Fate had brought two of California’s greatest duelists face to face here in Phoenix. Both of these competitors have been stars of the Shonen Jump Circuit since its inception, with John Umali being the very first Shonen Jump Champion of all time.
His opponent, Theerasak Poonsombat needs no introduction. The holder of the most SJC Top 8s ever, he’s The Creator of the format-dominating T-Hero Destiny Hero beatdown deck. He’s won the American National Champion title, but has never won a Shonen Jump Championship. This weekend, he’d be looking to change that.
Umali opened the first duel with two set spell or trap cards and Cyber Phoenix. In T’s draw phase he activated Trap Dustshoot, revealing T’s hand of Cyber Dragon, Night Assailant, Morphing Jar, Mystical Space Typhoon, Dustshoot, and Brain Control. “Cyber Dragon,” declared Umali, sending it back to T’s deck. It left the former American National Champion with no offensive action for the turn, and a second Dustshoot robbed him of Night Assailant! He had no choice but to set all four of his remaining cards.
He flipped Dustshoot in his opponent’s draw phase, sending Card Trooper back to Umali’s deck while observing two Brain Control and Premature Burial. “I want that sixth card,” he remarked, setting his remaining three cards to his back row. He attacked anyway, and, when Morphing Jar flipped, both duelists drew five new cards. Umali set a monster to end.
Theerasak special summoned Cyber Dragon, and then normal summoned Cyber Phoenix. Cyber Dragon ran over the Phoenix and Theerasak sent his Phoenix to attack Umali’s set monster, Sangan. It got Umali another Cyber Phoenix. T set another spell or trap to finish his turn.
Cyber Dragon was special summoned by Umali. “That’s fine,” replied Theerasak, and Umali added Cyber Phoenix to the field. His Dragon attacked Theerasak’s Phoenix, and, once T had drawn, Umali set a fourth spell or trap.
Mystical Space Typhoon flipped in the end phase to destroy the card Umali had just set: another Mystical Space Typhoon. T then fired back in kind, sending his Cyber Dragon to destroy Umali’s Cyber Phoenix in battle. He activated Confiscation in main phase 2, revealing Umali’s hand: Spirit Reaper, Nobleman of Crossout, Mobius the Frost Monarch, Card Trooper, and Jinzo. Mobius was discarded and T set a monster to end.
Umali fingered his set Brain Control, and then activated to take T’s Cyber Dragon. He tributed it for Jinzo, flipped his set Premature Burial and targeted Mobius the Frost Monarch, successfully special summoning him. Nobleman of Crossout removed T’s set Dekoichi the Battlechanted Locomotive from the field, and two more were removed from T’s deck.
“Attack,” announced Umali.
“Which one?”
“Mobius.”
T flipped Scapegoat! Umali refused to attack, and, on the following turn, T flipped Brain Control to take Jinzo and ram it into Mobius. Both monsters were destroyed, and T set a monster to conclude his turn. The duel plodded on.
Umali set a monster, passed, and T passed back. Umali set another monster, and T removed it from play with Nobleman of Crossout — it was Card Trooper. T set a spell or trap to conclude his turn.
Another set monster was Umali’s next play, and he set a second card to his back row next. T flip summoned Card Trooper, sent three cards to his graveyard for its effect, and then attacked into Cyber Dragon.
“You’re attacking my Cyber? You have a Limiter. I’ve got nothing.”
T didn’t have Limiter. He took 200 damage, lost his Card Trooper, and drew for his effect. Three more set cards and another set monster finished T’s turn. “Go ahead.”
“Draw a card,” announced Umali, beginning his turn. He set a fifth monster and passed back. T passed, and Umali tributed his set Card Trooper for Mobius the Frost Monarch. He picked his two targets in T’s spell and trap zone, and T chained one of them: Crush Card Virus! He tributed Night Assailant, and then chained Call of the Haunted to special summon Cyber Phoenix. Umali was absolutely shocked; he hadn’t considered Crush Card Virus at all. He revealed his set monsters, Morphing Jar, Spirit Reaper, and Card Trooper, and revealed his hand of Gravekeeper’s Spy and Brain Control, and his Mobius and Cyber Dragon were destroyed. The Call of the Haunted Mobius had targeted was destroyed, but since Phoenix was negating its effect it didn’t matter. Umali ended.
