trooper and Sangan swung directly.

Baumgartner set another card to his back row, and then debated whether to set or summon his monster. He summoned it, Mystic Tomato, and attacked Malicious. Still, moments later Suffridge activated Mystical Space Typhoon and then tributed for Raiza to clear the field, swinging for game with ease.

Baumgartner moaned. “That’s the first time I’ve ever lost game 1 with this deck.”

Snipe Hunter turns Max Suffridge’s frown upside down, granting him an enormous comeback in the first duel! Both competitors dove into their side decks and it was up to Suffridge to try and guess whether or not Baumgartner would side dramatically. “This could be so bad if you didn’t side,” he remarked, rotating in a ton of spell and trap removal. Yes, even Spiritualism.

Baumgartner opened with Different Dimension Capsule, set three cards to his spell and trap zone, and ended. “Go ahead.” Suffridge had Malicious, Raiza, Twister, Heavy Storm, Premature Burial, and Disk Commander in his opening hand. He summoned the Commander, attacked directly for 300 damage, and ended with a set spell or trap. He was clearly chomping at the bit to get that Commander into the graveyard.

But Baumgartner had no such plans, and he activated Final Countdown! He set a fourth face down card to his back row and Suffridge activated Heavy Storm! Baumgartner negated it with Solemn Judgment and dropped to 2850 life points. Suffridge summoned Snipe Hunter, activated its effect with priority, discarding Malicious, and drew out the Torrential Tribute he seemed to be hoping for. His Snipe shot on Different Dimension Capsule missed and his field was wiped. Suffridge activated Premature Burial targeting Disk Commander, but Baumgartner chained Twister to destroy it!

Still, Suffridge was nowhere near finished. He removed Destiny Hero – Malicious from his graveyard to special summon his second copy, tried to tribute Malicious for Raiza, but was then reminded he’d already summoned Snipe Hunter that turn. Out of immediate plays, he ended his turn.

Capsule gave Baumgartner his chosen card, and he proceeded to set his hand to his back row, leaving himself with four face downs. Suffridge tributed for that Raiza next turn, but Baumgartner chained Skill Drain. Suffridge chained Twister in response to target Drain, and Baumgartner was left to chain Raiza’s original target, Threatening Roar. He drew for his turn, set one more spell or trap, and play was back to Suffridge.

He attacked with Raiza, but Scapegoat defended Baumgartner’s life points. Raiza hit a Sheep Token, Suffridge set a spell or trap, and lost Raiza next turn to Smashing Ground. Baumgartner ended and thirteen turns remained in the game before Baumgartner’s win condition would kick in.

Suffridge flipped his set Call of the Haunted but Dark Bribe negated it on the chain, keeping him from reclaiming Raiza. Still, Suffridge summoned Chiron the Mage. He passed priority, and then discarded Spiritualism to destroy Baumgartner’s set Emergency Provisions. Chiron hit a Sheep, Baumgartner set a monster, Chiron hit another Token, and Suffridge set a spell or trap. Baumgartner set one too, and moments later he was devoid of Sheep Tokens.

Level Limit - Area B hit the field for Baumgartner, keeping his hopes alive, but Suffridge activated Mystical Space Typhoon in the end phase to destroy it. Suffridge moved in for the kill.

He activated Phoenix Wing Wind Blast, targeting Baumgartner’s face down monster, and Baumgartner didn’t make any responses. Suffridge then tried to move into his battle phase. When Baumgartner flipped Threatening Roar, Suffridge chained Royal Decree! If Baumgartner had chained the Roar to Wind Blast he would have kept his monster on the field, but that small misplay gave Suffridge a clear shot at Baumgartner’s life points! Chiron attacked and the match was over.

Max Suffridge overcomes a new twist on his own creation, claiming a 2-0 victory over topnotch competitor Jeff Baumgartner!