What better place to start than with the World Champion? Dario Longo stunned the world when he defeated King Hang Shum last year to capture the World title, beating out a man that had beaten him in this tournament one year ago: Adrian Madaj.

His opponent this round is Frank Kahle, a member of the German group Team Nephthys. A competitor at German Nationals and multiple Pharaoh Tours, he came here today on a European Ranking qualification. He was one of several German players stuck in traffic after a major accident in Germany (not Switzerland, as sources had previously indicated), and narrowly made it into today’s competition.

He arrives here after a fifteen hour drive and a hurried registration, and then finds out his opponent is the World Champion. Rough beat.

He won the die roll and opened with a set Gravekeeper’s Spy, passing with nothing in his back row. He moved exceptionally quickly, riffling his cards in his hand, and making his first play decision with lightning speed. Longo summoned Mystic Tomato, attacked, and ran into the Spy: Kahle pulled another from his deck and special summoned her in defense position.

The World Champion followed up with a set back row card and ended. Kahle had Thestalos the Firestorm Monarch, Raiza the Storm Monarch, Cyber Dragon, Lightning Vortex, Scapegoat, and Destiny Draw at his disposal. He tributed one Spy for Raiza the Storm Monarch, spinning Longo’s set back row card to the top of his deck. Raiza attacked the Tomato, pounding through 1000 damage. Tomato searched and summoned Sangan for Longo, and Kahle set a spell or trap to end.

“Hand?” asked Longo.

“Four,” replied Kahle. Longo activated Heavy Storm, destroying Kahle’s set Scapegoat. He couldn’t chain it; he had two monsters on the field. Longo tributed his Sangan for a Raiza himself, bounced Kahle’s Raiza to the top of his deck, then searched his own for Card Trooper. Raiza stomped Kahle’s remaining Gravekeeper’s Spy and Longo set two cards to his spell and trap zone. 

Cyber Dragon was special summoned by Kahle, who then discarded Destiny Draw for Lightning Vortex, a huge commitment to eliminate nothing but Dario’s Raiza! Kahle had Thestalos the Firestorm Monarch and his own Raiza in his hand, and he tributed for the latter, targeting Longo’s first set spell or trap. It was flipped: Call of the Haunted. Longo chained it to target his in-graveyard Sangan, Call bounced to the top of his deck, Sangan was destroyed, and Longo got to search for another card. This time he took Cyber Phoenix with Sangan’s effect.

“I need to attack,” announced Kahle, pushing Raiza forward. Longo flipped his last set card, Book of Moon, and turned Raiza face down to stop the aggression.

Next turn Longo fought back, summoning Cyber Phoenix and sending it to attack and destroy the face-down Raiza. He set a back row card, Kahle set one as well and he was unable to do anything else. He passed his turn to Longo.

The World Champion summoned Card Trooper and used its effect with priority, sending another Card Trooper, Limiter Removal, and Treeborn Frog to the graveyard! With Frog now out of his deck and ready to be special summoned, things were looking great for Longo. Both of his monsters attacked, and when Kahle flipped Mirror Force Longo chained Royal Decree! The German player dropped to 4900 life points and things were going downhill fast.

Kahle’s next draw was Brain Control, a useless card in the face of Cyber Phoenix. He conceded the duel and moved onto side decking immediately.

World Champion Dario Longo wins his first duel of the day!

Both duelists shuffled their side decks into their main decks, smoke-screening by removing fifteen cards. Kahle moved with precise, strict purpose, while Longo moved almost as quickly. For Kahle, the stress was clearly taking a small Toll; after coming all this way, and after narrowly missing round 1, he didn’t want to lose.

“I’ll start,” he announced. He activated Destiny Draw, discarded Destiny Hero – Malicious, and was off to a great opening! He special summoned a second Malicious from his deck by removing the first from his graveyard, then set two cards to his spell and trap zone. “Go,” he announced. Things were looking up!

Longo shuffled his hand a few times, debating his possible moves. He summoned Cyber Phoenix and attacked Malicious; he was lost to the graveyard. He set two spell or trap cards to match his opponent and ended.

Cyber Dragon came down for Kahle, and Longo nodded. The second Malicious was removed from Kahle’s graveyard and he brought his third out in defense position, tributing him swiftly for Raiza the Storm Monarch. This time he chose the second spell or trap Longo had set, and this time it wasn’t chained, a smooth behavioral read by the German competitor. Cyber Dragon attacked, Longo considered his options, and eventually conceded his Cyber Phoenix, drawing for its effect. Raiza struck directly, but was repelled by Ring of Destruction: both duelists took 2400 damage, leaving the duel at 5600 to 4700 with Kahle leading.

