Brodie Heinrichsen is a familiar face! One of three members of Project D. that carried the monster-free Chain Strike burn deck into Shonen Jump Championship San Jose last year, the 24 year-old graphic designer now resides in nearby Chandler, Arizona. He’s back, and this time with a new Chain burn variant that main decks several monsters.

He’s up against friend and roomie Joshua Coleman. At twenty years of age, the firefighter-in-training traveled here from Los Angeles. “I actually stayed at Brodie’s house to come out here,” he explained with a smile.

“You’re not staying there tonight if you beat me!” exclaimed Heinrichsen with a grin. He opened the first duel with three set cards to his spell and trap zone.

Coleman summoned Card Trooper, buffed it to 1900 ATK, and attacked directly. “I’ll take 19,” confirmed Heinrichsen. He drew for his turn, flipped Ojama Trio, and Coleman took his three Tokens. One was tributed, along with Card Trooper, for Lava Golem! Heinrichsen set two back row cards and ended.

He tried to activate Ojama Trio in Coleman’s draw phase, but he had miscounted: Coleman of course had three monsters, two Tokens and one Lava Golem. Still, the Golem burned Coleman and Threatening Roar held it off. Coleman tributed it for a set monster and ended.

Heinrichsen drew for his turn, and then activated Jar of Greed to draw a card. He tributed another Token, plus the set monster, Destiny Hero – Dasher, for another Lava Golem! Heinrichsen set another spell or trap, his last card, and ended.

“Now I can activate that Ojama Trio!” He did, and Coleman was stuck with four Tokens in his draw phase. He took 1000 damage from the Golem in his standby, and was then burned by Ceasefire for 500 and Just Desserts for 2500. Still, Coleman tributed the Golem for Jinzo and ended with 3000 life points.

Heinrichsen drew, set his back row card and ended. Jinzo swung directly. Heinrichsen topped into another Lava Golem, tributed Jinzo and a Token for it, and then activated Reckless Greed! He activated Tremendous Fire, dropping Coleman to 2000 life points, and set his back row card. However, he lost it to Mystical Space Typhoon, and next turn Coleman swung directly for game!

Brodie Heinrichsen’s Chain burn deck fails to . . . chain . . . anything at all, actually, and Joshua Coleman takes the first duel!

Both competitors took to some serious side decking. Heinrichsen is dependent on winning game 1, and his previous loss today was the only game where he failed to do so. He would have his work cut out for him.

“Most games today where I started with Jinzo in hand I was mad about,” remarked Coleman, as Heinrichsen started the second duel. Heinrichsen set two back row cards and passed to Coleman, who summoned Elemental Hero Stratos and searched his deck for Destiny Hero – Malicious with his effect. Destiny Draw sent Malicious to the graveyard and Stratos attacked directly for 1800 damage. “Go,” said Coleman.

Heinrichsen drew and took some time considering his options, before setting Just Desserts; it was destroyed in his end phase by Coleman’s set Mystical Space Typhoon. Coleman special summoned Destiny Hero – Malicious on his turn by removing the first from his graveyard, and Heinrichsen responded to the summon with Secret Barrel. “Activate Metamorphosis,” announced Coleman, trading Malicious for Ryu Senshi.

“Torrential,” replied Heinrichsen, flipping Torrential Tribute. “I’ll pay,” replied Coleman, who paid 1000 life points to negate the trap with Ryu Senshi. He summoned Snipe Hunter and attacked with all three of his monsters, reducing Heinrichsen to just 900 life points.

Things looked grim for Heinrichsen. With a hand that included two Brain Control and Ring of Destruction, there was almost nothing he could do. He tributed Stratos and Ryu Senshi for Lava Golem, took it back with Brain Control, and he dropped to 100 life points. Lava Golem attacked Snipe Hunter, and Heinrichsen set two cards to end his turn.

Coleman drew for his turn, and took 1000 damage. It dropped him to 2900 life points, and Heinrichsen played to his only out: Ring of Destruction! He flipped it, targeted the Lava Golem, and the resulting damage finished off both duelists. The match would proceed to a third game, with neither duelist yet claiming victory.

