I don’t know about anyone else, but I’ve been wondering what our previous U.S. National Champions have been up to lately. I caught up with Max back in Columbus, but it’s taken an SJC in their (relative) backyard to being the other two back out of the woodwork. Austin has been playing primarily at his locals since the last SJC he attended in Seattle. His opponent Kevin Loudat should be a seasoned veteran by now, having played for about 5 years, almost the entirety of the game’s lifetime in the States! Kevin is looking to start a list of major accomplishments here today by taking down the 2006 National Champion. Kulman won the opening roll, however, and opted to go first.

Head Judge Dan Scheidegger commanded the attendees to “get (their) game on” and the match began. Austin started off with a set to each zone and passed over to Kevin, who opened with Cyber Dragon and Green Gadget (fetching Red Gadget from his deck). Cyber Dragon attempted to swing into the set monster, but Sakuretsu Armor blew it away. The Gadget was able to beat Dekoichi the Battlechanted Locomotive, and Kulman drew for its effect. Kevin set a spell or trap, and play was back to Kulman. He stole Green Gadget with Brain Control and attacked successfully before tributing for Mobius the Frost Monarch. Torrential Tribute was chained to blow away the Monarch, and Kulman set a card to his back row. Kevin summoned Red Gadget and searched before attacking successfully and setting a Widespread Ruin, which he lost in the end phase to Mystical Space Typhoon. Austin was back up, and he set a monster. Hydrogeddon came down next for Kevin and it mauled the Champ’s Sangan! Another Hydrogeddon hit the field, and Kulman searched for Twin-Headed Behemoth. The second Hydro and the Gadget both hit directly and Kevin added Card Trader to his field before passing.

Kulman turned things around during the next turn with the Behemoth and a Brain Control on a Hydrogeddon! The Dinosaurs crashed into each other, and Behemoth took down the Gadget before Kulman set a card and passed. In his next turn, Kevin used Card Trader’s effect before summoning Cyber Dragon and Yellow Gadget (fetching Green). He read the Behemoth carefully before activating Smashing Ground in an attempt to go for game. He attacked with Cyber Dragon to drop Kulman to 100 life points, but the Gadget fell to Sakuretsu Armor! Kulman retrieved his Behemoth during the end phase, and then activated Heavy Storm and stole away the Cyber Dragon with Snatch Steal! The Dragon turned on its owner, and Kulman set a card. Kevin gained his life and then summoned Green Gadget and attacked the Behemoth! He activated a new Card Trader and passed over to Kulman who tributed the stolen Dragon for Zaborg the Thunder Monarch! Zaborg attacked directly, and Kevin was forced to summon Exiled Force to destroy him in order to stay in the game! He set a card to his back row, and Kulman followed suit with a set to his back row as well! One turn later, Kevin summoned a Red Gadget, and Kulman scooped up his cards! Kevin takes game 1 against the 2006 National Champion!

Both players reached into their side decks between games, and Austin sighed heavily. He started with Confiscation, revealing Kevin’s hand of two Yellow Gadgets, Hydrogeddon, Smashing Ground, and Mirror Force. Kulman chose to discard the Mirror Force and set a card to each zone before passing. Kevin summoned one of his Yellow Gadgets to fetch a Green one, and he attacked straight into Gravekeeper’s Spy! Kulman fetched another Spy, and Kevin activated Card Trader before ending. Kulman struggled with his decision for a moment before setting a monster and passing. Kevin used his Card Trader to send away that second Yellow Gadget, and he ended up trading it in for Ring of Destruction! He then summoned Hydrogeddon and attacked into Kulman’s set Dekoichi the Battlechanted Locomotive. Kulman drew and a second Hydrogeddon hit the field. Kevin set a spell or trap and passed back to Kulman. He activated Soul Exchange to tribute one Hydrogeddon for Zaborg, destroying the other Hydrogeddon. He had no further plays, however, and Kevin activated Card Trader again. He set a spell or trap and moved his Gadget to defense position before ending. Kulman’s Zaborg was lost to Ring of Destruction in the battle phase, and he tributed for Thestalos the Firestorm Monarch in main phase two, only to lose him to Pulling the Rug! Things were going downhill fast for the young champ, but when Kevin summoned Green Gadget in the next turn it was met by Torrential Tribute! Kevin passed, and Kulman activated Pot of Avarice to shuffle back some monsters and draw 2 cards.

He couldn’t take advantage of the opening, however, and he set a card to each zone before passing. Kevin didn’t use Card Trader this time, but he did summon Cyber Dragon and Red Gadget. Cyber Dragon hit a Gravekeeper’s Spy bringing another one to the field, but that Spy was lost in the second main phase to Smashing Ground! Kulman asked for a life point check, and then activated Snatch Steal to take Cyber Dragon and tribute it for Zaborg! Zaborg destroyed Red Gadget with his effect and then cleaved Kevin’s life points in two! Kevin had his own Pot of Avarice and he activated it to put some Gadgets and two Hydrogeddons back into his deck and draw two cards. He already had Snatch Steal in hand, and he special summoned Cyber Dragon, normal summoned Yellow Gadget, and stole Zaborg to take the game and the match! Kevin Loudat rides his Card Trader to victory over 2006 National Champion, Austin Kulman!