Both duelists are on the bubble. One will likely make Day 2, while the other will fall just short. Which one will it be? Let’s find out!

Alvarado opened with a set card to each zone. Emon summoned Cyber Dragon, attacked into Sakuretsu Armor, and set Spirit Reaper. Alvarado played Nobleman of Crossout, removed the Reaper from play, and summoned one of his own via flip to attack directly. It robbed Emon of his Don Zaloog. He set two more cards, one to each zone, and ended.

Emon summoned D. D. Warrior Lady, attacked the Reaper and removed it from play. He ended the turn with an empty field. Alvarado flipped Dekoichi, took a card for the flip effect, and attacked directly for 1400. Emon fired back with Premature Burial on Cyber Dragon, summoning Spirit Reaper. Cyber Dragon attacked, but was turned face down b Book of Moon. Reaper was left vulnerable.

Alvarado summoned Zaborg the Thunder Monarch, and destroyed Reaper. Zaborg then attacked Cyber Dragon, and Alvarado passed. Emon summoned Breaker and tried to break Alvarado’s one back row card. He revealed it to be Scapegoat, but spent close to a minute deciding whether or not he’d activate it. He decided not to, and paid instantly.

Snatch Steal took Zaborg from him, and Emon attacked directly with both Breaker and Zaborg. But next turn Alvarado summoned his own Breaker the Magical Warrior, broke Snatch Steal, and attacked Emon’s breaker with Zaborg. His Breaker swung directly, and it was a game a turn later when Alvarado special summoned Chaos Sorcerer.

Game 2

Emon opened the second game with a set to each zone. Alvarado summoned Breaker, but Book of Moon turned it face down. He set one spell or trap and ended. Emon drew, flipped Gravekeeper’s Spy to bring out another, and attacked with both. Breaker was destroyed and Alvarado took 1200 damage. Emon set a third monster and passed, with an empty back row.

Oof! Alvarado dropped Dark Hole, claiming a fast three for one and destroying Emon’s set Magical Merchant. He summoned Spirit Reaper, attacked to make Emon discard Mystic Tomato, and passed. Emon played Reinforcement of the Army to take and summon Exiled Force. He tributed it todestroy Spirit Reaper, and then used Pot of Avarice to shuffle back the two Spies, Mystic Tomato, Exiled Force, and Merchant. He set one back row card and passed.

Alvarado set a card to each zone and passed. Back. Emon summoned Mystic Swordsman LV2 and attacked, destroying Alvarado’s set Dekoichi. Dust Tornado destroyed Emon’s set Widespread Ruin, and Cyber Dragon came down for Alvarado. It smacked Mystic Swordsman LV2 and Alvarado passed.

Emon used Reinforcement of the Army yet again, to pull Exiled Force. He summoned it and tributed it to get rid of the Cyber Dragon, and passed with an empty field. Alvarado passed back, Emon set a monster, Alvarado set another back row card, and play moved to Emon again.

Emon flipped Magical Merchant, discarding five monsters before hitting Mystical Space Typhoon! He played it, destroying Alvardo’s most recent set, revealing it to be Sakuretsu Armor. He then summoned Tsukuyomi, turned Merchant face down, and bounced Tsukuyomi back to his hand.

Alvarado had to beat the lock, so Premature Burial brought back Dekoichi. Dekoichi hit the Merchant, which fetched Emon Torrential Tribute. Alvarado set a second spell or trap and played Tsukuyomi to turn Dekoichi face down.

But Emon had yet another Pot of Avarice! He activated it, shuffled back five monsters, and drew two cards yet again. It netted him Mystic Tomato and Nobleman of Crossout. He used Premature Burial to bring back Sangan, discarded earlier by Magical Merchant, and then tributed it for Mobius the Frost Monarch. Mobius destroyed both of Alvarado’s back row cards, and Sangan got Emon Magician of Faith. Nobleman of Crossout removed Alvarado’s set Dekoichi, and Mobius attacked directly. Emon set a spell or trap and ended!

Alvarado used Smashing Ground to clear away Mobius, but had no play beyond a set monster. Emon pressed, summoning Cyber Dragon and Spirit Reaper. Cyber Dragon hit Alvarado’s set Tsukuyomi, and Tsuku turned Emon’s Spirit Reaper face down. It wasn’t enough though. Alvarado couldn’t draw anything useful on the following turn, and Emon took him out with Cyber Dragon, Mystic Tomato, and Spirit Reaper.

Game 3

Both duelists side decked carefully and clasped hands. Emon and Alvarado have a huge amount of respect for each other, and a lot of friendship despite their past clashes. Alvarado began the match.

He set a card to each zone, and passed. Emon played Nobleman of Crossout to remove Alvarado’s Treeborn Frog from play, and set a monster. Alvarado summoned and attacked with D. D. Warrior Lady, and removed Emon’s set Mystic Tomato from play. Emon set a spell or trap and ended.

Alvarado summoned Breaker the Magical Warrior, and broke Emon’s set Snatch Steal before attacking directly. Emon set a spell or trap, then summoned Exiled Force, tributing it to take out Breaker. It was a telling sign of how poor his hand was. Alvarado summoned Spirit Reaper and attacked on the following turn, but Widespread destroyed it.

Emon set a monster and passed. Alvarado removed it from play with Nobleman of Crossout, revealing Magician of Faith. Emon was getting rolled, stuck with Pot of Avarice and Mobius in his hand. He topdecked Spirit Reaper and summoned it, trying to attack, but his Scapegoat. He nailed a Sheep, Alvarado set a spell or trap, and Emon pegged another Sheep token. He set a spell or trap, passed, Alvarado passed, Spirit Reaper ate a Sheep token, and Alvardo set another back row card. The momentum of the duel had turned in Emon’s favor.

He attacked with Reaper thought, and lost it to Skauretsu Armor. He set another monster, Alvarado set one, and Emon flipped his. Gravekeeper’s Spy grabbed another copy of itself, and Emon brought it out in defense. He tributed the defense position one for Mobius, but Alvarado chained his set Dust Tornado to destroy Pot of Avarice. Exiled Force came back with Premature Burial, tributed to destroy the face down Reaper Alvarado had set, and Spy hit the Sheep. Mobius then hit directly.

Alvarado summoned Cyber Dragon, took Mobius with Snatch Steal, and summoned Dekoichi in face up attack position. Smashing Ground took out the Spy, but Emon’s one face down set kept him on the board! Sakuretsu Armor destroyed Cyber Dragon, and the life point totals were 1800 to 5600, once Emon claimed his 1000 for Snatch Steal.

Emon drew, and played Heavy Storm, taking back his Mobius. Mobius attacked Dekoichi, destroying it, and Emon set one card to his back row. Alvarado set one monster, emon played Reinforcement of the Army to fetch Mystic Swordsman LV2, and he summoned it to attack and destroy Alvarado’s set Dekoichi. MObius swung diredclty, and it was 2200 to 1800.

Alvarado drew, looked at his hand, and offered Emon the handshake. All he had was Heavy Storm, Goldd, and a Mobius. Emon admitted to topdecking the reinforcement, and it was clear that he had nothing but respect for Alvarado.

Emon Ghaneian moves on to a likely Top 8 showing! If he makes it to Day 2, he’ll repeat his Top 8 performance from Shonen Jump Los Angeles last summer, and join the prestigious club of two-time Top 8 duelists!