Jarrod Roth is the lucky local currently hosting the European players who traveled here this weekend: Claudio Kirchmair, Michael Gruner, and Kajtazi Besnick. Roth lives in nearby Puyallup, and at 21 years of age he’s playing TeleDAD in today’s tournament.

Eric Ing is just 16 years old, but at one point he was the number one ranked player in the United States. He fell out of the game for a while, but he’s making his grand comeback today with a Gladiator Beast build I looked at earlier today. It seems he’s earned his deck profile; with a 5-0 record, he’s crushed TeleDAD after TeleDAD.

He opened with Gladiator Beast Hoplomus, Mirror Force, Gladiator Beast Equeste, Elemental Hero Prisma, Cold Wave, and Torrential Tribute. He set Mirror Force, set Hoplomus, and ended. Roth opened up with Allure of Darkness.

He drew two and removed Snipe Hunter for Allure’s effect, following up with a second Allure. He removed Krebons this time, and discarded Destiny Hero – Diamond Dude for Destiny Draw. He drew two, set a card to each zone, and ended.

Ing activated Cold Wave, and Roth chained Crush Card Virus! He tributed his Necro Gardna, revealed Ing’s face-down Hoplomus, and Ing lost Gladiator Beast Equeste and Elemental Hero Prisma from his hand. He flipped Hoplomus, attacked, and tagged out to special summon Gladiator Beast Laquari. “Your turn. One turn on Crush Card Virus.”

Roth revealed Monster Reborn, forgetting that he was under Cold Wave. He wound up passing without doing anything, and Ing revealed his topdeck: Gladiator Beast War Chariot. He attacked for 2100 damage, dropping Roth to 5200 life points, then set Shadow-Imprisoning Mirror. “Go ahead.”

Reinforcement of the Army let Roth get Elemental Hero Stratos. He activated Monster Reborn, special summoned Diamond Dude, and activated Emergency Teleport to special summon Krebons. He didn’t activate Diamond Dude’s effect, and instead Synchro summoned Goyo Guardian. When it attacked, Ing flipped Mirror Force! Roth set a spell or trap to end, and when Ing tried to attack with Laquari, Roth removed Necro Gardna — Ing chained Shadow-Imprisoning Mirror and Laquari’s attack went through! Roth was down to 3100 life points, and Ing set two more cards to his back row. In the end phase he lost Laquari to Phoenix Wing Wind Blast; Roth discarded another Wind Blast to pay for it.

He summoned Stratos next turn and Ing negated the summon with Solemn Judgment — Roth had just two cards left in hand, but one of them was Allure of Darkness; he activated it, drawing two and then removing Necro Gardna from play. He ended his turn.

“Summon Laquari,” announced Ing. “Attack for 1800.” One more attack and Roth was out of this game. Ing had Shadow-Imprisoning Mirror active, War Chariot set, and Torrential Tribute in hand. “I’ll end.” Roth’s only out next turn was Destiny Hero – Doom Lord, and it was no help with Shadow-Imprisoning on the field. Roth conceded.

Eric Ing dominates Jarrod Roth, now just one duel away from claiming a 6-0 record moving into Round 7! Can Ing redeem this fallen archetype?

Both competitors went for their side decks and shuffled up. Ing freely vocalized that he was expecting Roth to side in Destiny Hero – Defender, an interesting head game if Roth had indeed sided it.

Roth started by summoning Krebons and setting a spell or trap. Ing had a huge hand: Gladiator Beast Bestiari, Dust Tornado, Torrential Tribute, D.D. Crow, and two Test Tiger! “This is a bit risky, but . . .” he set Tornado and Torrential Tribute, clearly wanting to go for Heraklinos next turn.

Allure of Darkness let Roth trade Doom Lord for two more cards, and he attacked with Krebons. He summoned Breaker the Magical Warrior in main phase 2, but lost both of his monsters to Torrential Tribute! He set Brain Control, and Ing blew it away with Dust Tornado! Roth had just four cards left in hand.

Ing summoned Gladiator Beast Bestiari, but didn’t go for Gladiator Beast Secutor — had he sided it out? He attacked, tagged out to special summon Gladiator Beast Laquari and ended. “I sided out one card I really could’ve used and now I’m mad.” Sounds like that Secutor was nowhere to be found.

Reinforcement of the Army got Roth Dark Grepher, and he discarded Destiny Hero – Malicious to special summon it; Ing responded with D.D. Crow, removing the Malicious. Roth discarded Krebons for Grepher’s effect, getting his second Malicious into the graveyard, then removed him to summon his third. He normal summoned Krebons, Tuned it to Malicious, and Synchro summoned Thought Ruler Archfiend! Thought Ruler ran over Laquari, Roth gained life points, and Dark Grepher made a direct attack. Roth passed with one card in hand.

Ing activated Monster Reborn, desperately needing just one Gladiator Beast to use his two Tigers with, but Roth chained his last card: D.D. Crow! Ing conceded, and this match was going to Game 3!

Ing summoned Gladiator Beast Bestiari, then set three cards to his back row: Gladiator Beast War Chariot, Dust Tornado, and Shadow-Imprisoning Mirror — it was a risky opening. Roth searched for Stratos with Reinforcement of the Army, then narrated his own thoughts: “Should I play around a Gladiator Beast War Chariot . . .”

“No opening hand Storm, I assume?” Ing gave a grin. Roth summoned Stratos, Ing pulled the trigger on War Chariot, and Stratos went down with no effect! Roth set Phoenix Wing Wind Blast to end; he lost it to Dust Tornado in the end phase.

Ing drew and was left holding Prisma, Mystical Space Typhoon, and Shrink. He summoned Prisma, activated its effect to send Laquari to his graveyard from his deck, then contact Fused for Gladiator Beast Gyzarus! Gyzarus didn’t destroy anything, but did attack for 2400 damage before tagging out. Ing special summoned Gladiator Beast Darius and Gladiator Beast Equeste, bringing back Laquari with Darius’ effect, and retrieving his War Chariot with Equeste’s effect — Brutal!

One contact Fusion later and Ing was the proud owner of a shiny new Gladiator Beast Heraklinos. He didn’t set the War Chariot; he already had Shadow-Imprisoning set. Roth was up.

He summoned Destiny Hero – Doom Lord, activated its effect, and walked right into Shadow-Imprisoning Mirror! “Dang!”

“I didn’t need to set Chariot,” remarked Ing in a friendly tone. Roth ended his turn, Ing drew, and had a hand of Mystical Space Typhoon, Torrential Tribute, Shrink, and War Chariot. Heraklinos pounded Doom Lord.

Roth activated Mystical Space Typhoon next turn, and Ing discarded Torrential Tribute to negate it with Heraklinos’ effect. Roth activated Reinforcement of the Army next, Ing let it go, and Roth dug for a copy of Destiny Hero – Diamond Dude. He activated Destiny Draw, discarded Diamond Dude for it, and Ing discarded War Chariot to negate it. Roth set a monster, and ended with one card in hand.

Ing drew another Mirror, attacked Roth’s face-down Necro Gardna with Heraklinos, and set a spell or trap. Next turn Roth tried to activate Allure of Darkness, but lost out to another negation. That was it — he offered the handshake and the match was over.