Max Homig is one of several German players still ranked 6-1 in this tournament. Armed with Destiny Heroes, he’s scored a number of crushing victories up until this point. But things are about to get interesting.
He’s been paired down against Bulgar’s Ivan Todorov, one of his country’s last hopes in this tournament. With a 5-2 record, he’s managed to make it this far with a surprising deck choice: Counter Fairies.
Todorov opened the first duel by summoning Bountiful Artemis, a good omen! He then set three cards to his back row and ended, a very strong start. Homig fired back with just two set cards, and then ended. “I want to attack,” announced Todorov, and Artemis charged into Widespread Ruin. But Todorov flipped Solemn Judgment, negated Widespread, and drew a card for Artemis’s effect! Artemis dealt 1600 damage, and Todorov set another card.
Homig passed his turn, and lost his set card, another Widespread, to Mystical Space Typhoon. Todorov summoned D. D. Warrior Lady, attacked with Artemis and then attacked with Warrior Lady. He was clearly controlling the match, and I honestly had no idea what Homig’s deck was supposed to be doing. It clearly wasn’t doing it.
He summoned Destiny Hero – Fear Monger, then tried to trade him to Todorov with Creature Swap. “No,” said Todorov, flipping another Solemn Judgment and drawing again for Artemis. Homig set one card to his back row and ended.
D. D. Warrior Lady cleared out Fear Monger. “Remove?” asked Homig hopefully.
“No.” Fear Monger went to the graveyard and Artemis hit directly for another 1600 damage. Todorov set two more cards to his back row.
Homig summoned Snipe Hunter! It was clearly his last chance in this duel, and Todorov didn’t negate the summon. Homig discarded Destiny Hero – Malicious, trying to destroy D. D. Warrior Lady, but failed! He discarded Jinzo next, and destroyed the Warrior Lady: why didn’t he go after Artemis?
He removed his in-graveyard Malicious from play and special summoned another from his deck. He then activated his last card in hand, Metamorphosis, to trade Malicious for Ryu Senshi. Clearly he had feared what D. D. Warrior Lady could do to Senshi, but it seemed like a questionable decision. When Senshi attacked Todorov activated Negate Attack, and Homig let it go. Todorov drew a card.
Homig passed, and his opponent tributed Artemis for Cyber Dragon, then brought Artemis back with Premature Burial. Cyber Dragon ran over Senshi, and Artemis mowed down Snipe Hunter. Homig set a monster, and Cyber Dragon attacked it: Spirit Reaper. Todorov set another card to his back row and passed.
The second Malicious was removed from Homig’s graveyard, and he special summoned his last copy in defense position. He tributed him for Zaborg the Thunder Monarch, and used Zaborg’s effect to blow away Artemis. He then tried to activate Pot of Avarice, but it was negated by Magic Drain!
Zaborg attacked, but Todorov blocked him with Sakuretsu Armor. Todorov set a spell or trap, Homig passed, and play was back to Todorov, who drew and now had four cards in hand, two in his back row, and a Cyber Dragon to his opponent’s two cards. Todorov tributed his Cyber Dragon, responded with Torrential Tribute and cleared out Spirit Reaper, but had no immediate offense with which to end the game. He set another card to his spell and trap zone and ended.
Homig drew and briefly considered his hand, not looking too happy. He summoned Snipe Hunter, passed priority, and Todorov had no response. Homig activated Snipe Hunter, discarded Reinforcement of the Army, and missed, rolling a 1! Snipe Hunter attacked, ran into Sakuretsu Armor (which wasn’t the card the Snipe Hunter had targeted anyway), and it was destroyed! Homig was left card-less and out of options, and next turn Todorov destroyed him with Banisher of the Radiance!
Ivan Todorov takes a decisive victory over Max Homig, controlling the duel with Counter Fairies!
Todorov did only some minor side decking, rotating out one Negate Attack for a copy of Twister. Homig predictably did much more, appearing to rotate out five or six cards from his main deck.
“I’ll go first,” announced Homig, setting a card to each zone before passing. Todorov activated Mystical Space Typhoon, and destroyed Homig’s Royal Decree! Todorov special summoned Cyber Dragon, ran over Homig’s set Sangan, and sent him to his deck to fetch Destiny Hero – Malicious. Todorov set two cards to his back row and ended, no Artemis in sight.
Destiny Draw fell from Homig’s hand, discarding Malicious, but Todorov negated it with Solemn Judgment! “Remove,” announced Homig, removing his Malicious from play to special summon another in defense. He then tributed him away for Jinzo and attacked Todorov’s Cyber Dragon: things weren’t looking good for the Bulgarian. Homig set two back row cards, Todorov set another himself, and Homig was back up. He summoned Card Trooper, sent three cards to the graveyard to power it, and swung for game!
Max Homig gets some quick revenge on Bulgar’s Ivan Todorov, sweeping the second duel in three turns!
Homig was gaining confidence, and didn’t appear to do any side decking between games 2 and 3. Todorov certainly did though: he’d need to do a lot of work to overcome Homig in game 3.
He opened strong, summoning Bountiful Artemis and setting three cards to his back row! Homig activated Smashing Ground, and Artemis was destroyed! He summoned Elemental Hero Stratos next, but it was bounced back to his hand by Forced Back. It was a useful move for Todorov, but it cost him real cards, not a great situation to be in.
Homig passed, and ate 1600 damage next turn from Banisher of the Radiance. “Set,” stated Todorov, setting a spell or trap, and ending his turn. Homig summoned Stratos again, and another Forced Back bounced him away! “Go.” Homig didn’t set anything to his back row.
Todorov tributed Banisher for Sky Scourge Invicil, giving it its spell-negating effect! Invicil attacked for 2200 damage, and this game was taking some strange twists and turns. Homig set a card to each zone and Todorov was back up.
He summoned Banisher of the Light next! Invicil attacked, but Todorov lost both his monsters to Mirror Force, a potentially game-losing move! Todorov set another spell or trap, but lost them all to Heavy Storm next turn: Mirror Force, Sakuretsu Armor, and Twister. There was no way he was getting out of this now.
Homig flip summoned Mystic Tomato, then finally normal summoned Elemental Hero Stratos successfully. He searched his deck for Malicious, discarded him for Destiny Draw, and brought out another Malicious by removing the first from play. Metamorphosis exchanged him for Ryu Senshi and Homig attacked with all three monsters, a total of 5200 damage that lowered Todorov to 2800 life points.
He drew and set a monster, but Homig tributed for Zaborg the Thunder Monarch on the following turn. Ryu Senshi and Zaborg attacked directly, and that was all she wrote for Ivan Todorov.
A key Mirror Force knocks Ivan Todorov straight out of the match, moving Max Homig ahead with a 7-1 record!