Moreno won the roll and opted to open with a set Dekoichi the Battlechanted Locomotive. Adair set a card to each zone, Moreno flipped Dekoichi the Battlechanted Locomotive, played Nobleman of Crossout to remove Moreno’s Dekoichi the Battlechanted Locomotive from the field, and attacked for 1400 directly. He set a monster, passed, and Adair drew for his turn.

He flipped Jar of Greed, set another monster and ended. Moreno flipped a second Dekoichi the Battlechanted Locomotive, played Heavy Storm to destroy Torrential Tribute, summoned Mystic Tomato, attacked into Mask of Darkness (Adair took back his Torrential with its effect) and attacked directly with both Dekoichis! The life point totals were 8000 to 3800.

Adair took one Dekoichi with Snatch Steal, summoned Tsukuyomi to turn it face down, flip summoned it, and drew. Smashing Ground took down Moreno’s Mystic Tomato, the two Dekoichis clashed and destroyed each other, and Tsukuyomi hit directly. Adair set two back row cards and passed to Moreno.

He summoned Sangan, attacked with it, and scored another 1000 damage. He set one spell or trap, and in Moreno’s end phase, Adair flipped Call of the Haunted to bring back Mask of Darkness. He played Tsukuyomi, trying to turn the Mask face down to use its effect again, but Moreno flipped Torrential Tribute, chaining to Tsukuyomi’s effect! Moreno pulled Exiled Force with his Sangan, Adair set a second spell or trap card, and play passed to his opponent.

Moreno summoned Strike Ninja with four Dark monsters in his graveyard: enough to activate the Ninja’s effect twice. The Ninja attacked, Sakuretsu Armor was flipped, and the Ninja dodged. Moreno set one spell or trap, passed, Adair set a card to each zone, and Moreno drew.

He played Dark Hole, destroying his own Strike Ninja, but summoned another. The Ninja attacked, but Adair flipped Book of Moon to turn it face down and block the damage to his life points. Moreno ended his turn and Adair passed back, unable or unwilling to do anything. Moreno tributed the Ninja for Jinzo, hit for 2400 direct, and set another back row card. Adair had nothing to stop the android onslaught, and Jinzo attacked one more time. Moreno claimed the first duel!

Adair was visibly thrown off. The duel had taken just a few minutes, and Moreno had the answer to every single play Adair made. Neither duelist side decked, and Adair began game 2.

He set a card to each zone and passed. Moreno set Mystic Tomato and passed back. Adair tributed his set Treeborn Frog for Zaborg, blew away his opponent’s set Tomato, and swung for 2400. Moreno summoned Exiled Force, destroyed Zaborg with it, used Premature Burial to summon back his Tomato, and hit Adair for 1400 damage before ending his turn.

Dark Hole cleared the Tomato, and Adair attacked with Spirit Reaper. It tore Moreno’s Dark Hole from his hand in turn! Moreno set a monster, Adair flipped Jar of Greed, drew, and then drew again for his turn. The Frog came back up on Adair’s side, was tributed for Airknight Parshath, and the Airknight pierced into Moreno’s newly-set Mystic Tomato. He pulled Sangan to the field with the Tomato’s effect, Reaper went to defense, and Adair set a back row card.

Moreno played Hand of Nephthys, brought out the Phoenix, and took Mystic Swordsman LV2 from his deck with Sangan’s effect. The Phoenix took down Airknight and Moreno passed. The life point totals were 3700 to 6100 in Adair’s favor.

Adair set a monster and ended his turn. Mystic Swordsman LV2 hit the field, and destroyed the set monster from last turn, which was another Spirit Reaper. Moreno passed, still leaving his spell and trap zone empty. Adair tributed his Reaper for Zaborg, and destroyed Mystic Swordsman LV2 with its effect. He then removed a Light and a Dark monster, brought out Chaos Sorcerer, and removed the Phoenix from play! Call of the Haunted brought back Airknight Parshath, and Airknight and Zaborg attacked directly for game!

