A second feature match for Hsoros Nairebas?! Yes sir, as feature match material for this round was scant at best, and Nairebas’s opponent this time around was the long-recognized Eric Herdzik. Another duelist returning here today from a long hiatus, he was playing a Gladiator Beast variant built as a joint effort with Josh Graham.
“Watch me open with bad hands again?” asked Nairebas with a laugh. Herdzik won the roll and wishes Nairebas good luck.
Game 1
He opened the match with two set cards to his back row, and Nairebas blasted him with Heavy Storm — Herdzik lost his Dust Tornado and Solemn Judgment! Nairebas followed it up with Trade-In, discarding Destiny Hero - Plasma. He played Allure of Darkness, removed Jinzo, and set Trap Dustshoot.
Next turn it revealed Herdzik’s hand: Gladiator Beast Bestiari, Elemental Hero Prisma, Brain Control, Premature Burial, and Dust Tornado. Nairebas shuffled back Prisma, gaining some confidence from learning that Herdzik was defenseless. Herdzik summoned the Bestiari, attacked for 1500 damage, and tagged it out for Gladiator Beast Laquari. He set a card, presumably the Dust Tornado, and ended.
Nairebas summoned Dark Grepher, discarded Destiny Hero – Malicious to send Dark Magician of Chaos from his deck to his graveyard, then activated Monster Reborn. That brought back the Magician, who returned Heavy Storm to Nairebas’s hand. Knowing Herdzik had nothing to defend himself with Nairebas attacked with Dark Magician of Chaos, removing Laquari from play, and then made a direct attack with Dark Grepher. “Go for it.”
Herdzik still had nothing. He took the Dark Magician of Chaos with Brain Control, attacked to remove Dark Grepher, then set a spell or trap before handing back the Magician. He set another spell or trap.
“You know I’ve got Heavy,” noted Nairebas. He activated it next turn, blew away Dust Tornado and Solemn, and attacked with Dark Magician of Chaos. A turn later it was all over.
Hsoros Nairebas takes a commanding victory over long-time veteran Eric Herdzik! Could Herdzik pull this one out?
Game 2
“I’ll go first,” he announced. He spent a few moments contemplating his hand, rested his forehead on his fist, and then summoned Elemental Hero Prisma. He activated its effect to send Bestiari to his graveyard from his deck, set a card to his spell and trap zone, and ended.
Nairebas fetched Elemental Hero Stratos with Reinforcement of the Army, and, when he summoned him, Herdzik flipped Solemn Judgment, seemingly as an afterthought. Nairebas pressed on, activating Allure of Darkness and removing Dark Armed Dragon for its effect.
He followed up with Prohibition, declaring Bestiari, and set another spell or trap. “Go ahead.” This time it was Herdzik’s turn to play Heavy Storm! Nairebas lost his Torrential Tribute and Prohibition. Herdzik activated Monster Reborn, took Nairebas’s Stratos, and searched out his own copy from his deck. “That was nice,” remarked Nairebas. Herdzik summoned his own Stratos, got a copy of Prisma from his deck, and swung for 5300 damage! He set one spell or trap to end his turn.
Nairebas drew, and was left holding Snipe Hunter, Reinforcement of the Army, Bottomless Trap Hole, and Destiny Hero – Malicious. He played the Reinforcement, sought out Destiny Hero – Disk Commander, and summoned Snipe Hunter. He discarded Malicious, blew away his own Stratos, and missed when he discarded Disk Commander. He set Bottomless and ended. “I’m at 2700.” It was a statement tinged with defeat, and a turn later he was scooping up.
Eric Herdzik pulls out a win, recovering from his brutal loss in Game 1 to hand out an equally rough defeat in Game 2!
Game 3
Nairebas opened with Destiny Draw, discarding Plasma. He drew his two and was left with two Dark Armed Dragon, Destiny Hero – Malicious, D.D.R. - Different Dimension Reincarnation, and Mind Crush! He passed, confident in his second turn.
His opponent activated Reinforcement of the Army, dug out Stratos, summoned him, and got Elemental Hero Prisma. He set two cards to his back row . . .
. . . And Nairebas topped Heavy Storm again! Today was the precise opposite of his luck at Canadian Nationals.
“Cards in hand?” asked Herdzik.
“Six,” replied Nairebas.
“That’s fine.” Herdzik let his Bottomless Trap Hole and Solemn Judgment go, thinking he was reasonably safe, but Nairebas flopped his hand. Herdzik was dumbstruck, seeing the two Dark Armeds, Grepher, and Malicious, and instantly scooped.
Hsoros Nairebas takes his second feature match of the day over another SJC Top 8 duelists, moving on undefeated with Turbo Dark Creator, despite never seeing the deck’s namesake card.