I’m amazed we haven’t covered Jerry Wang yet in this event. After defining and redefining the metagame at nearly every Jump he’s been to since March, he’s now fighting for his life in the tournament at 6-2. His opponent this round is another Shonen Jump regular, Robert Ackerman, with multiple Day 2 appearances to his credit. It was a match between Gladiator Beasts and Dark Armed Dragon, with Heraklinos and Gyzarus being Ackerman’s big advantage over the darkness. “I’ve been having bad hands,” remarked Jerry, “you should stack me some good ones.” “Kind of hard, you know?”
Robert won the roll and opted to go first with a set to each zone. Reinforcement of the Army fetched Stratos for Wang, but he lost it to Mind Crush and had to settle for a set spell or trap.
Ackerman flipped up Gladiator Beast Hoplomus and swung for 700, tagging out to Bestiari in the end of the battle phase. Jerry chained with Torrential Tribute to off the Bestiari, and Ackerman set a card to each zone before passing. Allure of Darkness came down for Jerry, and Robert let it go. Jerry checked his cards and opted to remove Dark Grepher before dropping his second Reinforcement of the Army to fetch out Destiny Hero - Disk Commander. Destiny Draw let Jerry throw the Commander away for two cards. Jerry set a spell or trap and summoned Cyber Valley before passing over to Robert, who normal summoned Bestiari and flipped down the Cyber Valley with Book of Moon. Bestiari whacked the set Valley, and Robert tagged it out in the end phase for Darius, bringing the other Bestiari out of the graveyard. Contact Fusion was declared between Darius and Bestiari, and Gyzarus came down targeting Jerry’s set Reckless Greed. Jerry chained it to draw two cards and skipped his draw phase. Dark World Dealings came down for Jerry, and both players drew a card before discarding one. Jerry pitched Strike Ninja and Robert threw away Prisma. Jerry dropped Mystical Space Typhoon on Robert’s set card, but it was Crush Card Virus, and Jerry lost his Dark Armed Dragon! Brain Control let Jerry take Gyzarus and swing before he tried to tag it out for nothing. It was initially disallowed, and upon appeal it was upheld.
Gyzarus was tributed for a set Malicious instead, and play was back to Robert. He threw down a Bestiari and attacked the set Malicious, cycling out for Darius and reviving Gyzarus. Ackerman set a spell or trap, and Jerry pulled his second Malicious after skipping his draw phase. Prisma came down for Robert, and he cleared out Jerry’s field before reducing him to 2400 life points. Jerry’s last draw wasn’t going to help him, and he scooped it up for game 2. Robert’s Gladiator Beast tricks give him the first game over Jerry Wang! Both players side decked, and Jerry opted to start off the second game.
Jerry started off with Allure of Darkness, drawing two cards and removing Dark Grepher from play. Next, Malicious was pitched to Destiny Draw, and Jerry removed his Malicious to special summon the other. Reinforcement of the Army came down next for Wang, searching Stratos which in turn fetched Fear Monger. Jerry set Crush Card Virus and Torrential Tribute, and play was to Robert. Robert set three spell or trap cards and summoned Gladiator Beast Laquari, but Crush Card Virus wiped it and Robert’s in-hand Prisma was lost as well. Robert also had a Crow in hand, but he had to pass his turn for now. Jerry played his other Allure of Darkness—removing Destiny Hero - Fear Monger—then threw down Dark World Dealings as well. Both players drew and discarded Broww and Laquari respectively, then Broww let Jerry draw a bonus card. Destiny Draw pitching Disk Commander was next, and Jerry finally had the three Darks necessary for Dark Armed Dragon. He dropped one, but Solemn Judgment negated the summon. Stratos reduced Robert to 2200 life points, and Jerry set a card to each zone before passing. Crush Card revealed Robert’s drawn Test Tiger, and he flipped Monster Reborn to steal Disk Commander.
Disk Commander let Robert draw Hoplomus and Cold Wave, a card he probably wished he had before Jerry’s huge turn. Hoplomus dropped, and Test Tiger came down too to send it back to get out Darius and target Laquari for revival. Laquari came up, and Darius swung on Jerry’s set Jujitsu Master. Robert saw the Master and scooped.
Jerry Wang comes up with a huge turn, drawing a ton of cards and putting Robert Ackerman into a hole he couldn’t climb out of to win game 2!
Robert was up first for the last game of the match, and he started off with a set to each zone. Jerry’s hand came up almost all monsters, with four orange cards, Reinforcement of the Army, and a Mirror Force. Reinforcement fetched out Elemental Hero Stratos, and as soon as it reached his hand, Robert flipped Crush Card Virus, tributing Sangan. Jerry lost Elemental Hero Stratos and Dark Armed Dragon, and quickly revealed his hand—including Mirror Force, Disk Commander, Cyber Valley, and D.D. Crow. Spirit Reaper went to Robert’s hand as a result of the Sangan effect, and Jerry set Mirror Force and summoned Cyber Valley. Premature Burial targeted Sangan, and Jerry considered his Crow, but decided against it. Heavy Storm came down next, destroying Wang’s Mirror Force and getting Robert another search with Sangan, this time for Test Tiger. Darius was next, with Test Tiger swapping it out for Murmillo to destroy Cyber Valley. Murmillo swung and then tagged out for Laquari, and Robert passed with no backfield but a huge hand.
Jerry drew Bottomless Trap Hole and set it along with a monster. Spirit Reaper came for Robert, and he hit the set Commander with Laquari before to hit direct with Reaper. Crow came down from the hand to remove Test Tiger, and Robert set a spell or trap. Jerry drew and played Dark World Dealings, being forced to pitch the Jujitsu Master he picked up while Robert threw away a Laquari. Mystical Space Typhoon destroyed Jerry’s Bottomless, and a Darius was added to his field. Robert swung for 3800, and Jerry had one chance to stay alive. Destiny Draw wasn’t it, however, and Jerry Wang offered the handshake.
Robert Ackerman is still alive at 7-2, but he’ll still need some good tiebreakers to make it to Day 2!