Robert Ackerman and Adam Corn are two of the top prospects for the win here today. This was it: the winner of this match would move on to the World Championships in Berlin. The pressure was on.
Corn won the roll and opened with a set monster. He shuffled his hand a bit, and then placed his hand on the table: “Go.” Ackerman fired back with a set card to each zone, and Corn flip summoned Gravekeeper’s Spy on the following turn — another was special summoned from his deck in defense mode. His hand consisted of two Thestalos the Firestorm Monarch, Monster Reborn, Caius the Shadow Monarch, and Book of Moon, an incredibly strong hand given his current field presence.
He tributed one of his Spies for Caius, and used his effect to remove Gladiator Beast Hoplomus from his opponent’s field. Caius then attacked for 2400 damage. A set spell or trap ended Corn’s turn, and with those two Thestalos in hand and ready, he was in a great position.
Ackerman summoned Elemental Hero Prisma, and then activated its effect with priority to send Gladiator Beast Bestiari from his deck to his graveyard. “Anything?”
“One sec,” replied Corn. He had set the Book of Moon, and could shut down virtually anything Ackerman tried to do this turn that would lead into Bestiari. He didn’t waste any time, and immediately flipped Book of Moon to turn Prisma face down, removing its “Bestiari” name. It seemed a bit early, given that he could have chained the Book to any attempt Ackerman made at executing a contact Fusion, but a huge misplay from Ackerman redeemed the situation. Ackerman activated Premature Burial for Bestiari, tried to contact Fuse with his face-down Prisma, but wasn’t aware that his Prisma no longer counted as a Gladiator Beast (it lost its borrowed name when it was flipped face down)! He ended his turn without doing anything else.
Corn absolutely punished him for it. He took Bestiari with Brain Control, tributed it for Thestalos the Firestorm Monarch, and Ackerman was forced to discard Sangan for Thestalos’ effect. Corn activated Monster Reborn, targeted the Bestiari, and Ackerman scooped right up.
A huge misplay costs Robert Ackerman the duel, and Adam Corn is one game away from another Worlds appearance! Both duelists took their time siding for game 2.
“I’ll go first,” announced Ackerman. He set a monster, set a card to his back row, and ended. “Go.” Corn activated Allure of Darkness, drew two, and paid for the Allure by removing Mask of Darkness from his hand. He set two cards to his back row, set a monster, and ended. Ackerman drew for his turn.
“Anything?” Corn shook his head. Ackerman moved to main phase 1 and played Reinforcement of the Army to search out Prisma. He summoned it, activated its effect with priority by revealing Gladiator Beast Gyzarus, and Corn responded with Bottomless Trap Hole. Ackerman chained Solemn Judgment! He executed a contact Fusion with Prisma and his set Hoplomus, played Gyzarus to the field, and targeted Corn’s set spell or trap and set monster. Corn chained Reckless Greed but lost his set Mask of Darkness.
Ackerman made a direct attack, then tagged out Gyzarus for Gladiator Beast Laquari and Gladiator Beast Darius, and used the latter to bring back Gladiator Beast Bestiari. He contact Fused all three for Gladiator Beast Heraklinos, and passed with four cards in hand.
Corn set a spell or trap, then activated Soul Exchange without any tribute in hand — Ackerman tossed Gladiator Beast Hoplomus to negate it, taking the bait. He set a monster and ended. “Go ahead.”
Ackerman summoned Laquari, attacked, and hit Corn’s set Gravekeeper’s Guard! The Guard bounced Heraklinos back to the Fusion deck! “Go ahead.” Ackerman ended and Corn was up. He passed, holding Monster Reborn and Cyber Valley. Next turn he’d be able to draw again.
But Ackerman summoned another Prisma! He activated its effect to send Bestiari to the graveyard, then brought down Gyzarus yet again — the power of the three Prisma build in action! Gyzarus targeted Gravekeeper’s Guard and Corn’s Book of Moon, which was chained to turn Gyzarus down while the Guard was destroyed.
Corn drew Dark Armed Dragon and summoned Cyber Valley immediately. The Monster Reborn wasn’t going to give him access to anything big enough to press over Gyzarus’ 1500 DEF. Ackerman played Brain Control next turn, took control of Cyber Valley, then summoned Gladiator Beast Secutor! He removed both from play to draw two cards, then activated Monster Reborn to bring back Bestiari. He flip summoned Gyzarus, attacked for 2400 damage, and then swung for 1500 with Bestiari. Corn was down to 1700 life points.
