“I know this man,” remarked Perovic as he took his seat. “I remember he had a Shonen Jump Shrink or three.”

“I still have ‘em!” smiled Jamieson as he seated himself. “So is there a story to your nickname: ‘Superman’?”

“Oh, uhh, yeah! I decided it would be an ego boost. If I could get people to call me that, I’d, ye know, feel better about myself.” He took his deck from its box, and shuffled it lightly. “Oh, and I’ve got Crush Card Virus in here. Just to warn you: please be careful shuffling it.”

“I remember people bridge-shuffling my three Shrinks.” Jamieson winced in memory.

“Yeah, now it’s just like, ‘Okay, I’ll tell you I’m playing Crush. Just pleeeease don’t bend my deck!’” Both competitors laughed.

Jamieson won the roll and opened with a set card to each zone, after a good few moments of contemplation. Perovic had Heavy Storm, Mask of Darkness, Trap Dustshoot, Book of Moon, Nobleman of Crossout, and Cyber Dragon. “Wow, so aggressive. I could play every card in my hand if I wanted.”

“That scares me,” confessed Jamieson. Perovic dropped everything. First he activated Heavy Storm to destroy his opponent’s set Mirror Force and then special summoned Cyber Dragon. Nobleman of Crossout eliminated Jamieson’s set Mystic Tomato, leaving Perovic to attack directly with Cyber Dragon for 2100 damage. He then set Mask of Darkness, Book of Moon, and Trap Dustshoot, playing his hand to the hilt.

Perovic flipped Dustshoot in Jamieson’s draw phase, revealing two Card Trooper, Sangan, Raiza the Storm Monarch, and Snipe Hunter: he sent the Snipe back to Jamieson’s deck. Jamieson could do nothing but set a monster and end. Perovic flip summoned Mask of Darkness a turn later, took back Dustshoot, and then attacked with Mask to destroy Card Trooper. Another direct attack from Cyber Dragon took a big chunk out of Jamieson’s life points.

“I’ll set and flip that Dustshoot again,” announced Perovic. “Hopefully not much has changed.” Jamieson revealed Card Trooper, Sangan, Raiza, Book of Moon, and Brain Control, a rather large shift from the hand he’d commanded the turn previous. “Alas, it has,” remarked Perovic with a twinge of sadness, sending back Card Trooper. His momentum showed no sign of slowing down.

Jamieson activated Brain Control, targeting the Mask of Darkness, but Perovic chained Book of Moon! Mask of Darkness was turned face down, no longer a legal target for Brain Control’s effect, and at the same time now loaded for another use of its flip effect. Jamieson summoned Sangan and attacked with it, hitting the Mask: “I’ll take back Trap Dustshoot.” Jamieson finished his turn with one set spell or trap card and ended.

“I’ll simply attack,” announced Perovic, knowing Jamieson would flip Book of Moon to stop Cyber Dragon. He did. Perovic set a monster, set his last two cards to his back row, and ended.

Sangan was tributed for Raiza, and Jamieson sent Perovic’s non-Cyber Dragon monster, Dekoichi the Battlechanted Locomotive, back to the top of his deck. Raiza then attacked, trying to destroy Cyber Dragon, but Mirror Force destroyed him. “That’s game,” announced Perovic, as Jamieson ended.

Cyber Dragon was flip summoned, Dekoichi came off the top of Perovic’s deck in attack, and both monsters attacked directly. The duel was over.

Kris Perovic takes a dominating win over David Jamieson!

Side decking was minimal and quick. Jamieson began the second duel, setting a spell or trap, and then passing his turn with a wave of his hand. Perovic set a monster: “Go.” The ability to shift gears dramatically between games is a trademark of the best duelists.

Cyber Dragon came down on Jamieson’s side of the field, and this time it was his turn to play Nobleman of Crossout! He removed Perovic’s set Dekoichi the Battlechanted Locomotive from the field, and each duelist stripped two more copies from his deck. “Attack for 2100,” announced Jamieson, setting a monster in main phase 2.

Perovic activated Brain Control, taking Cyber Dragon and immediately attacking into Jamieson’s set Dekoichi the Battlechanted Locomotive, his third and last. He then tributed for a face down monster, Cyber Dragon. Jamieson took the bait, reading Perovic as having set Destiny Hero – Malicious; he attacked into Cyber Dragon next turn with a freshly-summoned Snipe Hunter. His jaw literally dropped for a split second when the Dragon was revealed, and he then set a second spell or trap. “Your go.”

What a masterful play by Perovic.

Topping into another Brain Control, Perovic had Treeborn Frog, two Gravekeeper’s Spy, and Legendary Jujitsu Master in his hand. He wanted to play aggressively but didn’t exactly have the cards to back it up. He activated Brain Control anyway, targeting Snipe Hunter, and Jamieson had no choice but to give it over. Snipe Hunter attacked and Jamieson took the damage after several moments’ hesitation! Perovic’s gambit appeared to be paying off. “And I’d imagine that we’re both taking 2100?” asked Perovic.

“Did I delay enough for you to figure it out?” Jamieson winced, flipping Ring of Destruction to destroy Cyber Dragon. Snipe Hunter was then activated, Perovic pitching Treeborn Frog to destroy the Hunter itself! A set monster finished his turn.

Jamieson passed, and Perovic special summoned his Treeborn Frog from the graveyard. He flip summoned Gravekeeper’s Spy, labored over his pick for a few moments, then brought out another Spy in attack.

“I’ll Torrential,” announced Jamieson. Perovic set a monster and ended. Jamieson set a spell or trap and passed right back, unable to capitalize.

“Flip another Gravekeeper’s Spy” announced Perovic, this time special summoning Gravekeeper’s Guard in attack. Spy and Guard both attacked, and Perovic set another monster to finish out, continuing to develop his field.

Brain Control let Jamieson take control of Gravekeeper’s Spy. “Tribute for Raiza?” asked Perovic. “You got it,” confirmed Jamieson. He bounced Treeborn Frog to the top of Perovic’s deck, then attacked over Gravekeeper’s Guard. It was 800 to 1300, with Jamieson leading.

Perovic set Legendary Jujitsu Master. “Another Raiza?”

“I wish.”

“That’s so comforting he doesn’t have it.”

Raiza attacked the first set monster Perovic had placed turns before — another Jujitsu Master! Raiza bounced to the top of Jamieson’s deck, in a grand show of irony. Jamieson set a second spell or trap to end.

Perovic had a decision to make. His set Jujitsu Master could be just enough to finish off his opponent, but losing the Jujitsu Master or even just flipping him to attack and then not winning this turn would be utterly ruinous; Cyber Dragon would end him. “This is pretty sick,” Perovic noted, laboring over his choice. He had Cyber Phoenix in his hand, but the Phoenix alone wouldn’t be enough to finish the game. “I wish I was more aggressive,” he mused. “I wish I was infinitely more aggressive. I can’t even convince myself not to do something.” 

After more than a minute’s thought Perovic went for it; he flip summoned Legendary Jujitsu Master and pushed him forward with his finger, hesitantly proposing his attack.

“That’s it!” said Jamieson with a smile, scooping his cards. “Took you that long just to do that?” He grinned, and offered the handshake. Perovic breathed for the first time in about two minutes.

Kris Perovic defeats David Jamieson 2-0, progressing in this tournament with a smile on his face and a ton of momentum!