This feature match showcases two well-known players from big name teams. This is Anthony's eighth day 2 appearance, and he'll be trying to bring it home for Team Overdose. He's running the infamous "OD Burn," and is packing a copy of Crush Card Virus. Matt Laurents is no stranger to the feature match table, and he'll be pulling for Comic Odyssey. Matt won the roll and elected to go first.
He did so with Reinforcement of the Army for Elemental Hero Stratos to search for Destiny Hero — Malicious. He activated Destiny Draw, discarding the Malicious, and drew two cards. Matt followed up with a second spell or trap before ending his turn. Anthony responded with three face down spell or traps and a set monster. Matt removed the Malicious from the graveyard to special summon another one from his deck and activated Metamorphosis to special summon Ryu Senshi. Anthony activated Bottomless Trap Hole, and Matt paid 1000 life points to negate it. Next Matt summoned Card Trooper, used priority and sent Limiter Removal, Snipe Hunter and Card Trooper to the graveyard. Anthony used Torrential Tribute, which Matt negated with Ryu Senshi.
Matt then played Premature Burial, brought out Snipe Hunter, passed priority, and with no response from Anthony had to discard twice in order to destroy the face down monster, which was Morphing Jar. Matt removed the next Malicious to discover the final one and brought him out in attack mode. He swung in for 8000 exactly, and Anthony's face down Sakuretsu Armor was negated by Senshi. An explosive turn from Matt Laurents takes game 1!
Both players opted to smoke-screen. The side decking for this matchup is an elaborate game of counters, counter-counters, and anti-counter-counters, and both players had to take the full three minutes to prepare their decks for game 2. Anthony took the first turn in the second game, and he led things off with a face down monster and two face down spell or trap cards.
Matt fired back instantly with Heavy Storm. Anthony let it go through, losing Solemn Judgment and Crush Card. His Mystic Tomato was removed by Nobleman of Crossout, and Matt attacked with Card Trooper for 1900. He set a back row and passed to Anthony, who played Wave-Motion Cannon and set a monster. On Matt's turn he burned another three cards with Card Trooper and attacked into Gravekeeper's Spy. Anthony searched out a Gravekeeper's Guard in defense mode. Matt passed to Anthony, who dropped another Wave-Motion Cannon and another face down monster. Matt burned another three, activated Brain Control to take control of Gravekeeper's Spy, and tributed her for Cyber Dragon. The Dragon took out the Guard, and Card Trooper attacked Morphing Jar. Matt discarded a Malicious and both players drew five new cards. Matt's fresh five contained a Malicious, and he passed without any further plays.
Cyber Dragon dropped for Anthony, and he beat up on Card Trooper, dropping Matt to 5400 life points. Anthony reinforced his field with a face down monster and spell or trap. Matt was in a lot of trouble and knew it. His Troopers had milled off Premature Burial, Dark Magician of Chaos, and Elemental Hero Stratos, while his Heavy Storm had already been played. Anthony went into the tank though, to make sure Matt couldn't pull out a win, and set another two spell or trap cards. Matt flipped up Royal Decree in the end phase. Only Snipe Hunter, Call of the Haunted, and Mystical Space Typhoon remained.
Malicious was removed for another one in defense mode, and Matt played Destiny Draw, discarding the final Malicious to draw two cards. He summoned Snipe Hunter and discarded Card Trooper and destroyed Spirit Reaper. Anthony played Book of Moon afterward to turn Snipe Hunter away for the moment. Cyber Dragons bumped heads and took his backfield to two face downs to match the Royal Decree. Matt also used Mystical Space Typhoon on the larger of the two Cannons. Anthony's other Cannon went to two at the start of his turn, and he played Premature Burial for Cyber Dragon before summoning Mystic Tomato to clear Matt's field.
Matt dropped a Cyber Dragon of his own and crashed into Cyber Dragon. Matt followed up with a set monster and play was back to Anthony. Anthony had two backfield cards, a Wave-Motion Cannon at three, Mystic Tomato face up, and a card in hand. Matt was looking at one card in hand as well, with a face down monster, two face down spell or trap cards, and a face up Royal Decree. Anthony's Tomato attacked into Sangan, and Matt found Snipe Hunter with its effect. Anthony checked to see how well Matt's dice rolled before deciding to throw the Cannon at Matt, reducing him to 2400 life points.
Matt was up next, and played Snipe Hunter, discarding Destiny Hero — Dasher to destroy Mystic Tomato. Snipe connected for 1500 damage and Anthony was up. He set a monster and passed back to Matt, who discarded a Limiter Removal to Snipe's effect, targeting Anthony's monster. Snipe missed though, and Matt attacked into Stealth Bird. Matt pitched his last in-hand card, Twister and destroyed the Stealth Bird. Anthony passed his turn entirely, and Snipe swung for another 1500. Anthony threw a monster face down and passed.
On Matt's turn he topdecked Cyber Dragon, special summoned it with Dasher's effect and discarded his last card to destroy Anthony's face down Stealth Bird. The two monsters broke through for game. Matt Laurents moves on to the Top 8 with a victory over Anthony Alvarado.