Besides Vitali Petrouchanski, Matho Müller was also able to make the Top 4. Petrouchanski commented on the Top 4 by saying, “Forget about Team Royal!” after I asked him about the success of the “Russian Elite Force,” who placed two duelists (Vitali Petrouchanski and Dimitrij Libenson) in the Top 4.

Teaming up is one of the trends of this year’s Pharaoh Tour and the success of some teams, like the R.E.F. from Frankfurt, had some impact on other duelists who were thinking about joining in a team. We’ll be risking a closer look at the Top 4 match between Matho “Maro” Müller and Dimitrij “Killer Snake” Libenson.

Müller started the game with the most popular opening move, setting a card to each zone. Libenson started with a little riskier opening move, as he set two spells or traps and a monster. Müller took the invitation, summoned Mobius the Frost Monarch and destroyed Widespread Ruin and Sakuretsu Armor, gaining a very early advantage. The Frost Monarch attacked into Mystic Tomato and Libenson fetched Sangan. The R.E.F. member from Frankfurt cleared the field with Dark Hole, searched out Spirit Reaper for Sangan’s effect, then the Zombie was summoned and attacked into Scapegoat. Libenson took down a Sheep token and set another spell or trap before passing.

Müller fetched Don Zaloog with Reinforcement of the Army and risked an attack on the Reaper, but Sakuretsu Armor destroyed the Warrior right away. Müller set a spell or trap of his own and was done with his turn. Libenson switched Spirit Reaper into defense position and he passed. D.D. Warrior Lady was Müller’s preferred solution for the Reaper problem, as it would remove it once and for all. Libenson set another monster and eventually passed. Nobleman of Crossout removed Libenson’s monster and D.D. Survivor dealt 1800 damage.

Libenson special summoned Cyber Dragon, destroyed D.D. Survivor, and set a spell or trap. Müller played Snatch Steal on the Dragon and attacked into an open field for 2100 damage. It looked like Libenson wasn’t happy with the way this game had gone so far. He took a deep breath, activated a Snatch Steal of his own, and the Cyber Dragon changed sides for another time. After attacking into a Sheep token, Libenson set another monster and was done with his turn. Müller special summoned Mobius the Frost Monarch with Premature Burial, then attacked and destroyed Cyber Dragon, and was done with his turn.

Libenson summoned D. D. Assailant and attacked into Mobius, then he set another card and passed. Müller felt quite comfortable behind two Sheep tokens and a face-down spell or trap, so he just passed. Reinforcement of the Army fetched another D. D. Assailant for Libenson. He summoned the Warrior, but Torrential Tribute cleared the field. Müller set two new spells or traps and passed, inviting another attack. Libenson set a monster and a spell or trap, but it was quickly revealed to be Widespread Ruin, since his opponent destroyed it with Mystical Space Typhoon during the end phase.

After setting another spell or trap, Müller was done again. Libenson flip summoned Twin-Headed Behemoth, but it was quickly sucked up by Bottomless Trap Hole. Libenson summoned D.D. Survivor and attacked for 1800 damage. Müller kept playing reactively by setting a monster and passing. Libenson attacked into Spirit Reaper before Smashing Ground dealt with him in the second main phase. Dark Hole signaled a change in Müller’s play—he summoned D.D. Survivor and dealt some damage. It was up to Libenson to play defensively, so he just set a spell or trap and passed.

Müller attacked into the Sheep, destroyed one of the tokens, and passed. Libenson set another card, but Dust Tornado destroyed the newly set Call of the Haunted in the end phase before it could be activated. Müller took down another token as Libenson set another spell or trap and passed again.

Sakuretsu Armor protected the last Sheep token, and Libenson had a quick revenge destroying Müller’s Call of the Haunted with a Dust Tornado of his own. Libenson summoned D.D. Warrior Lady and attacked for 1500 damage. Cyber Dragon and Smashing Ground were Müller’s solutions to sweep his opponent’s field clear. Libenson topdecked a Cyber Dragon of his own, summoned Exiled Force, and destroyed Müller’s Dragon with Exiled Force’s effect. Cyber Dragon changed positions due to Enemy Controller. Müller set a card to each zone, and Libenson attacked for a second time, but his Dragon was destroyed with Sakuretsu Armor. Müller flip summoned Sangan and attacked into an open field, then activated Swords of Revealing Light during the second main phase. Libenson took a look at his graveyard and eventually passed.

Sangan attacked for another time, but Enemy Controller saved Libenson a few life points before it was his turn again. He activated Premature Burial, bringing back Sangan, offered the little Fiend for Mobius the Frost Monarch, and destroyed Swords of Revealing Light and another trap. Spirit Reaper was quickly fetched for Sangan, Mobius destroyed Müller’s Sangan, and Müller fetched Exiled Force. He topdecked into Cyber Dragon and special summoned it before summoning Exiled Force, blowing up his opponent’s last monster. Müller attacked for the win in the first duel!

Game Two

Libenson started by setting one monster and one spell or trap. Müller summoned D.D. Survivor, but Torrential Tribute cleared the field, destroying Sangan and the Survivor. Twin-Headed Behemoth found its way to Libenson’s hand, and Müller set Sakuretsu Armor and was done with his turn.

