Both of these players have had an incredibly tough couple of days. After finishing 3rd and 7th respectively in the Swiss after eleven gruelling rounds, these two team members had to face off in the semi-finals. One of these WHAM members would make the final, but it was all about the title now.
After playing in round 8, Joe won a close match, 2-1, but could Duncan take revenge?
Both players were smiling, and after winning the roll for the fourth time in thirteen rounds, Duncan decided to start.
He opened with a Reinforcement of the Army to search out Elemental Hero Stratos, summoning it and getting an Elemental Hero Wildheart to his hand. Setting a back row, he passed to Joe, who summoned Green Gadget and used its effect before playing Hammer Shot on Stratos and attacking straight into Sakuretsu Armor.
Tang was up and Wildheart came to the field. He was followed by Stratos again, courtesy of Premature Burial, and Stratos’s effect targeted Joe’s set card for destruction. Ring of Destruction put the Stratos right back where it came from, and after an attack from Wildheart, Joe was down to 4700 to Duncan’s 5400.
Next turn, Hydrogeddon took care of Wildheart and a second Hydrogeddon hit through an empty field to take away 1600 of Tang’s life points. Joe ended there.
“I really hate those cards,” said Tang, referring to the Hydrogeddons staring him down.
Card Trooper was the next card on the field, milling three spell or trap cards (including a Snatch Steal) to pump up to 1900. Both Hydrogeddon cards found their way into the graveyard via Brain Control, and Joe took 1900.
Yellow Gadget ripped through Card Trooper after searching out its Green friend, and Duncan was down to 2100. Joe set a spell or trap card and ended his turn, while Duncan slapped himself around the head for no apparent reason. After confirming the life point scores (Joe’s 2800 to Tang’s 2100) and staring at his five-card hand for a minute, he was visibly annoyed.
“Stupid Trooper . . . yes, I obviously have Pot of Avarice.”
Gigantes found its way to the field, and Exiled Force took care of Yellow Gadget. (“I can’t believe I had to do that!”)
Hammer Shot from Joe, who was down to 900 life points, took care of Gigantes, and a Green Gadget bought Duncan below the 1000 mark as well. Joe set another spell or trap card before ending, and Reinforcement of the Army from Duncan searched out Elemental Hero Wildheart.
Tang set a monster before passing to Joe, and Red Gadget joined the field. Green Gadget attacked the face-down Wildheart, which dished out 200 damage to Joe, but Joe followed up with Enemy Controller to tribute the Green and take control of the Wildheart! Red Gadget was now unopposed, and it was enough to make Tang scoop up his cards. Both players to dove in to their side decks.
Joe takes the first game!
After using the full three minutes to side-deck and shuffle up, Tang started off Game 2 with a set to each zone. He decided to add a second back-row card, and Pulling the Rug took out Red Gadget on the next turn.
“That’s the first time Rug’s hit me in thirteen rounds.”
Joe set a spell or trap and took attacks from Wildheart and Drillroid next turn. Tang ended and Joe used Smashing Ground to get rid of the Drillroid. Green Gadget came down and then Joe declared an attack. Neither player responded and in the damage step, Rush Recklessly put Green Gadget over the top of Wildheart by 600 ATK. Joe ended with three cards in his hand.
Duncan took his card for the turn and then ran some math.
“Uh oh, he’s counting. I don’t like it when he counts.”
Mystical Space Typhoon took out a face-down Shrink, and Sangan was summoned. Call of the Haunted brought back Drillroid and Joe took 1200 total. Duncan ended his turn and Joe summoned Hydrogeddon to run over Sangan before crashing the other into the Drillroid. Sangan brought Card Trooper to Duncan’s hand. A set spell or trap was it for Joe’s turn, and Duncan activated Brain Control, taking Hydrogeddon.
“Tribute for Zaborg?”
“Yeah, that’d be a good idea. Nah, but I got Prem, can you stop it?”
“Nope I just got Shrink,” said Joe, and he scooped up his cards. We were going to Game 3!
“I can’t believe I topped that second Hydrogeddon.”
Joe had topdecked his third Hydrogeddon and thus couldn’t give himself a full field by using Shrink to run the special-summoned Hydrogeddon over the Drillroid!
For Game 3 Joe was to start off, and did so with a Green Gadget.
At this point, Duncan showed me his hand. Pulling the Rug, two Spell Canceller cards, and two Zaborgs.
Joe set a spell or trap card, and Duncan ripped into a Cyber Dragon, special summoning it and tributing it for Spell Canceller. It ran through the Gadget and after setting the Rug, Cyber Dragon and Snipe Hunter came down for Joe. Snipe destroyed the Canceller and Nobleman of Extermination dealt with the Rug. Duncan knew he needed something epic off the top of his deck or it was over for him.
He relaxed for a minute. “I enjoy being here and it’s not going to last for much longer.”
He ripped an Enemy Controller and set it, but Snipe Hunter dealt with it and Red Gadget was summoned.
“It’s over, but guess what’s in my hand?”
Duncan played the guess-my-hand game for a while before Joe got it, but he conceded finally and Joe Whittaker was set to take on Andrew Lam in the UK National Championship 2007 finals!