I’d like to lie and say that the pre-game period was intense, filled with talk about current matchups and the upcoming bracket possibilities, but actually, Lazaro, Kohanim, and myself sat around for twelve minutes talking about our Crystal Beast decks and the dead dream of Diamond Duck. Yeah. It’s kind of a long story. Play began shortly thereafter and things turned to serious business.

Game 1

Kohanim opened the match with Elemental Hero Stratos, searching out Elemental Hero Prisma. Lazaro fired back with a set card to each zone, and Kohanim summoned Gladiator Beast Murmillo, attacked, and hit into Spirit Reaper! He’d summoned the one Gladiator that wouldn’t let him blow away the Reaper. He tagged out to Bestiari, destroying Lazaro’s set Solemn Judgment, and then ended his turn with a set spell or trap card.

He lost it, Bottomless Trap Hole, to Mystical Space Typhoon next turn, and Lazaro simplified by pressing his Bestiari into his opponent’s. Kohanim followed up with Prisma next turn, sending Gladiator Beast Laquari to the graveyard for its effect, then activated Monster Reborn to borrow Lazaro’s Bestiari. It was a brief lending, as he immediately contact Fused for Gladiator Beast Gyzarus, destroying Spirit Reaper before attacking with both Gyzarus and Stratos. “Attack for 4200.” Lazaro took it, and Kohanim tagged Gyzarus out for Gladiator Beast Darius, bringing back Laquari, then another Laquari. He tagged out all three for Gladiator Beast Heraklinos and ended with four cards in hand, 8000 life points, and two monsters on the field — Stratos and Heraklinos.

Lazaro drew to four, with 3800 life points and nothing on the field. He activated Monster Reborn and targeted his opponent’s Bestiari, but it was negated by Heraklinos. Lazaro set a card to each zone and ended. He scooped next turn, as Kohanim played Prisma, mimicked Bestiari, and contact Fused for Gyzarus!

“I couldn’t kill that Stratos,” remarked Lazaro. “I needed a Test Tiger in hand to play out of that.”

Michael Kohanim makes short work of Canadian Champion Lazaro Bellido! Lazaro’s dreams of a third title this year were quickly going down the drain. Siding was a relatively quick affair and the Canuck Champ opened the second duel.

Game 2

He did so setting one spell or trap, summoning Prisma and sending Bestiari to his graveyard for its effect. Kohanim had Neo-Spacian Grand Mole, Neo-Spacian Dark Panther, Sangan, Torrential Tribute, Gladiator Beast Darius, and Morphing Jar. He set Sangan, set Torrential Tribute, and ended, a truly classic play. Lazaro activated Prisma again, sent Laquari to the graveyard, and then special summoned Test Tiger. Kohanim took a few moments to think and then let it go, leaving Lazaro to tag out Prisma for Gladiator Beast Darius.

That got him back Bestiari, and he contact Fused both for Gyzarus — when it hit the field Kohanim chained Torrential Tribute to its effect, but Lazaro chained Solemn Judgment! Gyzarus survived as a result, and destroyed Sangan with its effect. Faced with an all-monster hand Kohanim searched his deck for Rescue Cat via Sangan’s effect.

Lazaro kept the beats coming, normal summoning Elemental Hero Stratos to search out Elemental Hero Prisma! Stratos and Gyzarus attacked for 4200 damage just as Kohanim had done in game 1, and Lazaro tagged out to Bestiari, Darius, and brought back Laquari with Darius’ effect. One contact Fusion later and he had Heraklinos on the field with four cards in hand. He set one to his back row and ended.

Kohanim drew into Gladiator Beast Bestiari, yet another monster. He summoned Rescue Cat, tributed it, and special summoned Test Tiger and Neo-Spacian Dark Panther. The Panther copied Heraklinos’ name, Kohanim tributed Test Tiger, and Lazaro chained Phoenix Wing Wind Blast to return Dark Panther to Kohanim’s deck! Out of options, Kohanim revealed his all-monster hand and conceded.

Lazaro Bellido battles back from a brutal loss in game 1, scoring a landslide victory and forcing the match to a third game!

Game 3

Kohanim began the third duel holding Murmillo, Darius, Mind Control, Book of Moon, Monster Reborn, and Sangan. He set the Sangan as his only opening play. Lazaro summoned Elemental Hero Stratos, searched for Prisma, set a spell or trap, and attacked into the Sangan, sending Kohanim to his deck to dig for Rescue Cat. “Go.”

