I swear, we're really not trying to feature these players . . . It just happens that their matchups are awesome. Neither player needs any introduction; Nick is playing an intriguing variant of Machine burn, and Kodi is the most popular player of the tournament. Nick won the die roll and the two exchanged friendly talk before the round. Kodi said he would win by spinning a card to the top of Nick's deck with Raiza. The response? "Yeah, right."

Nick opened by setting a spell or trap, and Kodi set two spells or traps with a monster. One of them was Trap Dustshoot, and it sent back a Drillroid. Nick summoned a Cyber Dragon and it ran into Sakuretsu Armor. Next turn, Kodi played Heavy Storm to kill an Enemy Controller, flipped his Dekoichi the Battlechanted Locomotive, and summoned Thestalos the Firestorm Monarch to discard another Enemy Controller from Nick's hand. He attacked for 2400 with the Monarch and passed. Nick played Cyber Dragon and D. D. Warrior Lady, following up with Smashing Ground and an attack for 3600 with his two monsters. He passed, and Kodi did a Book of Moon plus Nobleman of Crossout play to take out the D. D. Warrior Lady. He played Premature Burial on Thestalos the Firestorm Monarch and summoned Sangan, hitting down for 1300. Nick had Card Trooper and Machine Duplication, bringing two out in defense to develop his field. He put three cards in the graveyard to pump up the attack position Card Trooper, and hit at the Sangan with it. Sangan turned into a Gravekeeper's Spy, and Nick passed.

Kodi played Snatch Steal on a Card Trooper in defense, attacked at the Card Trooper in attack position with Thestalos the Firestorm Monarch for 2000 and the other with Trooper after dumping three in the bin and turning it to attack position. He set a monster and passed. Nick looked at his three card hand and grinned, having pulled something out of nothing. Nick summoned Mataza the Zapper and played his own Snatch Steal on Thestalos the Firestorm Monarch, attacking a face down Gravekeeper's Spy (who duplicated herself before hitting the bin). He ran over his Trooper for 900 with Mataza. Kodi set one and passed, and, after Drillroid attacked the remaining Spy, Kodi played Sakuretsu Armor on the Thestalos, taking 2600 from Mataza the Zapper. Kodi drew and revealed his useless Raiza the Storm Monarch for game . . . Well, his Raiza ended the game, but not exactly as he had intended.

"I have to admit, that topdecked Trooper was amazing." Kodi had to agree. The two players sided and shuffled as I tried to keep up with the amazing pace of the duel.

Kodi played first and set one to each zone. Cyber Dragon was summoned by Nick and it ran into Ring of Destruction. Nick set a monster and passed, and Kodi flipped his Gravekeeper's Spy for another one in defense. He tributed a Spy for Cyber Dragon and ran into a Des Koala, which did 1600. He set a spell or trap and passed. Nick contemplated his hand, finally offering a brief respite from the breakneck speed which finished one game in six minutes. It ended when he played Smashing Ground on a Spy and set two. Kodi attacked for 2100 and he took every point of it. Nick set another card next turn and Kodi hit for another 2100. Nick set again, Kodi went for another hit and Nick had Enemy Controller. Kodi set a Sakuretsu Armor, which was destroyed by Mystical Space Typhoon during his end phase. Nick summoned D. D. Warrior Lady and played Ceasefire, revealing a face down Banisher of the Radiance and a Gravekeeper's Spy, and tried to attack the Banisher of the Radiance. The game was forfeited after Kodi revealed his Mirror Force.

"Your record after this is gonna be x-2," quipped the astounding 12-year-old. "You're funny". Such delightful banter.

Nick opened with one to each zone, and Kodi summoned Cyber Dragon and played Raiza the Storm Monarch, targeting a Ring of Destruction which was chained. He passed, and Nick flipped a Des Koala and attacked for 2700 total damage, setting a spell or trap. Kodi set a monster, and Nick attacked into it; Gravekeeper's Spy. Nick set a card, and Kodi had Heavy Storm. Nick chained one Enemy Controller to put one Spy to defense, and another copy of Enemy Controller to take control of the Spy. Kodi played Brain Control and summoned Thestalos the Firestorm Monarch with the twice-stolen Spy. He attacked with Thestalos the Firestorm Monarch, switched a Spy to defense, and passed. Nick revealed double Brain Control and Card Trooper for a sad game over. Nick Synodis knocks out Kodi Justice in a rapid three-game match to stay on the bubble with one loss!