Nineteen minutes remained in the round!

Heinrichsen opened with a quick set of two cards to his spell and trap zone. Coleman summoned Morphing Jar and attacked, drawing a look of befuddlement from Heinrichsen. “Sure, I’ll take 700.” Coleman set a spell or trap to end. Isn’t Morphing Jar the kind of thing you side out in this matchup?

Heinrichsen activated Mystical Space Typhoon, destroying Coleman’s set Call of the Haunted and then attacking over Morphing Jar with Asura Priest. He returned the Priest to his hand and passed. Coleman passed back, not doing anything, and took 1700 damage next turn from Asura. Heinrichsen set a third back row card and ended.

Weird stuff.

Coleman drew and shook his head. He summoned Exiled Force, and then attacked for 1000 damage. Heinrichsen summoned the Asura Priest for a third time and smacked Exiled, dropping Coleman to 4600 life points.

Premature Burial brought back Coleman’s Morphing Jar. “That’s cool,” replied Heinrichsen. He tributed it for Mobius the Frost Monarch, picked two targets from Heinrichsen’s three set back row cards, and Heinrichsen chained them both: Just Desserts for 500 damage and Scapegoat. “Hit a Sheep,” declared Coleman, attacking, and Heinrichsen was up.

He set two more cards to his spell and trap zone, then a fourth, and finally a fifth: Chain Strike. Coleman summoned Sangan and attacked two Sheep. “Go. Lava Golem?”

Heinrichsen didn’t have it; his hand consisted of Asura Priest, Twister, and Offerings to the Doomed. He activated Just Desserts and didn’t chain anything. He then summoned Asura Priest, attacked Sangan, and Coleman went down to 1600 life points. “Searching for Card Trooper,” announced Coleman, taking it from his deck with Sangan’s effect. Heinrichsen set a fifth spell or trap again and ended.

Mobius the Frost Monarch attacked the remaining Sheep Token, destroying it. “Go.” Heinrichsen drew Dimension Wall, but had no place to set it! He summoned Asura Priest, flipped Offerings to the Doomed and destroyed Mobius — that was it. Asura attacked directly and Coleman plunged below 0 life points!

The match moved to a fourth game! Both duelists were very careful about their siding and shuffling.

“You’re gonna start, right?” asked Heinrichsen.

“Yes, sir,” confirmed Coleman, who set a single spell or trap and ended. “Go.”

Heinrichsen set three cards to his spell and trap zone, then a monster. Coleman set another and passed, prompting Heinrichsen to flip summon Des Koala! Its effect dealt 2000 damage to Coleman, and it attacked for another 1100.

“You said you had five in hand?” Coleman confirmed. Heinrichsen set another spell or trap, Coleman set a monster, and Heinrichsen was once again the turn player. It seemed as if Coleman was suffering some major problems.

Des Koala went to defense position and Heinrichsen set a fifth card. Coleman tributed his set monster, Destiny Hero – Disk Commander, for Mobius the Frost Monarch, and selected two targets. One of them, Scapegoat, was chained, and Heinrichsen chained Secret Barrel! He followed it up with Chain Strike at chain link 4, dealing 1600 damage. It resolved, and Secret Barrel dealt another 1600. Scapegoat resolved and Mobius’ other target, Magic Cylinder, was destroyed. Coleman had 1700 life points left.

Mobius attacked the Des Koala to destroy it. Coleman was in a very bad position: he set another spell or trap and ended.

Heinrichsen activated Brain Control to target Mobius, and Coleman offered the handshake! There was nothing he could do!

Coleman was beside himself. “Look at my hand!” He flopped his cards to the table: Dark Magician of Chaos, Mystical Space Typhoon, Metamorphosis, and three copies of Destiny Hero – Malicious. All three had been in his opening hand. Ouch.

Brodie Heinrichsen moves on with a 5-1 record, Day 2 dreams still alive!