Daniel Zipper hails from nearby Riverside, California. The 22 year-old hospital worker is here today with a 3-0 record, playing Oppression Gadgets. His opponent, Kirk Leonhardt, is no stranger to the feature match table. He’s not a stranger to Daniel either: both these players are long-time friends and have played each other before. Win or lose, there weren’t going to be any hard feelings here.

Zipper opened with one set spell or trap card, and Leonhardt summoned Gemini Summoner to get things started! Zipper activated Torrential Tribute to destroy him. Leonhardt set a spell or trap and ended — a pretty good turn for Leonhardt. Zipper set another spell or trap, Leonhardt set one as well and play was back to Zipper.

“On the draw, I’ll activate Trap Dustshoot,” announced Leonhardt; he revealed Solemn Judgment, Creature Swap, Royal Oppression, Heavy Storm, Nobleman of Crossout, and Zipper’s draw for the turn: Blue Thunder T-45! It was a heavy odds call for Leonhardt, who was betting that his opponent would’ve finally drawn a monster. Even if he’d guessed wrong though, he would’ve gained a great deal of intelligence.

He drew for his turn, passed, and Zipper passed back. Leonhardt passed, and Zipper drew Snipe Hunter. He discarded Creature Swap with priority, a hugely terrible mistake, and lost out to Torrential Tribute. Leonhardt set another card to his back row and ended.

Blue Thunder T-45 came down for Zipper yet again, and it attacked Leonhardt directly for 1700 damage. The duel stood at 6300 to 8000, and Zipper set a second card to his spell and trap zone.

Leonhardt activated Brain Control, bringing Blue Thunder over to his side of the field. He tributed it for Thestalos the Firestorm Monarch, and Zipper lost his Heavy Storm! Thestalos attacked, and Leonhardt had somehow made the right read — Zipper took 2400 damage! Most experienced players would have attacked with the Thunder first, but Leonhardt seemed to know Zipper had nothing. A second set card to his back row ended a great turn.

Yellow Gadget hit the field for Zipper, who searched his deck for Green Gadget. He activated Creature Swap, Leonhardt checked his face-downs, and then handed over Thestalos. He attacked, and Leonhardt considered his responses before activating Phoenix Wing Wind Blast, targeting his Thestalos. He discarded Lightning Vortex, and Zipper activated Solemn Judgment to press the attack through. Leonhardt dropped to 4300 life points and Zipper set another Solemn with 2800 life points remaining.

Leonhardt had two set spell or trap cards and three in-hand cards next turn, to Zipper’s Thestalos, two set spell or trap cards, and two in-hand cards. Leonhardt activated Soul Exchange, tributed his opponent’s Thestalos the Firestorm Monarch for Raiza the Storm Monarch, and Zipper dropped to 1400 life points to negate Raiza. Leonhardt set his last card to his back row and ended.

Zipper summoned Red Gadget, searched his deck for Yellow Gadget, and attacked with Red. “I’ll take it,” announced Leonhardt. “3000 to 1400? Is that right?” Zipper nodded. Leonhardt drew for his turn and Zipper activated Royal Oppression.

A set monster was Leonhardt’s only move, and Zipper searched both players’ graveyards after drawing for his turn — did he top into Monster Reborn? Leonhardt would have to wonder, as his opponent summoned Green Gadget and searched out another copy of Red. He activated Nobleman of Crossout targeting Leonhardt’s set monster and removed it from play — Sangan. Ouch. Red Gadget attacked and Leonhardt flipped Mirror Force! That left Zipper to do nothing but set Lightning Vortex as a bluff.

Leonhardt needed 1400 damage to take the duel, but could only set a monster yet again. Zipper drew, and had Red Gadget, Yellow Gadget, and Blue Thunder T-45 in hand. He summoned Blue Thunder, attacked, and Leonhardt turned it face-down with Book of Moon. “Your turn,” stated Zipper.

Crystal Seer was flip summoned by Leonhardt, who chose one of the two cards from the top of his deck and then summoned Hydrogeddon! “That’s fine,” replied Zipper. Hydrogeddon attacked Blue Thunder and Zipper had to pay himself down to 600 life points for Royal Oppression to stay alive! Leonhardt passed.

Zipper drew into Mirror Force and summoned Yellow Gadget, searching out Green and then trying to attack over Crystal Seer. But Leonhardt flipped Spiritual Water Art – Aoi! He tributed Crystal Seer, got to peek at Zipper’s hand, and discarded Mirror Force over Red and Green Gadget. Next turn Leonhardt drew Cyber Dragon, special summoned it, and summoned Mother Grizzly to join it. Cyber Dragon was sent charging toward Yellow Gadget and the resulting damage was enough to close the duel.

Kirk Leonhardt’s Water Control deck ousts Daniel Zipper’s Gadgets in game 1! Both duelists did some serious side decking before moving to game 2.

Zipper opened the duel with Green Gadget, nabbing a copy of Red Gadget from his deck — at least one duelist was not going to be left in a stall for this game. He set one card to his back row and passed play to Leonhardt.

