After an SJC win at the circuit’s last trip to Anaheim and a Top 8 just weeks afterwards, we haven’t heard much from Hooman Farahbakush. He’s here today to try and put his face back in the public eye with a day 2 appearance, but to do so he’ll first have to get through Comic Odyssey’s Augusto Mota. Augusto is mainly known for winning a side event Cyber-Stein, but he also made an SJC Top 8 in Seattle a couple years back.

Hooman won the opening roll and started us off with a set spell or trap. Augusto pitched Destiny Hero — Disk Commander to Destiny Draw and set a pair of spell or traps. Hooman flipped Heavy Storm, but Augusto flipped Call of the Haunted to pull back Disk Commander and draw two cards! Hooman set a monster and passed back to Augusto, who set a card to each zone. Hooman traded in his set Disk Commander for a Thestalos the Firestorm Monarch, and Augusto lost Zaborg! It was looking like a Disk Commander Monarch mirror match! Thestalos attacked into a set Mystic Tomato, and Augusto replaced it with Sangan. Hooman passed with no backfield and play was back to Augusto.

Augusto tributed Sangan for another Zaborg and attacked directly after searching out Treeborn Frog. Hooman set a monster and passed back to Augusto, who summoned Treeborn Frog and flipped Creature Swap! The Frog was traded for Hooman’s set, and Zaborg destroyed it next turn. Hooman had to use Snatch Steal to take Zaborg, but the Monarch was felled by Ring of Destruction before he could destroy the set monster. Hooman set a card to each zone and passed back to Augusto, who re-summoned his Frog in defense mode. Augusto opted to set a spell or trap and pass back over to Hooman, who used Mystical Space Typhoon to destroy Torrential Tribute before setting a card and flipping Morphing Jar and drawing each player a new hand! Augusto pitched a Destiny Hero — Malicious in the process, along with some Monarchs, while Hooman lost a Monarch, Sangan, and a Destiny Hero — Fear Monger. Hooman flipped his set Pot of Avarice to shuffle every lost monster back into his deck and draw 2 cards. He then activated Reinforcement of the Army for Elemental Hero Stratos and summoned him to fetch out Destiny Hero — Disk Commander. Stratos blew away the stolen Destiny Hero — Fear Monger, the Jar attacked directly, and Hooman set a spell or trap.

Snipe Hunter came down for Augusto, and he declined priority. Hooman agonized over his decision for a moment before responding with Torrential Tribute. Augusto couldn’t capitalize, however, and he set a spell or trap before ending. In the next turn, Hooman discovered that he had no legal monsters left for his Fear Monger’s effect, so he had to give it up. Instead, he set a card to each zone and passed over to Augusto. At this point he decided to remove Malicious to summon a second one and tribute him for Thestalos the Firestorm Monarch! Thestalos picked Fear Monger from Hooman’s hand and knocked him down to 500 life points! Thestalos attacked, but Sakuretsu Armor destroyed him! Augusto set a second spell or trap and passed over to Hooman, who set a pair of spells and traps along with a monster, doing everything in his power to hang on to his remaining life points.

Augusto set a card to each zone and then set another spell or trap after a moment’s deliberation before passing back to Hooman, who tributed for Thestalos! Thestalos knocked Malicious out of Augusto’s hand and revealed Spirit Reaper on the attack, prompting Hooman to set a third spell or trap before ending. Augusto added a set monster to his field and passed back to Hooman. During the end phase, Call of the Haunted brought Disk Commander back into the fold for Hooman and allowed him to draw two cards. He tributed Commander for Zaborg to blow away Spirit Reaper and attacked into Augusto’s set Destiny Hero — Fear Monger! Thestalos tried for an attack as well, but both monsters were subsequently lost to Mirror Force! Hooman set a spell or trap and passed back to Augusto, who retrieved his Disk Commander and drew two cards! He activated Reinforcement of the Army for his Elemental Hero Stratos and then checked Hooman’s graveyard before setting a spell or trap and ending. Hooman set a card to each zone, filling his last spell or trap zone, and passed. Stratos came down for Augusto, and his effect destroyed a bluff Premature Burial! He activated Creature Swap and passed over Disk Commander for one of Hooman’s set monsters, Stratos tried to attack for game, but Mirror Force blew him away instead! Augusto set a spell or trap and passed back to Hooman.