In his draw phase, Kohanim got D.D. Crow. He summoned Murmillo, activated Book of Moon, and then declared an attack with Murmillo — Mirror Force destroyed the Gladiator and Kohanim passed. He took 1800 damage from Stratos next turn and Lazaro passed. Kohanim activated Monster Reborn, but lost his Sangan to D.D. Crow on the chain. “No Crush Card,” remarked Lazaro. Sure enough, Kohanim was holding it. He set his own D.D. Crow with Crush Card though, and flipped it in Lazaro’s draw phase; he had Mystical Space Typhoon, Premature Burial, Heavy Storm, Murmillo, and Mind Control, a fact that Kohanim carefully wrote down. A smart, obvious move, but you’d be surprised how many players at SJCs don’t take notes despite being allowed to do so.

Lazaro brought back Stratos with Premature Burial, searching out another Prisma before swinging for 1800 damage yet again. He set one card to his back row, ending his turn, and Kohanim drew Gladiator Beast Secutor. He had Mind Control, Secutor, Darius, and Rescue Cat, all relatively dead plays. Secutor and Darius paled in comparison to the ATK of Stratos, and Rescue Cat getting a Tiger and a Dark Panther would be useless — there was no Gladiator to summon. Mind Control was poor too — Stratos wouldn’t give Kohanim a contact Fusion.

He had to play it anyway. He summoned Darius, activated Mind Control, and took control of Stratos. Darius made a direct attack and Kohanim tagged out Darius to Bestiari, destroying Premature Burial and with it, Stratos. He ended, and when Lazaro drew for his turn he lost his topdecked Laquari to Crush Card Virus’ effect.

Lazaro had four cards in hand and one card set, to Kohanim’s Bestiari with two cards in hand. “That was the worst way to use a Mind Control,” groaned Kohanim. To his credit, he’d made probably the best play from a range of saddening options. Lazaro kept the beatdown going though, summoning Prisma, activating its effect to send Bestiari to the graveyard, and then using Mind Control to take Kohanim’s Bestiari. He contact Fused both for Gyzarus, attacked with it, then tagged out to Darius and Laquari. Darius brought back Bestiari from the graveyard, and he contact Fused Darius and Bestiari for Gyzarus to end his turn.

Kohanim drew into Test Tiger, adding it to his hand of Secutor and Rescue Cat. “I am so lucky!” He normal summoned Rescue Cat, tributed it to bring out two copies of Neo-Spacian Dark Panther, and Lazaro reeled. “You topped Brain Control? No way! Holy!”

“Nope, not Brain Control.” Kohanim special summoned Test Tiger, mimicked with both Panthers to give them Gladiator Beast names, and tagged one out with the Tiger to bring Bestiari to the field. He then contact Fused Bestiari and the other Panther for Gyzarus, wiped the field, and attacked for 2400 damage! That let him tag out for Darius and Laquari bringing back Murmillo for the contact Fusion: Heraklinos hit the field! He ended with one card in hand.

“That was the lucksack of the century,” Kohanim declared. But Lazaro wasn’t through.

He revealed his draw for his turn, the last turn of Crush Card Virus’ effect; he’d drawn a Rescue Cat of his own! Kohanim reeled, and Lazaro started running numbers. He had 3100 life points to Kohanim’s 2000. “I topped nothing,” sighed Lazaro. “I have the Murmillo in my hand.” Ouch. Lazaro spent quite a while looking to see what his potential plays were. He needed to win here and now, and was issued a slow play warning as he spent time searching his graveyard. At the end of the turn all he could do was set a monster.

Kohanim attacked with Heraklinos, destroying Lazaro’s set Murmillo. Play was back to Lazaro, who set another monster and ended. Kohanim drew Laquari, attacked with Heraklinos and destroyed Lazaro’s face-down Dark Panther. Lazaro drew and fanned his graveyard again, setting another monster. He had nothing and was going down fast.

Kohanim topped Elemental Hero Stratos, and summoned him to search out Prisma. Heraklinos attacked again, this time destroying Lazaro’s Darius, and Stratos made a direct shot for 1800 damage. One more hit like that and Lazaro would be out of the tournament.

He drew and riffled through his graveyard yet again. He still had that Rescue Cat, but his lone Murmillo was trapped in his graveyard. He needed a Gyzarus play, and he needed to do it without playing spells — Heraklinos would negate anything he’d try to play in that regard. He borrowed Heraklinos for a moment, read it, and summoned Rescue Cat.

The Cat was tributed, and Lazaro brought out Test Tiger and Neo-Spacian Dark Panther. The Panther copied Heraklinos’ name, Lazaro activated Smashing Ground, and Kohanim discarded Secutor to negate it with Heraklinos. Lazaro tributed Test Tiger to tag out Dark Panther, then brought out Darius in defense mode, special summoning Gyzarus from his graveyard. Gyzarus ran over Stratos, but Lazaro knew it was over. He ended without setting another card.

Kohanim summoned Prisma, declared Bestiari, and the end was obvious — Gyzarus would hit the field, wipe Lazaro off the table, and then knock him straight out of the match with a direct attack!

A surprising upset and a huge topdeck lets Michael Kohanim recover, stealing the final duel and moving him to the Top 4!