Emon Ghaneian needs no introduction. After finally making it big with his victory at Shonen Jump Championship Columbus, he’s never looked back, imbued with a confidence and momentum that seems unstoppable.

He opened with a set card in each zone, a play that Tsilimos returned. Emon flip summoned Dekoichi the Battlechanted Locomotive, tributed for Zaborg the Thunder Monarch, destroyed Magician of Faith with its effect, and attacked directly for 2400!

Tsilimos set a monster and passed. Emon summoned D. D. Warrior Lady, attacked with her, and hit Treeborn Frog: after a short decision he didn’t remove it from play. Zaborg the Thunder Monarch attacked directly, leaving Tsilimos at 3200! Mystical Space Typhoon destroyed Emon’s set Sakuretsu Armor in the end phase, and cleared the way for Treeborn Frog.

The Frog came up, and Tsilimos tributed for Zaborg the Thunder Monarch, destroying D. D. Warrior Lady. Snatch Steal took Emon’s Zaborg, and both duelists were at 3200. Tsilimos passed with no back row.

“It’s game” said Emon, playing Graceful Charity. He special summoned Cyber Dragon, flopped Heavy Storm to take back his Zaborg, played Snatch Steal, and activated Premature Burial for the win! It was all over in under four minutes!

“The main thing I’m mad about is that I didn’t get to see much of his deck,” said Emon, sincerely and without a hint of ego.

Tsilimos gave little sign of being fazed by the loss, clearly experienced enough to not let just a single moment of failure cloud his judgment or ability to perform. Impressive. That’s the kind of mental discipline that makes a champion. Both players chose to side deck multiple cards.

“Heart of the cards, right?” said Emon, drawing his five as the second duel began.

Tsilimos opened with one set monster. Emon summoned Mystic Tomato, attacked, and lost it to Night Assailant. Confiscation was activated by Emon, revealing Mystic Swordsman LV2, Exiled Force, Sangan, Breaker the Magical Warrior, and Dekoichi the Battlechanted Locomotive. Rough beats: there was nothing Tsilimos could really do to play out of his position, and now Emon knew it. “Hmm . . . it’s a good hand and a bad hand. Good in the sense that you have good cards, and bad in the sense that I’m about to take Breaker. Give me a second to memorize your cards.” Breaker was discarded. Emon set a spell or trap and passed.

Tsilimos summoned Sangan, attacked for 1000, and passed. Still no spell or trap.

Emon activated Premature Burial, brought back Mystic Tomato, and summoned Spirit Reaper. Mystic Tomato ran over Sangan, Tsilimos pulled Sangan from his deck, and Reaper attacked directly to force the discard of Mystic Swordsman LV2. Play passed to Tsilimos.

He set a card to each zone, and then took an attack from Mystic Tomato, losing Dekoichi the Battlechanted Locomotive but drawing a card. He flipped Dust Tornado to destroy Emon’s set card, but Emon flipped it to chain: Royal Decree. Spirit Reaper attacked, robbed Tsilimos of D. D. Assailant, and passed.

Tsilismos played Heavy Storm, summoned Exiled Force, attacked reaper, and tributed itself off to destroy Emon’s set monster: Magician of Faith. Emon set a back row card, summoned another Tomato, attacked directly with it and Reaper, and a turn later Tsilimos had nothing left.

Tsilimos took back his Treeborn Frog and set a spell or trap. Emon summoned D. D. Warrior Lady, but lost it to Bottomless Trap Hole. Reaper hit the Frog, and Tomato attacked directly.

The Frog came back on the following turn, and Tsilimos tributed it for Cyber Dragon. He passed, leaving it in attack position as a hopeful blocker. Emon drew, played Graceful Charity, discarded for it, and in a flurry special summoned Chaos Soldier and used Reinforcement of the Army to search for Exiled Force. It was enough for Tsilimos to scoop, knowing how it was all going to play out.

Emon Ghaneian takes a decisive win over James Tsilimos, who may be a rising star here at this event!