John Jensen is the epitome of discipline in this game. Fit, intelligent, and a black belt martial artist, he’s a two-and-a-half time Shonen Jump Champion and plays for Team Nexus, representing B.R.A.D.’S Sportscards and Collectibles in Florida.
He’s playing in a Perfect Circle mirror match against Brian Long, also a Shonen Jump Champion. Long was once a star-player for the defunct Team Hungerforce, but is now on Team Yu-Gi-Oh! ETC. Both of these duelists have a tremendous amount of experience, and a tremendous amount of ambition toward another title win. It’s very possible that the winner of this match will claim the tournament a few hours from now.
Both duelists are playing Crush Card Virus. Jensen is also playing Gold Sarcophagus.
Jensen won the die roll. “Good luck,” he said, extending his hand to begin the match.
He activated Reinforcement of the Army, searched his deck for Elemental Hero Stratos, summoned him, and searched out Destiny Hero – Disk Commander. He set a card to his spell and trap zone and ended. “It’s your move.”
Long opened up with The Transmigration Prophecy, Premature Burial, Destiny Draw, Phoenix Wing Wind Blast, Scapegoat, and Zaborg the Thunder Monarch in hand: no useable monsters. He set two cards to his back row and ended. Next turn Jensen attacked with Stratos and Long flipped Scapegoat; Jensen attacked a Sheep Token and set a monster to end his turn.
“I’ll pass,” stated Long. Jensen flip summoned Magician of Faith, took back Reinforcement of the Army, and activated it to search out Destiny Hero - Fear Monger. He was steadily grinding his way into a good position, and attacks from Magician and Stratos wiped out two more Sheep Tokens. He set a monster, continuing to develop his field presence as Long was unable to do so, and announced that he was finished.
Long summoned Breaker the Magical Warrior and debated a moment, considering an attack with Breaker on Stratos. If he went for it he could put himself even further behind, potentially losing Breaker to Jensen’s back row card. But, if he didn’t, he’d get run over by Stratos next turn anyway. He went for it and Jensen flipped Mirror Force. “Tried to go for the pro move there . . .” noted Jensen. He knew Long was devoid of monsters, and another set spell or trap finished the turn for Long.
Magician of Faith attacked the last Sheep, and Jensen sent Stratos in for a direct attack. He set two cards to his back row to match Long’s two set cards, then ended. Long drew into Mystic Tomato and asked how many cards Jensen had in hand. “Five,” Jensen replied. Long set the Tomato, set a third spell or trap, and ended. He had three back row cards, one set monster, and three in hand to Jensen’s five in hand, two set spell or traps, and three monsters. Jensen drew.
He unleashed Gold Sarcophagus, searching out Crush Card Virus! In two turns this match would become even more difficult for Long, but Jensen wasn’t waiting around. He flipped Phoenix Wing Wind Blast, discarded Malicious, returned Long’s face down Tomato to the top of his deck, and turned Magician of Faith to defense mode. Stratos then made another direct attack and Long dropped to 4400 life points. Jensen still had 8000 life points.
Long summoned Mystic Tomato this time, and ran it into Elemental Hero Stratos; Jensen appeared to consider responding, but let the attack go: Long lost 400 more life points. He still had that Premature Burial, Zaborg, and Destiny Draw in hand and just needed to get something going. He special summoned Sangan, slammed it into Stratos too, and pulled Destiny Hero – Disk Commander from his deck with Sangan’s effect. In main phase 2 he discarded it for Destiny Draw, drew two and special summoned Cyber Dragon to conclude his turn.
Jensen noted that he was one turn away from his Sarcophagus’ resolution, and activated Brain Control to take Long’s Cyber Dragon. “Mirror Force?” he asked. Long shook his head, but activated Phoenix Wing Wind Blast discarding Brain Control to return his Cyber Dragon back to the top of his deck. He then activated Call of the Haunted to bring back Disk Commander, drew two, and Jensen attacked Commander with Stratos to destroy him. Long was down to 1700 life points, but was set up to draw two more cards with Disk Commander and Premature Burial next turn. “It’s your move,” stated Jensen.
Cyber Dragon came back down, and Long activated Premature Burial to bring back Disk Commander. He dropped to 900 life points and drew Raiza the Storm Monarch and Snipe Hunter. “Can I see your graveyard?” Jensen passed it over obligingly and Long took a quick look, then another before returning it. He tributed Disk Commander for Raiza the Storm Monarch, targeted Jensen’s face down monster, and sent it back to the top of his deck. Long attacked Stratos with Raiza and the attack was good! Stratos was destroyed and Long was reduced to 6600 life points. Cyber Dragon then took out Magician of Faith. Long had made a great push, but next turn Jensen would get his Crush Card Virus.
