After seven rounds of Swiss, and plenty of controversy, three members of Superfriends have made Top 8, and their two top players now clash and compete for the title of Canadian National Champion.
While Dale has won a Shonen Jump, and made day 2 a total of five times, Matt has made day 2 several times as well and has also competed in the National Championship Top 8 twice before. Dale Bellido went 6-1 with his Perfect Circle deck, which includes Crush Card Virus, while Matt Peddle also finished with a 6-1 record playing his Machine aggro deck.
Both players shook hands and wished each other luck, and, after a roll of the dice, Dale chose to go first.
Dale started off by playing Destiny Draw, discarding Disk Commander, drew two cards, and then set one in each row and passed. The next four turns were uneventful as both players drew and set monsters.
Dale played Mystical Space Typhoon hitting Matt’s Mystical Space Typhoon, then played Premature Burial on Disk Commander, and tributed for Thestalos, discarding Sakuretsu Armor. He attacked Matt’s face down Card Trooper and ended.
Matt thought for a second, then set one card in each row and passed it back to Dale. Dale drew and activated Trap Dustshoot to return Dale’s Jinzo to his deck. Dale then activated Nobleman of Crossout to remove Matt’s set Mystic Tomato from the game, and attacked for 2400 to end his turn.
Matt set one card to his spell and trap zone and ended. Dale activated Destiny Draw and discarded Destiny Hero — Malicious, following up with Heavy Storm, but Matt chained his set Scapegoat to save himself from suffering a loss that turn!
Matt drew and once again passed back to Dale. Thestalos attacked a Sheep and Dale set one card to each zone before ending. Things didn’t look good for Matt as he paused for a second, then passed once again back to Dale.
Dale tributed his face down Destiny Hero — Fear Monger for Raiza and targeted Matt’s Sheep token. He flipped up his two Card Troopers, flipped Morphing Jar, and attacked for game!
Dale commandingly takes the first duel!
Matt decided to go first for the second as both players side decked.
He drew for his turn and set one spell or trap, set a monster, and then passed it over to Dale. Dale did the same thing, setting a back row and a monster before ending his turn.
Matt flipped Dekoichi, drew a card, and stretched, complaining of his sweaty hands. He then started to count how much damage he could do that turn. Dale was shocked, and gave a startled cry of “Oh, you’re kidding!?” Matt summoned Card Trooper, played Machine Duplication to special summon two more, and then ditched nine cards to pump all three. Dale just sat there disgusted. Matt played Nobleman on Dale’s Tomato, then attacked with everything and they all went through, leaving Dale at just 900 life points!
Dale drew, and Matt activated Trap Dustshoot to get rid of Dale’s in-hand Card Trooper, eliciting a sigh from Dale who had accepted that he had lost. That was it for game 2!
Matt takes a quick second duel, moving the match to game 3!
Dale went first, activating Destiny Draw and discarding Disk Commander, following with a monster and a spell or trap to end. Matt summoned Cyber Phoenix and attacked Dale’s face down Sangan, which in turn got Dale Snipe Hunter from his deck with its effect. Then it was over to Dale.
He drew, summoned Snipe Hunter, discarded Treeborn Frog for its effect, and missed, then discarded Enemy Controller and missed again! He discarded Destiny Draw for one last try, and was finally able to destroy the Phoenix. Dale attacked for 1500 and ended.
Card Trooper was summoned by Matt and Dale responded with Ring of Destruction to make sure Matt could not use Machine Duplication on the Trooper. Matt drew into Cyber Dragon from Trooper’s effect, and he special summoned it to send it after Dale’s Snipe Hunter.
Dale got back Treeborn Frog, summoned Snipe again, discarded Spirit Reaper to destroy Cyber Dragon, and attacked for 1500 once again.
Matt summoned another Trooper and played Machine Duplication, bringing his last Card Trooper to the field. Dale shook his head at this, clearly distressed. Matt pumped his Trooper and attacked Snipe Hunter leaving the life points at 4600 to 6600 in Dale’s favor.
Dale summoned Elemental Hero Stratos, who got him Malicious, then attacked Matt’s Card Trooper for 1400 to leave Matt at 3200 life points. Matt studied his hand for a while, then played Premature Burial on his Jinzo, pumped Card Trooper, and attacked Stratos. Matt followed up with a set spell or trap and it was back to Dale.
Quickly, Dale set a monster along with a card in the back row and ended. Matt flipped Dekoichi and drew his card, set Sangan, set a back row card, and Dekoichi attacked Treeborn Frog while Jinzo attacked Dale’s face down Mystic Tomato, which special summoned Fear Monger.
Dale switched his Fear Monger to defense and set a spell or trap, rolling his eyes while he passed his turn.
Matt had total control at this point, flipping another Dekoichi for yet another draw, and then got out his calculator and started adding up damage. Matt switched Trooper to attack, pumped it for three cards, summoned Mystic Tomato, and attacked twice for game!
Matt Peddle takes down Dale Bellido, going on to the semifinals for a chance to become the National Champion!