Hugo Adame has made a huge name for himself in this format, innovating Lockdown Burn alongside Comic Odyssey stars Eric Wu and Kenny So before going on to become the defining player of Macro Cosmos. Adame came so close to a Shonen Jump Championship title at San Mateo, and he’s back this weekend with a brand new build of the deck that carried him to the final four.
He’s paired against Jacksonville’s Matt Tuxford, one of today’s four Gadget duelists. Tuxford relied on a wealth of remove-from-play cards to get him here, but now he finds himself in a matchup where his Bottomless Trap Holes and Dimension Prisons are suddenly working against him.
This match is going to go one of three ways. Possibility one is that Hugo stomps Tuxford with D.D. Survivors and Elemental Hero Wildhearts, taking advantage of his natural edge in this matchup. Possibility two: a higher power gives Hugo hands that are so bad, that Tuxford wins through divine intervention. Possibility three? Matt Tuxford makes a series of genius plays that let him overcome his disadvantage in the matchup and becomes a legend off one match.
Regardless of which possibility becomes reality, this match was going to be something spectacular. Tuxford won the roll and opened the first duel.
He played Yellow Gadget first, searching his deck for Green Gadget and setting four cards to his back row. One was Trap Dustshoot, and Tuxford chose to send back Elemental Hero Stratos over Adame’s Banisher of the Radiance — Tuxford had a notepad but did not write down the other three cards in his opponent’s hand: Solemn Judgment, Pulling the Rug, and Enemy Controller. Hugo drew Dark Bribe, summoned Banisher, and set all four of his remaining cards.
Tuxford summoned his Green Gadget and Hugo cut him off at the knees with Pulling the Rug. Hammer Shot threatened Hugo’s Banisher of the Radiance, and after contemplating his plays for a few moments Adame activated Enemy Controller, tributed Banisher, and took Green Gadget to turn the Shot back on Tuxford’s own monster! It was a great play that protected Hugo from damage, but it also simplified the game by two cards on each side, which might hurt him in the long run. He drew, set a spell or trap, and Tuxford summoned Red Gadget.
He plucked Yellow Gadget from his deck, then attacked with Red. Tuxford had three cards in hand and three cards on the field to Hugo’s three in his back row — Adame’s hand was empty. Tuxford set a third card to his back row, Hugo set a monster, and Tuxford summoned Yellow Gadget. Was he actually going to take Game 1?
Hugo had no answer to Yellow Gadget, letting Tuxford fetch Green Gadget from his deck. Development was key for Tuxford at this point: he needed to take Hugo before Hugo could get to his Survivors, and he needed to press as fast as he could. He activated Nobleman of Crossout to try and clear Hugo’s field, but Dark Bribe negated the Nobleman. Yellow Gadget attacked Hugo’s face-down Elemental Hero Wildheart and bounced off harmlessly! Tuxford moved to main phase 2, set a spell or trap, and ended. Hugo set one as well and passed, riding the lightning as he depended on Wildheart for defense. Attacking now into a Shrink would’ve been disastrous.
Tuxford tributed Yellow Gadget for Cyber Dragon, and Hugo shook his head and sighed. Tuxford attacked, and Hugo flipped Mirror Force! The sigh had been a bluff, and a good one, but Tuxford had Solemn Judgment! Hugo instantly flipped Dark Bribe, and Tuxford lost Cyber Dragon and his Gadget! Tuxford set a fourth spell or trap and ended. Hugo was gaining visible momentum.
He hit Reinforcement of the Army! He activated its effect, searched out another Wildheart and summoned him — he clearly hadn’t hit Macro Cosmos or Dimensional Fissure yet, and he was playing to his backup plan. Tuxford heaved a sigh as Hugo’s original Wildheart went to attack mode and both of them attacked directly: the two Wildhearts reduced him to just 800 life points, and suddenly Hugo seemed back in control!
