Jordan Nasser made Top 8 in Shonen Jump Minnesota last year. At 23 years of age, the Indiana native is playing a very successful Gadget build here this weekend, packing Dimensional Prison and Drillroids.
The 18 year-old James Neumann has traveled all the way here from Montreal, Quebec to represent Team Face2Face. A Top 8 qualifier in Detroit, he’s playing a Green Baboon Burn strategy with an unexpected side deck.
He won the roll and opened the duel with two set spell or trap cards and a set monster. Nasser set two cards to his back row as well, keeping himself out of Dustshoot range, and attacked with Breaker the Magical Warrior; Breaker struck Morphing Jar, and each duelist got a new hand. Nasser then used Breaker’s token to destroy Neumann’s Ceasefire, which he chained for 500 damage. “Go ahead.”
Neumann activated Foolish Burial, sending Green Baboon, Defender of the Forest to his graveyard. He set another card to his back row, and then set Des Koala. His other play was Spirit Reaper, but he wanted to get that damage in while Nasser still had plenty of cards in hand. Nasser summoned Green Gadget on the turn that followed, searched his deck for Red Gadget, and attacked with Green Gadget. The Gadget smacked into Des Koala and Nasser took a ton of damage as a result.
He flipped Fissure in main phase 2, leaving his opponent to pay 1000 life points and special summon Green Baboon. Nasser set a card to his back row, activated Hammer Shot to destroy the Baboon, and ended with another set spell or trap. Neumann flipped Ojama Trio in the end phase.
Another Foolish Burial let Neumann huck Treeborn Frog to his graveyard. He set a card to each zone and ended. Breaker attacked next turn, flipping Neumann’s Spirit Reaper. Shrink destroyed it, and Green Gadget attacked directly. “Go ahead.” The duel stood at 5600 to 4700 in Neumann’s favor.
He summoned Gyaku-Gire Panda, but lost it to Bottomless Trap Hole. “Go ahead.” Breaker and Green Gadget each made direct attacks and Neumann set a third card to his spell and trap zone. Breaker attacked, and Neumann activated Just Desserts. Nasser took the damage, and a second copy of Just Desserts ended the duel!
“I played badly,” noted Neumann. “I set a card when I should’ve taken Treeborn. I thought he had Solemn or Dark Bribe.”
“I don’t run that kind of stuff,” replied Nasser. It was difficult to tell if he was bluffing or not. Both duelists began side decking.
James Neumann takes the first duel!
Nasser started game 2, summoning Red Gadget and searching out Yellow Gadget. A set spell or trap concluded his opening. Neumann activated Heavy Storm, destroyed Nasser’s set Dark Bribe (he was bluffing after all!) and Neumann summoned Injection Fairy Lily. She swung her syringe at Red Gadget, Neumann paid 2000 life points, and Red Gadget went down. Neumann set Trap Dustshoot.
Next turn the Dustshoot revealed Nasser’s hand of Yellow Gadget, Green Gadget, Drillroid, Lightning Vortex, Solemn Judgment, and Hammer Shot. Hammer Shot destroyed Lily and Nasser summoned Green Gadget and fetched a copy of Red from his deck. Green Gadget attacked directly and Nasser set another spell or trap.
Soul Exchange let Neumann tribute Green Gadget for Raiza the Storm Monarch, spinning Nasser’s set back row card to the top of his deck. It was a beautiful play — it kept Neumann in control of Nasser’s plays and forced him to play Red Gadget with very little chance for any offensive potential. He summoned it, searched out Yellow Gadget, and as long as his set card hadn’t been Shrink he would have to over-commit. A moment later that’s exactly what happened; he activated Lightning Vortex, discarded Yellow Gadget, and set a card to his back row, attacking with Red Gadget.
Neumann just set a monster and passed back. Nasser summoned Yellow Gadget, searched for Green Gadget, and attacked with Yellow straight into Des Koala. He turned Red Gadget to defense mode, set a second spell or trap and ended. Neumann set another monster and play was back to his opponent.
Nasser set a third spell or trap, and tried his luck with another blind attack from Yellow Gadget — he hit yet another Des Koala, dropping to 3500 life points. Neumann drew, set a spell or trap, and lost it to Dust Tornado in the end phase — Pulling the Rug. Still, Nasser couldn’t get over those Koalas, and turned his Yellow Gadget to defense mode.
Neumann summoned Breaker the Magical Warrior, and after a lot of consideration Nasser activated Solemn Judgment. Neumann passed, Nasser summoned Snipe Hunter and missed on his roll as he discarded Green Gadget. That left him with just one card in hand — not enough to take down both Koalas. He discarded his last card, Bottomless Trap Hole, anyway though, and missed again.
Neumann activated Foolish Burial, sent Treeborn Frog to the graveyard, and tributed both of his Koalas for Light and Darkness Dragon! Nasser was stunned, and the Dragon ran over Snipe Hunter: Nasser activated Dimensional Prison to cut the damage, and Snipe Hunter went down. Nasser set a spell or trap next turn, lost Red Gadget to the Dragon, then set a monster. The Dragon wiped out Yellow Gadget, Nasser activated Nobleman of Crossout on his own face-down monster, the Dragon negated it, and play was back to Neumann.
He summoned Giant Rat and attacked Nasser’s face-down with the Dragon. It was Drillroid! That left Giant Rat free to attack directly, and left Nasser to offer the handshake.
Canada’s James Neumann moves on undefeated!