As the competitors shuffled up, Albarran requested a quick shout-out to his sponsor, ShopCCG, and Team Kamikaze.

“I guess I have to give a shout-out Fili Luna then,” remarked Peddle. “I am running his exact deck.” He laughed a bit.

“I think I’ve got a decent matchup against you,” commented Albarran.

Peddle laughed again. “I think you’ve got a more than decent matchup against me with those Viruses! I’d say you’ve got a pretty good matchup!” Play began quickly.

Albarran won the roll and opened with two cards set to his back row and a set monster. Peddle drew for his turn and immediately revealed his hand to Trap Dustshoot, losing his only monster, Cyber Dragon. He set two cards to his spell and trap zone and passed. Albarran drew and it was his turn to reveal his hand to Trap Dustshoot: Mobius the Frost Monarch, two Zaborg the Thunder Monarch, and Spirit Reaper. Reaper was shuffled back. Albarran flip summoned his set Mystic Tomato, attacked, and ran into Ring of Destruction. Both duelists dropped to 6600 life points.

Another set spell or trap was Peddle’s only move. Albarran set a monster, and Peddle flipped his set Heavy Storm to destroy Torrential Tribute. He set one spell or trap and ended. Albarran flip summoned Dekoichi the Battlechanted Locomotive, drew for its effect and attacked, dishing out 1400 damage. He tributed for Mobius the Frost Monarch, targeted Peddle’s set Scapegoat, and Peddle chained it, special summoning his four Sheep Tokens. This was the stability he needed. Albarran passed with nothing in his back row.

Snatch Steal let Peddle take control of Mobius, and he attacked Albarran directly. Peddle set a spell or trap, Albarran set a monster, then a spell or trap, and ended. “Go.”

Peddle attacked with Mobius, hitting Albarran’s face down Spirit Reaper, which had apparently re-emerged from his deck! Albarran set a card to his back row, Peddle set another himself, and Mobius went to defense position. Albarran set a monster, Peddle turned Mobius to attack, and nailed his opponent’s set Dekoichi the Battlechanted Locomotive. “Your turn.”

Albarran set another monster and Peddle attacked the face down monster — Mobius struck yet another Dekoichi. A set monster was Albarran’s move again, and once more he lost it to Mobius; this time it was Mystic Tomato, and it fetched him Sangan, a portent of aggression to come. Peddle tributed Mobius in main phase 2 for a set monster, since he wasn’t really accomplishing anything other than feeding Albarran life points through Snatch Steal. Peddle was at 5200, while Albarran sat at a comfy 9200 life points.

Soul Exchange flipped from Albarran’s back row, and he tributed Peddle’s face down Cyber Dragon for Raiza the Storm Monarch, bouncing one of his back row cards. Peddle sighed, but Albarran didn’t attack: he wanted to keep Peddle trapped with his four Sheep Tokens, unable to create a swarm of attackers. Peddle set a card to each zone, hand shaking slightly, and passed.

Heavy Storm flipped from Albarran’s back row, and Peddle chained Mind Crush, calling Zaborg! Albarran lost them both from his hand, but Peddle lost Mirror Force! It was a good trade for Peddle, who could not set monsters with relative security; that could be game-breaking. Albarran briefly revealed the rest of his hand: Call of the Haunted, Brain Control, Treeborn Frog, and Thestalos the Firestorm Monarch. He set Brain Control and Call, sent Raiza to attack Peddle’s face down Dekoichi the Battlechanted Locomotive, then took out a Sheep with Sangan. In main phase 2 he tributed Sangan for Thestalos the Firestorm Monarch and forced Peddle to discard Overload Fusion, drawing a faint curse from his opponent. Overload wasn’t worth much yet with only two Machines in Peddle’s graveyard, but it could’ve been highly useful down the line. Both duelists’ hands were shaking at this point, and Albarran used Sangan’s effect to search Snipe Hunter from his deck.

A quick Brain Control let Peddle take Thestalos and smack him into Raiza, eliminating both monsters. He set a monster, ended, and Albarran flipped Call of the Haunted to bring back Raiza. Peddle’s knowledge of Albarran’s hand was really coming into play here, and Albarran was playing blind. Raiza attacked and hit Peddle’s Sangan, sending him to his deck to search for Card Trooper; it wasn’t an easy decision and took close to a minute to make.

“My turn?” asked Peddle. Albarran nodded.

Peddle set a card to each zone and gave a slight shake of his head before setting another card to his spell and trap zone. He then set a third. “You’re up.” Albarran drew for his turn and Peddle flipped Trap Dustshoot, sending Snipe Hunter back to Albarran’s deck. Peddle was telegraphing Morphing Jar something fierce, and Albarran set a card to each zone after attacking a Sheep with Raiza. It left him with one monster in his hand, and Albarran was clearly bracing for the Jar.

Another set monster joined what may or may not have been Morphing Jar on Peddle’s field. “You’re up.” Albarran hit another Sheep with Raiza, leaving Peddle with just one Token remaining, then set another card to his back row. Peddle flip summoned Card Trooper, and then activated Machine Duplication! He pulled two more Troopers from his deck and thought briefly about their battle positions. He inspected Albarran’s graveyard before making a decision, then his own, and opted to place one in defense mode and the other in attack. He sent three cards to his graveyard for the attack position one: Nobleman of Crossout, Cyber Phoenix, and Premature Burial. He then tributed two monsters, one Card Trooper and his set Morphing Jar, for Dark Magician of Chaos, returning Heavy Storm to his hand!

