Paul Levitin and Jae Kim are two of the biggest stars here today, but now they were pitted against each other on the bubble. A loss here would be a virtual death sentence—the loser’s only hope for a Day 2 qualification would be tiebreakers.
“So how many times did we play yesterday, like, 30 times?” asked Jae as he took his seat.
“Yeah, and you won how many? 29?” Paul grinned as both duelists shuffled up.
Levitin won the opening roll and shuffled his hand before setting one spell or trap. Kim set a monster and ended. Levitin summoned Cyber-Stein, set everything in his hand but Sillva, Warlord of Dark World, and activated Dragged Down into the Grave! He discarded Exiled Force from Jae’s hand, discarded Sillva himself to special summon it, and then used Cyber-Stein to special summon Cyber End Dragon. He flipped his set Megamorph to attach it to Cyber End Dragon, attacked through Jae’s set Dekoichi, and Sillva swung for game.
Paul Levitin takes the first duel with his deck’s signature trick!
“I think Drop Offs are staying in the side deck,” said Jae, eliciting a laugh from the assembled crowd. Both duelists began siding carefully.
Kim opened with a set monster, then set a spell or trap to match. “All you.” Levitin riffled his hand a bit and then activated Dark World Lightning on Jae’s set monster—Treeborn Frog. Lightning brought out Goldd, Wu-Lord of Dark World, and Sangan hit the field next to it. He attacked for 3300, set a spell or trap, but lost it to Mystical Space Typhoon in the end phase: Draining Shield. Kim brought back his Frog, tributed it for Zaborg the Thunder Monarch to destroy the Goldd, and then attacked Sangan. Levitin searched his deck for Morphing Jar, and Kim set a spell or trap. “Go for it.”
It was 4700 to 6600.
Kim activated Trap Dustshoot, revealing Broww, two Cyber-Stein cards, and Morphing Jar. “Choose Stein!” shouted Matt Peddle from the sidelines, joking.
“You make me want to weep,” said Kim. He made a jesting whimper. “Bad situation! You would have two Steins off that Dustshoot.” He returned one Stein to Levitin’s deck with the Dustshoot’s effect and Levitin debated his next move. “You make me weep, Jae Kim!”
He summoned the Stein and activated its effect, going down to 1600 life points. He spent more than two minutes deciding what he’d pull: Cyber End Dragon. The Dragon mowed down Zaborg, Cyber-Stein hit directly, and Kim was down to 2400.
The match stood on pins and needles as Kim considered his next move. He brought back the Frog, summoned D. D. Assailant, and attacked the Stein for 1000. Kim passed after setting two cards to his back row.
Levitin attacked with Cyber End into Mirror Force, a horrible turn of events for the previous Anaheim champ. He set a monster to end his turn, and when Kim revealed Reinforcement of the Army Levitin scooped—Exiled or Mystic Swordsman LV2 would mean game, and Levitin knew Kim had at least one of them remaining in his deck.
Jae Kim retains his lease on life and takes the second duel, pushing the match to a third game!
After much side decking, Levitin opened the third and final game with two cards set to his spell and trap zone. Kim set a monster and two spell or trap cards, then lost one to Mystical Space Typhoon in the end phase—Waboku. Levitin special summoned Cyber Dragon and attacked, but lost it to Ring of Destruction—each duelist dropped to 5900 LP and Levitin ended.
Kim flip summoned Dekoichi the Battlechanted Locomotive and dropped Confiscation. “Does Jae Kim lose to a four Dark World hand?” Kim chuckled.
“Yeah,” said Levitin.
“You must be kidding me.” Levitin revealed two Goldd, Wu-Lord of Dark World, a Sillva, Warlord of Dark World], and Broww. Kim opted to eat the Goldd, and it was special summoned to the field. His momentum stolen, Kim set a card to each zone and passed. Levitin attacked with Goldd into Legendary Jujitsu Master, and Goldd was returned to the top of his deck. That was bad news for Levitin, who was stuck with several dead in-hand monsters. He really didn’t need to draw that Goldd again next turn.
Play was to Kim, and he summoned Exiled Force and swung. He then flipped his set card, Swords of Revealing Light, but Levitin chained Dark Deal! He discarded Goldd on Kim’s random selection, and his opponent’s field was wiped! It was 4900 to 3900, and Kim had two cards left in his hand. He special summoned Cyber Dragon, used Smashing Ground, and attacked for 2100. Levitin set a monster and passed.
Kim used Reinforcement of the Army to search for D. D. Warrior Lady, hitting Levitin’s set Broww and then scoring a shot with the Dragon. Levitin set a monster, set a spell or trap, and lost his back row card to Heavy Storm—Dragged Down into the Grave was the card he had topdecked last turn, and Kim’s lack of an in-hand card had kept him from being able to activate it! That was enough for Levitin, who quickly conceded the game.
Jae Kim moves on after enduring a brutal third game, still alive in this tournament!