Hooman switched his Disk Commander to defense and set a monster before passing over to Augusto. Augusto tributed away Hooman’s stolen Frog for Cyber Dragon and attacked Hooman’s newest set monster! It was revealed to be Dekoichi, and Augusto filled his last spell and trap zone before ending. Hooman set a card to each zone and ended, prompting Augusto to draw. His deck was running thin. Augusto flipped Brain Control to take back his Disk Commander. Hooman looked confused, but he allowed it. Augusto then activated Pot of Avarice to shuffle Stratos, Snipe Hunter, Malicious, and two Zaborg into his deck before drawing 2 cards. He then removed his remaining Malicious in the graveyard to summon out the one he had shuffled back in. Augusto agonized for minute before setting a monster and sending Cyber Dragon to attack Hooman’s set Iron Blacksmith Kotetsu! He had nothing left to get with the Blacksmith, however, and play was back to Hooman. Hooman drew into Thestalos the Firestorm Monarch, and he tributed Disk Commander to summon the Monarch. Thestalos blew Mystic Tomato out of Augusto’s hand, but Hooman declined to attack. Play was back to Augusto, and he switched Cyber Dragon to defense and set a spell or trap. Hooman filled out his last spell or trap zone and passed back to Augusto, who flipped his set Snipe Hunter and pitched Brain Control to destroy Hooman’s set Mystic Tomato with a 2. He then flipped Snatch Steal, switched his Cyber Dragon to attack mode, and attacked for game! Augusto wins a knock-down, drag out battle against Hooman with less than 8 minutes to go in the round!

The player’s side decked at lightning speed, and, after counting everything out to make sure things were on the level, Hooman opted to start with only 6 minutes to go in the match. He started out with a set to each zone and passed over to Augusto, who started with Reinforcement of the Army for Elemental Hero Stratos. He summoned Stratos and used him to fetch out Destiny Hero — Disk Commander before setting a pair of spells or traps and attacking the set monster. Sakuretsu Armor blew Stratos away, and Augusto flipped Confiscation. He took away Hooman’s Snatch Steal and ended his turn. Hooman flipped Sangan and attacked for 1000 before setting a spell or trap and passing. Snipe Hunter came down for Augusto and attacked into the Sangan, prompting Hooman to fetch out Spirit Reaper. In main phase 2, Snipe Hunter missed Hooman’s set spell or trap and Augusto passed. Cyber Dragon came down for Hooman, but it fell to Sakuretsu Armor during battle. Hooman set a card and passed to Augusto, who pitched a card to destroy Hooman’s set Spirit Reaper. Snipe Hunter attacked directly, and play was back to Hooman. He played Premature Burial on Sangan and tributed it for Thestalos, pulling Snatch Steal from Augusto’s hand! Thestalos attacked, and Confiscation soon followed. Augusto lost his Cyber Dragon and was stuck with nothing but Thestalos as the game continued. He set his next two draws while Thestalos pounded away at him. Augusto couldn’t come up with a comeback though, and he scooped soon afterwards.

Play moved to game 3, but with 20 seconds to go this match was going to time no matter what. In fact, time ran out before they even finished side decking. The match would be decided on a 4 turn run-off, most life points at the end wins, and Augusto would choose who went first. Augusto decided to go first, and he started with a set to each zone. Hooman set a monster and pair of spell or traps, and play was back to Augusto for his final turn. He set a monster and passed, content to move to sudden death. Hooman set a third spell or trap and we moved to sudden death. Augusto set a spell or trap and tributed Sangan for Zaborg. Pulling the Rug negated and destroyed the Monarch, but Sangan still fetched out Spirit Reaper for Augusto. Hooman was back up, and he flipped Iron Blacksmith Kotetsu, chaining to his effect with Torrential Tribute to blow away Augusto’s Mystic Tomato. Hooman summoned Banisher of the Radiance, but lost it to Ring of Destruction and the game looked like it was going to continue. During the battle phase, however, Hooman flipped Call of the Haunted to fetch back a monster and attacked for the sudden death win!