Mike Zeits and Tom Mak are both from right here in Philadelphia, and they had two things in common. Both were playing Lightsworn variants, and both were on the bubble with an 8-1 record. The winner here would move on to Day 2 for sure, while the loser would have to pray for some insanely good tiebreakers to earn a seat in the Top 16.
Tom Mak is one half of Team AZN Carnage, the reigning US National Champions of Team Dueling. We’ll actually have the feature match from the finals of that event posted tonight on Metagame, but for now, Mak was fighting for a Day 2 spot here in Philadelphia. His opponent was last round’s Mike Zeits, coming in fresh off his win over Frank Schifano.
Game 1
Zeits opened with a set card to each zone. Mak fired back with Lyla, Lightsworn Sorceress, destroying Zeits’ set Royal Decree. He followed up with Foolish Burial, special summoning Wulf, Lightsworn Beast, and then attacked into Ryko, Lightsworn Hunter. Wulf went down and Mak set a spell or trap.
Monster Reborn got Zeits the Wulf, and he tributed it for Celestia, Lightsworn Angel. He sent Ehren, Wulf, Ryko, and Recharge to the graveyard, then targeted Lyla and the set spell or trap card. Mak chained the spell or trap, Phoenix Wing Wind Blast, and discarded Thestalos the Firestorm Monarch for its effect — that bounced Celestia back to Zeits’ deck. Wulf was then special summoned, and attacked for 2100 damage. “Go ahead.”
Mak activated another Foolish Burial! It got him another Wulf to special summon, and with two cards left he attacked his opponent’s Wulf with his own — Zeits activated Honest and Mak’s Wulf went down, the attack backfiring. He set a monster to end.
Lumina, Lightsworn Summoner was Zeits’ next summon, and he discarded Phantom of Chaos to special summon Ehren. Ehren attacked Ryko, Ryko flipped to destroy Wulf, and three cards were sent to the graveyard. Lumina then made a direct attack, and Zeits sent Honest, Ryko, Lightsworn Hunter, Monster Reincarnation, Heavy Storm, Jain, Lightsworn Paladin, and Mystical Space Typhoon to the graveyard in his end phase.
Mak drew a dead Wulf — his only remaining live card was now Monster Reborn. He activated Reborn to special summon Lyla, and then attacked over Lumina to end. He lost Treeborn Frog and two copies of Recharge in the end phase. Zeits tributed Ehren for Celestia next turn, sending Judgment Dragon, Garoth, Lightsworn Warrior, Lyla, and Recharge to the graveyard to pay for her effect. Mak lost his field in the ensuing plays.
He brought back Treeborn next turn though, then tributed for Prime Material Dragon! The Dragon ran over Celestia and Mak ended with one card in hand. Zeits set a monster, Mak special summoned Treeborn Frog and attacked with Prime Material Dragon. Prime Material hit Zeits’ face-down Necro Gardna, and in main phase 2 Mak tributed Treeborn for Thestalos the Firestorm Monarch. That forced Zeits to discard his last card. Next turn Zeits activated Brain Control, crashed Thestalos into the Dragon to destroy both, and ended.
Treeborn Frog hopped back to the field for Mak, and Zeits passed. Mak set a monster, Zeits set a monster, and Mak discarded that Wulf for Solar Recharge. He tributed Treeborn again, this time for Raiza the Storm Monarch, spun away Zeits’ monster and attacked for 2400 damage. Zeits was down to 3500 life points. Mak had just 500 remaining, but was in a far better game position.
Zeits counted the number of cards left in his deck after drawing for his turn — eleven. He set a monster, ended his turn, and Mak special summoned Treeborn Frog. Raiza attacked to destroy Zeits’ Sangan, the Sangan got Zeits Lumina, and Mak set another monster. Mak had Treeborn Frog, Raiza, two set monsters, and two cards in hand.
Zeits drew and had three cards in hand with nothing on the field. He special summoned Judgment Dragon though, and Mak had no way to deal with it! Zeits paid 1000 life points, Judgment Dragon smashed the field, and then attacked for game.