Cyber Phoenix attacked Umali’s set Morphing Jar, and T ditched a hand filled with monsters. Umali got two Machine Duplication, Limiter Removal, Nobleman of Extermination and Card Trooper, revealed by Crush Card Virus. Theerasak set another spell or trap, then a third, and announced that he was finished.
Umali drew and revealed Ring of Destruction. He set Gravekeeper’s Spy, and Theerasak sent Cyber Phoenix to attack and destroy Card Trooper. Umali drew Pot of Avarice. T set a fourth card to his back row and ended.
Raiza the Storm Monarch was Umali’s draw, and he was forced to discard it; it was his last turn under Crush Card Virus. “I’m gonna end my turn,” he announced. Cyber Phoenix attacked his Spirit Reaper. “Go.”
“I think I’ve almost got this,” announced Umali. “I’ll end my turn.” Apparently he did not almost have it. “All I need is a Heavy.” T passed back. Umali didn’t draw Heavy.
He activated Pot of Avarice, returning two Card Trooper, Jinzo, and two Cyber Phoenix to his deck. Umali drew two Cyber Dragon. He set a fourth back row card, tributed his set Spy for a face down monster, and ended.
Absolutely nothing was happening. It was remarkable. Even after Crush Card Virus, nothing happened.
Theerasak drew for his turn and ran some numbers. He flipped Ring of Destruction to destroy one of his Sheep Tokens, summoned Spirit Reaper, and activated Torrential Tribute to clear the field! “I got nothing,” replied Umali. “You got me.”
Overload Fusion fell from T’s hand! He removed a total of six Machines in his graveyard from play and brought out Chimeratech Overdragon! The Overdragon’s effect destroyed T’s set Megamorph and Machine Duplication, and it came out with 4800 ATK. It then attacked directly, and Umali had no response! Chimeratech struck for game!
A pro simplification of the game leads into a huge Chimeratech Overdragon, and Theerasak takes the win!
Umali opened with two set cards in his back row; amazingly, neither appeared to be Trap Dustshoot, and Theerasak set a card to each zone. He flipped Trap Dustshoot himself on the following turn, sending Umali’s Cyber Dragon back to his deck. “I’m gonna end my turn.” The Dustshoot revealed that Umali had sided into Goldd, Wu-Lord of Dark World.
Theerasak flip summoned Dekoichi the Battlechanted Locomotive and attacked, slamming into Magic Cylinder. Confiscation robbed Umali of Brain Control in main phase 2, and Theerasak set a monster, then a card to his spell and trap zone.
Card Trooper was summoned by Umali, and he activated Machine Duplication to special summon two more from his deck! Time was called, and Umali sent three cards to the graveyard for one Trooper, then the second, then his third. Brain Control took Dekoichi, and the first Trooper attacked, hitting Theerasak’s set Spirit Reaper! Still, Ring of Destruction destroyed it, and Theerasak was left to take direct attacks from Dekoichi and two Troopers. He was at 100 life points! Umali passed back the Dekoichi: “That was ridiculous.”
Three turns remained in the game: two for Theerasak, one for Umali. T activated Smashing Ground to destroy one Trooper, tributed Dekoichi for Raiza the Storm Monarch to bounce away a second, then attacked the third. He ended with just one card in his back row.
But Umali had nothing. His hand was Goldd, Wu-Lord of Dark World, Card Trooper, Machine Duplication, and Injection Fairy Lily. He set Card Trooper, set Duplication and passed.
Theerasak had no way to pull out the win though, and the match moved to a third game. Both duelists were disallowed from side decking due to end of match procedure. T spent some time figuring out whether he would go first, or if he would let Umali. Each duelist would only get two turns in which to secure a win.
He opened, and did so with Cyber Phoenix and two back row cards. He flipped Trap Dustshoot in Umali’s draw phase, revealing two Brain Control, two Dark World Lightning, Machine Duplication, and Dimension Wall! Umali didn’t have any monsters with which to try and win, but he wouldn’t lose a card to Dustshoot either. He destroyed Theerasak’s set Ring of Destruction with Dark World Lightning, discarding Brain Control, and set a spell or trap to end.
Theerasak summoned Card Trooper, boosted it to 1900 ATK, and attacked with both monsters. Umali would need Card Trooper to score the victory, Machine Duplication being his only out to a win.
He drew Goldd, Wu-Lord of Dark World. “You got me.” Umali offered the handshake moments later, and the crowd burst into applause.
Theerasak Poonsombat moves onto the final round of the tournament with a 7-1 record!