Libenson summoned Twin-Headed Behemoth, dealt 1500 damage, and set another spell or trap before passing. Müller summoned Don Zaloog, activated Smashing Ground, and declared an attack with the Warrior. Libenson thought about the outcome of the attack for a second, then he presented his hand and lost Reinforcement of the Army to Don’s effect. Müller passed the turn. Twin-Headed Behemoth was summoned back to the field. Libenson summoned D. D. Assailant and attacked into Sakuretsu Armor. Müller finished Twin-Headed Behemoth with Don Zaloog and attempted to pass, but his opponent took the opportunity to activate Call of the Haunted in the end phase to bring back D. D. Assailant. This time, the Warrior was shifted to defense position with Enemy Controller. Libenson set another monster and was done with his turn. Müller summoned D.D. Survivor and destroyed D. D. Assailant, Don Zaloog attacked into Spirit Reaper, and after the Survivor came back to the field, Müller was done with his turn. Libenson continued to play defensively and passed. Müller attacked with D.D. Survivor into Sakuretsu Armor, but Book of Moon was activated in a chain to save Müller’s monster.

Mystic Swordsman LV2 was Libenson’s preferred way to deal with D.D. Survivor, but his newly set spell or trap was destroyed by a Mystical Space Typhoon in the end phase. Müller drew, activated Reinforcement of the Army to fetch Exiled Force, and blew up Spirit Reaper. Then Don Zaloog attacked directly, stealing a Cyber Dragon from his opponent’s hand. Libenson revealed Premature Burial, special summoned Cyber Dragon, and attacked into Don Zaloog. He set another spell or trap and finished his turn. His opponent only set a card to each zone. The R.E.F. member attacked into Spirit Reaper and activated Heavy Storm during the second main phase. Müller lost his spells and traps and Libenson lost his Cyber Dragon. Smashing Ground destroyed Spirit Reaper in the second main phase, and Libenson was done with his turn with no cards left.

Müller set a monster, and Libenson topdecked a spell or trap. He passed after setting it. Müller summoned Breaker the Magical Warrior, destroyed Dust Tornado with the Spellcaster’s effect, and attacked directly for 1600 damage. Libenson destroyed Breaker the Magical Warrior with Smashing Ground and passed. Both players just set a spell or trap on the next turn. Müller set another spell or trap, Libenson just set a monster, Müller removed it with Nobleman of Crossout, and it was again up to Libenson. He topdecked Reinforcement of the Army, then fetched and summoned D.D. Survivor before he attacked into Spirit Reaper. Snatch Steal made sure that the Spirit Reaper wouldn’t be much of a threat, and Libenson passed. Müller summoned Cyber Dragon, but its attack was stopped by Enemy Controller, then Müller passed. Libenson’s D.D. Survivor destroyed Cyber Dragon, and then Libenson set another monster and passed.

Müller drew into Swords of Revealing Light, activated it, and revealed Exiled Force. He summoned Chaos Sorcerer and removed Exiled Force. Libenson passed without another action, and Müller attacked into Sakuretsu Armor. He destroyed D.D. Survivor with Smashing Ground in the second main phase and passed. Libenson set a monster, and Müller set a spell or trap and passed as well. Libenson attacked with Mystic Tomato into Scapegoat and took down two tokens during the following turns. He tributed for Mobius the Frost Monarch, but Bottomless Trap Hole quickly sucked it up. Cyber Dragon made sure that another Sheep left the field, leaving Müller with only one token. Müller set a card to each zone and passed.

Cyber Dragon tried to attack for another time, but Book of Moon flipped it face down. Libenson tried his luck again and summoned another Mobius the Frost Monarch, but another Bottomless Trap Hole took it down. Müller set a spell or trap, and Libenson set a monster. Müller revealed a set Heavy Storm, and Libenson chained Scapegoat. Müller set another spell or trap and was done with his turn. Libenson only passed his turn. Müller set another card, Libenson passed another time, and Müller counted the cards remaining in the decks. He made a decision after some consideration and set another card, Müller attacked with Spirit Reaper into the last sheep, and during Libenson’s turn, another Widespread Ruin was destroyed with Dust Tornado.

Müller fetched D. D. Warrior Lady with Reinforcement of the Army. He special summoned Cyber Dragon and then D. D. Warrior Lady, and both monsters attacked into Spirit Reaper. Libenson was left with only 700 life points. Libenson was forced to play defensively and set another monster. Müller attacked with Cyber Dragon into D. D. Assailant, set another monster, and passed. Libenson cleared the field with Dark Hole and fetched Magician of Faith due to his destroyed Sangan, then he set a monster and passed with only two cards left in each player’s deck. Müller would be the first player to lose the game with no cards left in his deck, but he set a monster and passed.

Libenson set another monster, and Müller flip summoned Magician of Faith. Müller showed Dark Hole in his hand, and since he was able to pick Premature Burial or another powerful spell from his graveyard, both players agreed that Müller won the match.

Matho Müller advances to the finals!