London’s James Pennicott arrived at the feature match area before his opponent, the Swedish National Champion. Ever the optimist, he took the chance to malign his situation. “Last year I had to play four National Champions,” he moaned. “And just so you know in advance, Mike Powers needs a shout-out for the deck idea.” Oh, Mike Powers. You are truly an international phenomenon.
Hailing from Halmstad, Sweden, Sebastian arrived at the table and took his seat, but had forgotten his nation’s flag at his original table. He ran off to retrieve it, and then returned to the feature match area. At sixteen years of age he was clearly a bit surprised at having his first feature match. Armed with a T-Hero Destiny Hero beatdown deck, he had no idea what he was in for.
Pennicott won the roll and opened with one set monster. Öberg activated Reinforcement of the Army, prompting commentary from Pennicott: “Here comes Stratos, Malicious, and D-Draw, you watch.” Sure enough, Öberg searched for Elemental Hero Stratos, summoned him, and searched for Malicious before attacking! He hit Card Trooper, Pennicott drew a card, and Öberg set a spell or trap to end.
The Londoner summoned another Trooper, activating its effect to send Scapegoat, Lightning Vortex, and Magical Stone Excavation from his deck to his graveyard. Trooper attacked, destroyed Stratos in battle, and pegged the Swedish champion for 100 damage. “I’m gonna end my turn, and he’s gonna Brain Control, Machine Duplication, and Limiter Removal.”
Öberg dropped Brain Control, bringing a curse from Pennicott! No Machine Duplication though, as Trooper was pumped to 1900 ATK, attacked, and Öberg tributed it to set Malicious. “Go ahead.” The match stood at 7100 to 6100.
“Now it’s interesting,” remarked Pennicott. He activated Reasoning, Öberg called level four, and Pennicott ditched three spells and Magical Explosion before special summoning Card Trooper. The jig was up! He set three cards to his back row, activated Card Destruction, discarded Malicious and Jinzo, and drew two more cards. Pennicott removed the Malicious from his graveyard, special summoned another from his deck and flipped Monster Gate to tribute him away! He lost Call of the Haunted, Giant Trunade, Machine Duplication, Destiny Draw, and Monster Gate before hitting Destiny Hero – Diamond Dude, another four spells dumped to the graveyard. Pennicott then removed the second Malicious from his graveyard and special summoned his last. He activated Diamond Dude’s effect and sent Monster Gate to the graveyard! “Monster Gate for free next turn!” Pennicott was clearly elated, and starting to really feel his own momentum. He activated Card Trooper, ditched another two spells and another Diamond Dude, and then attacked.
Diamond Dude attacked the set Malicious and Card Trooper hit directly! Öberg dropped to 5200 life points and Pennicott counted the spells in his graveyard: 16. He set two cards to his back row to finish his turn. Öberg blasted the first one with Mystical Space Typhoon in the end phase, but it was only Lightning Vortex! Play passed to Öberg, but he only got as far as his draw phase.
“I’ll flip Magical Explosion,” Pennicott announced, dishing out 3400 damage. He let the situation hang for a moment. “And I’ve got another one to end the duel.” He flipped a second Explosion, and Öberg had no response!
James Pennicott wins an explosive first duel with double Magical Explosion!
“I’m sweating more than Chris Sorelle on a bad day,” noted Pennicott as he sided. Both duelists spent a great deal of time siding and shuffling. Öberg had lost, and chose to go first to begin game 2.
He opened with a set Mystical Space Typhoon, the rest of his hand consisting of Cyber Dragon, Ring of Destruction, Mirror Force, Brain Control, and Destiny Hero - Malicious.
Pennicott summoned Destiny Hero – Diamond Dude, used his effect (and whiffed, hitting Scapegoat), then equipped him with Divine Sword – Phoenix Blade. He tributed him for Monster Gate, ground away four or five spells, and then brought out Jinzo! “Two-Four to the face,” announced Pennicott, attacking. He passed with nothing in his back row.
Öberg special summoned Cyber Dragon and Pennicott immediately gave over Jinzo; he didn’t even need to see the Brain Control Öberg was about to drop. Jinzo and Cyber Dragon attacked, dropped Pennicott to 3500 life points, and Jinzo was tributed for a set Destiny Hero – Malicious. “Are you going to use your turn-ending ability?” joked Pennicott. Öberg nodded and passed.
