In the first round of the Top 16, the only two remaining players from Cologne have to face each other. They are Janis Strelnieks and Marcel Cremer. Janis entered the tops undefeated and wants to continue his streak. After both players rolled a 5, Cremer rolled a 6 and defeated Strelnieks’s 3, so he opted to go first.

Both players counted the cards in their side decks carefully. (Cremer was issued a game loss after having 16 cards in his side deck in round 8 and getting deck checked.)

Both players set a card to each zone in their opening moves. Cremer then summoned Breaker the Magical Warrior, which was removed by Bottomless Trap Hole. Strelnieks flip summoned Gravekeeper's Spy, searched his deck for another copy and special summoned it in face up defense position. The Spy attacked into D. D. Assailant and after setting another monster, Strelnieks was done with his turn. Cremer activated Snatch Steal to gain control of the defense position Gravekeepers Spy, switched it to attack position and went for the double destruction.

He set another face down monster and passed. Strelnieks flip summoned Dekoichi the Battlechanted Locomotive and activated Graceful Charity after he had drawn his extra card. He discarded Premature Burial and Treeborn Frog, considered his options for some time and activated Brain Control to gain control of the Assailant and tributed it to summon Zaborg the Thunder Monarch. The Thunder Monarchs effect destroyed his opponents Dekoichi the Battlechanted Locomotive, but Cremer chained Bottomless Trap Hole to the effect. After setting a spell or trap card, Strelnieks was done with his turn.

Cremer summoned Cyber Dragon and attacked into Mirror Force. He set a card to each zone and passed. Strelnieks sacrificed Treeborn Frog for Cyber Dragon, removed Gravekeeper's Spy from the game with Nobleman of Crossout, and attacked with Dekoichi and Cyber Dragon directly. Cremer activated Snatch Steal to gain control of Cyber Dragon and destroyed Dekoichi. He set a spell or trap card and passed. Strelnieks summoned his Frog for another time, activated Metamorphosis and morphed it into Thousand-Eyes Restrict. He tried to gain control of Cyber Dragon, but Cremer chained Book of Moon and flipped Thousand-Eyes Restrict face down. Strelnieks used his second best option to take control of the Dragon and equipped it with Snatch Steal. He attacked directly, set a spell or trap card and passed. Cremer used Call of the Haunted to bring back D. D. Assailant, attacked into Sakuretsu Armor, and then had to remove Thousand-Eyes with Nobleman of Crossout. Strelnieks summoned Dekoichi the Battlechanted Locomotive, attacked directly and won the duel.

The first game went really quickly and since neither player wanted to use his side deck, they both entered the second duel.

Cremer started the game and set a card to each zone. His opponent summoned Breaker the Magical Warrior and shot down Sakuretsu Armor, before attacking into Spirit Reaper. He activated Brain Control during main phase 2 and finished his turn after setting a spell or trap card. Cremer activated Smashing Ground to get rid of the Magician, set a face down monster and passed. Strelnieks passed without an action and its Cremers turn again. He flip-summoned Dekoichi the Battlechanted Locomotive before summoning Tsukuyomi to flip Dekoichi face down again and was done with his turn without attacking. Strelnieks continued to play his defensive style and set a spell or trap card. Cremer flip-summoned Dekoichi to draw another card and attacked directly, but Call of the Haunted targeting Breaker forced the replay and Cremer opted to not attack again. He summoned his own Breaker during main phase 2, but Bottomless Trap Hole sucked up the Magician and removed it from the game. Finally, Cremer activated Graceful Charity and discarded Zaborg the Thunder Monarch and Heavy Storm, set 2 spell or trap cards and was done with his turn.

Strelnieks took some time to consider his options and then summoned Mobius the Frost Monarch, but it was flipped face down due to a chained Book of Moon. After setting another spell or trap card, he was done with his turn, Cremer flip-flopped Dekoichi with Tsukuyomi again and destroyed Mobius with Tsukuyomi, before he set another spell or trap card and passed.

He lost his face down Pot of Avarice to Dust Tornado during the end phase. Strelnieks only set a spell or trap card, and it was up to Cremer again.

He flip-flopped Dekoichi with Tsukuyomi again. Strelnieks set a monster and Cremer removed the face-down Gravekeeper's Spy from the game with Nobleman of Crossout, before flipping Dekoichi to attack position. Strelnieks equipped Dekoichi with Snatch Steal and finished his turn after setting a spell or trap card. Cremer tried to regain control of Dekoichi and played his own Snatch Steal, but Book of Moon made sure the Locomotive would stay on his opponents side of the field. Cremer had still some options, he special summoned Cyber Dragon and normal summoned Exiled Force, shot Dekoichi down and activated Last Will to search out Sangan. He attacked directly with all monsters and Cremer activated Call of the Haunted during the end phase to get his Zaborg the Thunder Monarch back. He managed to win the game with the next attack.

Both players now chose to side deck.

Strelnieks took out:

2 Magical Merchant
1 Scapegoat
2 Dust Tornado
1 Dark Magician of Chaos
1 Enemy Controller
1 Metamorphosis
1 Brain Control
1 Chaos Sorcerer

Strelnieks put in:

2 Kuriboh
2 Wave-Motion Cannon
2 Stealth Bird
2 Des Koala
1 Ceasefire
1 Swords of Revealing Light

Cremer took out:

1 Spirit Reaper
2 Gravekeeper's Spy
1 Smashing Ground
1 Treeborn Frog
1 Sakuretsu Armor
1 D. D. Assailant
1 Chaos Sorcerer
2 Zaborg the Thunder Monarch
1 Book of Moon
2 Bottomless Trap Hole
1 Pot of Avarice

Cremer put in:

3 Nimble Momonga
3 Giant Trunade
2 Cyber-Stein
1 Limiter Removal
2 Megamorph
1 Mystic Tomato
1 Level Limit Area B
1 Gravity Bind

Strelnieks set a card to each zone and was done with his turn. Cremer summoned Cyber Dragon at first, but it got removed by Bottomless Trap Hole. He then set a card to each zone and was done as well. Strelnieks flip summoned Dekoichi the Battlechanted Locomotive, attacked into Night Assailant, and was done after setting a card to each zone.

Cremer only set a monster. Strelnieks tributed Treeborn Frog to summon Zaborg the Thunder Monarch, shot down Nimble Momonga, and attacked directly for 2400 damage. Cremer decided that it would be enough to set a card to each zone and passed. Strelnieks attacked into Mystic Tomato, Cremer searched his deck for Cyber-Stein and Strelnieks equipped it with Snatch Steal and was done with his turn after setting a card to each zone. Cremer had a look at his cards on his hand, then he set a card to each zone and passed. Janis activated Heavy Storm and chained Book of Moon to flip Cyber-Stein face down. He flip summoned it again, paid for its effect to special summon Blue Eyes Ultimate Dragon, tributed Cyber-Stein for Zaborg the Thunder Monarch and attacked directly for the win!

Janis Strelnieks dominated his opponent and is now qualified for the European Championship in Bochum, entering the Top 8 still undefeated!