“Tag out,” announced Ackerman, returning Gyzarus to his Fusion deck. He brought Laquari and Darius from his deck, and Darius brought back Hoplomus from the graveyard. Bestiari then tagged out for another Laquari, and the three Gladiators brought out as a result of Gyzarus’ tag were all contact Fused for Heraklinos. Ackerman had three cards remaining in hand, and Corn conceded moments later.
Robert Ackerman makes a comeback, and pushes this match to a third and final duel! Siding and smoke-screening was done exceptionally fast — this last duel would decide who got a ticket to Worlds.
Corn opened with Allure of Darkness, removing Gravekeeper’s Spy for its effect. He followed it up by setting a card to each zone. “Anything?” asked Ackerman as he moved to his draw phase. “No.” replied Corn. Ackerman proceeded to set three cards to his back row, set a monster, and ended.
In Corn’s standby phase Ackerman flipped Mask of Restrict, but Corn activated Heavy Storm! Ackerman lost Mystical Space Typhoon and Enemy Controller, while Corn lost Bottomless Trap Hole. Ackerman’s field was broken wide open.
He tributed Legendary Jujitsu Master for Prime Material Dragon, ran over Ackerman’s set Bestiari, and set Reckless Greed. “Go.” Ackerman set a card to each zone, Prime Material Dragon attacked his set D.D. Crow, and Corn set a monster. “Go ahead.” Ackerman set another monster and was left with just one card in hand. Next turn Prime Material Dragon destroyed that monster too — Prisma.
Ackerman set another. Corn activated Allure of Darkness, removed another Gravekeeper’s Spy, and attacked with Prime Material Dragon — this time Ackerman had Spirit Reaper. Corn moved to main phase 2, summoned Cyber Valley, and ended. “Go ahead.”
Ackerman drew for his next turn. He had two cards in hand to Corn’s three, and ended with one monster and one spell or trap to Corn’s four-card field. Corn drew, set another spell or trap, and ended, unable to deal with Spirit Reaper for the moment. Could Ackerman hold on long enough to make a comeback?
He drew for his turn and seemed to smile the sad smile of someone who knew there would be no surprise victory. He shuffled his hand, spent many moments lost in thought, and then activated Premature Burial to target Elemental Hero Prisma. “That’s fine,” replied Corn. Ackerman declared Heraklinos with priority, and sent Laquari to the graveyard with Prisma’s effect.
He summoned another copy, this one from his hand, and revealed Gyzarus for the second Prisma’s effect. Bestiari went to the graveyard, and Ackerman special summoned Test Tiger! He sent the Bestiari Prisma back to the graveyard, and special summoned Gladiator Beast Darius from his deck. Darius in turn special summoned Bestiari from the graveyard, and Ackerman contact Fused all three of his Gladiators for Gladiator Beast Heraklinos! Heraklinos took down Prime Material Dragon and Ackerman ended.
Corn set two more cards to his spell and trap zone and ended. Ackerman drew, leaving himself with one card in hand, one card in his back row, Spirit Reaper, and Heraklinos to Corn’s four set spell and trap cards, one set monster, Cyber Valley, and two cards in hand. Heraklinos attacked Cyber Valley, Corn removed it to draw, and Ackerman’s turn was over.
Corn set a fifth card to his back row. Was this a desperate bluff? Did Ackerman really have a shot? “Go.”
Ackerman didn’t press his luck, reading Jujitsu Master as Corn’s set monster. He set a monster himself, ended, and Corn passed back. Everything was on the line and neither duelist wanted to rush into a trap.
Ackerman activated Cold Wave! Corn activated Solemn Judgment, but Ackerman chained his own! Cold Wave resolved and Corn nervously checked his face downs again. Ackerman summoned Prisma, sent Bestiari to the graveyard and executed a contact Fusion of Prisma and his set Hoplomus. Corn scooped! There was nothing he could do after paying himself down for Solemn Judgment. Unbelievable! Robert Ackerman comes back after throwing away game 1, taking game 2 and winning a seemingly-unwinnable game 3!
Robert Ackerman is going to the World Championships!