With one round left in Swiss competition, both of these well-recognized duelists had only suffered a single loss. They were both playing similar Dark decks, and, while the loser of this match might sneak into Day 2 on tiebreakers, the winner was definitely headed to the Top 16, and a one in four chance of going to Worlds.
Heras opened the first duel with Gold Sarcophagus, and searched his deck to remove Crush Card Virus from play. He set a spell or trap and ended. “Go.” Lux activated Destiny Draw, discarded Destiny Hero – Malicious, and drew two. He summoned Snipe Hunter, passed priority, and then attacked into Scapegoat. Heras flipped it, Snipe Hunter hit a Sheep Token, and Lux ended with a set spell or trap.
Heras activated Allure of Darkness, and removed Dark Armed Dragon from his hand to pay for the effect. He summoned Cyber Valley, removed it with a Sheep Token to draw two cards, then played another Allure. This time he removed Jinzo. He set two cards to his back row and ended.
“Anything in my draw?” asked Lux. Heras shook his head, but activated Trap Dustshoot in the standby phase. Lux was holding Torrential Tribute, Crush Card Virus, Brain Control, Destiny Hero – Disk Commander, and Jinzo. He had Phoenix Wing Wind Blast set, so he had to take some time to consider chaining it to save his Disk Commander. He eventually opted not to do so, and Heras sent Disk Commander back to his opponent’s deck. Lux then activated Phoenix Wing Wind Blast, discarded Brain Control, and targeted Heras’ back row card — It was Mind Crush, and Heras chained it to call Jinzo! Lux special summoned Destiny Hero – Malicious by removing the other from his graveyard and cleared Heras’ Sheep Tokens with his two attackers. He set two cards to his back row and ended.
Play proceeded to Heras’ turn, and he took his Crush Card Virus from the removed from play pile. But Lux activated a Crush of his own, and Heras lost multiple cards! He fought back with Heavy Storm, wiping Lux’s Torrential Tribute and then brought back the Snipe Hunter he’d just lost with Premature Burial. He discarded Malicious, missed his attempt to destroy Lux’s Snipe Hunter, and summoned Malicious in defense mode. A set spell or trap ended the turn. Heras had one card left in hand.
Lux set a spell or trap, and lost his Snipe Hunter to Crush Card Virus. He had one set card left to Heras’ Snipe Hunter and in-hand card. Heras drew, activated Reinforcement of the Army and searched out Elemental Hero Stratos. Stratos got him Disk Commander, and Stratos and Snipe Hunter both attacked directly. Next turn Lux lost his Dark Magician of Chaos to Crush Card Virus off the draw.
Stratos attacked directly, and Snipe Hunter attacked as well, lowering Lux to 1400 life points. It was all over a turn later as Lux lost another card to the Virus.
Hector Heras takes the first win of the match, coming out on the victor’s side of a double Crush Card scenario! Both duelists immediately began side decking. Heras was one win away from Day 2.
Lux opened with Destiny Draw, discarding Destiny Hero – Malicious. He set a monster, set a spell or trap, and ended. Heras activated Reinforcement of the Army to get Stratos, played him, and lost him to Bottomless Trap Hole — Stratos got him Disk Commander with his effect. He too discarded Malicious for Destiny Draw, and he removed Malicious from his graveyard to special summon another in defense mode. Heras set two cards, one of which was likely to be Crush Card Virus, and then set a third. He flipped Trap Dustshoot next turn, making Lux reveal his hand: two D.D. Crow, Dark Armed Dragon, D.D.R. - Different Dimension Reincarnation, and Solemn Judgment. Heras shipped away a Crow to keep Dark Armed Dragon from being a live card, and Lux set a monster. “Pass.”
Heras summoned Sangan and attacked with it, running into Spirit Reaper. “Go ahead,” Lux drew for his turn: “I’ll just pass.” Heras drew, pitched Disk Commander for Destiny Draw, drew two, and set another spell or trap. “Go for it.” Lux drew Heavy Storm, but with no offensive follow-up he opted to pass again.
Sangan was tributed by Heras for Crush Card Virus, and Lux lost his Dark Armed Dragon. Sangan went to the graveyard and fetched Heras Snipe Hunter. He activated Premature Burial, targeting Sangan for its effect instead of Disk Commander, but lost Sangan to D.D. Crow. He then activated Return from the Different Dimension — he’d relied on Lux removing his Sangan all along! Sangan, Malicious, and Stratos threatened to return to the field, so Lux activated Solemn Judgment. But Heras chained his own, and he summoned a fifth monster to the field — Snipe Hunter. That was all Lux needed to see — Snipe Hunter would blow away his Spirit Reaper regardless of the die roll, and Heras’ five monsters would finish the duel.
Hector Heras moves on, guaranteed a spot in Day 2!