Zach Pelo is from Clearwater, Florida, and at just thirteen years of age his anti-Gadget deck has taken him to a 6-1 finish thus far.
Paul Levitin needs no introduction: the four-time Top 8 competitor has won one previous Shonen Jump Championship and is now looking to add a second title to his list of accomplishments. He’s playing Gadgets though, and Pelo’s highly prepared for the matchup.
He won the roll and opened up with Confiscation, revealing Pelo’s hand of Hydrogeddon, Treeborn Frog, Spirit Reaper, and two Smashing Ground. He discarded the Hydro, summoned Yellow Gadget and searched his deck for Green. Levitin set a spell or trap and ended.
Pelo set a monster and passed back, leading Paul to quickly summon Gadget Green and search for Red. Yellow crashed into Spirit Reaper, and, in main phase 2, Levitin destroyed it with Brain Control. Pelo special summoned Cyber Dragon, activated Last Will and swung into Yellow Gadget. He set a monster and ended.
Red Gadget came down for Levitin as he continued to ride the rainbow trolley to hand presence town. He activated Fissure to destroy Cyber Dragon, attacked with Red Gadget and destroyed Treeborn Frog. Green Gadget then attacked directly. “Go ahead.”
Pelo took back his Treeborn and passed, unable to fight back. Levitin summoned Yellow Gadget, searched his deck for Green and then sent his clockworks into battle for a total of 2700 damage. He set a second back row card and ended.
Treeborn popped back out of the graveyard and Pelo was forced to pass again, with 3900 life points remaining. Snipe Hunter finished things off on the following turn, allowing Levitin to drop a card from his hand to blow away the Frog and attack directly for game.
Paul Levitin scores an absolutely crushing win over Zach Pelo! Both duelists did some serious side decking.
Pelo opened the second duel with one back row card, and passed without a monster. Levitin summoned Green Gadget, searched his deck for Red and attacked. “I’ll take it,” said Pelo, prompting Levitin to set a spell or trap. Cyber Dragon and Hydrogeddon came down for Pelo, and he attacked with the latter. Levitin flipped Sakuretsu Armor, but Pelo chained Royal Decree! Green Gadget was destroyed; Pelo brought out another Hydro and swung directly with both it and Dragon! He ended after dropping Levitin to 4100.
Things were looking up.
Levitin drew and activated Graceful Charity, discarding two more Sakuretsus. He special summoned Cyber Dragon, ran over a Hydro and looked at his hand: Red Gadget, Yellow Gadget, Fissure, Widespread Ruin and Solemn Judgment. The Fissure destroyed Pelo’s second Hydrogeddon and Levitin was now free to summon Yellow Gadget to pull Green. He set a card to his back row and ended.
After a bit of debate, Pelo summoned D. D. Warrior Lady and rammed it into Levitin’s Cyber Dragon to remove it. His own Dragon then hit Levitin’s Yellow Gadget. Levitin set a card to each zone and passed. Pelo tributed his Cyber Dragon for Zaborg, destroyed Levitin’s set Red Gadget with Zaborg’s effect, and hit directly for 2400 damage. Levitin activated Smashing Ground on his next turn and set Green Gadget. He lost it to Pelo’s Asura Priest moments later.
Snipe Hunter finally came off the top of Levitin’s deck, and he discarded his last card (Solemn Judgment) to try and destroy Decree. He missed the roll, and a single pip spelled his doom. Levitin knew it was over and scooped.
Zach Pelo pushes the match to a third and final game, his anti-Gadget tech working far better than it did in game 1!
Levitin opened the third duel with Confiscation, revealing Pelo’s hand of Royal Decree, Smashing Ground, Gravekeeper’s Spy, Dekoichi, and My Body as a Shield. He discarded the Decree and set a spell or trap, his hand devoid of Gadgets. Pelo set a card to each zone and passed back. Cyber Dragon was special summoned by Levitin, and it attacked Pelo’s set Gravekeeper’s Spy. Another was special summoned to Pelo’s side of the field and Levitin set Solemn Judgment.
Pelo flipped his set Heavy Storm! Levitin was forced to chain Solemn Judgment, losing thousands of life points to Pelo’s pro Heavy. Smashing Ground destroyed Levitin’s Cyber Dragon, Spy attacked for 1200 and Pelo set a card to each zone. It was 2300 to 8000, and Levitin was in trouble.
He brought out another Cyber Dragon, debated for a moment, and then tributed it for Mobius the Frost Monarch. Mobius destroyed Pelo’s set Body as a Shield, and then ran over the Spy. Levitin ended his turn by setting his remaining two cards to his back row.
A set spell or trap was Pelo’s only move, though he inquired about life point totals and seemed to have something in mind. Levitin drew and passed back, eager to build a bit before risking his one monster with so few life points. Pelo flip summoned Dekoichi, drew, used Smashing Ground to take out Mobius and then attacked for 1400. He set a monster and passed.
Levitin was pressed into action, and Fissure destroyed Dekoichi. Pelo flip summoned Don Zaloog, Levitin activated Torrential Tribute to destroy it and Pelo summoned Asura Priest! Levitin’s remaining two set cards could do nothing, and Asura Priest finished the match.
Young Zach Pelo defeats Paul Levitin and is now just one match away from making Day 2!