The Enigma innovator set a monster, and then set two cards to his back row. He flipped Trap Dustshoot next turn, revealing his opponent’s hand of Red Gadget, Yellow Gadget, Green Gadget, Nobleman of Crossout, Hammer Shot, Snipe Hunter, and Blue Thunder T-45: he sent back Snipe Hunter. Zipper activated Nobleman of Crossout to remove Leonhardt’s Marshmallon from play, pressed with Green Gadget, and then summoned Yellow Gadget to develop his field. Zipper was playing pretty conservatively for someone whose monsters were free. He was bluffing with Creature Swap set.

Leonhardt summoned Gemini Summoner and ran over Green Gadget. Zipper summoned Blue Thunder T-45, activated Creature Swap to trade his Yellow Gadget for Gemini Summoner and then attacked with Blue Thunder — Leonhardt flipped Shrink! Blue Thunder was destroyed and Zipper lost 350 life points. Gemini Summoner then ran over Yellow Gadget, and Zipper set another card to his spell and trap zone. It was 7550 to 6300 and Leonhardt set a monster.

Zipper summoned Red Gadget, pulled Yellow Gadget, and attacked into Spirit Reaper. He flipped his set Fissure to destroy it in main phase 2, and then set another back row card: Dimensional Prison, his first non-bluff set of the duel. Leonhardt walked right into it, having little other choice but to summon Hydrogeddon and try to swing momentum in his favor; Zipper flipped Dimensional Prison to remove the Hydro and Leonhardt discarded Brain Control for Lightning Vortex! He passed with one card left in his hand.

Green Gadget hit the field for Zipper, who was now in complete control of the duel. He nabbed a copy of Red Gadget, attacked with Green, and Leonhardt was down to 4900 life points. Zipper set another card to reinforce his Green Gadget.

Leonhardt summoned Gemini Summoner, attacked, and Zipper lost Green Gadget. He’d opted not to flip his set Torrential Tribute. He summoned Red Gadget next turn, searched his deck, and found that he was out of Yellow Gadget! He activated Hammer Shot to blow away Gemini Summoner, attacked, and Leonhardt seemed to consider scooping since there were just 13 minutes remaining in the match. He pressed on, setting one spell or trap, and took another 1300 damage next turn.

Zipper ended without summoning, and Kirk special summoned Cyber Dragon. He tributed it for Mobius the Frost Monarch, Zipper responded by flipping Torrential Tribute and Leonhardt set Mirror Force. He lost it next turn to Mystical Space Typhoon, and Zipper attacked with Yellow Gadget. Leonhardt, down to topdecking, set his last card to his back row, but was defeated a turn later after another swing from Yellow Gadget.

Daniel Zipper evens up the match score, pressing this matchup to a third duel! Both duelists did some serious side decking, and 12 minutes remained in the round. Leonhardt would get to open game 3.

“I’ll go first,” announced Leonhardt, offering a handshake. “Have a good game.”

He set a monster to begin, and then set a spell or trap. Zipper summoned Green Gadget, searched for Red, and then ran into Sangan. Leonhardt used its effect to search out Skreech from his deck! What was he planning? Zipper set a card to his back row and ended.

Leonhardt summoned Skreech and ran it straight into Dimensional Prison — he chained Book of Moon to keep it on the field! He set a second spell or trap and ended. Zipper predictably summoned Red Gadget, searched out Yellow, and attacked with Green Gadget: Skreech was destroyed, and Leonhardt sent Treeborn Frog and Lekunga to his graveyard. Red Gadget then made a direct attack.

A set spell or trap ended Zipper’s turn. Leonhardt summoned Gemini Summoner, attacked, and ate another Dimensional Prison — this time he chained Spiritual Water Art – Aoi to reveal his opponent’s hand: Yellow Gadget, Mirror Force, Fissure, Hammer Shot, and Creature Swap. “Oh my . . . wow . . .” He shook his head a moment before discarding his opponent’s Mirror Force. Zipper was up.

He drew into Heavy Storm and activated it to destroy Leonhardt’s set Torrential Tribute! He summoned Yellow Gadget, searched for Green, and then attacked with all three Gadgets for 3900 damage. Leonhardt was down to just 2800 life points. He set a spell or trap. “Jason’s a jinx,” noted Leonhardt, who believes he’ll always lose his feature matches.

A set card to each zone was Leonhardt’s only play, and Green Gadget attacked next turn to flip Leonhardt’s set Spirit Reaper. Once again, Leonhardt lost his Reaper to Fissure. Zipper set a second spell or trap to his back row.

“Still in the draw phase,” announced Leonhardt, as he flipped Shrink to target Green Gadget. He moved to his standby phase to special summon Treeborn Frog. He summoned Hydrogeddon, but Zipper flipped Bottomless Trap Hole! There was nothing Leonhardt could do. He passed with nothing on the field but Treeborn Frog, and a fourth Gadget ended the game next turn!

“That Heavy was too much,” noted Leonhardt in a friendly tone, shaking his opponent’s hand. “Good job, Daniel.”

Daniel Zipper moves on undefeated with Oppression Gadgets!