It’s Monday, the 23rd of June 2008, and the first of four consecutive premier tournaments in North America drew to a close this past weekend. Texas's own Chris Bowling captured the United States Championship title with Gladiator Beasts!
Chris Bowling Wins National Championship
The Top 16 included reigning U.S. Champion Adam Corn, and Shonen Jump Champions like Michael Lux and Shane Scurry, plus a host of SJC contenders. There were some top-notch duelists making their first breakthrough appearances too, including Frank Schifano with Lightsworn, and Paul Blair packing an innovative Monarch build.
At the end of the weekend though, experience won out: never before has the U.S. sent such a strong lineup of duelists to the World Championships. Robert Ackerman, Shane Scurry, Miguel Garcia, and Chris Bowling have all been celebrated competitors for years now, with this being Garcia’s second trip to Worlds. Will they finally bring home a title win? Only time will tell, but for now, our congratulations go out to the four qualifying duelists, with special kudos reserved for your new United States Champion, Chris Bowling!
Canadian Nationals, SJC Philadelphia, and SJC Honolulu Fast Approaching
For those of you still making travel plans for the next several weeks, three more premier tournaments will be taking place back to back to back. First, Canada’s best duelists will show the world what they’re made of at the Canadian National Championships in Toronto, on June 29. If you haven’t earned your invite yet, head down to the Metro Toronto Convention Center in the heart of downtown on Saturday, June 28 to participate in Last Chance Regional events.
Then on July 5, get ready for one of the biggest tournaments of the year. Hundreds upon hundreds of duelists will flock to the Pennsylvania Convention Center in Philadelphia, as Shonen Jump action returns to the City of Brotherly Love. One week later on July 12, the state of Hawaii gets it first Shonen Jump Championship ever. SJC Honolulu is the last in the grand-slam four-event series of premier tournaments in June and July, capping off this string of competitions with what promises to be one of the most memorable SJCs ever.
This Week On Metagame.com
Today, I kick things off with a look at one of the two newest cards to hit the game—Kuraz the Light Monarch. While Kuraz’s release has sparked a lot of debate about where it will see play, the sheer number of options and killer plays this card offers makes it an incredible monster to consider for a number of strategies. What all can it do, and where might it be a top pick now and in the future? I discuss Kuraz’s capabilities in depth and suggest where you could play it, so don’t miss today’s installment of The Binder.
Tomorrow, Jerome McHale revisits one of his favorite decks to give it some new competitive twists, and the result is a surprisingly viable deck that taps into recent trends we saw at U.S. Nationals. If you’re looking for an alternative control deck that nobody will see coming, look no further: a certain control monster seems like it may have finally come into its own, and Jerome’s going to show you the factors that have led to its viability. Want to know what Jerome created? Check in tomorrow to find out.
Curtis Schultz is digging deep into his mail bag once again this week, as he answers rulings questions from readers just like yourself in Duel Academy. Hot topics this week include Gladiator Beast Heraklinos, Card of Safe Return, and Macro Cosmos versus Burial from a Different Dimension, so this one’s really a must-read.
Ever taken a break from the Yu-Gi-Oh! TCG? Many duelists drift out of the game at some time, but most of them eventually return. Now is a particularly good time to get back in the game, with four to five top decks all seeing competitive play and chalking up tournament wins. But where do you start? Diving back into dueling can be a daunting task, so this week, join Bryan Camareno as he discusses how to ease yourself back into the fun of competitive card flopping.
Our own Jerome McHale shocked duelists across the globe scant weeks ago, as he took Counter Fairies to a Top 16 finish at Shonen Jump Championship Saint Louis. Nobody wanted to face Jerome on Day 1—veteran players were downright scared to play a deck that could negate their every move. What made Jerome’s deck such a threat, and why was it so successful? Matt Peddle’s going to explain that and more this Saturday, when he profiles Jerome’s Counter Fairy deck in The Champions.
Finally, Ryan Murphy rounds out our lineup this week on Sunday, bringing you a Forgotten Format article all about a deck that’s seeing renewed interest in today’s Advanced metagames. Comic Odyssey Burn took Shonen Jump Indianapolis by storm last year, taking Kenny So all the way to a Championship victory. Now, with Skill Drain becoming such a deadly pick, duelists are investigating CO Burn’s potential in modern competitions. Ryan’s going to present a unique perspective on the deck, so be sure to check it out.
That’s it for this week, but don’t forget to join us this Saturday as we kick off Canadian Nationals with coverage of the Last Chance Regionals. Then get ready for one of the year’s biggest main events on Sunday, as Canada crowns another Champion.
See you there!
—Jason Grabher-Meyer
Contributing Editor, Metagame.com