Tuxford summoned Banisher of the Radiance, and eyed Hugo’s last unknown card: his back row face-down. Tuxford had two cards in hand, four cards set, and the Banisher to Hugo’s two Wildhearts and one set card: Hugo flipped Solemn Judgment! Banisher’s summon was negated.
But Tuxford had more options: he activated Pot of Avarice, shuffling back two Yellow Gadget, Red Gadget, Cyber Dragon, and Banisher of the Radiance. Two pieces of removal would save him, and he still had Fissure, a Hammer Shot, Smashing Ground, and Lightning Vortex in his deck. Plenty of outs, and a fair shot at drawing them.
He drew his two cards and activated Smashing Ground, then set a fourth card to his back row. Next turn Hugo attacked with the remaining Wildheart, and Tuxford flipped Shrink to cut Wildheart down to 750 ATK! He survived with 50 life points! Tuxford grinned sheepishly as Hugo set his last card to his back row.
Tuxford played Hydrogeddon! It ran over Wildheart for 100 damage, and he special summoned another from his deck for a direct swing of 1600! Hugo just needed to deal 50 damage, but he’d only have one more draw to do it in: he had just 1650 life points remaining.
He drew, set one card to his back row and passed. Tuxford attacked with one Hydrogeddon, and both duelists stood at 50 life points! One more Hydrogeddon swing later and Adame was scooping up!
Hugo’s skillful plays can’t bring him back from a game in which he sees no Macro Cosmos or Dimensional Fissures, and Tuxford triumphs in an impossible game 1 thanks to a mix of desperate and highly focused plays. What a duel! Both competitors dove into their side decks, with Hugo’s hands moving at an incredible pace.
Minutes later, play was to Hugo as Game 2 began. His natural advantage in this match would now be mitigated, but he opened strong, setting a monster, three spell or trap cards, and activating Dimensional Fissure! There was no messing around: Hugo’s back was to the wall.
Tuxford just set a spell or trap, and Hugo flip summoned Elemental Hero Wildheart. He summoned another and struck for 3000 damage! “Take it,” noted Tuxford, who dropped to 5000 life points. Hugo set his last card to his back row.
Lightning Vortex fell from Tuxford’s hand at the cost of Enemy Controller, and Hugo flipped Dark Bribe! Tuxford activated Heavy Storm: Hugo flipped Solemn Judgment, and Tuxford flipped a Bribe of his own! Hugo lost all of his cards save the two Wildhearts! A clever play by Tuxford may have just broken this match!
Hugo drew for the Bribe, and Tuxford summoned Snipe Hunter. He pitched Neo-Spacian Grand Mole to destroy one Wildheart, then Royal Oppression for the next. He attacked with Snipe, set his last card to his back row, and ended. Hugo drew, and each duelist had two cards.
He activated E - Emergency Call and sought out Elemental Hero Wildheart, eschewing Elemental Hero Stratos. He special summoned Cyber Dragon, normal summoned Wildheart and attacked with Cyber Dragon, losing out to Shrink! He traded his Wildheart for Snipe and passed. Now neither duelist had any cards remaining, and both were relying on topdecks!
Tuxford set his draw for the turn to his back row. Hugo did the same, and Tuxford passed. Hugo summoned Banisher of the Radiance, attacked, and play was to Tuxford. He special summoned Cyber Dragon, Hugo activated Torrential Tribute, but Tuxford activated Dark Bribe! After an attack from Cyber Dragon, it was 1350 to 3400 with Tuxford leading, and he set a spell or trap card.
Hugo set a spell or trap and activated Gravekeeper's Servant. Did he have the lock? Tuxford summoned Green Gadget, pulled Red Gadget, and attacked into Enemy Controller: Tuxford flipped Solemn Judgment! Cyber Dragon and Green Gadget attacked directly and it was all over!
Matt Tuxford overcomes a terrible matchup with a little luck in game 1, then comes back to make some awesome plays in game 2 and oust Hugo Adame from the tournament! Tuxford moves on to the Top 8!