Jonathon Moore has been on my watch list all day today because of his excellent performance thus far with a Six Samurai build. As we reach the half-way point in the tournament, he’s still undefeated. Both players claim to have built their decks only a week ago, perfectly believable considering that we haven’t even known the new Forbidden and Limited list for a particularly long time. Neither of these players had been featured before and their only current accomplishments are various regional Top 8 appearances, however they’d both love to make a name for themselves with a Day 2 appearance tonight.

Kevin won the opening roll and opted to go first. He set a Gravekeeper’s Spy and passed over to Jonathon who simply summoned The Six Samurai — Zanji and attacked straight into it. Visibly displeased, Jonathon set two spells or traps as Kevin pulled his second Spy. Heavy Storm immediately hit the field for Jonathon destroying My Body as a Shield and Call of the Haunted. Zaborg the Thunder Monarch came down for Kevin, and Jonathon took 2400. Kevin set a card and passed back to Jonathon who set one to each zone. Zaborg fell to Sakuretsu Armor next turn, and in his place a set monster was placed on the field. Jonathon summoned The Six Samurai — Yaichi and asked for a response. There was none, and Grandmaster of the Six Samurai came down next. Yaichi tried to blow away the set card, but it was chained! Enemy Controller shifted Grandmaster to defense and Jonathon passed without a back row. This game was going nowhere good for him as Kevin flipped Dekoichi the Battlechanted Locomotive grabbing a Snatch Steal and used it to steal Grandmaster. The other Spy was tributed for another Zaborg, destroying Jonathon’s set Sangan. Sangan fetched Neo-Spacian Grand Mole in anticipation of mounting a comeback, but it wasn’t looking very likely. Moore gained 1000 life points and dropped Cyber Dragon and Grand Mole. Grand Mole bounced Grandmaster and Cyber Dragon took out Dekoichi, but it wasn’t going to be enough. D.D. Warrior Lady for Kevin sealed the deal and put him up one game to nothing.

Jonathon shuffled his deck very, very well before opting to begin the next game. He opened up with a set to each zone and passed over to Kevin who had a Don Zaloog/Nobleman of Crossout opening. Jonathon blocked the Crossout with Solemn Judgment, an extremely costly play, and Don defeated his set Kamon easily. Next turn, Cyber Dragon and The Six Samurai — Irou dropped for Jonathon, but Torrential Tribute destroyed them both along with the Don. Moore had another Irou next turn, but Bottomless Trap Hole tried to swallow it up. My Body as a Shield blocked it, and Grandmaster dropped next. Jonathon was at 2500 life points left and Snatch Steal took his Grandmaster away next turn. Grandmaster was tributed for Mobius and Jonathon’s field was cleared. He had nothing left, but Snatch Steal came off the top of his deck to keep him in the game! Kevin drew into Dekoichi and set it along with two traps, and Jinzo came off Jonathon’s deck to stop the life gain and make those traps irrelevant! Snipe Hunter destroyed Jinzo next turn and attacked, leaving Jonathon at 1000 life points. He drew and set a card which Kevin tried to destroy with Snipe Hunter but missed! He attacked anyway and was denied by Mirror Force! One monster was all Kevin needed to force game 3, and he found it in the form of another Irou. Jonathon Moore miraculously pulls through game 2 to bring this match to a third and final game!

Game 3 started with a set to each zone from Kevin. Jonathon immediately fired back with Yaichi and Grandmaster! Bottomless Trap Hole tried to swallow up Grandmaster, but failed thanks to a My Body as a Shield. Dekoichi bit the dust and Yaichi attacked directly before Jonathon passed back to Kevin after setting a card. He summoned Cyber Dragon and tributed for Mobius. Mobius was countered by Pulling the Rug however, and the game was blown wide open! The Six Samurai — Zanji dropped next turn and Kevin lost a set Return from the Different Dimension to Yaichi’s effect! He was reduced to 2800 life points and Jonathon set a spell or Trap. Kevin set a card to each zone, but the set Mystical Space Typhoon was destroyed next turn by Yaichi. It was chained first, however, and Jonathon lost a bluff Smashing Ground. Zanji attacked Kevin’s set Mystic Tomato causing some rules confusion. After confirming that Tomato still got its effect even if Zanji attacked it, Kevin brought a new Tomato into play, and it was destroyed as well by Grandmaster. Snipe Hunter hit the field, but was destroyed by Smashing Ground in the second main phase. Kevin needed a miracle, but what he got was Confiscation.

Kevin summoned Strike Ninja and attacked Yaichi, but Zanji took the hit instead. Confiscation robbed Jonathon of a Cyber Dragon and Kevin set a card. It was eliminated by Yaichi next turn and Grandmaster destroyed Strike Ninja. Kevin had one turn left to come up with something, and he picked up a Cyber Dragon! Heavy Storm destroyed Jonathon’s set My Body as a Shield, and Cyber Dragon rammed into Grandmaster of the Six Samurai. Jonathon couldn’t get a monster to finish the job, however, and set a spell or trap instead. Kevin drew into Snatch Steal which would have been great if Jonathon still had monster. He set it instead, but lost it to Mystical Space Typhoon in the end phase. Finally, Jonathon drew another Samurai, Zanji and was able to take the game and the match in one last strike! Jonathon Moore comes back from the brink to take Six Samurai to 5-0!