The first two duels took less than thirteen minutes total. Both of these duelists had gotten to where they were this weekend through aggressive play, so it was no surprise that their match was proceeding quickly. After a bit of side decking, Moreno began the third and final duel of the tournament!

He set a card to each zone. Adair summoned Cyber Dragon, and attacked into Newdoria—both monsters were destroyed! He set a card to each zone, set a second spell or trap, and ended.

Moreno summoned a Cyber Dragon, summoned Mystic Swordsman LV2, and attacked: the effect of Mystic Swordsman LV2 flipped Adair’s Sand Moth! Cyber Dragon destroyed it in battle, but Adair had shut down a potentially huge turn for Moreno. Moreno set a second back row card and passed.

Adair special summoned Cyber Dragon and flipped both of his back row cards. Both were Jar of Greed! He summoned Tsukuyomi, turned Moreno’s Dragon face down, brought back his first dragon with Premature Burial, and proceeded to wipe Moreno’s field clean. When his second Dragon attacked directly, it was destroyed by Sakuretsu Armor. Adair set another spell or trap and ended his turn.

Moreno set Dekoichi the Battlechanted Locomotive and passed. Cyber Dragon smacked into it, and Moreno drew a card. Adair set a monster, Moreno drew for his turn, and flipped Call of the Haunted to bring back Mystic Swordsman LV2. It attacked Adair’s newly set monster, but hit another Sand Moth! The Moth came up, angry, and Adair played Heavy Storm, clearing the field of everything but the Moth. He played Reinforcement of the Army, searched his deck for Exiled Force, summoned it and used its effect to destroy the Moth. He set Book of Moon and ended his turn.

Heavy Storm destroyed the Book, and Adair set a monster. Moreno summoned D. D. Survivor, and it destroyed Adair’s set Tsukuyomi in battle, but was turned face down by Tsukuyomi’s effect! Adair brought out Chaos Sorcerer, attacked the Survivor, and Moreno fired back with D. D. Warrior Lady, removing both cards from play before passing.

Adair set a spell or trap, Moreno set a card to each zone, and Mystical Space Typhoon and Nobleman of Crossout wiped him bare. Adair had no follow up though, and set his last card, a monster.

Moreno topdecked Premature Burial, and brought back Mystic Swordsman LV2, using it to destroy Adair’s set Magician of Faith. Adair summoned Dekoichi the Battlechanted Locomotive, attacked the Mystic Swordsman LV2, and destroyed it. Moreno set his draw to his back row, passed, Dekoichi swung, and Moreno set another spell or trap. Adair summoned Breaker the Magical Warrior, but Bottomless Trap Hole swallowed it up! Dekoichi the Battlechanted Locomotive attacked, Moreno set Sangan, Dekoichi the Battlechanted Locomotive attacked it, and Moreno pulled Tomato. Tomato attacked Dekoichi, brought Don Zaloog to the field, and hit directly with it to discard Adair’s last card. He set a back row card, Adair set a back row card, and Moreno summoned Breaker the Magical Warrior! Breaker the Magical Warrior destroyed the back row card, Call of the Haunted, and Adair had nothing to chain! Both Don and Breaker attacked directly!

Adair drew and set his card, a monster. Breaker attacked it, Treeborn Frog, and Don hit directly. It was 1300 to 2900. Frog came back up, Adair summoned Mobius, destroyed Sakuretsu Armor with its effect, and hit Don Zaloog!

Moreno drew, and had Bottomless Trap Hole and Reinforcement of the Army in hand. The Reinforcement of the Army was practically useless, since he’d already used his Exiled Force. He set Bottomless, turned Breaker to defense, and lost it to an attack from Mobius on the following turn. Adair set a monster, Reinforcement of the Army grabbed Moreno a Strike Ninja, but next turn, Adair took it with Snatch Steal!

Adair attacked with each monster, and there was nothing Moreno could do to defend himself. Steven Adair of Team Hustle wins the duel, the match, and Shonen Jump Championship Long Beach!