Both of these competitors are from Texas, and both are on a friendly basis, but they aren't teammates. Billy Brake is playing Dark Armed Dragon this weekend, while James Naughton is playing a metagamed deck specifically for this matchup: Necrovalley.
Naughton opened with a set card to each zone, plus Trap Dustshoot. Dustshoot revealed Brake’s hand on his first turn: Card Trooper, Destiny Hero – Fear Monger, Spirit Reaper, Allure of Darkness, Solemn Judgment, and Limit Reverse. Naughton sent Reaper back to Brake’s deck, leaving Brake to activate Allure of Darkness. He drew Cyber Valley and Destiny Hero – Malicious, removed Fear Monger for Allure’s effect, and summoned the Valley. Naughton responded with Royal Oppression, and Brake set two cards to his spell and trap zone. “Go.”
A second spell or trap card was Naughton’s only move. Brake fired back another set monster, turned Cyber Valley to defense, and passed. Naughton summoned Mystic Tomato, attacked, and hit Brake’s Card Trooper, netting Brake a draw. “Go.” Brake was up.
He set a third spell or trap, now holding Dark Armed Dragon but having no immediate way to get to it, let alone protect it from Oppression. This was the exact kind of slow pace that Naughton’sdeck favored, and he attacked Cyber Valley with the Tomato next turn — Brake removed it to draw. Moments later he was drawing for his turn, setting another monster.
Naughton set another spell or trap, playing around a possible Morphing Jar, and attacked into Brake’s face-down Spirit Reaper. Naughton had Oppression and two set spell or traps, a set monster, and Mystic Tomato with four cards in hand. Brake drew, and had three spell or trap cards set, Spirit Reaper in defense mode, and five cards in hand. It was a close game in cards and life points (each duelist still had 8000 life points remaining), but the tempo was definitely in Naughton’s favor.
He tributed his Tomato for Caius the Shadow Monarch, Brake flipped Solemn Judgment, and Naughton chained a Solemn of his own! Caius removed Spirit Reaper from the field, dished out 1000 damage for removing a Dark, and the match suddenly stood at 4000 to 3000. Caius attacked and Brake dropped to 600 life points!
“Draw for my turn,” announced Brake. He flipped Limit Reverse, targeting Card Trooper, and Naughton paid 800 life points to negate the summon. He flipped another Limit Reverse, targeting Trooper again, and Naughton had to think before negating it too. Brake played Monster Reborn next, aiming at Card Trooper again, and Naughton sighed. “Why do you want to bring out Card Trooper so bad! That’s fine, I’m not paying more life.” Trooper came out in defense mode, and sent Destiny Draw, Heavy Storm, and Premature Burial to the graveyard. Brake set a monster, set a spell or trap, and announced that he was finished.
“Can I see your graveyard?” asked Naughton. Brake passed it over, Naughton inspected it, and flip summoned his Mystic Tomato. Caius attacked Brake’s face-down Sangan, Brake searched his deck for Armageddon Knight with its effect, and Naughton tributed Caius for Deck Devastation Virus! The Virus would let Naughton swing directly with Mystic Tomato, so there was no reason for Brake to continue — he scooped, and quickly moved to side decking.
James Naughton captures the first duel, coming out on the winning side of dual Solemn Judgments before pressing home final damage in two short turns!
Brake opened with Jinzo, Royal Decree, Malicious, Monster Reborn, Gold Sarcophagus, and Crush Card Virus. He activated Sarcophagus, searched for and removed Destiny Draw, set a spell or trap, and ended. Naughton was up.
He discarded Gravekeeper’s Commandant and searched out Necrovalley! “You got it this game,” noted Brake. Naughton activated Allure of Darkness next, drawing two and removing Mystic Tomato to pay for it. He activated Necrovalley, and set a card to each zone to finish out.
Brake set a card to each zone and passed, telegraphing Crush Card Virus. Naughton flip summoned Gravekeeper’s Spy, brought out another from his deck, and Brake activated Royal Decree! He chained Crush Card Virus, tributing his face-down Disk Commander, and blew away both Spies plus another Gravekeeper’s Commandant from Naughton’s hand. Naughton set Gravekeeper’s Guard and ended. “You suck.”
Brake drew and set another spell or trap. He shuffled his hand a bit, summoned Cyber Valley, and ended. Naughton drew and revealed Sangan, summoned it, and attacked Cyber Valley to give Brake another draw. “Go.” Brake set Mystic Tomato.
Solemn Judgment came off the top of Naughton’s deck, revealed for Crush Card Virus, and he flip summoned Gravekeeper’s Guard to bounce away his opponent’s face-down Spirit Reaper. Gravekeeper’s Guard and Sangan attacked for a total of 2500 damage. “I hope you have all traps!”
Brake drew, activated Reinforcement of the Army, searched for Stratos, and summoned him, taking Malicious from his deck. Stratos swung over Gravekeeper’s Guard and Brake passed.
Sangan went to defense mode and Naughton passed back. Brake tributed for Caius, removed Naughton’s Sangan from the field, and then attacked for 2400 damage: Naughton was down to 4300 life points. A set spell or trap finished Brake’s turn.
Naughton was desperate — he set two cards to his back row and activated Allure of Darkness — he hit A Cat of Ill Omen and removed it. Next turn, Brake activated Mystical Space Typhoon to destroy Necrovalley, activated Monster Reborn to target Destiny Hero – Disk Commander, and brought him up in defense mode to draw twice. He then tributed Disk Commander for Jinzo and Naughton had seen enough — he conceded the duel, and the match would move to a third game!
“This is hard,” moaned Naughton, trying to figure out what to side. Brake was focused and sided wordlessly, moving into shuffling before his opponent. Naughton began the third and final duel.
He pitched Gravekeeper’s Commandant for Necrovalley. He activated it, set two cards to his back row, and then set a monster to conclude his turn. “Draw,” announced Brake. “Anything?” Naughton shook his head. Brake activated Allure of Darkness, and Naughton chained Crush Card Virus immediately, tributing Sangan! Brake had opened with Strike Ninja, Dark Magician of Chaos, Raiza the Storm Monarch, Premature Burial, and Limit Reverse, so he’d had little choice but to try for Allure — Raiza, Dark Magician of Chaos, Premature Burial, and Limit had all been dead cards. If he couldn’t draw a Dark Monster with less than 1500 ATK, he was totally doomed.
. . . And he couldn’t. He drew a spell, a trap, and lost his entire hand! Brake passed, shaking his hand.
Naughton flipped Royal Oppression, summoned Gravekeeper’s Assailant, and attacked for 2000 damage. Next turn Brake topdecked into Heavy Storm and activated it, wiping the field. Naughton summoned Kinetic Soldier, attacked with both monsters, dropped Brake to 3150 life points, and set a spell or trap. Brake took the Assailant with Brain Control next turn, ran over Kinetic Soldier, but was stuck scooping a turn later.
A disastrous Allure of Darkness and Crush Card Virus knock Billy Brake down to a 4-2 record, while James Naughton moves on, still very alive in this tournament!