“Man, this is lovely,” remarked Bellido, who was now pitted against his teammate. This was the exact same match these two competitors had fought last year, also in round 3. This time though, both duelists were still undefeated.

“This is what happens when your National Championship is a hundred people,” noted Simoes. Both duelists were taking things in stride, but neither was happy to be playing a friend this early.

Bellido won the roll and swiftly opened the first duel with a set monster and two set cards to his spell and trap zone. Simoes brought out Cyber Dragon, swung into Sakuretsu Armor, and set a monster, then a card to his back row. Bellido summoned Snipe Hunter, discarded Thestalos the Firestorm Monarch to target Simoes’ set monster with Snipe Hunter’s effect, and hit, but the monster he destroyed was Sangan! Simoes used Sangan’s effect to search his deck for Card Trooper. Another Snipe Hunter shot from Bellido discarded Raiza the Storm Monarch, but his target turned out to be Scapegoat, and Simoes chained it! He thought he was in a good position, having gotten Bellido to waste two cards through Snipe Hunter, but The Boss had one last trick up his sleeve . . .

Bellido flipped Morphing Jar and attacked two Sheep, admiring his new hand. Simoes gave a groan: things had been going so well.

Simoes set a card to each zone and passed again. “This could be very bad for me,” remarked Dale, discarding Destiny Hero — Fear Monger to Snipe Hunter to target Simoes’ back row card. He missed, but hit on his second try, discarding Card Trooper. Snipe Hunter’s effect destroyed Limiter Removal.

He then used Reinforcement of the Army to search his deck for Elemental Hero Stratos, who he summoned to search for Malicious. Simoes heaved a sigh. Bellido discarded Malicious to destroy his opponent’s set Dekoichi next, cleared the remaining Sheep with Morphing Jar and Snipe Hunter, then attacked directly with Elemental Hero Stratos. Call of the Haunted let Bellido bring back Thestalos during his battle phase and he made yet another attack!

It was 3800 to 8000 and Bellido passed, in total control of the game. There was nothing Simoes could do and he scooped after seeing his next draw.

He spent quite a while contemplating what he might side against Dale, briefly considering scooping then and there: “I’ve lost this.” A verbal prod from Bellido sent Simoes to his side deck though, and a couple minutes later the second duel was underway.

A set monster, then a set spell or trap opened the game for Simoes. Bellido fired back with the same, but lost his set Torrential Tribute to Mystical Space Typhoon in his end phase. Simoes flip summoned his set Dekoichi, summoned Banisher of the Radiance, and attacked with it, destroying and removing Card Trooper from Bellido’s side of the field! Dekoichi attacked directly, Simoes set a spell or trap, and Dale set a card to each zone. “Go ahead.”

Dekoichi was tributed for Raiza the Storm Monarch, and Simoes used Raiza’s effect to target Bellido’s set card in his spell and trap zone. It was chained: Enemy Controller! Bellido used its second effect to tribute his set Destiny Hero — Fear Monger, taking control of Raiza to stave off further aggression. Simoes looked over the field for a moment and then simply ended his turn, taking back Raiza. Dale was keeping himself in the game but was losing cards quickly: his fate seemed inevitable. He set a card to each zone and play was back to Simoes.

Heavy Storm removed Bellido’s set bluff, Pot of Avarice, from the game thanks to Banisher. Two turns later Bellido conceded. It was a total beating, and Simoes’ crushed spirits seemed to be rejuvenated.

Chris Simoes makes a huge comeback, sweeping Bellido in a matter of turns!

“That was bad,” noted Dale, a bit concerned.

“Yeah, I beat you just as bad as you beat me in the first game!” Simoes grinned.

“Uh-huh.” Dale paused. “You’re off the team.” Simoes laughed.

Banisher of the Radiance stomps a hole through Dale Bellido, pressing this match to a third and final duel!

After some more side decking Bellido opened with a set card to each zone. Simoes drew for his turn and Bellido flipped Trap Dustshoot to reveal his opponent’s hand: two Cyber Dragon, Mystical Space Typhoon, Gravekeeper’s Spy, Banisher of the Radiance, Pulling the Rug and Mystical Space Typhoon. Simoes acted like it was a given that Bellido would send Banisher back to his deck, but he opted to eliminate Gravekeeper’s Spy instead.

Simoes special summoned Cyber Dragon, normal summoned Banisher of the Radiance, and sent the Dragon into Bellido’s set monster: Destiny Hero — Disk Commander. The Commander was destroyed and Banisher removed him from the game before attacking directly! Bellido dropped to 6400 life points. “Go,” said Simoes, setting a back row card to finish up.

Brain Control let Bellido steal Cyber Dragon, which then attacked Simoes’ Banisher. Bellido tributed the Cyber Dragon for Thestalos, lost him to the Pulling the Rug he was fully anticipating, and set a back row card. Simoes set the same, passed, Bellido set another, passed, and Simoes set a monster.

Bellido special summoned Cyber Dragon, tributed for Raiza, bounced Simoes’ monster, and left Simoes with nothing but a back row card. Direct damage followed immediately and Simoes took a beating. After absorbing the jolt to his life points, he set a monster, Raiza attacked it to reveal that it was Treeborn Frog, and Bellido ended without using his normal summon. He lost Mirror Force in the end phase to Simoes’ Mystical Space Typhoon.

Simoes drew for his turn, brought back his Frog, and then moved into main phase 1. He activated Enemy Controller to tribute his Frog and steal Raiza for an attack. It was a mistake — he should have used the Controller in his standby phase, because he could have special summoned the Frog again if he’d done so. He missed his mistake and tributed the borrowed monster for Cyber Dragon in main phase 2.

Bellido special summoned a Cyber Dragon of his own, brought back Raiza with Premature Burial, and sent it to destroy Simoes’ Cyber Dragon. Bellido’s Dragon then attacked directly and he set a monster to end his turn. Simoes was sitting at 2600 life points, and he brought back his Treeborn Frog. He activated Nobleman of Crossout to remove Bellido’s set Treeborn from the game, but he couldn’t capitalize on the move. He had no choice but to pass to Bellido.

The boss was ready! Mystical Space Typhoon destroyed Cedar’s Book of Moon, and there was no point in chaining it. Cyber Dragon attacked Simoes’ Frog, Raiza hit directly, and Simoes was left with just 200 life points. Drawing his next card he extended the handshake to his friend and teammate.

Dale Bellido moves on undefeated, well on his way to title gold!