Jasmin Gauthier is about to face his toughest challenge of the day, pitting his new Chain burn deck against Shonen Jump Chicago Champion Dale Bellido and his Monarchs. Fortunately for Jasmin, Dale’s huge amount of monster destruction isn’t particularly useful against his burn deck, and there’s a chance that the most damage Dale will be able to put out will be 450 a turn from Old Vindictive Magician. The winner of this match would be guaranteed a copy of Crush Card Virus and a shot at the title, while the loser would have to take his chances with the consolation match.
Dale called tails and won the coin flip this time around. He started off with a set Gravekeeper’s Spy while Jasmin opened up with a set monster and three spells or traps. Dale activated Soul Exchange and tributed his opponent’s set Mecha-Dog Marron for Mobius the Frost Monarch. He targeted the outside sets, and Jasmin chained to it with Waboku, Pigeonholing Books of Spell and Accumulated Fortune. Jasmin drew two cards and rearranged the top 3 cards of his deck, and Dale flipped Gravekeeper’s Spy to fetch another and eliminate the possibility of being stuck with Ojamas in the near future. Dale had no further plays, and action returned to Jasmin. He set a monster and 4 spell or traps leaving his hand empty. Dale had another Mobius and once again picked the outermost cards to be destroyed. This was chain link 1 once again and Jasmin considered how he would chain his cards. He flipped the targeted Waboku, but declined to chain Jar of Greed. What did Jasmin have in mind that would require no hand? Dale attacked anyway, flipping Morphing Jar, and both players got a new hand. Jasmin had known his next card due to Pigeonholing Books of Spell, and he didn’t want to discard it to the Jar!
Dale ended his turn, and Jasmin set a pair of spells before activating Poison of the Old Man and setting another pair of spells and traps to fill out his deck. During Dale’s draw phase, Jasmin asked for a count of how many cards Dale controlled. The answer was 9, so Secret Barrel could do 1800 damage if Jasmin chose to flip one. He decided against it, and Dale continued his turn by summoning Spirit Reaper. Jasmin checked his full back row before allowing the summon to happen. Gravekeeper’s Spy flipped to attack position, and, in the battle phase, Jasmin flipped Gravity Bind in response to the Spy’s attack, chaining Just Desserts to deal 2000 more damage to Dale. This left Dale with 5200 life points and no way out in hand. Dale passed over to Jasmin, who filled his last spell or trap slot once again, and play was back to Dale. He had drawn into a relatively useless Confiscation. Dale tributed Spy for Zaborg to destroy Morphing Jar. Dale attacked with his Reaper for the first damage he had dealt all game, and a useless Ojama Trio was dropped from Jasmin’s hand. Play was back to Jasmin, and he activated Jar of Greed, Secret Barrel, Poison of the Old Man, and Chain Strike in a chain to deal a grand total of 4200 damage leaving Dale at 1000. Mecha-Dog Marron was summoned, but Jasmin couldn’t attack with it to end the game! He played Swords of Revealing Light and passed. Dale decided to dump as much of his hand as possible, and he tributed his Zaborg to set Cyber Dragon and then removed it from play with Nobleman of Crossout. Jasmin pulled Lava Golem and summoned it. Dale needed Book of Moon to stay in the game, but he didn’t get it and game 1 was over!
At this point, Dale found out that Cesar had won his semifinal match and he shouted over “Hey Cesar, you got a side for burn?” jokingly indicating that he was going to have to work really hard to turn this match around. Dale started out game 2 with a set spell and D.D. Designator on Jar of Greed. He missed, but he got to look at Jasmin’s hand, which came in handy when he flipped his set D.D. Designator to steal away Jasmin’s Ring of Destruction. He set a monster and passed over to Jasmin, who now had to work around the fact that Dale knew exactly what was coming with the exception of his newly drawn card. Jasmin set a monster and a pair of spells or traps and a monster while Dale summoned Reaper and flipped Mystic Tomato. He attacked into Mecha-Dog Marron with Tomato and then hit directly with Reaper, discarding Just Desserts.
