Both of the guys showed signs of adrenaline and finally after waiting for our judge for a small while we got going, with Wayne winning the die roll and beginning with a set to each zone. Igor mirrored him and Wayne tributed Spirit Reaper for Mobius the Frost Monarch, destroying Gravity Bind and attacking in to Spirit Reaper.

Igor’s Heavy Storm cleared out Mirror Force and Mobius attacked in to his freshly set Nimble Momonga. The next turn brought doom for another Momonga and Igor set yet another monster. Wayne bought out Spirit Reaper, which attacked Momonga number three, only to run in to Mirror Force. Main phase two saw Cyber Dragon being special summoned and Igor considered his options for a while and ran some numbers. He set a monster and passed, while Wayne attacked in to Magician of Faith bringing back Heavy Storm.

“Oh yeah,” said Igor as he drew . . . and passed!

Wayne sent Cyber away for Mobius and it destroyed Swords of Revealing Light, attacking in to Sangan and giving Igor Exiled Force in his hand.

Wayne passed and Igor played Heavy Storm confidently. He ran yet some more numbers and Wayne looked slightly concerned for his life points. Igor, after all, was on 10000 to his 8000. Igor finally decided on bringing out Cyber-Stein and paying 5000 to bring out Blue Eyes Ultimate Dragon, he equipped it with Megamorph and flipped up Spirit Reaper and Momonga, attacking with all for the game!

Cyber-Stein takes game one quickly and we swiftly move on to the second game; with Igor doing his side deck trick of shuffle all in and strip, and leaving Wayne to side blind!

After a while of side decking, Igor asked “Are you done? Can I stop pointlessly looking through my deck?”

Both players counted out their side decks and play got underway in game two, with Wayne choosing to begin.

“Official announcements guys, it’s time to get your game on!” said a watching judge.

Wayne started again with a set to each zone, Igor mirror him and lost Gravity Bind to Dust Tornado. Mystic Swordsman LV2 and Spirit Reaper cost Igor a Nimble Momonga from hand and his Exiled Force got hit by Mirror Force. Next turn, however, Igor repaid the favor with a Mirror Force on his own, and a few turns of draw-go later the field had a set in each zone for both players. Wayne tributed his set for Zaborg the Thunder Monarch and attacked for 2400, and the next turn, Nobleman of Crossout followed! Igor was down to 2900 life points!

He bought out a Lava Golem next turn though and went up to three back row cards. “Attack for Lava Golem.”

“Game, haha,” said Igor and scooped, ready to go for game three. Wayne just had everything to counter him! A three-minute game in the finals of the Nationals—that must be a record!

Game three started with an angry Igor setting a card to each zone. Wayne played Graceful Charity discarding Treeborn Frog which got a “Brilliant” from Igor as well as a Mobius. He set a monster and passed to Igor who blew it up with Exiled Force. Spirit Reaper attacked, but Wayne discarded Kuriboh!

“For real?”

Wayne bought back fthe Frog and tributed it for Mobius, destroying Gravity Bind and set two after hitting Spirit Reaper. In Wayne’s standby phase he bought back frog by flipping Book of Moon on his Mobius, then played Nobleman of Crossout. Spell Canceller came out over Frog and Igor was left with just Spirit Reaper. The match was moving along way too quickly, and both players passed and set cards for a long time. Igor had four in his back row and a set monster with a defence Spirit Reaper to Wayne’s two in back row with a set monster, Mobius, and Spell Canceller!

Wayne flipped Sangan and flipped Torrential Tribute cleaning out house! He searched out Mystic Swordsman LV2 with Sangan’s effect and played Heavy Storm. Igor chained 2 Poison of the Old Man, bringing him up to 8300 while a Secret Barrel took him down to 6600. Reaper discarded Giant Trunade, to Igor’s dismay, and it was on Igor.

He played Graceful Charity and set a card to each zone, but he lost his Ceasefire to Mystical Space Typhoon, swordsman and reaper dealt with his set monster and in-hand Heavy Storm next turn while Don Zaloog was summoned and cleaned Igor out of everything! Wayne had complete control! Igor topped swords and both players passed the next three turns.

It was on Wayne who used Dust Tornado on United We Stand, Zaborg took out Nimble Momonga and all attacked. Zaborg took Magic Cylinder, but Igor was still topdecking!

“Nothing in here can win the game!” he said although he topdecked Premature Burial for Exiled Force, then attacked Swordsman and tributed Exiled Force to destroy Zaborg. However, a Call of the Haunted on the next turn ended things!

Wayne Pinkney is the 2006 UK National Champion, defeating Igor Kharin in the finals in a very close match, 2-1!