Lance Leonhardt is the son of SJC Top 8 player Kirk Leonhardt, and a premier member of Team Enigma. Together with his father, mother, and sister, the Leonhardts are one of the most prestigious duelist families of all time, and are frequently hailed for their tendency to run original decks heavily tuned to fight an expected metagame.
Mark Garcia represented America at Worlds this year, and is a member of the innovative Team Nemesis. This weekend, he’s packing a new Dark World build that had thus far brought him to a 2-0 record. He won the roll, and play began quickly after a bit of friendly small talk.
Garcia opened with a set Drop Off, and forced Lance to discard his Nimble Momonga on turn 1. It was a strong start, but Lance was mysteriously unfazed.
“Summon Cyber-Stein.”
Garcia reeled briefly. “Do you have game?!”
Lance nodded. He paid 5000 life points to bring out Cyber End Dragon, activated Limiter Removal, and Cyber End struck to take the first duel!
Lance Leonhardt wins the first game in the span of mere heartbeats!
Both duelists smokescreened during the side-decking period, shuffling their sides into their mains and removing fifteen cards to mask how many cards (if any) they were rotating out. Garcia looked as if he had a complete understanding of just how desperate this situation had suddenly become.
He opened the second duel by setting two spell or trap cards to his back row. He flipped one of them on Lance’s following turn—another Drop Off—and it forced the discard of Swords of Revealing Light. Lance set a card to each zone to end his turn, and Garcia discarded Thunder Dragon to dig for two more! Heavy Storm destroyed Lance’s Ring of Destruction and Cyber Dragon was special summoned. Dark World Lightning then brought out Goldd, Wu-Lord of Dark World and destroyed Lance’s set Magician of Faith! Both monsters attacked and play passed to Lance. It appeared that Garcia was making his much-needed comeback!
But the tables turned just as fast. Lance special summoned Cyber Dragon and attached Megamorph to it. It attacked to destroy Goldd, Wu-Lord of Dark World, and it was 6100 to 3600 in Garcia’s favor. Lance set a monster to conclude his turn and Garcia passed back, briefly stymied. Lance did some careful math and then attacked with his Cyber Dragon to destroy Garcia’s. Garcia went to 4000 life points (still high enough that Lance’s Cyber Dragon would keep its double ATK), Lance set a second monster and passed. Garcia discarded both of his in-hand Thunder Dragon cards via their effects and then activated Pot of Avarice, trading them for two more useful cards. Cool move, albeit perhaps a slightly desperate one. He set a spell or trap card and special summoned Cyber Dragon in defense.
And just like that it was over. Dekoichi the Battlechanted Locomotive flipped on Lance’s side to get him a card. He then tributed his set Cyber-Stein for Granmarg the Rock Monarch, and its effect destroyed Garcia’s set Mirror Force. Granmarg attacked Garcia’s defense-position Cyber Dragon and Lance’s Cyber Dragon swung for game thanks to Megamorph.
It was over in less than ten minutes. Lance Leonhardt moves on undefeated!