After taking a dark horse win at SJC Anaheim, Hooman Farahbakush is back in competition and undefeated. Now he’s up against Comic Odyssey star Augusto Mota. Farahbakush frequently uses a sense of table etiquette that I’d call “selective” in order to get into his opponent’s heads, but Mota is a long-time veteran. Any trash talking wasn’t going to faze him.

Farahbakush’s opening hand was so good that he didn’t need mind games: he opened with Confiscation, revealing Augusto’s hand: Mystic Tomato, Magician of Faith, Scapegoat, Injection Fairy Lily, and Exiled Force. He discarded the Exiled, set a monster, and ended.

“Want to see something funny?” asked Mota.

“Not really,” replied Farahbakush. Mota activated Nobleman of Crossout to remove his opponent’s set Dekoichi the Battlechanted Locomotive (Farahbakush lost two more from his deck), dropped Injection Fairy Lily and swung for 3400. He set one card to his back row and ended.

Farahbakush activated Graceful Charity, which he’d held from last turn, eliciting a laugh from Mota. He discarded Thestalos the Firestorm Monarch and Old Vindictive Magician, then set a card to each zone. The defensive play left Mota in a rough position — he swung in blindly with Injection Fairy Lily and didn’t pump, hitting Apprentice Magician. It was destroyed in main phase 2 with Smashing Ground, and Mota considered his options.

“So that deck doesn’t attack,” he observed, considering setting a monster. He did, and ended his turn.

Farahbakush flipped his set Heavy Storm to destroy Mota’s set Scapegoat. He then set another card to each zone and ended. Mota flip summoned Magician of Faith, took back Nobleman of Crossout and used it to remove Farahbakush’s set Magician of Faith from the game. Lily attacked but was destroyed by Sakuretsu Armor, and Magician of Faith attacked directly. Mota ended his turn by setting a monster.

Farahbakush summoned Breaker the Magical Warrior and attacked over the Magician. He set one spell or trap and passed. Mota topdecked into Graceful Charity! He did a little bobbing dance in his seat. “You’re so mad!” He grinned at Farahbakush, who was less than amused as Mota drew his cards. He discarded Mystic Tomato, Reinforcement of the Army and then activated another Reinforcement to dig for Exiled Force. He was really aiming to keep the pressure on his opponent, and it was working.

He summoned Exiled Force, destroyed the Breaker with its effect and then flip summoned Giant Rat. He activated Last Will, attacked with the Rat for 1400 damage and then used Last Will’s effect to bring up Sangan. Sangan attacked for another 1000 damage and ended with no cards left in his hand.

Farahbakush had his one set card and two cards in hand after he drew. It was 1900 to 5600 with Mota leading. Farahbakush set a monster, Mota drew and quickly searched his opponent’s graveyard. “It’s obvious we don’t play Don, so it’s safe to attack with Sangan.” Sangan attacked, hitting Mystic Tomato. Mota then shifted Giant Rat to defense position, set another monster and passed. “Go.”  He was keeping Thestalos in check by committing himself to the field.

Mystic Tomato attacked into Mota’s Sangan, letting him fetch D. D. Warrior Lady with Sangan’s effect. Finally, Mota had something in his hand, and he lost it just as fast as he gained it! Farahbakush brought down Thestalos the Firestorm Monarch, tributing his Mystic Tomato and forcing the discard of the Lady.

Pot of Avarice came off the top of Mota’s deck! He activated it, took back his two cards and then used Mystical Space Typhoon to destroy Farahbakush’s set Bottomless Trap Hole. Premature Burial then brought back Injection Fairy Lily, and it was all over! Rat went to attack position, Lily smashed Thestalos and the Rat attacked directly for game.

Augusto Mota takes the first duel after recovering from Graceful Charity and Confiscation in the early game!

Farahbakush opened the second duel with a set monster and nothing in his back row. “Let’s go agro,” said Mota, special summoning Cyber Dragon, clearing Mystic Tomato with Nobleman of Crossout, and summoning Don Zaloog. The resulting attacks caused 3500 damage and cost Farahbakush his in-hand Soul Exchange. Mota passed, Farahbakush set a card to each zone and continued to play defensively.

Mota activated Graceful Charity! He discarded Morphing Jar and D. D. Warrior Lady, and summoned Snipe Hunter! He didn’t use its effect with priority, waiting to draw out a Torrential Tribute. Farahbakush didn’t have it. Mota discarded Mystic Swordsman LV2, destroyed Farahbakush’s set Old Vindictive Magician with Snipe Hunter’s effect, and then ran some numbers. After some brief hesitation he decided to go for it and attacked with everything for game! Farahbakush had no answers, and couldn’t stop even one of the three attacks. The game didn’t even last three complete turns. Ouch.

Augusto Mota utterly destroys Hooman Farahbakush, in a 2-0 crush match that illustrates the Achilles heel of Monarchs: speed.