Andre Borges is one of Toronto’s rising stars, and has received praise from a number of the city’s top duelists. That reputation has earned him a spot on Team Yugioh ETC, and he’s here today chalking up a 3-1 record with Gladiator Beasts.

His opponent, David Bui, is 3-1 with Dark Armed Dragon, and is another active member of the Ontario dueling scene. Whether he’s judging or playing, he’s a fixture of Regionals from Toronto to Ottawa. He owed his attendance here this weekend to Anthony Bianchi, whom he owed a shout out for putting him up this weekend.

This match would be an important win for one of these up-and-coming duelists.

“You gotta let me win at least one in the feature match,” grinned Bui. “Please?”

“I’ll think about it,” laughed Borges. “No guarantees.”

Game 1

He won the roll and started the match off with a set spell or trap card. He added a set monster tohis field, then set and flipped Trap Dustshoot. “That actually really sucks,” noted Bui, who revealed his hand: Dustshoot, two Bottomless, Solemn Judgment, Destiny Hero - Malicious, and Cyber Valley. The Valley was shuffled back and Bui could do nothing but set three cards to his back row. In the end phase Borges flipped Crush Card Virus, tributed D.D. Crow, and moved on to his turn. Bui lost nothing, but Borges dodged the Solemn Judgment.

He activated Dustshoot next turn and Borges flopped his hand: Gladiator Beast Darius, Elemental Hero Prisma, Reinforcement of the Army, and Bottomless Trap Hole. Bui had no choice — he shuffled back Prisma, leaving Borges to search out Elemental Hero Stratos with Reinforcement. He summoned Stratos and lost him to Bottomless Trap Hole, ending his turn after getting back Prisma.

Bui drew Strike Ninja and lost him to Crush Card Virus. He set one more card to his back row and ended with one more card in hand. Borges drew to four, summoned Darius, lost it to Bottomless Trap Hole, and ended. Bui drew D.D. Crow and passed, with Solemn Judgment still set.

Borges summoned Elemental Hero Prisma, sent Gladiator Beast Bestiari to the graveyard with its effect, and then attacked for 1700 damage. Bui drew Mirror Force, revealed it thinking he was still under Crush Card Virus (he wasn’t, but Borges couldn’t stop him in time to tell him), then shuffled his hand and set a spell or trap.

Next turn Prisma sent Gladiator Beast Laquari to the graveyard, and attacked for another 1700 damage. He finished his turn with a second set spell or trap, and a set monster. Bui set a monster, ended, and play was back to the local favorite.

Monster Reborn got Borges back his Bestiari, and he activated Prisma to send another Laquari to his graveyard. He contact Fused Prisma and Bestiari for Gladiator Beast Gyzarus, brought it to the field, and lost it to Solemn Judgment. He normal summoned Bestiari from his hand, revealed his set Gladiator Beast Hoplomus and Bui scooped it up. Gyzarus would hit the field and Bui only had 2300 life points. He’d misplayed: when Borges had attempted to play Monster Reborn, he should’ve played his D.D. Crow. That would’ve left him to activate Solemn Judgment on what would’ve been Borges’ single Gyzarus.

Andre Borges finds his first Crush Card activation of the tournament to be a bit underwhelming but takes game 1 with authority thanks to a double contact Fusion!

Game 2

Game 2 began after some extensive side decking from both sides, and Bui opened up with Prohibition, calling Gladiator Beast Bestiari! It was a huge play — could he capitalize? He set one spell or trap and ended, leaving Borges to set two to his back row and a monster. Bui summoned Card Trooper, boosted it up, and sent Crush Card Virus, Dark Armed Dragon, and Allure of Darkness to the graveyard. Trooper attacked, but Borges had Crush Card Virus with D.D. Crow yet again! Card Trooper was destroyed, Bui lost his in-hand Destiny Hero – Plasma, and he drew Legendary Jujitsu Master off of Trooper’s effect. “Go.” He was left holding Fear Monger, Monster Reborn, Prohibition, and Jujitsu Master.

Borges summoned Murmillo, attacked with it, and tagged out to Laquari. He needed to win fast, because if Bui got a chance to recover from the Crush Card Borges would be in trouble. Bui topdecked Sangan next turn, set what appeared to be Jujitsu Master, and ended. Borges’ job was getting tougher and tougher.

He activated Reinforcement of the Army, searched out Elemental Hero Stratos and summoned him — Bui responded with Torrential Tribute. He’d actually set Sangan last turn! Borges fetched Prisma with Stratos, while Bui got Cyber Valley. Borges ended with one set card and four in hand. Bui drew, revealed Exiled Force for his final turn of Crush Card Virus, and had six cards in hand plus Prohibition out. That Crush Card just hadn’t done much in either duel for Borges.

