Chris Pittao and Jerry Wang are both familiar faces here at the Shonen Jump circuit. Between them, they have about ten Shonen Jump Top 8’s, but neither has ever won a Championship title. Both are undefeated, and they’re both strong bets for a Day 2 qualification. This matchup is of particular interest because Pittao is playing Gadget Monarchs, a deck that’s seen some positive hype going into this event. Wang, on the other hand, is playing Monarchs with Hydrogeddon. This one may be academic.
Wang opened with just a set spell or trap. Pittao summoned Red Gadget and Jerry’s face visibly sank in a hilarious expression of disappointment. He certainly wouldn’t be using his set card to destroy that. Pittao searched for Yellow Gadget, attacked for 1300 damage, and set a card to his back row. Play was to Wang.
He summoned Hydrogeddon and attacked. Shrink during the damage step resulted in Hydrogeddon being destroyed, a big move from Pittao. Wang set a second spell or trap and Pittao continued playing into him hard, summoning Yellow Gadget. He searched for Green, but lost his field to Torrential Tribute. A set spell or trap ended the turn. Wang set a monster.
Pittao brought out Cyber Dragon, tributed it for Raiza the Storm Monarch, bounced away Wang’s set monster, and then attacked into Scapegoat. Wang lost a Sheep Token, and then set a card to each zone on the following turn. Mystical Space Typhoon destroyed Wang’s Mirror Force though, and Pittao summoned Green Gadget to dig out Red.
Raiza destroyed Wang’s set Treeborn Frog, Green Gadget hit a Sheep, and play was back to Wang. He brought back Treeborn, tributed it for Raiza the Storm Monarch and spun Pittao’s Raiza back to the top of his deck. Wang’s Raiza then attacked Green Gadget.
The duel stood at 7000 to 6200, with Pittao leading in card presence and life points. He summoned Red Gadget, searched his deck for Yellow Gadget and attacked a third Sheep Token. Hammer Shot then leveled Raiza in main phase 2. “That’s all I got.”
Wang topdecked Hydrogeddon, attacked over Red Gadget and special summoned another Hydrogeddon for a direct attack. “End my turn.” Pittao activated one of the two Pot of Avarice in his hand, shuffling back four Gadgets and Cyber Dragon. He summoned Card Trooper, sent Lightning Vortex, Cyber Dragon, and Torrential Tribute to the graveyard to power it up, and attacked one of the two Hydrogeddon. He still had nothing to set in his back row, save the remaining Pot of Avarice.
Wang tributed Hydrogeddon for Raiza the Storm Monarch, sending Card Trooper back to Pittao’s deck and swinging for 2400 damage. It was over moments later, as Pittao scooped to Wang’s reveal of another Raiza.
Jerry Wang takes the first duel! Side decking was quick and brief.
Pittao set a spell or trap; he began the second duel with no monsters in hand! Wang punished him next turn, summoning Spirit Reaper and ramming it into Pittao’s life points to force him to discard Fissure. Next turn Pittao destroyed it with Smashing Ground, but couldn’t do anything else. Wang passed, Pittao passed, and Wang summoned Hydrogeddon — Bottomless Trap Hole destroyed it and removed it from play. Pittao summoned Spirit Reaper, attacked, and forced Wang to discard Thestalos the Firestorm Monarch. He set a spell or trap. Wang activated Soul Exchange, destroyed Reaper, and set a monster. Pittao set a second spell or trap, ended, and Wang passed.
Another pass came from Pittao, and Wang passed back. Pittao summoned Green Gadget, finally drawing into a monster, and searched for Red. “Attack the Frog.”
“Pro read,” quipped Wang, as his Magician of Faith was destroyed. He took back his Soul Exchange and Pittao ended. Wang summoned Snipe Hunter, discarded Treeborn Frog to target one of Pittao’s back row cards, but missed. He discarded Soul Exchange next, destroying Mystical Space Typhoon. He pitched Zaborg the Thunder Monarch, destroying Sakuretsu Armor and then attacking Green Gadget with Snipe Hunter.
Pittao summoned Red Gadget, searched out Yellow, and discarded it for Lightning Vortex, desperate to destroy that Snipe Hunter. Pittao set a spell or trap, attacked with Red Gadget, and ended. Wang brought back Treeborn Frog in defense mode. He activated Premature Burial to recur Snipe Hunter, discarded Cyber Dragon to target Pittao’s Shrink, and Pittao didn’t chain it, hoping for the unlucky roll. Wang rolled a 4, Shrink was destroyed, and moments later Wang was attacking with Hydrogeddon. He brought out another with the effect of the first, and Hydrogeddon and Snipe Hunter attacked directly. It was a rough beat for Pittao.
Heavy Storm cleared Snipe Hunter from the field, and Pittao set a card to each zone. Hydrogeddon attacked next turn, destroying Red Gadget, and the other Hydro attacked directly. In main phase 2 Wang activated Pot of Avarice, now clearly in control of the game, and finished by setting one spell or trap.
Pittao activated Pot of Avarice himself on the following turn, shuffling back four Gadgets and Spirit Reaper. He special summoned Cyber Dragon, tributed it for Raiza the Storm Monarch, and targeted Wang’s set spell or trap. Wang chained it: Phoenix Wing Wind Blast! He discarded Mystic Tomato for Wind Blast’s cost and sent Raiza back to the top of Pittao’s deck. Pittao activated Premature Burial to press over Hydrogeddon, but next turn it was all over.
Brain Control and Thestalos the Firestorm Monarch fell from Wang’s hand, and Pittao took a series of direct attacks that knocked him out of the match. Jerry Wang moves on undefeated, well on his way to yet another Day 2!