Snatch Steal took control of Cyber Dragon, and Longo attacked with it, looking for some damage or the quick favorable trade of cards. Kahle took the attack, Longo set a monster, and then set two cards to his back row! Either the World champ had a plan, or he was betting hard that his opponent didn’t have Heavy Storm.

Kahle fired back with a set card to each zone, and then passed his turn with a wave of his hand. Cyber Dragon attacked his set monster and he let the attack go; his Sangan was destroyed and he used its effect to seek out Gravekeeper’s Spy. Longo ended.

Another Cyber Dragon came down for Kahle, who was now back up to 5500 life points thanks to Snatch Steal. He activated Brain Control to take back the pilfered Cyber Dragon, attacking Longo’s set monster with it; he took the attack and revealed the monster under fire, Mystic Tomato. One Tomato fetched another, and Kahle fingered his set Enemy Controller — he activated it, tributing the Dragon that had been taken with Snatch Steal. The Controller let Kahle assume control of Longo’s Mystic Tomato. The Tomato attacked Longo, but he responded by activating Call of the Haunted to bring back the first one! It was brilliant; Kahle had to attack with the Tomato here and now or he’d lose his chance to do so, but if he did, both Tomatoes would be destroyed and Longo would get to special summon a monster for each Tomato. Sure enough, Kahle passed that opportunity to attack with Tomato and attacked with Cyber Dragon instead. That sent Longo back to his deck to get another monster, and he picked Sangan yet again.

Kahle couldn’t tribute off the Tomato, so he set a monster. He ended his turn and handed the Tomato back to Longo. Doing so had to sting.

At this point Kahle took issue with the card on the top of Longo’s deck. He noticed that it was slightly more worn than others, and called a judge. After many minutes of deliberation it was decided by head judge Lorenzo Gigli that Longo would receive a game loss for an unintentionally marked card: it was Raiza the Storm Monarch, and Longo ran three total, with only one being worn. It was the only card in his deck with such marking, and after re-sleeving it the match moved to game 3.

An unfortunate wearing of sleeves lets Frank Kahle take the second duel, leaving Longo to begin the third and final game!

After some time spent side decking and no doubt getting himself grounded again, Longo presented his deck. After receiving it back he drew his opening hand, and then set a card to each zone. He ended his turn leaning back in his chair with his arms briefly folded, an uncharacteristic gesture. The game loss had clearly thrown him off.

Cyber Dragon hit Kahle’s side of the field, and he pressed for the smart, conservative attack. Sure enough, Longo flipped Mirror Force, and Kahle set two cards to his back row to end his turn — no monster set. Did Kahle have Torrential Tribute set, an inopportune hand, or something else entirely?

Longo summoned Card Trooper and activated its effect, sending Premature, Ring of Destruction, and Gravekeeper’s Spy to the graveyard. Trooper attacked, but Kahle flipped Scapegoat to block it: he lost one Sheep Token in battle and Longo stated that he was finished with his turn. Kahle activated Premature Burial, brought back Cyber Dragon, tributed it for Raiza, and bounced Longo’s set monster! Raiza then hammered 2000 damage through Longo’s Card Trooper.

Brain Control fell from Longo’s hand and targeted Kahle’s Raiza, but he chained Ring of Destruction to ensure that Longo wouldn’t get to control him and use him as tribute fodder! The duel stood at 4800 to 2800, with Kahle still in the lead: the Ring was a very smart move. Longo set a monster, passed, and Kahle passed back, safe behind his wall of Sheep. That left Longo to flip summon his set Gravekeeper’s Spy, special summon another in attack, and destroy two Sheep. He set one monster, set Trap Dustshoot, and activated it next turn in Kahle’s draw phase.

It revealed a terrible situation for Kahle; his hand contained Mobius the Frost Monarch, Pot of Avarice, Destiny Draw, and Destiny Hero - Disk Commander! It was a great hand but it all hinged on Disk Commander, a fact Longo noted immediately; he sent him back to Kahle’s deck, turning all of his cards into useless pieces of cardboard. It left Kahle with absolutely no plays whatsoever. “Go,” announced the stymied Kahle, giving a shoulder-slumping shrug.

Longo tributed his set Treeborn Frog for Cyber Dragon, attacked the last Sheep with one Spy and then hit directly with the other. Cyber Dragon followed suit, and Longo set another spell or trap card.

. . . It was another Trap Dustshoot! Kahle had drawn Raiza the Storm Monarch, another dead card, and both he and his opponent knew the duel was over. He immediately offered the handshake and a smile, accepting his loss with a great amount of dignity.

Dario Longo overcomes a game loss penalty to move on with a 1-0 record!