Jonathan Hatfield went undefeated at a Regional three weeks ago in Roanoke, Virginia, about an hour from here in Charlotte. The 21-year-old duelist from West Virginia has had similar performances in half a dozen other Regionals, but this is his first Shonen Jump Championship. He’s playing TeleDAD here today, representing Team Mojo.
His opponent is the chief reason for this feature match. Philip Black is playing a fascinating Counter Fairy build packing Garoth, Lightsworn Warrior and King Tiger Wanghu. He’s undefeated so far today, and his deck seems well-teched for this matchup. Before the match started he gave shoutouts to Anthony Alvarado and his new family, Team Blackout, and “Ms. Debbie, for providing me with three Crush Cards.” And somebody named Brooks, along with his “two bestest friends, Saul and Grey.”
He won the roll and opened with Shrink, Garoth, Lightsworn Warrior, Honest, Mirror Force, Magic Drain, and D.D. Warrior Lady. No Bountiful Artemis in sight, but he set Mirror Force and Magic Drain before summoning Garoth, Lightsworn Warrior. “Lightsworn!” remarked Hatfield. Black had successfully forced the incorrect read.
Hatfield activated Mystical Space Typhoon next turn, destroying Mirror Force. He discarded Destiny Hero - Malicious to special summon Dark Grepher, then activated Emergency Teleport: Black chained Magic Drain to negate it! Hatfield had no spell to discard, and set a trap card to end. He had just one card left in hand.
Garoth took down Grepher next turn, and Black set a card to each zone. Hatfield passed, completely broken by that Magic Drain. Black flip summoned D.D. Warrior Lady and attacked with both of his monsters, and Hatfield was down to 4500 life points. Black set Harvest Angel to end his turn. “Go.”
Hatfield summoned Breaker the Magical Warrior and attacked Garoth, Lightsworn Warrior, then Black flipped Shrink! Breaker the Magical Warrior was reduced to 1100 ATK (800 ATK plus 300 for his counter), and slammed into Garoth. Hatfield was down to 3850 life points. But in main phase 2 Hatfield special summoned Dark Armed Dragon, wiping the field by removing three monsters from his graveyard!
Black set a spell or trap card: he was stuck with King Tiger Wanghu and Honest in hand, and passed. Dark Armed Dragon swung for 2800 damage next turn and Black was back up, this time holding Morphing Jar. He set it and ended.
Hatfield took a moment to peruse Black’s graveyard, then activated Monster Reborn targeting his opponent’s D.D. Warrior Lady: Black blocked it with Dark Bribe. Hatfield summoned Spirit Reaper and attacked with Dark Armed Dragon, and when the Dragon hit Morphing Jar he was forced to discard Destiny Hero - Malicious and Dark Armed Dragon. He did not attack with Spirit Reaper, but instead moved to main phase 2. He searched out Destiny Hero - Diamond Dude with Reinforcement of the Army, removed his graveyard Malicious to special summon another in defense position, then activated Allure of Darkness.
He removed Diamond Dude for Allure’s effect, then played another Reinforcement of the Army card to get Destiny Hero - Doom Lord from his deck. He discarded it for Destiny Draw, played another Allure at the cost of Snipe Hunter, and activated Emergency Teleport.
That got him Krebons, and he sent Krebons and Malicious to his graveyard to Synchro summon Stardust Dragon. He set two cards to his back row to end.
He flipped Trap Dustshoot next turn, revealing Black’s hand: two copies of Honest, Bountiful Artemis, Book of Moon, Solemn Judgment, and Dark Bribe. He sent Honest back to Black’s deck, and Black activated Book of Moon to turn Dark Armed Dragon face down. He summoned Honest and Hatfield activated Solemn Judgment to negate the summon. Black could do nothing but set Solemn and Bribe.
Hatfield tributed for Caius the Shadow Monarch next turn and it was all over—Black activated Solemn Judgment, but it wouldn’t matter either way. He conceded the duel and began side decking: “Jerome’s gonna kill me if I don’t win this!”
Jonathan Hatfield dodges the double Honest play and wins out of a rough early game, now one win away from a 3-0 record! Both duelists did some serious side decking before moving to the second game.
Black opened with King Tiger, Divine Wrath, Morphing Jar, Dark Bribe, Honest, and Bountiful Artemis! He summoned Artemis, set Bribe, and set Divine Wrath! Hatfield activated Heavy Storm, Black flipped Dark Bribe, and both players drew a card. Hatfield discarded Malicious for Destiny Draw, drew two, then removed Malicious to summon another. He activated Allure of Darkness, removed his third Malicious, and activated Mystical Space Typhoon—Divine Wrath was destroyed.
Hatfield counted the cards in Black’s hand: four. He ran some numbers before summoning Dark Grepher, then activated Emergency Teleport to special summon Krebons from his deck! He Synchro summoned Thought Ruler Archfiend with Malicious and Krebons! Why wouldn’t he go for Colossal Fighter? Hatfield declared an attack with Dark Grepher, and Black responded with Honest: Artemis took Grepher down. Hatfield set two cards to his back row to end his turn.
Hatfield set Morphing Jar and Divine Wrath, ended, and lost Divine Wrath to Dust Tornado in his end phase. Next turn Hatfield activated Reinforcement of the Army, searched out Elemental Hero Stratos, and searched his deck for Destiny Hero - Defender. Stratos took down Artemis, and Thought Ruler swung into Morphing Jar: Hatfield discarded two copies of Defender while Black discarded two King Tiger cards. Both players drew new hands, Hatfield gained 700 life points with Thought Ruler’s effect, and he set one more spell or trap to finish.
Black had Divine Wrath, Shrink, Garoth, Lightsworn Warrior, Artemis, Black Horn of Heaven, and his third King Tiger Wanghu. He summoned Garoth and attacked over Stratos, taking Stratos down! He set Black Horn, Divine Wrath, and Shrink to finish his turn.
Hatfield summoned Snipe Hunter, discarded Destiny Draw for its effect with priority, and chained Divine Wrath, discarding King Tiger Wanghu. Hatfield continued on though and activated Monster Reborn—Black didn’t know if he could activate Black Horn of Heaven in this case, so he tried, and was denied upon a ruling from the table judge.
Snipe Hunter hit the field, and Hatfield discarded Brain Control to target Black’s Shrink. He chained it, targeting Thought Ruler and forcing Hatfield to pay 1000 life points to negate it. Thought Ruler attacked over Garoth, Snipe Hunter made a direct attack, and the duel stood at 5650 life points to Hatfield’s 7900.
Black drew Royal Oppression, setting it and normal summoning Artemis. Artemis attacked over Snipe Hunter, Thought Ruler took down Artemis, and Hatfield went to 9400 life points. Black had just two cards left—there was no way out of this.
He topdecked Magic Drain next turn and set it. Hatfield drew for his turn, sent Thought Ruler to attack Black for 2700 damage, and activated Reinforcement of the Army: Black flipped Magic Drain to negate it. He topped another Magic Drain next turn and conceded.
Jonathan Hatfield overcomes Counter Fairies with a 2-0 victory, shattering Philip Black’s metagamed strategy!