Chris Moosman, a former Canadian now residing in California, is no stranger to the Top 8 table. He’s been a fan favorite for almost a year now, after a breakout showing in last December’s SJC Los Angeles.
Sam Gomez, a native of Keizer Oregon plays for Team Soul Patrol. At 16 years of age he’s one of the youngest members of the Top 8 here today. He’s far from inexperienced though, and practiced against Moosman’s deck last night.
Gomez greeted Moosman as he shuffled his deck. “So when you tested against my deck last night, you beat it, right?” Moosman gave a respectful, but honest nod and both duelists flashed a bit of a smile.
Moosman won the roll and opened with a set card to each zone. “Prickle Fairy?” asked Gomez. He set a card to each zone and passed back. Moosman flip summoned his set Sangan, summoned Exiled Force, and Gomez flipped Torrential Tribute: his set monster was Sangan as well! Since Moosman was the turn player he got to choose his Sangan pull last, a big advantage, but Gomez quickly selected Cyber-Stein! Moosman pulled Prickle Fairy almost as quickly once he saw Gomez’s selection, and passed with one card in his spell and trap zone.
Hydrogeddon hit Gomez’s side of the field and charged into Moosman’s life points: Sakuretsu Armor destroyed it, Gomez set a back row card and play was to Moosman. He flipped his set Reinforcement of the Army, searched his deck for Don Zaloog and summoned it for an attack. Again, another Sakuretsu Armor flipped, and Moosman set a back row card.
“Play Heavy Storm,” announced Gomez. “Summon Cyber-Stein and pay 5000.” Cyber Twin Dragon hit the field, attacked Moosman twice and Cyber-Stein struck next. Moosman dropped to 1700 life points, Gomez set another back row card and play passed to his opponent.
Cyber Dragon hit the field from Moosman’s hand, but he shook his head, unsure of his next move. He set a monster, and then sent Cyber Dragon to attack Cyber-Stein. Gomez attempted to stop the attack with Enemy Controller, but Moosman chained an Enemy Controller of his own! He tributed his Cyber Dragon, took control of Cyber Twin Dragon, and was free to attack twice for game!
Chris Moosman pulls out of a terrible situation to claim the first duel!
Both duelists smokescreened to side. “That was pretty nice with that Controller” admitted Gomez. “I thought you’d play Smashing Ground or something.”
“I had it,” confirmed Moosman, referring to Smashing Ground. He pile shuffled his deck, his face all business despite his usual levity. “Good luck.”
“You too,” returned Gomez.
Gomez opened with Confiscation, revealing Moosman’s hand of Cyber Dragon, Sangan, Exiled Force, Breaker the Magical Warrior, and Bottomless Trap Hole. Gomez discarded the Cyber Dragon, set a monster and ended. Moosman summoned the Sangan, attacked, and hit Magician of Faith, which brought Confiscation back to Gomez’s hand. A set spell or trap concluded Moosman’s turn and Gomez weighed his options. He’d drawn into Scapegoat, so he set two back row cards and activated Confiscation again, this time revealing Breaker, Exiled Force, and Enemy Controller. He elected to discard Exiled and announced that he was finished.
Moosman activated Mystical Space Typhoon from his hand, and selected his target: little did he know that both of Gomez’s potential targets were chainable. He hit Mystical Space Typhoon, which Gomez chained to destroy Moosman’s set Bottomless Trap Hole. “That’s a Saku then,” mused Moosman. He summoned Breaker the Magical Warrior and shot Breaker’s token at the last set card in Gomez’s row, but it was the Scapegoat, and it was promptly chained. Moosman reeled. He set a spell or trap after regaining his composure, attacked tow Sheep and ended. Gomez clearly had the upper hand.
He couldn’t capitalize on it. He summoned Exiled Force and destroyed Breaker. Moosman’s Sangan hit a Sheep, Gomez summoned and attacked with Hydrogeddon next turn, but Controller turned it to defense to block the attack. Moosman tributed his Sangan on the following turn, bringing out Mobius the Frost Monarch and searching his deck for Exiled Force with Sangan. Mobius cleared out the Hydro and play passed to Gomez.