He drew and took the Crush Card to his hand. He summoned Snipe Hunter, passed priority, and then discarded Disk Commander to target Long’s set Transmigration Prophecy; Long chained it and sent both Malicious and Disk Commander back to Jensen’s deck. Jensen had four cards in hand, and if he could clear Long’s field he’d win with Snipe Hunter’s attack.
He discarded Raiza the Storm Monarch to target Long’s Raiza, but missed! He discarded Cyber Dragon and that time Raiza was destroyed. Fear Monger was discarded to destroy Cyber Dragon and Jensen flipped his back row card: Pot of Avarice! He shuffled back five monsters, drew two cards, and discarded Creature Swap to target Long’s back row card. Long blanked. He had Phoenix Wing Wind Blast set, but didn’t announce a response even though Jensen gave him plenty of time. After waiting a bit, Jensen rolled the die and destroyed Long’s Wind Blast. Snipe Hunter attacked directly and Long blinked.
“Wow. I wasn’t paying attention,” he admitted.
Pressure seems to get to Brian Long, as John Jensen plays to an early lead and meticulously picks his opponent apart, taking the game 1 win! Both competitors began side decking, and you’d better believe Brian Long was paying careful attention to his side decking decisions.
Long opened far stronger this time, summoning Card Trooper and sending Destiny Draw, Raiza the Storm Monarch, and Destiny Hero – Malicious to the graveyard for its effect. He set Torrential Tribute and ended, with Lightning Vortex, Raiza the Storm Monarch, Cyber Dragon, and Breaker the Magical Warrior in hand.
Jensen activated Reinforcement of the Army, searched out Elemental Hero Stratos and summoned him, using his effect to search Destiny Hero – Disk Commander from his deck just like last game. Long didn’t flip Torrential. Jensen attacked Card Trooper with Stratos, hammered home 1400 damage and Long drew. A set spell or trap finished things up for Jensen.
Long summoned Destiny Hero – Malicious from his deck by removing the other from his graveyard. He tributed Malicious for Raiza the Storm Monarch, targeted Jensen’s spell or trap, and Jensen chained it: Phoenix Wing Wind Blast, discarding Disk Commander. Raiza was sent back to the top of Long’s deck. He special summoned Cyber Dragon next and ran Stratos over anyway! “Your go.” Long was in a much better situation this time around.
Mystical Space Typhoon destroyed Long’s Torrential Tribute, and Jensen special summoned Cyber Dragon, then normal summoned Destiny Hero - Fear Monger. He rammed Fear Monger into Long’s Cyber Dragon to set up Disk Commander’s special summon, then rammed Cyber Dragons to wipe the field. He passed with nothing on the field and next turn Long attacked with Mystic Tomato.
Disk Commander hopped back to Jensen’s side of the field. He drew two, tributed Disk Commander for Raiza the Storm Monarch, spun away Mystic Tomato, and hit directly for 2400. He set a card to his back row. Next turn Long summoned Breaker the Magical Warrior, but Jensen responded with Pulling the Rug to destroy him! Long had to pass with nothing on his field, and was in for some big damage. The duel stood at 5200 to 4200 with Jensen leading.
“You got game?” asked Long. Jensen shook his head and attacked with Raiza, dropping his opponent to 1800 life points. He set a spell or trap and passed, clearly in control. Long drew and had two Raiza the Storm Monarch, Mystic Tomato, Jinzo, and Lightning Vortex. He needed to play that Vortex and try to buy himself time; he needed to regain his footing on the field for those Raizas to become useful. Clearly he saw that, discarding Jinzo, and setting Mystic Tomato. “Go.” Jensen inspected Long’s graveyard after drawing for his turn. “Go.” Long had earned himself a reprieve, however brief. He drew and searched Jensen’s graveyard, and ended.
Jensen activated Destiny Draw, discarding Destiny Hero – Malicious! “I’ve got game unless I draw my other Malicious.” He didn’t, and a moment later he special summoned Malicious from his deck instead. He tributed him for Raiza the Storm Monarch and it was all over! Long’s face down monster was sent to the top of his deck and Raiza swung for game.
John Jensen takes a commanding 2-0 victory over Brian Long, moving on to the Top 8!