Nolan Takahashi, one of the highest ranked players in the state, is playing against another local John Santos, whose family includes 3 children who also play the Yu-Gi-Oh! TCG. They are friends, relaxed, and ready for a great game.

Game 1

Nolan won the roll and chose to go first. He set a back row card and passed.

John played Reinforcement of the Army for The Six Samurai – Yaichi, summoned him, then special summoned Grandmaster of the Six Samurai. Nolan activated Torrential Tribute. There was a brief delay while the judge confirmed that John could use his Grandmaster’s effect to get back a Six Samurai monster. When John tried to return his Yaichi, Nolan chained his D.D. Crow’s effect to remove him.

John then used Monster Reborn on Grandmaster to summon him and attacked, bringing Nolan to 5900. He then ended his turn.

Nolan used Allure of Darkness, then played Reinforcement of the Army to search out his D.D. Warrior Lady. He summoned her and attacked, removing John’s Grandmaster, taking 600 points of battle damage. He set a face-down spell or trap card, and passed.

John set a back row card and passed it back. Nolan played Allure of Darkness, and then passed the turn.

John played Swords of Revealing Light and ended his turn.

Nolan did nothing and passed it back. Nolan set a new back row card and passed also. Nolan did nothing again, waiting out John’s Swords, and it was back to John, who set another back row and passed.

Nolan only set another back row and passed, happy that Swords was going away. John summoned The Six Samurai – Nisashi and attacked, and Nolan took it, going to 3900. Nolan used Heavy Storm, to which John chained Scapegoat. Nolan then used Reinforcement of the Army to search out Stratos, who he summoned after a moment of thought, using his effect to search for Disk Commander. He then attacked John’s Nisashi, dealing the match’s first damage to John (now at 7600), then set a card to his back row, and passed.

John set a monster and passed.

Nolan set a monster also, attacked a Sheep token, and passed.

John special summoned Enishi, Shien’s Chancellor then, destroying Nolan’s Stratos, then ending his turn.

Nolan used Brain Control on Enishi, destroying a Sheep token, then tributed him to summon Dasher. He attacked another Sheep token, and passed.

John played a Heavy Storm on his turn. Nolan was a bit startled, saying, “You top-decked that!” Nolan used Solemn Judgment to protect his back row, going to 1550. Nolan then activated his Crush Card Virus, tributing Destiny Hero - Disk Commander. He used Monster Reborn on Disk Commander, and attacked a Sheep token with his Dasher. He then summoned Cyber Valley and passed the turn.

John drew a Grandmaster which Crush Card destroyed, but then returned to John’s hand. He passed with no play.

Nolan then used Cyber Valley and his Disk Commander to draw, summoned Snipe Hunter, and attacked with both, putting John at 5500. John activated Reasoning on his turn, and Nolan said, “Three.”. The card? The Six Samurai – Zanji! John special summoned the Grandmaster in his hand and things looked close for Nolan, but it wasn’t over yet. Nolan went for his big play on his turn with an amazing two Dark Armed Dragons, to which John could only pick up his cards and smile.

Game 2

John chose to play first, setting three back row cards, summing Zanji, and special summoning Grandmaster, explaining his active play saying, “Time is short!”

Nolan summoned Elemental Hero Stratos, searching out Destiny Hero – Dasher, and then played two Allure of Darkness! He then passed the turn.

John flipped Six Samurai United, played The Six Samurai – Yaichi, and then drew a card. He attacked with all three, taking Nolan to 4600 and ending his turn.

Nolan played Lightning Vortex, destroying all of John’s monsters, then summoned Dark Grepher, discarding Malicious to send Disk Commander from his deck to his hand. Then came his Dark Armed Dragon, which John let resolve. Nolan proceeded to destroy John’s cards, but a chained Enemy Controller put the Dragon in defense position. Nolan attacked with Dark Grepher, putting John at 6300.

John summoned Zanji to defeat Dark Armed Dragon in an attack, and then it was back to Nolan who used Premature Burial to get back Stratos, who had no effect. Nolan’s Smashing Ground destroyed Zanji and Nolan’s two monsters attacked, putting John at 2800.

John summoned Yaichi, special summoned a Grandmaster, then attacked with him, sending Stratos to the graveyard and putting Nolan at 1800. Nolan played Monster Reborn on his turn to get a Grandmaster to battle John’s, and then attacked with Dark Grepher into John’s life points.

John only summoned The Six Samurai - Irou and passed.

Nolan used Reinforcement for D.D. Warrior Lady, played her, and attacked with both his monsters, dropping John to 900.

John had Swords of Revealing Light to hold of Nolan’s assault, and a Royal Decree to forestall any tricks Nolan might have, but he had the air of defeat about him, saying, “If you have the monster . . .” Nolan just set a monster, changed his D.D. Warrior Lady to defense position, and passed.

John summoned Kamon and attacked the set monster. Nolan flipped it, revealing Kinetic Soldier! That was that, and Nolan takes the match 2-0!