Snatch Steal targeted Öberg’s Cyber Dragon, but Mystical Space Typhoon flipped on the chain to destroy it! Pennicott summoned Card Trooper, ditched three cards for it, and then attacked the set Malicious: he feigned surprise when Malicious was revealed. He set one back row card and ended.
Öberg activated Heavy Storm, destroying Pennicott’s set Divine Sword – Phoenix Blade. Cyber Dragon attacked Pennicott’s Card Trooper, and Öberg set Ring of Destruction. It was all over a turn later as Öberg flipped Ring to destroy his own Cyber Dragon and take the win!
Sebastian Öberg evens up the match with a fast, dominating duel! Both duelists sided and shuffled.
Pennicott summoned Destiny Hero – Diamond Dude, activated his effect immediately and failed to hit a normal spell. He set a spell or trap card and lost it next turn to Mystical Space Typhoon; it was Heavy Storm. Öberg summoned Card Trooper, fed it three cards, and ran over Diamond Dude. He set one card and ended: “Your turn.” Pennicott set two back row cards and passed back.
Trooper ate Snatch Steal, Destiny Hero - Malicious, and Cursed Seal of the Forbidden Spell! Öberg removed the Malicious to special summon another, then activated Metamorphosis to tribute him away for Ryu Senshi.
Pennicott looked at me briefly. “When you get back to America, I want you to hit T for me.”
Ryu Senshi attacked, but Pennicott flipped Scapegoat! Senshi and Trooper each eliminated a Sheep and Öberg passed his turn. Pennicott had earned a reprieve!
He activated Monster Gate, tributing away a Sheep to toss five spells and special summon Card Trooper. Trooper then sent three more spells to the graveyard, including Phoenix Blade. Pennicott’s Trooper attacked Öberg’s, and he summoned Exiled Force to destroy Ryu Senshi in main phase 2. It was 7500 to 6500, with Pennicott maintaining a tenuous lead. It would be short-lived.
Öberg activated Destiny Draw, pitching Destiny Hero – Disk Commander to the graveyard to draw two cards. Pennicott reeled: “No Prem, no Prem, no Prem, no Prem,” chanted Pennicott over and over, really not wanting to see the Commander come back with Premature Burial.
Öberg removed his second Malicious to special summon his third, then shuffled his hand: Dark Magician of Chaos, Heavy Storm, Pot of Avarice, Morphing Jar, and Snipe Hunter. Sure enough, Öberg flipped Call of the Haunted.
“Target?” asked Pennicott.
“Disk Commander,” replied Öberg, reaching for him.
“Yeah right!” Pennicott grinned and flipped Royal Decree! Oberg was briefly stymied, unable to bring back Disk Commander. Still, he activated Pot of Avarice to shuffle back Sangan, Cyber Dragon, and two Card Troopers, sending Ryu Senshi back to his Fusion deck as his fifth monster. Pennicott cut his deck five times, meticulous. Öberg still drew Premature Burial and Machine Duplication off the top.
“I just cut you two really good cards, didn’t I?” Öberg nodded and activated Premature Burial.
Pennicott’s heart visibly sank. “Okaaaaay, that sucks.” Öberg brought back Disk Commander and drew two cards. He kept on going, tributing Disk Commander and Malicious for Dark Magician of Chaos. He used the Magician’s effect to return Premature Burial to his hand, attacked Pennicott’s Card Trooper, and ended.
Seeing his time in the spotlight fading, Pennicott took advantage of the overhead camera displaying the match on four TV screens around the feature match area. He scrawled “ENGLAND IS AWESOME” on a piece of note paper and held it over the field. It drew some applause and laughter from the crowd.
Shenanigans aside, Pennicott couldn’t do anything but set a monster. Öberg summoned Card Trooper, activated Machine Duplication, and then brought two more Troopers from his deck. He sent a total of nine cards to his graveyard for the three Troopers, including Snipe Hunter, and brought it back with Premature Burial. He discarded Morphing Jar for Snipe Hunter’s effect, hit a four, and destroyed Pennicott’s set Card Trooper. A discard of Stratos brought another successful roll, destroying Pennicott’s Sheep token and giving him more than enough cause to offer the handshake.
Sweden’s Sebastian Öberg takes a crushing win in game 3 to claim the match, moving on over James Pennicott undefeated!