Bui debated his moves: he had Cyber Valley, but also had Monster Reborn for a push. He decided just to set Jujitsu Master instead though, knowing Borges had virtually nothing that could stop him. Sure enough, Borges shuffled his hand next turn and passed.

Free of Crush Card Virus, Bui discarded Destiny Hero – Fear Monger for Destiny Draw to draw two. He summoned Elemental Hero Stratos, Borges flipped Torrential Tribute, and Bui searched out Destiny Hero – Disk Commander with his effect. He set one spell or trap and ended. “It’s on you.”

Borges summoned Prisma, activated Monster Reborn to take Bui’s Stratos, and then used his effect to destroy Prohibition! He sent Gladiator Beast Bestiari to the graveyard with Prisma’s effect, then special summoned Test Tiger! Prisma went back to the deck, Darius came out, and it brought Bestiari to the field. One contact Fusion later Borges summoned Gyzarus. It targeted Bui’s face-down card, but he chained it: Scapegoat! Borges had just three cards left in hand. He attacked two Sheep Tokens, tagged out Gyzarus, and special summoned Gladiator Beast Hoplomus and Darius. Darius returned Laquari to the field. Borges needed to fight to recover from his own over-extension, and he knew Bui had the second Prohibition. The duel stood at 7200 to 8000. Borges set a spell or trap card to end his turn.

Bui summoned Cyber Valley, and then removed it and a Sheep Token to draw two cards. He activated Monster Reborn and this time it was his turn to steal his opponent’s downed Stratos! He used his effect to search out Destiny Hero – Malicious, then attacked over Gladiator Beast Darius to send Laquari back to the deck. “Main Phase 2 time . . . I’ll use Prohibition calling Bestiari again.” He set two more cards to his back row to end.

“How many cards do you have in hand?” asked Borges.

“Four,” replied Bui. Less than seven minutes remained in the round.

Borges normal summoned Gladiator Beast Darius, and Bui removed it with Bottomless Trap Hole. Stratos attacked Bui’s last Sheep Token, and play was back to Bui. Borges was just getting wrecked by the Prohibitions. Next turn Bui set a monster, set another spell or trap, and ended. Borges fired back with another face-down card to his back row, and then normal summoned Laquari. Laquari attacked Bui’s face-down monster, but Bui flipped Mirror Force in response! “Yes, I still play Mirror Force,” noted Bui, as Borges lost his Laquari and Stratos. Bui tributed his face-down Disk Commander and Stratos next turn for Dark Magician of Chaos, targeting his Destiny Draw for the Magician’s effect. Borges had no response, and Bui discarded Malicious to get two more cards with Destiny Draw.

He discarded Exiled Force for D.D.R. - Different Dimension Reincarnation, bringing back Cyber Valley. He then activated Premature Burial, special summoned Disk Commander, and drew two cards! He then removed Commander and Cyber Valley for two more draws, going up to five cards in hand. Dark Magician of Chaos then attacked Gladiator Beast Hoplomus — Bui had such a lead in card presence that he wasn’t about to take any unnecessary risks quite yet. He ended with two set cards in his back row, Prohibition on the field, and Dark Magician of Chaos in attack position. He had 6400 life points while Borges still had 7900. It was getting dangerously close to time.

Borges got another Prisma with Reinforcement of the Army, then set a monster. Bui drew Destiny Draw, summoned Spirit Reaper, then attacked with Dark Magician of Chaos. Borges lost his face-down Prisma. Spirit Reaper hit next, forcing him to discard Bestiari. He set Threatening Roar and ended as time was called. Three turns would remain. Borges set a monster on the turn that followed.

Bui removed his Malicious from his graveyard to special summon another in attack. He summoned Legendary Jujitsu Master, attacked with Dark Magician of Chaos, and removed Borges’ set D.D. Crow. Two attacks from Jujitsu and Malicious went through, but when Spirit Reaper attacked Borges flipped Book of Moon to block it. He was down to 4700 life points. He needed to make up ground to take his second win in this match.

He activated Cold Wave, and Bui chained Threatening Roar! Game 2 was over, and Bui had pressed the match to a third game.

. . . But Borges made a mistake. Unaware of the tournament policy that forbids side decking after time was called, Borges mixed his side into his main deck. Bui tried to warn him, but was too late to do so, and there was no way to correct the problem and preserve the integrity of the game state. An unavoidable game loss had to be awarded.

David Bui wins his feature match in the saddest way possible and moves on, alive in this tournament while Andre Borges knocks himself out via a procedural error.