He won the opening roll, and as the Top 8 duelists waited to receive the signal to begin play from Head Judge Simon Key both remained wordless and somewhat tense. Williams opened with a set to each zone and play passed to Naughton.

He fired back the same play: a set card to each zone, one monster, one spell or trap. Williams drew for his turn and immediately flip summoned Des Koala, dishing out 1600 damage. He set a monster and another spell or trap, passed, and in Naughton’s standby phase activated Ceasefire, revealing Dekoichi on Naughton’s side and Giant Germ on his own, and dealing 1500 damage. Naughton tributed the Dekoichi for Zaborg, destroyed Giant Germ, but attacked into Magic Cylinder. Williams set a monster, turned Des Koala to defense position, but lost the set monster on the following turn to Nobleman of Crossout: it was Magician of Faith. Naughton attacked the defense position Des Koala with Zaborg, set a monster, and passed. Williams set a spell or trap and ended.

When Zaborg attacked again, it hit nothing but Scapegoat. Naughton set another monster, but lost Zaborg to Snatch Steal next turn. Wiliams attacked into Naughton’s set Treeborn Frog, trapping it in the graveyard and ending his turn. Naughton flip summoned Magical Merchant, got Snatch Steal with its effect, and chained Torrential Tribute before the pull to clear the field. He then removed a Light and a Dark to special summon Chaos Sorcerer, attacked with it to deal 2300 damage, and set a back row card. Williams set a monster, passed, Naughton summoned Dekoichi, played Nobleman of Crossout to remove Williams’s second Magician of Faith from the game, and hit directly with both monsters. It was 2000 to 3500, with Naughton leading.

Williams needed to do something big to dig himself out of the hole he was in. He set Giant Germ, and next turn Sorcerer attacked into it! He pulled another in attack position, which Dekoichi attacked. Naughton had made the smart play, attacking with Sorcerer first, but it had cost him some potential damage. He ended his turn.

Williams activated Graceful Charity, discarding Goldd and Broww! He drew an extra card for Broww, special summoned Goldd, Wu-Lord of Dark World, tributed it for Mobius to destroy Naughton’s set card, Call of the Haunted, and Williams then attacked the Dekoichi to deal another 1000 damage. He set a back row card and ended.

Naughton special summoned his Treeborn Frog in defense, and took control of Mobius with Snatch Steal. Dimension Wall here would mean game, but when Naughton attacked Williams had a different answer! He activated Call of the Haunted on Giant Germ, and flipped Torrential Tribute when it resolved to stymie the attack and wipe Naughton’s field clean. Naughton special summoned Chaos Sorcerer, and set two cards to his back row, keeping up an amble defense.

Williams went for the game. He played Dark World Lightning, destroying Naughton’s set Smashing Ground and special summoning Silvva, Warlord of Dark World. He then used Premature Burial to special summon his fallen Mobius the Frost Monarch: all Naughton had was one set spell or trap card and the Sorcerer. One way or another, this duel was ending right now.

Mobius attacked Naughton’s Chaos Sorcerer, but Naughton flipped Mirror Force! Neither player had any cards left in his hand as Williams lost his remaining monsters, and with no set spell or trap cards, he had no way of defending himself from the Sorcerer next turn. Naughton takes the first duel with a direct attack into an open field!

Both duelists did a bit of side decking and some very careful shuffling before the second duel began. “I’ll go first,” announced Williams, drawing his opening hand. He set a spell or trap card and passed. Naughton summoned D. D. Warrior Lady and immediately attacked Williams for 1500 damage. He then set two back row cards and passed.

He lost one, Torrential Tribute, to Dark World Lightning, which special summoned Sillva. Williams then took the Lady with Snatch Steal, attacked for 1500, and then attacked with Sillva for another 2300. Williams set a monster and passed, a huge turn with big commitments to the field!

Naughton played Heavy Storm, costing himself his Dust Tornado but destroy Nobleman of Crossout and Snatch Steal on Williams’ side. He then tributed his D. D. Warrior Lady for Zaborg, destroyed Williams’s set Magician of Faith, and attacked the Sillva. Williams set a card to each zone.

