Two duelists had been bothering me for a feature match all day long: Kris Perovic, and Metagame.com’s own Ryan Murphy. Seeing that I could kill two birds with one stone, and since Murphy was running a very well-built Gadget / Dimensional Fissure deck, I decided to feature them this round.

Murphy opened the game with Yellow Gadget, and searched his deck for Green Gadget with its effect. He activated Dimensional Fissure straight off and ended: play was to Perovic. The Superman set a monster, set a spell or trap, and then passed. Murphy summoned Green Gadget, searched for Red, then attacked with Yellow: “Attack Dekoichi hopefully? Or Spy . . .” It was Gravekeeper’s Spy, and Perovic brought out another in defense mode. Murphy set a spell or trap and ended.

Perovic targeted Green Gadget with Brain Control, and assumed control of it.

“Which Monarch are you going to summon?” asked Murphy.

“Mind Crush and guess,” replied Perovic with a grin. He tributed Green Gadget for Raiza the Storm Monarch, then bounced Yellow Gadget back to the top of Murphy’s deck. Raiza attacked, but Ring of Destruction destroyed it. A second back-row card hit Perovic’s field and he ended. Cyber Dragon was special summoned by Murphy next turn, and it tried to attack a Spy: Mirror Force destroyed it. Murphy set a spell or trap to finish out.

The Spies turned to attack and both struck directly. Perovic set a spell or trap and ended, and Murphy was up next with just 2400 life points remaining. He summoned Snipe Hunter and passed priority for its effect. Perovic responded with Torrential Tribute. He chained Mystical Space Typhoon to destroy Dimensional Fissure, and Murphy set a second spell or trap to end.

Perovic summoned Mystic Tomato and attacked into Mirror Force, passing with a clear field. Murphy summoned Red Gadget, and used its effect to search his deck for Yellow Gadget. Red attacked and Murphy ended. Perovic special summoned Cyber Dragon and tributed for Mobius the Frost Monarch, and Murphy responded with Enemy Controller to turn Mobius to defense. He summoned Banisher next turn, cleared Mobius with Red Gadget, then attacked directly with Banisher. Perovic dropped to 1900 life points and scooped next turn, unable to overcome Murphy’s massive hand presence.

Ryan Murphy fights his way back from an early game beating to claim victory over Kris Perovic in the first duel! Both duelists did some side decking, and pile shuffled each other’s decks.

Perovic opened with a set spell or trap, and took 1600 damage from Banisher of the Radiance next turn. Murphy set a spell or trap, and Perovic special summoned Cyber Dragon. Ring of Destruction destroyed the Dragon when it attacked, and Perovic tried to use Call of the Haunted to special summon it, realizing his mistake moments after flipping it over. He flipped it back down, and Perovic set another spell or trap.

Murphy summoned Yellow Gadget, searched out Green Gadget, and attacked into Mirror Force! A set spell or trap finished the turn. Perovic set another card to his back row and Murphy summoned Green Gadget to search for Red Gadget. Green Gadget attacked directly and Murphy ended.

Another Cyber Dragon came down for Perovic, and he tributed it for Zaborg the Thunder Monarch, destroying Green Gadget! Premature Burial special summoned Cyber Dragon, it attacked, and both monsters struck directly! Murphy dropped to 1500 life points and Perovic set his last two cards to his back row.

Murphy special summoned Cyber Dragon next turn, and normal summoned Red Gadget. He didn’t use its effect, and Perovic responded with Torrential Tribute! Murphy set another spell or trap to end, and Perovic flipped the set Call of the Haunted he’d revealed earlier to bring up Zaborg in the end phase.

Zaborg attacked, and Murphy had to block with Enemy Controller. Perovic set a monster, bringing a cry of anguish from Murphy: “NO, Stop drawing playable cards!” Murphy chuckled. “In retrospect, I should have searched with that Gadget. I had Enemy Controller for game, and only Torrential Tribute could stop me. Pulling the Rug wouldn’t have hurt me.” He special summoned Cyber Dragon and attacked the face-down monster, and Perovic remarked “I believe you have a Smashing Ground.” Cyber Dragon hit Gravekeeper’s Spy, special summoning another, and Fissure destroyed the Spy in main phase 2. Sure enough, Smashing Ground was activated in a bid to oust Zaborg, but Perovic chained Book of Moon to flip the Monarch down and save it! Murphy set a second spell or trap.

Zaborg flipped, attacked, and hit Cyber Dragon! Murphy went to 1200. He drew Enemy Controller, set it, and flipped Fissure to destroy Zaborg. Perovic drew, set a spell or trap, and passed. Murphy set a spell or trap, Perovic passed, and Murphy set a third spell or trap. Perovic passed and Murphy summoned Yellow Gadget to search for Green. Ring of Destruction on Yellow Gadget ended the game!

Kris Perovic presses the match to a third and final duel! Twelve minutes remained in the match.

Murphy summoned Red Gadget to begin the final duel, searching his deck for Yellow Gadget and setting a spell or trap to finish. Perovic activated Confiscation, revealing Yellow Gadget, Snipe Hunter, Lightning Vortex, Fissure, and Cyber Dragon in his opponent’s hand. He discarded Yellow Gadget after a lot of consideration, and then activated Brain Control to take Red Gadget. It attacked, hit directly, and was then tributed for Raiza the Storm Monarch to send Murphy’s set spell or trap back to the top of his deck.

Cyber Dragon was special summoned, and Murphy activated Fissure to destroy Raiza. He set a spell or trap, attacked with Cyber Dragon and ended. Perovic set a monster, set a spell or trap, and ended. Murphy summoned Red Gadget, searched his deck for Yellow Gadget, and attacked with Cyber Dragon into Dekoichi. Red Gadget attacked directly.

Perovic drew and ran some numbers: he didn’t like the conclusion he arrived at, but it was true. “There’s only one way I’m gonna win this game.” Since Murphy had Lightning Vortex, Perovic had to move all in and take the game this turn: anything else was definite suicide. He special summoned Cyber Dragon, normal summoned Hydrogeddon, and activated Premature Burial for Raiza the Storm Monarch. Brain Control took the Cyber Dragon and attacked with Hydrogeddon, but swung into Mirror Force! “You win,” said Perovic, immediately offering the handshake.