Mike Zeits recovers from a series of mid-game losses to make a comeback with Judgment Dragon! He was now just one duel away from Day 2.
Game 2
Mak opened game 2 with Lyla, and a set spell or trap. Lyla sent Treeborn Frog, Wulf, and Celestia to the graveyard in his end phase, special summoning Wulf! Zeits discarded Celestia himself with Solar Recharge, drew two, and set a card to each zone. In the end phase Mak sent his opponent’s monster back to the top of his deck with Phoenix Wing Wind Blast.
He brought up Treeborn Frog next turn, tributed for Jinzo, and then activated Foolish Burial! That got him a second Wulf, and he swung with all four of his monsters for game.
Game 2 ends in a heartbeat, as Tom Mak makes an early press backed by Jinzo to take an unexpected win!
Game 3
“I’ll start,” announced Zeits moments later. He summoned Jain, Lightsworn Paladin, ended, and sent Necro Gardna and Solar Recharge to the graveyard in the end phase. Mak set a card to each zone, and Zeits tributed Jain for Celestia next turn. He sent Premature Burial, Judgment Dragon, Mask of Restrict, and Brain Control to his graveyard for her effect, and Mak chained Phoenix Wing Wind Blast, discarding Wulf, to spin away Celestia. That left Celestia’s effect to destroy Mak’s Ryko, and Zeits ended.
“Summon Sangan, swing for 1000?” Mak played Sangan, pressed it forward, and Zeits nodded. Mak ended, Zeits summoned Lumina, and then discarded Wulf to try and summon it. D.D. Crow cut that short, Zeits set a spell or trap, then ended, sending thee more cards to his graveyard.
That let Mak tribute for Raiza the Storm Monarch next turn. Raiza spun away Lumina, and Sangan let Mak search his deck for another D.D. Crow. Raiza attacked and Zeits blocked the shot with Necro Gardna. Mak set Soul Exchange and lost it next turn to Heavy Storm.
Zeits summoned Lyla, attacked, and boosted her with Honest. Raiza went down, and Zeits sent three more cards to his graveyard. Premature Burial let Mak get back Raiza next turn, and when Raiza attacked Zeits didn’t have another Honest to make the save. Mak set a monster and Zeits was up again.
He set a monster, and lost it next turn to Mak’s Ryko — it was Sangan. Ryko sent three cards to the graveyard, Sangan got Zeits a Ryko himself, and Mak tributed his Ryko for Thestalos the Firestorm Monarch. That made Zeits discard Celestia, and after two Monarch attacks he was down to 1000 life points.
He activated Foolish Burial, special summoning Wulf. He had no Celestia for the follow-up though, and ended by setting a single monster. Mak summoned Lyla next turn, attacked over Wulf with Raiza, then attacked with Lyla into Ryko; Ryko destroyed Thestalos, and as Mak ended his turn both players sent three cards off the top of their decks to the graveyard.
Zeits summoned Judgment Dragon! “That’s a good topdeck,” he admitted. But he only had 700 life points, and couldn’t afford to wipe the field. Mak had 5500 life points left, and Judgment Dragon ran over Lyla. Zeits sent four cards to his graveyard in the end phase, including another Dragon. Mak set a monster and Zeits summoned Lumina.
He discarded Necro Gardna and targeted Ehren, but Mak chained D.D. Crow to remove the Ehren. Lumina attacked Mak’s face-down monster, Necro Gardna, and Judgment Dragon attacked over Raiza the Storm Monarch. In the end phase Zeits sent seven cards total off the top of his deck — just one left.
Mak summoned his own Judgment Dragon next turn! He special summoned it, wiped the field with its effect, then attacked directly — Zeits stopped the attack with Necro Gardna, but when he drew his final card it was no help: Necro Gardna. It couldn’t win him the game, and since he’d drawn his last card, he couldn’t win the match.
US Team Dueling Champion Tom Mak moves on with a 9-1 record, headed to Day 2!