Naughton summoned Breaker the Magical Warrior, broke Ceasefire, which was chained, and Williams revealed his set monster, Spirit Reaper, Naughton set a monster, Williams set a spell or trap card, Naughton flip summoned his set Tsukuyomi to turn Reaper face down and removed it from the game with Nobleman of Crossout. Tsukuyomi attacked Williams directly, Breaker hit, and then Zaborg, lowering Williams to 1300 life points. Naughton still had 3700 life points remaining, and Williams gave a grunt of annoyance.

Williams set a monster on his turn and passed. Zaborg attacked it, and it was Giant Germ! Two more came to the field, and Breaker attacked one of them, pressing through 600 damage. Naughton set a monster, Williams gave another small sigh, and drew.

He topdecked into Graceful Charity, and drew Goldd, Wu-Lord of Dark World and Broww! He tributed Goldd and Dark Magician of Chaos, special summoned back the Dark Magician of Chaos with Call of the Haunted, and started running some math. He took back Dark World Lightning with its effect, used it to destroy Naughton’s set Magical Merchant. He special summoned Goldd, Wu-Lord of Dark World, and it was all over! Dark Magician of Chaos took out Zaborg, Goldd stomped Breaker, and Naughton couldn’t block the direct attacking that ensued. Bobby Williams steals a duel he had seemingly lost control of, and presses the match to a third duel!

Naughton opened up game 3 with a set monster and two set spell or trap cards. Williams set a card to each zone and passed. Naughton summoned Asura Priest, attacked with it, and hit Giant Germ! Two more came out, and Asura Priest attacked again – Bobby blocked it with Mirror Force to maintain his field advantage. Naughton ended his turn.

Williams played Dark World Lightning, hitting Sangan, and discarded Goldd, Wu-Lord of Dark World, but when Goldd hit the field Naughton flipped Torrential Tribute! Williams lost his Germs and Goldd, Wu-Lord of Dark World, and had nothing to do but set a monster while Naughton took D. D. Warrior Lady from his deck for Sangan.

Naughton summoned it and attacked, but lost her to Night Assailant. Williams did nothing on the following turn, and Naughton just set a monster. Williams set a spell or trap, Naughton flip summoned Spirit Reaper, turned it face down with Tsukuyomi, but lost his field to Torrential Tribute. Williams set a monster, Naughton summoned Blade Knight, set two back row cards to bump up its ATK, and attacked into Treeborn Frog. It came back next turn in defense position. Williams set a spell or trap, and played Card Destruction to bring out Goldd and Sillva! He attacked with Goldd, but was again nailed by Mirror Force! He set Call of the Haunted and ended.

Williams attacked Frog with Blade Knight and set a fourth back row card. Williams played Call of the Haunted in his own draw phase, but Williams chained Decree! Snatch Steal took the Blade Knight, Williams summoned Stealth Bird, and activated Wave-Motion Cannon. Stealth Bird attacked directly, and hit, but Blade Knight’s attack was blocked by Scapegoat. Williams cleared out a Sheep and passed.

Naughton flipped Snatch Steal himself, taking back his Blade Knight, and set another spell or trap. Blade Knight destroyed the Stealth Bird in battle, and Naughton passed. Williams drew, noted the counter on Wave-Motion, and passed, keeping his in-hand card, Dimension Wall in his hand. Decree was just going to wreck him if it stayed on the field. He ate an attack next turn from Dekoichi and Blade Knight.

It was 6600 to 8800, with Naughton leading, and Williams passed again. Blade Knight and Dekoichi attacked next turn again, this time for 3000 due to Naughton’s hand presence. Williams drew and passed yet again, as Wave-Motion gained a third turn of burn potential. Naughton attacked for 3000 again, Williams drew, and went up to 2600. He played Dark World Lightning, destroying Sakuretsu Armor and discarding Dark Magician of Chaos. He set a back row card, the Dimension Wall finally, but lost next turn to a final Blade Knight and Dekoichi attack. The Decree had just ruined him, and James Naughton was on his way to the semifinals!