Unsure of whether or not he could go to Worlds in August, Jason Tan conceded his Top 4 match to Lazaro Bellido — Lazaro was in the finals. But one match was still yet to be determined. Four-time Nationals Top 8 competitor Matt Peddle was up against Toronto’s Omar Beldon.

Game 1

Beldon won the roll, and got things started with Reinforcement of the Army, searching out Elemental Hero Stratos. He summoned Stratos, searched his deck for Destiny Hero – Malicious, and discarded him for Destiny Draw. Beldon was off to an extremely strong start. He set a card to his back row and ended.

“Effect?” asked Peddle, half-expecting Trap Dustshoot. Beldon shook his head. Peddle set a monster, set four cards to his back row, and ended. He either had Morphing Jar, or was really trying to make Beldon believe he did.

Beldon took the bait and set three more cards to his back row before summoning Armageddon Knight. He used its effect to send Destiny Hero – Dasher to the graveyard, and attacked with the Knight straight into Gladiator Beast Hoplomus! Peddle’s bluff had worked, and he tagged out Hoplomus for Bestiari. Peddle made the mistake of targeting the one card Beldon had set last turn, Bottomless Trap Hole, and Beldon chained it. Peddle responded with Solemn Judgment. “I can’t believe I have to be an idiot in every feature match.” Beldon ended his turn, and lost Solemn Judgment to Peddle’s Mystical Space Typhoon in the end phase.

Peddle set a Gladiator Beast, revealed it, and contact Fused for Gyzarus. He targeted Beldon’s two back row cards and destroyed them — Brain Control and Destiny Draw. He’d absolutely suckered Beldon with that faked Jar play. Gyzarus attacked over Stratos, Peddle tagged Gyzarus out for two Laquari, and he ended his turn.

Beldon summoned another Armageddon Knight. He activated its effect to send Destiny Hero – Disk Commander to the graveyard, and then activated Monster Reborn to bring him back and draw two. He turned his first Knight to defense mode and ended. Peddle had to have been sweating Dark Armed Dragon for a minute there, but Beldon just didn’t have it.

Peddle activated Reinforcement of the Army to grab Stratos, summoned him, and searched his deck for Elemental Hero Prisma. He sent one Laquari to hammer some damage through the attack position Armageddon Knight, then cleared the remaining monsters from Beldon’s side of the field with attacks. He opted not to tag out either Laquari.

Beldon activated Heavy Storm! Peddle chained Mind Crush, called Dark Armed Dragon, and Beldon didn’t have one — he revealed his hand of Caius the Shadow Monarch, Mystic Tomato, and Solemn Judgment. Peddle lost Premature Burial to Mind Crush. Omar removed Malicious from his graveyard to bring another from his deck, tributed Malicious for Caius to remove one Laquari from play, and then attacked the other. Next turn, Peddle just turned Stratos to defense.

Beldon summoned Mystic Tomato, attacked through Stratos, and then attacked directly with Caius. A turn later it was all over.

A brilliant bluff play simply doesn’t translate into a win, as Omar Beldon overpowers Matt Peddle to take game 1!

Game 2

Game 2 began with Peddle setting a single spell or trap card. “Your move.” Beldon summoned Snipe Hunter, discarded Prime Material Dragon for its effect with priority, targeted Peddle’s back row card, and missed. Monster Reborn brought back his Prime Material, and both monsters attacked for 3900 damage! Beldon set two cards to his back row, now just 4100 damage away from the finals.

Peddle summoned Elemental Hero Prisma. He activated its effect, sent Gladiator Beast Bestiari to the graveyard, and then special summoned Test Tiger. He tributed it, shuffled back Prisma, and brought out Darius to get back Bestiari for the contact Fusion. Gyzarus hit the field, and Beldon flipped Solemn Judgment! Peddle chained his own, but Beldon chained another, dropping to 2000 life points to get rid of Gyzarus! Peddle was left holding Crush Card Virus, Spirit Reaper, Phoenix Wing Wind Blast, and Test Tiger. He set Wind Blast and ended.

Beldon discarded Malicious for Snipe Hunter, targeting Wind Blast, and Peddle chained it to bounce away Prime Material. It took Beldon a moment to realize he’d just won. He brought Malicious out of his deck in attack mode, and was free to swing with both of his monsters for game.

Omar Beldon moves on to the finals to face Lazaro Bellido!