It’s Tuesday, August 21st, and the dueling world is still reeling from the unexpected events at Shonen Jump Championship Indianapolis!
Surprises Abound at Shonen Jump Indy
While most duelists looked forward to this past weekend’s Shonen Jump Championship strictly for the chance to get their hands on a new prize card, the “Best Four Days In Gaming” had a lot more dueling excitement in store than just that. Green Baboon, Defender of the Forest made Day 2, 2005 Belgian Champion Guy Israel finished first in the Swiss rounds, and Kenny So, owner of the famed Comic Odyssey hobby store, shook off years of so-so Shonen Jump finishes to win title gold. A most unexpected turn of events.
Wielding an innovative burn deck he credited to Erik Wu and Hugo Adame, So plowed through a field that was wholly unprepared for his strategy. What little side-decked resistance So ran up against he decimated almost effortlessly, dashing the hopes and dreams of many a Snipe Hunter and Mobius the Frost Monarch thanks to Skill Drain. This format continues to see innovation, even in its final weeks.
Missed the action? You can relive it all right here on Metagame.com, by checking out our coverage right from the tournament floor.
Congratulations go out to everyone who competed at Shonen Jump Indianapolis, and special kudos go to Kenny So, your newest Shonen Jump Champion!
Shonen Jump Chicago Added to Official Schedule
Just this past week, a second Shonen Jump Championship was scheduled for September, and this time SJC action is returning to Villa Park. Get ready for Shonen Jump Championship Chicago!
You can find the official listing for the event right here. It’s interesting to note that even with the summer convention season now officially closed, a whopping three Shonen Jump Championships are booked for the timespan of just one month between September and October. Shonen Jump College Park, Chicago, and Durham will come in quick succession, kicking off the new September 1st format in a big way.
New Forbidden and Limited List Announced
Speaking of that September 1st list, Upper Deck Entertainment has posted the new Forbidden and Limited lists over on the official Yu-Gi-Oh! TCG website. You can find the new Advanced and Traditional lists here at the Forbidden Cards page, and unsurprisingly, debate and discussion have exploded in dueling communities world-wide. Ring of Destruction, Snatch Steal, Metamorphosis, and Confiscation have all been Forbidden, removing some of the most complained-about cards from the past six months. Snipe Hunter, Brain Control, Card Trooper, and more are now Limited to one per deck, while restrictions on cards like Jinzo, Deck Devastation Virus, and Protector of the Sanctuary have been loosened, and are tantalizing many duelists.
How will the new list pan out? We’ll find that answer and more in just a few weeks, as Shonen Jump Championships start using the new Advanced list.
Yu-Gi-Oh! Tour News
The Time 2 Duel cross-country tour rolls into Indiana this week, stopping at the Indy Air & Water Show this Saturday and Sunday. Level 3 Judge Franklin Debrito and the rest of the tour crew will be on-site running demos and sharing tips with beginner duelists, so if you have younger siblings or friends who you’d like to get in the game, be sure to stop by. You can find directions and more information at the Time 2 Duel page over on the official Yu-Gi-Oh! TCG website.
The Kids’ Time Mall Tour is back again this weekend too, and this time the Tour is invading the Woodlands Mall in Houston, Texas. Less experienced duelists can show up to get deck advice from experienced volunteers, plus you can answer trivia to win a booster pack and lots of extra prizes. Again, the Kids’ Time Mall Tour is designed primarily for younger and beginner players, but it’s a great chance to get more people involved in your local scene, and it can be a great opportunity to meet new folks and do some trades.
If you’re interested in helping out at any of the upcoming locations for either of these Tour programs (and if you’re interested in earning some generous product gifts while you’re at it), don’t hesitate to contact Demo Team Manager Julia Hedberg. You can reach her by e-mail at demo@upperdeck.com. There’s a lot going on with the volunteer programs at Upper Deck right now (more on that later this week), so now is a great time to get involved.
This Week On Metagame.com
Yesterday, Mike Rosenberg waxed philosophical about the awesome power of Crystal Seer, one of the best cards from Tactical Evolution. With Magician of Faith back in the Advanced format, the Apprentice Magician engine is back in top form, and Crystal Seer makes it better than ever. Why is Seer so good, and how can it be used? Mike explained it all, so click on over and see for yourself!
Later today, Jerome McHale will show you his take on the Venom theme. While my deck last week focused on Vennominaga, Jerome’s decided to place his emphasis on Venom Swamp, and the resulting deck looks really cool. Some unexpected trap tech creates a unique build of a Venom-centric strategy that’s a definite don’t miss.
It’s no secret: I love me some Cyberdark monsters. Yannick Dubeau continues to be one of my heroes of the summer format and with the release of Tactical Evolution, Zane Truesdale’s dark yin monsters received an enormous boost. Hunter Dragon takes the deck to a whole new level, so when a reader sent me his Cyberdark deck to fix up in The Apotheosis, I jumped at the opportunity. Check out the results on Wednesday.
Moving on back to Venom monsters, Curtis Schultz’s Duel Academy lesson on Thursday will deal with that very monster group. How do Venom Counters work, how can they be manipulated, and how can they be used to ensure maximum chances at victory? Curtis will answer those questions and more in his column this week!
Last week, Bryan Camareno worked to establish an understanding of the importance of decision-making skills to the competitive duelist. This week, he’s back: discussing the integral nature of how to apply those skills. This article is packed with practical advice, so be sure to give it a look.
Cody Miller had an incredibly impressive showing at Shonen Jump Championship Detroit, innovating the Machine Beatdown build that just continues to evolve with each Shonen Jump tournament. Having a unique perspective on the issue, Matt Peddle will present his thoughts on Cody’s build this Saturday, discussing where the deck came from and where it might go from here.
Finally, Matt Murphy rounds out our week with two decks built around a similar theme. The Lady Assailant of Flames / Return from the Different Dimension strategy has been around for quite a while, but Matt’s figured out a pair of builds that bring something extra to the table. Hit him up in Combination Attack! this Sunday.
And that’s it for this busy week in dueling! See you in another seven days.
—Jason Grabher-Meyer
Contributing Editor, Metagame.com