He continued, flipping the last card in his back row, Pot of Avarice, to draw two cards! Heavy Storm then shredded Albarran’s field, costing him his set Brain Control, Scapegoat, Premature Burial, and the Call of the Haunted attached to Raiza (sending Raiza to the graveyard). Dark Magician of Chaos then smacked Albarran’s set Treeborn Frog, removing it from play!

“I’ll set a face down,” announced Peddle, placing one card in his spell and trap zone. “And it’s your turn.” In one fell swoop Peddle had devastated Albarran’s entire field!

He summoned Mystic Tomato and ran over Card Trooper, leaving his back row empty. Peddle sent three cards to the graveyard for Card Trooper, activated Call of the Haunted to special summon Snipe Hunter, and discarded Trap Dustshoot to blow away Spirit Reaper. Dark Magician of Chaos attacked over Mystic Tomato, Snipe Hunter attacked directly, and Peddle’s defense position Trooper did not attack. He set a monster and ended.

Albarran drew: “Big topdeck?” asked Peddle. Not so much. Albarran discarded Electric Virus to take control of Card Trooper, tributed it for Mobius the Frost Monarch, did not destroy Call of the Haunted, and instead ran over Snipe Hunter. Peddle was down to 2500 life points, and he was well in control of the game.

He flip summoned Dekoichi the Battlechanted Locomotive, tributed it for Jinzo, then smacked Mobius with Dark Magician of Chaos. Jinzo struck directly, Peddle set a spell or trap, and it was all over a turn later!

A massive, sudden simplification of the duel leads to a big win for Matt Peddle! Thirteen minutes remained in the round.

Both duelists took the fully allotted three minutes to side deck, leaving Albarran with only ten minutes to take the next duel and even the match score.

Albarran again opened with one set monster, a set spell or trap, and a set Trap Dustshoot. The Dustshoot flipped to send Morphing Jar back to Peddle’s deck, a choice made over two Dekoichi, one of which Peddle set. A spell or trap joined it face down on the field and play was back to Albarran.

He flip summoned Mystic Tomato and ran over his opponent’s set Dekoichi, setting a second spell or trap card. Peddle set another monster, and Albarran summoned Sangan. Tomato attacked Peddle’s other Dekoichi, and Sangan hit directly for 1000 damage. Peddle set another card to each zone, matching Albarran’s two cards in his spell and trap zone.

Tomato attacked, hitting Peddle’s Card Trooper, and Sangan attacked directly for another 1000 damage. Albarran set a monster, then continued upping the ante in his spell and trap zone by setting another card there. It seemed questionable; he’d waltzed into Peddle’s experienced simplification last game, and could be setting himself up for that again. He lost the card to Mystical Space Typhoon in his end phase and his plan became clear: it was Royal Decree.

Three and a half minutes remained. Peddle flipped Call of the Haunted to special summon Card Trooper, but Albarran blew it away with Ring of Destruction the moment it hit the field. Cyber Phoenix came down for Peddle, attacking Sangan and letting Albarran search his deck for Electric Virus!

Two set cards to the spell and trap zone finished Peddle’s turn, and he flipped Trap Dustshoot in Albarran’s draw phase: it was a choice between Zaborg the Thunder Monarch and Electric Virus, and Peddle sent the Virus back after running some numbers. Mystic Tomato attacked Cyber Phoenix. Peddle took a card for its effect and then drew for his turn. Brain Control was activated by Peddle to try and take Mystic Tomato, but Book of Moon shut it down! Peddle flipped Confiscation, revealing Albarran’s hand of Torrential Tribute, Brain Control, and Zaborg, the latter being discarded. Peddle set three cards to his back row, set a monster, and ended.

Time was called on Peddle’s turn; Albarran would get two turns, and Peddle would get one. Albarran set his remaining in-hand cards to his back row and passed: turn 1 was over.

Peddle flip summoned Morphing Jar, took five new cards, and summoned Snipe Hunter. He did not use its effect with priority, and Albarran didn’t respond. One discard destroyed Mystic Tomato, and a second destroyed another Mystic Tomato, wiping Albarran’s field clear! Pot of Avarice let Peddle draw two more cards, and he activated Premature Burial to special summon Jinzo. Jinzo attacked, and Peddle flipped Limiter Removal! Snipe Hunter attacked, Morphing Jar attacked, and Albarran was down to 400 life points! Peddle discarded Cyber Phoenix to destroy his own Morphing Jar, and set his last two cards to his back row.

Jinzo exploded due to Limiter Removal, and, in Albarran’s next turn, the final turn of the game, Peddle flipped Trap Dustshoot! It revealed Cyber Dragon, Dekoichi, Mobius the Frost Monarch, Mystic Tomato, Snipe Hunter, and Spirit Reaper, and the loss of Cyber Dragon to Albarran’s deck sealed the deal! There was no way he could deal enough damage to catch up.

Albarran offers Matt Peddle the handshake, and Peddle moves on to the Top 8!