Both of these competitors have made it to Day 2 before at Shonen Jump Championships, but neither has really scored a breakthrough showing quite yet. Huertas is coming in hot after a Top 16 showing with Zombies in San Mateo, while Nappi made Top 8 at the first ever Shonen Jump Columbus.

Today, David Huertas is looking to change his luck by running one of the weekend’s more creative decks: an offensive life point gain strategy based around Bad Reaction to Simochi and Nurse Reficule the Fallen One.

Huertas won the roll and opened with two cards set to his back row, flipping Ojama Trio in Nappi’s draw phase. Nappi summoned Sangan, swung for 1000 damage, and set a spell or trap to end. “Your turn.” Huertas set a card to each zone and passed back.

Sangan was tributed for Cyber Dragon, and Nappi searched his deck for Snipe Hunter. Cyber Dragon attacked, and a sleepy looking Huertas flipped Dimension Wall! “What do you mean it doesn’t work?” The table judge clarified that Huertas had to actually be taking damage. This didn’t seem like it was going to go well.  Huertas thought a moment, and then chained Magic Cylinder! Nappi set another card to his back row and ended.

“Wow. That was bad. I can’t believe I did that.” Huertas was rightly unhappy with himself.

He pressed on, and set all his cards to his back row, then flipped Morphing Jar! Nappi had no answer, and lost his four in-hand cards while Huertas got a clean five draws! Lightning Vortex flipped from Huertas’ back row, he discarded Ojama Trio, and Nappi took 900 damage from his Ojama Tokens. Morphing Jar attacked, and Huertas set two more cards to his back row.

In Nappi’s draw phase, Huertas flipped Bad Reaction to Simochi. Nappi special summoned Spell Striker by removing Reinforcement of the Army from his deck, activated Soul Exchange to target Huertas’ Morphing Jar, and Huertas chained The Paths of Destiny! He then chained Gift Card! Nappi activated Solemn Judgment to negate Gift Card, paying 2500 life points to do so. Paths of Destiny resolved giving Huertas 2000 more life points and costing Nappi 2000, dropping him to 500. That awkward Solemn saved Nappi’s life. He brought out Light and Darkness Dragon but couldn’t attack.

Huertas drew, set two more cards to his back row, set a monster, and ended. Next turn he finished the duel, activating Secret Barrel and chaining Ceasefire to Light and Darkness Dragon’s effect to deal the final damage!

David Huertas overcomes a ridiculous misplay to take game 1, finishing with 9000 life points! An impressive showing for this new deck. Both duelists began side decking.

Nappi started the second duel moments later, setting two cards to his back row alongside a monster. Huertas set three cards to his back row, ended his turn, and Nappi flipped Royal Decree! How was Huertas going to play around that?

Nappi tributed his set Sangan for Raiza the Storm Monarch next turn, targeting Huertas’ set Ojama Trio: he chained it, and it was negated by Decree — he didn’t want to draw it. Nappi searched out Malicious with Sangan, pitched him for Destiny Draw, and attacked, but Huertas flipped Scapegoat. He passed his following turn.

Destiny Hero – Malicious was removed by Nappi to special summon another, and Raiza and Malicious each attached a Sheep. Both were tributed in main phase 2 for Light and Darkness Dragon, leaving Huertas to set another spell or trap card and end.

Nappi summoned D.D. Crow, attacked the remaining Sheep Token, and then attacked directly with Light and Darkness Dragon. Huertas started flipping cards just to wear down Light and Darkness Dragon’s ATK, pitching cards away. He set two cards to his back row next turn and ended. D.D. Crow pecked for 100 damage, and Huertas gave up Dimension Wall to bring the Dragon down to 1300 ATK. He set two cards to his back row, summoned Nurse Reficule, and attacked over D.D. Crow.

Nappi activated Heavy Storm, forgetting about his Light and Darkness Dragon! The Dragon negated Heavy and then lost its ability to negate anything! Nappi turned his Dragon to defense mode and passed.

Huertas activated Upstart Goblin, dishing out 1000 damage to Nappi! He set one more card, sent Reficule to attack Light and Darkness Dragon, and destroyed it! The Dragon in turn wiped away Nappi’s Royal Decree, bringing back Raiza but leaving Nappi completely vulnerable! Huertas set more cards to his back row, ended, and next turn it was all over!

Gift Card, The Paths of Destiny, and another Paths of Destiny ended the match! David Huertas overcomes Royal Decree and Light and Darkness Dragon to destroy Ross Nappi and move on undefeated!

“I can’t believe I won that,” laughed Huertas. “I played terribly.” Nappi agreed, and offered the handshake.