Chris Evans and Nareg Torossian are both veterans of the Shonen Jump Championship circuit, but while Nareg has multiple Top 8s and a title, Evans has always been trapped on the bubble. Today, one of them will be going forward to the Top 8, while the other will be left hoping for luck and the grace of tiebreakers.
Evans opened with Yellow Gadget, quickly searching his deck for Green Gadget. He set a spell or trap and ended. Nareg brought out a Gadget himself, Green, and searched his deck for Red Gadget. Nareg’s Green Gadget ran over Evans’ Yellow Gadget and Nareg ended with nothing set.
Cyber Dragon came down for Evans, and he summoned Red Gadget to search for Yellow. Cyber Dragon tore apart Green Gadget, and Nareg took a direct shot from Red Gadget. Nareg summoned a Red Gadget himself, searched for Yellow, and traded his Red for Evans’ in battle. He then activated Smashing Ground to destroy the Cyber Dragon and passed with an open field.
Evans continued the Gadget aggression, summoning Green Gadget to bring Red to his hand. Nareg took 1400 damage from the resultant attack, dropping to 4600 while Evans had 7800 life points remaining. Nareg summoned Snipe Hunter and tried to attack, but lost the Snipe to Sakuretsu Armor. “Well, I lose game 1,” remarked Nareg. Smashing Ground took out Evans’ Green Gadget and Nareg set a back row card to end.
Mystical Space Typhoon destroyed his set card, Sakuretsu Armor, and Evans summoned Yellow Gadget to search out Green after setting a spell or trap. He attacked with Yellow and ended.
Nareg mounted a comeback, special summoning Cyber Dragon and normal summoning Red Gadget to dig for Yellow! He attacked, but Evans flipped Mirror Force! Nareg set one spell or trap card and ended. Evans summoned Green Gadget, took Red from his deck, and swung with both Gadgets directly. Limiter Removal in the damage step of the second attack won the duel.
Evans wins the first duel, riding the first turn advantage and a smoother set of draws to victory!
Both duelists smokescreened and shuffled extensively before heading into the second duel. Nareg opened with Yellow Gadget, searching his deck for Green to start things off. He set a spell or trap and ended.
Evans summoned Red Gadget and grabbed Yellow. It ran over Nareg’s Yellow Gadget in battle; Nareg had no way to defend his Gadget! Evans set two cards to his back row and passed. Nareg special summoned Cyber Dragon, normal summoned Green Gadget and Evans chained Torrential Tribute to its effect! Nareg searched his deck for Red and activated Confiscation, revealing Cyber Phoenix, Yellow, Green, and Limiter Removal. He discarded the latter and ended his turn.
His opponent summoned Gadget Green and took Red from his deck. Green attacked directly, Nareg dropped to 5500 and he was up. Nareg summoned Red Gadget, searched his deck, and activated Smashing Ground, but Enemy Controller allowed Evans to counter! He tributed his Gadget to take Nareg’s on the chain, resulting in Nareg losing his Gadget to his own Smashing Ground. Nareg set a second back row card and ended; play was to Evans.
He summoned Yellow Gadget, searched his deck and attacked directly. He finished his turn with a set spell or trap, and Nareg summoned Snipe Hunter, passing priority. He discarded to use it afterwards, ditching a Yellow Gadget to target Evans’ set Ultimate Offering. Evans flipped it on the chain, but lost it before the chain resolved and he could use it. Snipe Hunter ran over Yellow Gadget and Nareg passed.
Evans special summoned Cyber Dragon and Nareg considered his options, seeming to broadcast Torrential Tribute. He didn’t respond though, and Evans attacked with the Dragon in an attempt to clear out Snipe Hunter. Nareg flipped Ring of Destruction, lowering himself to 2200 life points and Evans to 5600. Evans then summoned Green Gadget, fetched Red Gadget, and set a back row card.
Nareg summoned Green Gadget as well, searching for Red just as Evans had on the previous turn. He discarded the Red for Snipe Hunter and targeted Evans’ back row card with Snipe Hunter — he rolled and hit a 2, destroying Mirror Force! Snipe Hunter attacked Green Gadget, and Nareg’s own Green Gadget then lowered Evans to 4100. It was a big blow, and would go a long way to winning the match if Nareg could keep things going this way.
Evans drew and summoned Red Gadget, searching out Yellow. He passed without attacking, and Nareg continued to follow him, summoning Red to fetch Yellow. Two more discards to Snipe Hunter were all Nareg needed to lock the win.
A flurry of blasts from Snipe Hunter let Nareg Torossian even up the match! One of these duelists will be going to the Top 8!
With some of the tension breaking, both duelists took a bit more time shuffling. By the time they started the match only four minutes remained.
Evans summoned Green Gadget, searched for Red and set Ring of Destruction. He had System Down in his hand. Nareg summoned Green himself, searched for Red and attacked, but lost his Gadget to Ring of Destruction. He set a spell or trap and ended. Evans activated Graceful Charity, discarding Red Gadget and Torrential Tribute. He summoned Red Gadget, searched for Yellow, and attacked right into Mirror Force! The game was still even, and a set card finished Evans’ turn.
Nareg summoned his own Red Gadget and pulled Yellow. He attacked, set another spell or trap and ended. Evans summoned Green Gadget, attacked Nareg’s Red Gadget, and lost Green to Sakuretsu Armor. Time was called on Evans’ turn, and he’d have only one turn to even out the life points. He ended.
Nareg tributed for Jinzo and attacked for another 2400. Evans was down to 2900 life points, and clearly in trouble. He special summoned Cyber Dragon, normal summoned Gadget Yellow, searched for Green, and activated Enemy Controller, tributing Yellow Gadget to take Jinzo and attack for 4500 damage. He set a second back row card and ended.
Nareg activated Heavy Storm, Evans chained Rush Recklessly on Cyber Dragon, and he lost Mirror Force while Nareg lost his set Overload Fusion. It was 2900 to 2100, with Evans now leading. Nareg flopped his hand almost immediately: two Gadgets, Spirit Reaper, and a dead Pot of Avarice. There was nothing he could do to make up the 800 life point difference.
Chris Evans moves on with an 8-1 record, a guaranteed Top 8 qualification!