Fate had pitted two Windsor boys against each other, both with 3-1 records. A loss here would knock the losing duelist out of the tournament.

Geoff Campbell is a 21 year-old bartender from Windsor, Ontario. He’s running a unique Clock Tower control build here this weekend that’s won him three of his four games so far, quite respectable. He’s up against Rob Cedar, another 21 year-old from Windsor who’s the supervisor of a tile company.

Oh yes. A tile company. A title and post so amazing, Rob Cedar felt it necessary to strike this pose . . .

Epic, isn’t it?

Campbell won the roll and opened with Terraforming, searching his deck for Clock Tower Prison. Cedar borrowed it for a moment to read it, refreshing himself on the timing of the card’s counter-gaining effect. Campbell played it, then activated Different Dimension Capsule to send Skill Drain out of the game face down. He activated another, this time selecting Cursed Seal of the Forbidden Spell. He set a trap and ended.

“One counter on Clock Tower Prison.”

Cedar nodded, and hit him with Heavy Storm! Campbell lost both Capsules, his Tower, and his set Divine Wrath! Cedar played Card Trooper next, swinging for 1900 damage unopposed.

Campbell set a spell or trap and then activated a third Capsule, searching out another Clock Tower. He played his last card, Wave-Motion Cannon, and ended. Cedar trooped for three cards, tributed for Raiza, sent Campbell’s set card to his deck, and swung for 2400. A turn later he was tributing for another Raiza with Treeborn Frog, and it was all over!

“The Heavy right off the bat killed me,” noted Campbell. Cedar nodded his agreement.

Both duelists spent some time side decking: game 1 was the duel that Campbell was supposed to win easily. Game 2 and 3 would be even harder.

Campbell was mildly unhappy. “Dangit. I don’t want my second loss to be to another Windsor deck.”

“I could live with that,” said Cedar with a slight smile.

“If you 2-0 me, I’m gonna be so mad.” Campbell grinned and began playing.

He set three cards to his back row and flipped one of them in Cedar’s draw phase. Trap Dustshoot? No! Skill Drain. Cedar set a monster and passed. Campbell set another card to his back row and passed back.

Cedar set a second monster, passed, Campbell set a fifth spell or trap, passed, and Cedar set his first non-monster of the game. Campbell passed, and Cedar tried to use Dust Tornado on Skill Drain but was shut down by Curse of Royal! Cedar set a monster, while Campbell played Different Dimension Capsule and removed Clock Tower Prison from the game.

“I end my turn,” he announced.

Gravekeeper’s Spy flipped on Cedar’s side, and he didn’t bring another from his deck. Spy attacked, Campbell passed, and Cedar flip summoned one Card Trooper, then another, using the effects of each in quick succession. He then summoned Des Wombat and attacked with Trooper!

Another Trooper attacked, then the Spy, and finally the Wombat. Campbell was down to 2200 life points and things didn’t look good. After looking over his hand and verbally deriding the state of his field he conceded, offering Cedar the handshake.

Rob Cedar scores a blowout win, as poor Geoff Campbell’s deck experiences an uncharacteristic and total failure!