Matt Hoey hails from Kenosha, Wisconsin, and at age 16 has attended several Shonen Jumps and posted respectable finishes. He’s running Zombies here today, and has earned a 5-1 record. But now he’s up against Miguel Albarran, who’s quietly blown away all but his Round 6 opponent with a deadly mix of Volcanics and Monarchs. Previously seated at Table 1, the 22 year-old Albarran is hungry for another Day 2.
He won the roll and opened up with Volcanic Rocket, searching his deck for Blaze Accelerator. A set spell or trap card was next and Albarran quickly passed. Hoey set two to his back row, ended, and Albarran sent the Rocket to attack. It slammed into a Sheep Token as Hoey flipped Scapegoat, and was tributed in main phase 2 for Thestalos the Firestorm Monarch. Thestalos’ effect ripped Lightning Vortex from Hoey’s hand. “Go.”
Hoey set a monster, playing to a defensive pace that suited Albarran just fine for the moment. Thestalos swung on another Sheep and Albarran set Card Trooper. Hoey flip summoned Giant Rat next turn, attacked the Trooper, and Albarran drew for its effect. He was holding several discard-costed cards and was clearly trying to draw toward Volcanic Shell. Hoey ended.
“I still don’t know what Wild Fire does,” mentioned Hoey. Albarran summoned Snipe Hunter, discarded Treeborn Frog to destroy Giant Rat, and attacked a Sheep with Thestalos. The last fell to Snipe Hunter and Albarran ended. His hand was loaded with cards just waiting for Volcanic Shell.
Lightning Vortex cleared him out next turn, and Hoey swung with Card Trooper, sending Zombie Master to the graveyard in the process of boosting it. Albarran set two cards to his back row, set a monster, and ended. Hoey boosted Trooper again, set a second spell or trap himself, then a third, clearly reading Morphing Jar. Trooper attacked and hit Old Vindictive Magician! Trooper was destroyed by its effect and Hoey drew.
Albarran passed, still without Volcanic Shell. He ate an attack from Giant Rat next turn, set a spell or trap, and, when Hoey attacked next turn, he was stopped by Mirror Force. Albarran activated Pot of Avarice, shuffled back five of his six monsters (keeping Treeborn in the graveyard) and then drew two. Still no Shell, and his third Wind Blast came off the top alongside Crystal Seer. Albarran set Wind Blast, set a monster and lost the Wind Blast to Dust Tornado in the end phase. It was a skillful drawing out of Hoey’s removal.
Call of the Haunted was flipped by Hoey, targeting Card Trooper, but Albarran chained The Transmigration Prophecy to shuffle back Trooper and Zombie Master into Hoey’s deck. Hoey ended his turn and Albarran flip summoned Crystal Seer! He chose Volcanic Shell over Raiza the Storm Monarch. Now he was getting somewhere.
Seer attacked, and Hoey dropped to 7900 life points. Albarran had 4700 life points remaining. Hoey summoned Card Trooper, off the top! He boosted it, it attacked, and Albarran spun it away with Phoenix Wing Wind Blast, discarding Volcanic Shell. “Not good,” remarked Hoey. “You can go.” Albarran searched for another Shell.
He set a monster and attacked again with Crystal Seer. Hoey activated Book of Life next turn, bringing back his Pyramid Turtle and removing Treeborn Frog from his opponent’s graveyard. Pyramid Turtle attacked Seer, but Albarran responded with Book of Moon to turn the Seer face down. Pyramid Turtle hit, Seer flipped, and Albarran got another card.
Next turn he activated Blaze Accelerator! It had lain dormant in his hand since the beginning of the game, but now that he had Volcanic Shell Albarran was locked and loaded. Shell was pitched to destroy Pyramid Turtle and Albarran paid another 500 life points to search out his third. He ended, unable to attack due to Accelerator’s effect.
Breaker the Magical Warrior hit the field, but when Hoey tried to break Phoenix Wing Wind Blast Albarran chained it to discard his last Shell and send one of Hoey’s spell or trap cards to the top of his deck. Breaker attacked into Apprentice Magician and Albarran special summoned Magician of Faith in face-down defense. Hoey gave a sigh and ended.
Albarran flip summoned Magician to return Pot of Avarice to his hand. He tributed Magician to spin Hoey’s last set spell or trap with Raiza the Storm Monarch, then activated Pot of Avarice to shuffle back Crystal Seer, Magician of Faith, Apprentice Magician, and two Volcanic Shell. He drew Snipe Hunter and Thestalos the Firestorm Monarch, the former being excellent for Albarran’s current position. He attacked Breaker the Magical Warrior, set a spell or trap and ended.
Hoey drew and had four cards remaining in his hand — nothing but a useless Call of the Haunted face up on the field. Albarran had Raiza, Blaze Accelerator, and a set spell or trap out, plus six cards in his hand. Hoey summoned Card Trooper, sent three cards to the graveyard for its effect, and set a spell or trap again. “Go.”
Albarran summoned Snipe Hunter. He pitched Thestalos, destroying Hoey’s Mirror Force! He flipped Premature Burial, brought back Thestalos, and activated Brain Control for game.
Miguel Albarran takes the first duel with a slow, grinding form of control, all thanks to Volcanics!
Hoey opened the second duel with a set spell or trap. Albarran summoned Volcanic Rocket yet again, searching out Blaze Accelerator and then swinging for 1900 damage. He set the Accelerator, but lost it to Dust Tornado in the end phase. Again, he did a great job of drawing out Hoey’s spell and trap removal with useless cards.
Cyber Dragon came down for Hoey, crashing over Volcanic Rocket for 200 damage. All in all not a bad trade for Albarran. Hoey set a spell or trap, and Albarran dropped another Rocket! He took back Accelerator, activated it, and discarded Volcanic Shell to blow away Cyber Dragon.
But Hoey fought back! He activated Lightning Vortex, discarded Ryu Kokki, then activated Book of Life on Kokki to remove Volcanic Shell from Albarran’s graveyard. Hoey set a spell or trap yet again.
“Five in hand? I guess I won’t see a Volcanic Shell going off this turn.” Hoey grinned, not knowing how wrong he was.
Albarran summoned Breaker the Magical Warrior, destroyed Hoey’s set Nobleman of Crossout with it, and then tossed another Shell from his hand to destroy Kokki! Albarran searched out his third Shell and ended. Hoey couldn’t believe it.
Hoey drew, placing himself at three cards in hand. Albarran had four, plus Breaker and Blaze Accelerator on the field. Hoey knew whatever monster he played next would be destroyed by the Accelerator, so he had to get rid of it. He activated Book of Life, brought back Kokki, removed another Shell, and ran over Breaker. Mystical Space Typhoon destroyed Accelerator to finish out the turn.
Albarran set Old Vindictive Magician, and Hoey topped Nobleman of Crossout to remove him! Kokki swung, but Phoenix Wing Wind Blast bounced it to the top of the deck, and Albarran discarded Treeborn Frog! Hoey passed, Treeborn came up, and Albarran tributed it for Thestalos the Firestorm Monarch. Thestalos forced Hoey to discard Zombie Master and then attacked for 2400 damage. Two turns later Hoey was offering the handshake.
Miguel Albarran moves on, two rounds away from making Day 2 with Volcanics!