Anthony Alvarado is back at the feature table. With a 6-1 record, he’s on the bubble for the final round. “Shawn got mad at me for not shouting him out in my last feature, so uh . . . I’m on Team Shawn?” His opponent is Chris Bowling, one of the two new recruits on team Face2Face. Chris is one of the most experienced duelists on the circuit, but is he prepared for the deck he’s about to face?
Chris won the die roll and opened with Allure of Darkness. Darklord Zerato was removed from play with its effect, and Reinforcement of the Army brought out Elemental Hero Stratos to search Destiny Hero – Disk Commander. Destiny Draw let him discard that Commander, and Premature Burial brought it back into play. Chris passed, and despite it being his first turn, was forced to discard Dark Magician of Chaos during his end phase because he had too many cards.
Ant played Gladiator Beast Hoplomus next turn and swung over the Disk Commander. He switched the Hoplomus out with Gladiator Beast Murmillo to destroy the Stratos. A set spell or trap finished his turn. Chris drew and played Heavy Storm. Ant chained Mind Crush, calling Dark Armed Dragon and robbing Chris of one copy. Card Trooper came down next, knocking three cards off the deck including Destiny Hero – Malicious. Malicious was brought out in attack mode to swing down Murmillo and allow Trooper to attack directly.
On his turn Ant summoned Gladiator Beast Darius. After he set a spell or trap, Chris decided to flip Crush Card Virus. Darius was destroyed, but Ant’s hand of three monsters remained safe. Ant flipped Premature Burial to revive Darius. He then attacked for 1300 and switched out for Gladiator Beast Laquari. Chris had Reinforcement of the Army for Strike Ninja and Dimension Fusion in hand though, and after Ant ended his turn it was the simple procedure of special summoning an army of monsters for game.
Ant opened the second game with two set spell or trap cards and a set monster. Chris played two copies of Allure of Darkness, removing Dark Magician of Chaos and Sangan from play. Next he summoned Elemental Hero Stratos to search for Destiny Hero – Malicious. Two set spell or traps of his own matched Ant’s, and Chris finished off his turn playing Golden Sarcophagus for Dimension Fusion.
Ant was up next, and he flipped Gladiator Beast Hoplomus. Test Tiger was special summoned next and Ant pulled Gladiator Beast Murmillo. Stratos was destroyed, but Ant’s attacks were blocked with Threatening Roar. Anthony set another monster and a third spell or trap card before passing.
Chris opened his turn by summoning Snipe Hunter. Destiny Hero – Malicious was discarded targeting Ant’s face-down monster. It was Sangan, and its destruction meant the search of Test Tiger from Ant’s deck. Strike Ninja was discarded next for the Snipe to target Murmillo. Ant flipped Shadow-Imprisoning Mirror in response, and Chris chained with Dust Tornado! Ant trumped him though, flipping Solemn Judgment to keep all his stuff alive. Chris thought for some time before deciding to attack over Murmillo. After checking to see Chris had only two cards in the graveyard and one card in hand, Ant made the play to attack over Snipe Hunter with Gladiator Beast Laquari. Ant special summoned Darius from his deck, and grabbed a Murmillo from the graveyard in defense mode before passing.
Dimension Fusion was returned to Chris’ hand this turn, but Ant flipped Mind Crush to take it out! Dark Armed Dragon came down though, and Chris then played Premature Burial, reviving Elemental Hero Stratos to search for Destiny Hero – Disk Commander. Darius’ destruction returned the Murmillo back to Ant’s deck, and Stratos swung directly.
On his turn Ant summoned a Gladiator Beast, used Test Tiger to switch it out for Laquari, swung over the Stratos, and then brought out Murmillo with Laquari. Murmillo destroyed the Dragon and Ant passed. Chris drew and passed with nothing on his field. Ant summoned Gladiator Beast Bestiari and attacked directly with both monsters. He switched them both out for a Hoplomus in defense mode and a Laquari in defense as well. Time was called after that, so another set spell or trap was the end of that turn. Chris simply set Legendary Jujitsu Master on his turn, and Ant couldn’t make up the difference next turn.
Chris Bowling moves on to the Top 16 with a 2-0 victory over Anthony Alvarado!