He summoned another Exiled, destroyed Mobius, and still had no way to make the best of his opening. He set a spell or trap and that was all. Moosman summoned D. D. Warrior Lady, attacked the last Sheep, and passed. Gomez special summoned Cyber Dragon and attempted to attack the Lady, but Mirror Force destroyed it to keep the Lady on the field. Gomez finished his turn by setting D. D. Warrior Lady himself, but he lost it to Moosman on the following turn: Moosman’s Exiled Force destroyed it, and Moosman’s D. D. Warrior Lady then attacked for a quick 1500 damage. Gomez set another monster, but Moosman topdecked Nobleman of Crossout to remove it from play: Dekoichi the Battlechanted Locomotive.
D. D. Warrior Lady struck again, lowering Gomez to 3000 life points! Moosman set a monster, but lost it immediately to Nobleman of Crossout: Sand Moth. Premature Burial brought back Gomez’s Cyber Dragon, he set a monster, and D. D. Warrior Lady and Cyber Dragon were both removed after they battled. “Hey, I did damage!” Gomez grinned. Moosman set his topdecked spell or trap, Gomez flip summoned Cyber-Stein and attacked directly for 700. Moosman drew another spell or trap, set it, and when Stein attacked again Moosman flipped Sakuretsu Armor. Gomez set a spell or trap, Moosman set one too, Gomez passed and Moosman topdecked into Graceful Charity. He activated it, drew his cards and considered his options. “You sided in Goldds, didn’t you?”
“Could’ve,” replied Gomez noncommittally.
“Nah, you didn’t side in Goldds. I’m not going to do it anyway though.” He discarded Confiscation, clearly the card he had been pondering, and Reinforcement of the Army. He passed without using his last card.
Gomez flopped Hydrogeddon and attacked for 1600 damage. Moosman dropped to 5900. “I can still Stein!” he grinned. He flipped Smashing Ground to try and destroy the Hydro, but Gomez saved it with Book of Moon. Still, it was what Moosman was waiting for. He activated Heavy Storm, summoned Asura Priest and attacked to destroy Hydrogeddon. He then set one spell or trap and ended. Cards flashed across the table at an impossibly fast speed, and another Asura hit brought Gomez down by another 1700 life points. Gomez set a monster and Moosman went for another attack a turn later, but lost Asura to Torrential Tribute. Gomez’s set monster had been Treeborn Frog, a nice play.
Gomez took back Frog, summoned Hydrogeddon and tried to attack immediately, but this time it was Moosman’s turn to flip Torrential Tribute! Moosman set a spell or trap, Gomez’s Frog came back up and Moosman drew into Banisher of the Radiance! Banisher attacked the Treeborn and it was removed from play.
Gomez drew Graceful Charity and summoned Asura Priest, but lost it to Sakuretsu Armor. He set his last card, Mirror Force, and ended.
“Wow, he has one card,” remarked Moosman, reading the Mirror Force. “That would hurt.” Still, Moosman was painfully close to winning the match. He drew for his turn and had two cards in hand. “I’ll go for it.” He summoned Hydrogeddon, attacked, and Mirror Force destroyed both his monsters! He set one spell or trap, passed, Gomez passed with an open field, Moosman passed, Gomez passed, Moosman passed, and Gomez summoned Sangan.
Sangan attacked for 1000 damage, bringing Moosman down to 4100 life points. Moosman special summoned Cyber Dragon, activated Reinforcement of the Army and searched his deck for Don Zaloog!
“Going for the kill?” asked Gomez.
Moosman just nodded. “Torrential’s gone, Goats is gone . . .” He summoned the Don. Cyber Dragon attacked, Gomez flipped Enemy Controller to tribute his Sangan and target the Cyber, but Moosman chained Ring of Destruction! Ring destroyed the Dragon, Enemy Controller was useless, and Don Zaloog swung directly for game!
Chris Moosman moves on to the semifinals!