Alright. We saw Mike Glowacki roll over Bill Fulfer last round, but this time he’s up against the reigning American National Champion, Adam Corn! If Reasoning Samurai was to have a proving ground, well, this would be it. Both duelists were fighting for their survival in this tournament.
Glowacki won the opening roll and got things started with a set card to his back row. Corn did the same and passed. Glowacki activated Reasoning on the following turn . . .
“Samurais, huh?” asked Corn. “I’ll call five.” Glowacki hit The Six Samurai – Zanji, special summoned him, and normal summoned The Six Samurai – Yaichi. Yaichi targeted Scapegoat with his effect, Corn chained it, and Glowacki special summoned Great Shogun Shien! Shien and Zanji each attacked a Sheep token.
Corn summoned Snipe Hunter next turn, discarding D.D. Crow to target Great Shogun Shien for destruction. He hit the roll, but Glowacki destroyed Yaichi instead. Corn set two cards to his back row, flipped Trap Dustshoot, and sent back Irou to Glowacki’s deck, his only monster. Zanji attacked over Snipe Hunter to end the turn: “Your go.”
“Go,” replied Corn, passing. Glowacki took another copy of Yaichi to his hand with Reinforcement of the Army, attacked with Zanji, and didn’t summon. He seemed to read Corn as having Torrential Tribute set. Corn had one Token left, but was holding Crush Card Virus. “Go.”
Glowacki summoned Yaichi, but sure enough Corn responded with Torrential Tribute! “You made the read but eventually ended up doing it anyway!” Glowacki shook his head, regretting his extension. He set a second card to his back row and ended.
Premature Burial brought back D.D. Crow for Corn. It attacked, and Corn set a card to each zone. Glowacki summoned Cyber Dragon and attacked, but Corn tributed D.D. Crow for Crush Card Virus! Glowacki lost his Cyber Dragon, and next turn Corn flipped Morphing Jar! Glowacki drew five new cards, four of which were over 1500 ATK but two of which were Grandmaster — since they were destroyed he’d get their effects, and he took back a Grandmaster and Nisashi.
Heavy Storm was Corn’s next play, destroying Glowacki’s set Magic Cylinder and Dimension Wall! Morphing Jar attacked and Corn activated Gold Sarcophagus in main phase 2, removing Pot of Avarice from his deck for the Sarcophagus’ effect. He finished his turn by setting a set spell or trap.
Premature Burial let Glowacki bring back The Six Samurai – Yaichi. He special summoned Grandmaster of the Six Samurai, used Yaichi’s effect, and destroyed Corn’s set Phoenix Wing Wind Blast! He normal summoned Nisashi, attacked over Jar, and then struck directly with three direct attacks. Corn dropped to 2700 life points! Glowacki set a spell or trap.
He drew next turn, with three cards in hand and Pot of Avarice removed from play for one more turn. Glowacki had a chance to pull this game out. Corn removed his in-graveyard Destiny Hero – Malicious to special summon another in defense mode, activated Brain Control to take Grandmaster of the Six Samurai, then attacked Yaichi — Glowacki destroyed Nisashi instead. Corn tributed the Grandmaster for Raiza the Storm Monarch in main phase 2, targeted Torrential Tribute and Glowacki chained it. The field was wiped and next turn Glowacki topdecked into Breaker the Magical Warrior only to lose it to the final turn of Crush Card Virus! Brutal.
He passed with no cards, and next turn Corn activated Pot of Avarice! It was academic from here on out, with Corn holding four cards to Glowacki’s none. Corn set a monster, Glowacki set a spell or trap and Corn activated Destiny Draw to discard Destiny Hero – Plasma and draw two. He summoned Snipe Hunter, missed Snipe’s roll when he discarded Malicious, and ran into Dimension Wall! Corn was down to just 400 life points. But two turns later it was over; Corn attacked with Sangan, Breaker the Magical Warrior, and Snipe Hunter for game.
A devastating Crush Card Virus shatters the spine of Glowacki’s deck, letting Adam Corn capture the first duel! Both competitors did some serious side decking before Glowacki opened game 2.
“I don’t know what to take out,” remarked Corn. Glowacki had some useful suggestions.
“Just drop, you know . . . Torrential Tribute, Mirror Force, Crush Card Virus, Gold Sarcophagus . . .” Corn laughed.
Glowacki opened with a set card to each zone. Corn scratched his head for a moment: “Oh man. I don’t even know.” He activated Reinforcement of the Army, searched out Elemental Hero Stratos, and activated Heavy Storm to destroy Glowacki’s Solemn Judgment. He summoned Stratos, searched for Disk Commander, and set two cards to his back row: one was Trap Dustshoot, and next turn it stripped Glowacki of Cyber Dragon while revealing his two in-hand Grandmasters. Corn followed up with Mind Crush, discarding the two copies of Grandmaster from Glowacki’s hand! Glowacki summoned Zanji, rammed him into Stratos, and passed with one card left in his hand: Irou. Corn set a spell or trap, set Disk Commander, Glowacki set one, Corn set one, and Glowacki set another. Somewhere along the lines Corn tributed Disk Commander for Crush Card Virus; the beating was too fast and furious to log accurately.
Corn passed, Glowacki set Solemn Judgment and lost it to Phoenix Wing Wind Blast, which let Corn discard Destiny Hero – Malicious. Next turn the other Malicious came out, Corn tributed him for Mobius the Frost Monarch, and Glowacki lost both of his set cards. He just couldn’t defend himself and over the next few turns as Mobius beat him to a pulp.
“My hand was ridiculously good this game,” confessed Corn. “I had Mind Crush, Trap Dustshoot, Heavy Storm, Crush Card Virus, Mobius, and Reinforcement of the Army.” Corn had all the cards and all the skills he needed, and there was nothing Glowacki could do about it.
Adam Corn moves on, still alive in this tournament!