Superfriends member Jason Tan is recognized for his second place finish at Canadian Nationals two years ago. He’s up against another of the Beast-wielding players in competition here today: Jeff Baumgartner, a three-time Shonen Jump Top 8’er!
Could Baumgartner succeed where Roberto Martinez had failed?
Baumgartner won the roll and opened with a set card to each zone. Tan fired back by setting a monster, a spell or trap, and Trap Dustshoot. He flipped it next turn to sneak a peek at Baumgartner’s hand of Ceasefire, two copies of Des Koala, Exiled Force, and Cyber Dragon. He shuffled back Exiled Force, telegraphing that his face-down card was a keeper. Baumgartner flip summoned Card Trooper, then sent Injection Fairy Lily, Mirror Force, and Green Baboon, Defender of the Forest to the graveyard to boost up Trooper! With Baboon loaded into his graveyard, things looked good, but Baumgartner was clearly wary of his opponent’s set monster. Anticipating the possibility of a set Morphing Jar, he set a card to each zone before attacking. The attack target turned out to be Gravekeeper’s Spy, and Card Trooper bounced off. Tan pulled another from his deck in defense mode and Baumgartner ended. He lost Snatch Steal to Mystical Space Typhoon in the end phase.
Snatch Steal from Tan let him assume control of Card Trooper, which he boosted and then tributed for Raiza. Raiza’s effect sent Baumgartner’s set monster to the top of his deck, allowing Raiza and both copies of Gravekeeper’s Spy to attack directly for 4800 damage! Raiza is a beating against Beast decks, since it can clear out Beasts that would otherwise have to be destroyed, giving an opening for Baboon. Tan knew it, and was playing around the big green monkey. Baumgartner would have to force his hand (or paw, as it were).
Next turn, he dropped Cyber Dragon and Des Koala, and attacked with the Koala into the Spy to destroy his Beast. He paid 1000 life points to special summon Green Baboon from the graveyard, and the monkey exploded onto the field! Baboon took down Raiza with its 2600 ATK, Cyber Dragon hit a Spy, and Baumgartner ended.
Spy went to defense, and Tan set a card to each zone. Baumgartner activated Ceasefire, flipping Tan’s Sangan and dishing out 2000 damage. Baboon and Cyber Dragon then attacked, but crashed into Mirror Force. Baumgartner set a card to each zone, fighting to recover from his ruinous turn.
Tan set a monster, set a spell or trap card, and ended. Next turn Baumgartner summoned Des Koala, flipped Torrential Tribute, and paid 1000 life points to special summon Green Baboon after clearing the field! Tan pulled Snipe Hunter with Sangan and Baboon attacked directly.
Snipe Hunter hit the field next turn, and Tan discarded his last card, Dekoichi the Battlechanted Locomotive, to target Baboon. He had a two-in-three chance to destroy it, and with a quick roll of “2”, it was done. Baboon went down, Snipe attacked directly, and Jason Tan had won the first duel!
Jason Tan scores a quick win over Jeff Baumgartner in game 1! Another monkey bites the dust.
Both competitors did some side decking before beginning the second game. Baumgartner opened with a set card to each zone and ended. Tan fired back the same and passed. Baumgartner passed back, Tan flip-summoned Gravekeeper’s Spy, and another came out in defense. He tributed the attack-mode copy for Jinzo, then attacked into Giant Rat: Baumgartner searched his deck for Card Trooper, special summoned it with the Rat’s effect, and then appeared to consider his hand: did he have Baboon? Tan ended.
Baumgartner activated Trooper’s effect, sending Scapegoat, Mystical Space Typhoon, and Torrential Tribute to the graveyard to boost Trooper’s ATK. Brain Control let him take Jinzo, and another gave him the Spy! He switched it to attack mode, summoned Injection Fairy Lily, and attacked with Spy, Trooper, Jinzo, and finally Lily for game!
Jeff Baumgartner evens the score, pressing this match to a third duel!
Tan began the game by setting D. D. Warrior Lady and a spell or trap. It flipped next turn. It was Trap Dustshoot, and Baumgartner flopped his hand of Card Trooper, Sangan, Cyber Dragon, Limiter Removal, Brain Control, and Torrential Tribute, losing Cyber Dragon back to his deck. He summoned Card Trooper, sent Heavy Storm, Cyber Dragon, and Neo-Spacian Grand Mole to the graveyard to power it up, and attacked: D. D. Warrior Lady removed herself and the Trooper from play. “I haven’t seen that card in a couple formats,” quipped Baumgartner.
Tan summoned Card Trooper next turn, pumped it to 1900 ATK and attacked. Confiscation then let him strip Baumgartner of Limiter Removal over Brain Control and Sangan. Tan set a spell or trap to end.
Sangan was summoned, and it promptly ran over Tan’s Card Trooper. He summoned another Trooper next turn, sent three cards to the graveyard to put it at 1900 ATK, and then attacked with it over Sangan. Baumgartner used its effect to search out a Trooper from his deck, and Tan set another spell or trap.
“How many in hand?” asked Baumgartner.
“Two,” replied Tan. Baumgartner activated Premature Burial, special summoned Sangan, and attacked over Trooper. Baumgartner set a monster and ended. Tan set a monster and a back-row card, and play was back to Baumgartner. Tan flipped his freshly-set card—Mind Crush—in his opponent’s draw phase, calling and discarding Brain Control. Baumgartner pressed on, flip summoning Card Trooper and pumping it to 1900 ATK. It attacked, but its attack target was Gravekeeper’s Spy, which flipped—Tan searched his deck for another, but found that his remaining copies were in the graveyard! “Wow, that was lucky,” remarked Baumgartner. “Go ahead.”
The duel stood at 4200 to 5800 in Tan’s favor. He tributed Spy for Jinzo, attacked, and hit Des Koala. The Koala burned him for 400 damage, and next turn Baumgartner activated Pot of Avarice, then turned Card Trooper and Sangan to defense.
Tan flipped Heavy Storm on the following turn! It wiped a ton of cards off the table, including Baumgartner’s Premature Burial, costing him Sangan! He activated Premature Burial himself to special summon Raiza, summoned Morphing Jar, and it was over! Morphing Jar attacked the Trooper, and Jinzo and Raiza attacked directly for game.
Jason Tan moves on, overcoming Green Baboon to capture a 2-0 record!