Jake McNeely had managed to battle his way through his first Chaos Return matchup of the day, and had two more left if he was going to prove the true potential of his Japan-influenced deck. “I forgot to give props to Eli and Giel yesterday,” noted McNeely, giving a shoutout as both duelists shuffled their decks.

Harry Anderson is one of two members of Team Hpnotiq that made it to the Top 8. If he won here, we might be looking at an all-Hpnotiq finals. Both duelists were from Texas, and both were ready to compete!

Anderson opened by summoning Sangan and setting a back row card. He lost Sangan to Cyber Dragon on McNeely’s turn, but used Sangan’s effect to search his deck for Treeborn Frog. McNeely set a spell or trap card to conclude his turn, Anderson set a monster, and McNeely activated Mystical Space Typhoon to destroy Anderson’s Torrential Tribute, a pretty significant loss this early in the game. McNeely summoned Spirit Reaper, attacked Anderson’s set Treeborn Frog with Cyber Dragon, and forced Anderson to discard Mystical Space Typhoon with Reaper. He ended his turn.

Asura Priest came down on Anderson’s side of the field, letting him prod through some damage on Spirit Reaper. It then rammed itself into Cyber Dragon, allowing Anderson to special summon Chaos Sorcerer and remove Cyber Dragon from play. Anderson finished his turn by setting a spell or trap card.

McNeely summoned Cyber-Stein, and used its effect to pay 5000 life points and special summon Gatling Dragon! He used its effect, destroying Chaos Sorcerer on his lone heads flip, turned Reaper to defense, but then lost Gatling Dragon and Cyber-Stein to Mirror Force. He lost Reaper next turn too, as Zaborg the Thunder Monarch hit the field, paid for by Treeborn Frog. Zaborg attacked, but McNeely flipped Scapegoat and lost just a Sheep Token. Anderson ended with no back row.

McNeely punished him for it, stealing Zaborg with Snatch Steal and summoning Kycoo. Both monsters hit, stripping Treeborn Frog from Anderson’s graveyard: “And the tech pays off!” exclaimed McNeely cheerily. He set a spell or trap card and passed. There was a brief life point dispute, and after mediation from the table judge, the life point totals were reviewed and found to be 1600 to 2000 with Anderson leading.

“If I ever needed Heavy . . . ” remarked Anderson. He set a card to each zone and passed.

McNeely activated Nobleman of Crossout and that was it for Anderson, who scooped out of the first duel! McNeely, with a smile a mile wide, raised Gatling Dragon into the air and kissed it before returning it to his fusion deck.

Both duelists side decked a bit, and when Anderson finished he rubbed his eyes: apparently, his contact lens was driving him nuts. “I’m about to go one-eyed here,” he said. Ouch. Semifinals of a Shonen Jump Championship with a contact lens issue—not the easiest way to compete. He drew his opening hand and began the second duel.

He set a card to each zone, and McNeely summoned Asura Priest to attack. Anderson countered with Book of Moon, McNeely set a spell or trap card, and Anderson flip summoned Dekoichi the Battlechanted Locomotive. Dekoichi cleared out Asura Priest, Anderson turned Dekoichi face down with Tsukuyomi, set a spell or trap, and McNeely rolled his head, cursing quietly. He was not happy about the loop.

He summoned Mystic Tomato next turn and attacked the Dekoichi. It paid off, destroying the train and at least cutting short the loop. He set a second spell or trap and ended. It was Anderson’s turn to summon Asura Priest, and after some brief consideration (or bluffing), McNeely let the attack through. He special summoned Sangan with the Tomato’s effect, and lost it to a successive attack from Asura. Sangan hit the graveyard, McNeely used its effect to search his deck for D. D. Warrior Lady, and Anderson set a second spell or trap to match McNeely and conclude his turn.

McNeely set a card to each zone, upping the Ante in the back row yet again. Anderson special summoned Cyber Dragon, flipped Nobleman of Crossout, removed McNeely’s Magician of Faith from the field, and each duelist stripped their deck of one more copy. Cyber Dragon attacked, but McNeely activated Mirror Force to destroy it. Anderson set a spell or trap, but Mystical Space Typhoon flipped to destroy it, revealing it as Sakuretsu Armor. McNeely then special summoned Cyber Dragon, normal summoned D. D. Warrior Lady, and attacked with the Lady. D. D. Warrior Lady hit Magician of Faith, and Anderson took back Book of Moon. Cyber Dragon hit directly, and it was 5900 to 7000. McNeely set a second spell or trap card and ended.

Anderson summoned Asura Priest, attacked into Cyber Dragon, and used Book of Moon to turn Dragon face down. Asura then attacked D. D. Warrior Lady, and both were removed from play. Anderson set a spell or trap and ended.

McNeely knocked him around next turn with Asura Priest. Anderson special summoned Chaos Sorcerer, attacked, and hit directly through McNeely’s two set spell or trap cards. He set a card to each zone and play was to McNeely.

McNeely summoned Asura Priest and attacked the face down monster, Sangan. Anderson used its effect to pull Treeborn Frog from his deck. Anderson then played Creature Swap in main phase 2, but Anderson countered by tributing his Chaos Sorcerer for Enemy Controller so McNeely couldn’t take it. McNeely passed, Anderson set a monster and passed, and play was back to McNeely.

Anderson had four cards in hand and a set monster. McNeely summoned Asura Priest, flipped Return from the Different Dimension, special summoned D. D. Warrior Lady and two Magician of Faith, and attacked with D. D. Warrior Lady. It hit Dekoichi the Battlechanted Locomotive, and McNeely removed both monsters. Asura Priest and the two Magician of Faith hit, Asura Priest bounced, and the two Magician of Faith were removed. It was 2250 to 1900 with McNeely leading. “Oh my gosh, that sucked,” said McNeely as he passed play.

Anderson summoned Breaker the Magical Warrior, but broke Enemy Controller, which was chained to turn Breaker to defense! Confiscation robbed McNeely of Asura Priest, revealing Mystic Swordsman LV2. Anderson passed with 900 life points.

“I’m a sack!” exclaimed McNeely! He’d topdecked into Cyber Dragon, and Anderson had no spell or trap cards set! Cyber Dragon hit the field, McNeely summoned his last card, Mystic Swordsman LV2, and Cyber Dragon destroyed the Breaker in battle. Mystic Swordsman LV2’s 900 ATK was just enough to finish off Anderson’s 900 life points. Jake McNeely is going to the finals!

“I hate you, Home Alone!” yelled Anderson good-naturedly, using McNeely’s not-so-flattering nickname. “You’re such a sack” said a grinning Matt Laurents, giving McNeely a pat on the back. Virtually everyone in the building was rooting for Jake McNeely, his fallen opponents included.