Jasmin had two cards in hand after his draw, neither of which Dale knew the identity of. He set them both and passed over to Dale, who pulled Sangan off the top of the deck. He summoned it and attacked with Reaper. Reaper fell to Magic Cylinder, Sangan connected, and Mystic Tomato’s attack was repelled by Dimension Wall. Jasmin set his draw and flipped Ojama Trio during Dale’s draw phase to lock down further summons. It didn’t stop him from making a tribute summon, however, and Zaborg came down and blew away a token. Sangan’s effect fetched D.D. Crow from his deck and both Zaborg and Tomato swung directly. Jasmin needed some stall to stay in this, and he set his draw once me. Dale summoned Old Vindictive Magician, but Waboku delayed his ability to win for another turn. Jasmin set his draw once again, and play was back to Bellido. He attacked with Old Vindictive Magician and Jasmin did a little mental math. He used his set pair of Poison of the Old Man to gain 2400 life points before Dale’s attacks hit him and dropped him back down to 50 life points. Dale had 5000 life points left, and Jasmin needed to take them all right now if he didn’t want to lose. He only found an Inaba White Rabbit, however, and the SJC Chicago champion was still alive.
Dale’s cell phone rang for the 3rd time during one of his matches, and this time he was allowed to answer it. Andrew Hayton was on the line, and Dale quickly explained his game 3 situation before being forced to hang up. Jasmin got to start the final game, and he opened up with three set spells or traps. In the draw phase, Dale got stuck with the Ojama Trio, and he summoned Spy to attack for 1200. He also set a pair of spells or traps before activating D.D. Designator, calling Lava Golem. He was wrong, however, and lost Thestalos to the removed from play pile. Jasmin was up, and he set a pair of spells or traps before ending. The Spy tried another attack, but Gravity Bind shut things down for him. Dale tributed his Spy for a set Cyber Dragon in main phase 2, and play was back to Jasmin. Jasmin had no moves, but, in the end phase, Dale activated Royal Oppression. He tributed Cyber Dragon for Thestalos, and Jasmin had no chains. He lost a useless Ojama Trio to the graveyard, and Dale set a spell or trap before ending his turn. Jasmin was back up, and he set his first monster of the game. Dale drew his card and chose to hold it, hoping that Jasmin would have a Morphing Jar that could help him get to Heavy Storm or anything else to get rid of the Gravity Bind.
If he did have it, Jasmin didn’t flip it. He passed his turn, and Dale drew into another Cyber Dragon. He considered his set Soul Exchange, but instead decided to tribute Thestalos for the Dragon instead. Jasmin decided to activate a Jar of Greed. “Chain Link 1?” inquired Dale. “No, that’s it.” He then summoned Lava Golem to Dale’s field, and Dale opted not to negate it. This confused Jasmin, and he set a spell or trap before ending. During his standby phase, Lava Golem triggered and Dale chained with Book of Moon. From that, Jasmin chained Waboku and Accumulated Fortune. The end result was that Jasmin drew 2 cards, was immune to battle this turn, Lava Golem was face down, and Lava Golem still dealt the damage. A terrible result for Dale, but he set a spell or trap and passed. Jasmin had a Tremendous Fire next turn to put Dale at 6000 to his 6300, and he followed it up with a set spell or trap. Dale drew into a Banisher of the Radiance next turn, and he summoned it successfully. Banisher attacked Morphing Jar, and all the discarded cards were removed from play. Dale filled out the rest of his spell and trap zones and ended his turn. Jasmin drew and Dale activated Mind Crush calling Just Desserts. It wasn’t there, however, and Dale lost a Spy from his hand. Jasmin then activated Jar of Greed and had three spell or trap zones to work with. He filled them out and set a monster before passing back to Dale. Jasmin lost Accumulated Fortune in the end phase to Mystical Space Typhoon, and Dale was up.
Dale flipped Soul Exchange, and Jasmin chained with Secret Barrel for 2000 damage. Dale then set a card to each zone and passed. Jasmin filled out his spell and trap zones once again, and during Dale’s draw phase he flipped Secret Barrel and Just Desserts for game! There was nothing Dale could do, and Jasmin Gauthier moves on to the finals after a tense match with Dale Bellido!