Ferdeloa is from Boca Raton, FL, and he’s a high school freshman. Savage is from New Orleans, LA, and he’d like all the ladies to know he’s available. “And I play Yu-Gi-Oh!” he yelled with a self-deprecating grin.

Game One

Savage opened with a face down card of each type. Ferdeloa activated Confiscation. Savage had nothing but effect monsters, so he lost a D.D. Assailant. A few turns in, a pair of Savage’s warriors were beating away on Scapegoats on Ferdeloa’s side.

Ferdeloa mustered an offense, but it was cut short by Widespread Ruin. Savage played aggressively, attempting to press his advantage, but walked right into Magic Cylinder. Another goat bit the dust.

Premature Burial brought back Reflect Bounder on Ferdeloa’s side, but his defense was shortlived—by the mid-game, Savage was heavily invested in his board.

“I’m a 2000 ATK beatstick!” muttered Savage as he jiggled his Blade Knight threateningly.

“I hate you,” said Ferdeloa.

Ferdeloa brought back the Reflect Bounder yet again, and ran it into D. D. Warrior Lady. He lost it, but Savage would lose another monster as he attempted to tribute for Airknight Parshath and got hit with Bottomless Trap Hole. He’d lose all his monsters to Torrential Tribute on the next turn! However, he recovered by using the last card in his hand, which was Black Luster Soldier – Envoy of the Beginning. He attacked with it directly. He attempted to do so again next turn, but it was destroyed with Book of Moon, and Ferdeloa set a face down monster.

“This next card better not be a Nobleman of Crossout!” said Savage. “Oh man!” He topdecked right into it, used it to remove Ferdeloa’s face down monster, and attacked to win the game.

Game Win: Daniel Savage

Game Two

Ferdeloa opened with a D. D. Warrior Lady. Savage attacked it with a D. D. Warrior Lady of his own on the next turn, and both were removed. Play continued like that for several turns, with Ring of Destruction and good old-fashioned battle causing monsters to drop like flies.

Tribe-Infecting Virus took Reflect Bounder, a Snatch Steal stole a Call of the Haunted-summoned Kycoo the Ghost Destroyer, a second Kycoo took the Tribe, and a Smashing Ground destroyed that Kycoo. Blade Knight destroyed the first one, Smashing Ground destroyed the Blade Knight . . .

 . . . and then nothing happened for a turn.

Savage summoned a D.D. Assailant that was Bottomless Trap Holed and in the first successful move of the game, Ferdeloa attacked directly with a D. D. Warrior Lady. Savage was down to topdecking.

“Topdeck beyond words!” he yelled, grabbing his top card off his deck. Indeed, he found a Smashing Ground and it saved him for another turn.

Both players passed for three turns doing nothing but setting spells and traps before Savage topdecked Swords of Revealing Light. Ferdeloa flipped Scapegoat, and Savage attacked one with a Sinister Serpent. Savage’s spell and trap zone was filled to capacity.

“How much would you hate me if I had a Heavy Storm?” Ferdeloa asked.

“A lot,” Savage grinned back.

Savage would wipe half his own field with the Heavy Storm, flipping Dust Tornadoes to clean out Ferdeloa’s spells and traps. Unfortunately he was out of tricks, and when Ferdeloa Change of Hearted the Sinister Serpent and tributed for Jinzo, all he could do was delay his beating for one turn with Enemy Controller. On the next turn he had nothing, and Ferdeloa won the duel.

Game Win: Andrew Ferdeloa

Game Three

Savage opened with the classic one-and-one face-down play. Ferdeloa went for the advantage with gusto, setting his entire hand and activating Mirage of Nightmare, then Swords of Revealing Light. It took him two turns, but Ferdeloa drew into Mystical Space Typhoon and then attacked with Breaker the Magical Warrior. The game was pretty low on aggression.

Savage was low on cards, and Ring of Destruction eliminated his last monster on the field. Breaker attacked directly, and during the battle phase Ferdeloa flipped Call of the Haunted for Kycoo the Ghost Destroyer and another direct attack.

Savage tried to fight back, using Snatch Steal on Kycoo, but Ferdeloa chained Book of Moon to keep it. It was still attacked and destroyed. Next turn he topdecked Jinzo, tributed Sinister Serpent for it, and attacked. He continued playing aggressively, summoning Sinister Serpent for an attack while he used Jinzo to clear out Savage’s only spell or trap. Savage used Change of Heart on Jinzo to blow 2100 damage through the Serpent, but it wasn’t enough, and on what would be the final turn of the game, Jinzo attacked directly.

Match Win: Andrew Ferdeloa