Robert Ackerman had just emerged from an unbelievable win over Adam Corn. “I do not wish to discuss my game 1 plays in that match,” stated Ackerman flatly, but with a smile.

“Oh, I heard all about it already,” chimed in Scurry, shuffling up his deck. “If Adam had a Book, you would’ve lost.”

Ackerman’s grin got wider. “Oh, I’m fully aware of how lucky I was! I knew my outs; I just had to draw them perfectly. I drew Prisma, and then realized I needed to draw Cold Wave and a Gladiator Beast. And then I drew Cold Wave and a Gladiator Beast!” Ackerman was pleased as punch. Ten minutes ago, he looked like he was ready to burst into tears. Now, he’s headed to the World Championship and is two wins away from the U.S. title.

Game 1

Robert won the roll and opened with a set card to each zone. “Go ahead.” Scurry had Crush Card Virus, Book of Moon, Sangan, Gladiator Beast Hoplomus, Phoenix Wing Wind Blast, and Test Tiger. He set Sangan, Crush Card Virus, and Wind Blast, but in the end phase, Ackerman flipped his own Crush Card Virus, tributing D.D. Crow! Scurry didn’t lose any monsters, though, and was ready with his own Crush Card.

Ackerman summoned Elemental Hero Stratos, then searched his deck for Elemental Hero Prisma with its effect.

“You didn’t discard for Crush,” noted Ackerman.

“I didn’t have anything to discard!”

“I’m kidding.” Ackerman grinned, but the levity was short lived, as Scurry flipped his own Virus and tributed Sangan to rip everything but one single card—a Test Tiger—from Ackerman’s hand and field. Scurry grabbed D.D. Crow from his deck with Sangan’s effect, and Ackerman ended. This one was over. He’d lost Gladiator Beast Laquari, Gladiator Beast Bestiari, Elemental Hero Prisma, and Stratos to the Crush. Scurry brought out Gladiator Beast Secutor with Test Tiger’s effect, attacked with it, and then special summoned two Laquaris at the end of the battle phase. Ackerman drew Laquari, discarded it for Crush Card Virus, and set Test Tiger. Next turn, Scurry pressed with Secutor and the two Laquaris, and then used Secutor to bring out two copies of Darius, and Ackerman scooped.

Both players opened with Crush Card Virus plays, but Shane Scurry’s proved to be infinitely better than his opponent’s! This one was all about the Crush, and Shane Scurry took an easy victory in game 1.

Scurry sided in his two Rescue Cats, along with three copies of Neo-Spacian Dark Panther. This was Team Overdose’s side deck tech for the weekend, and it’s paid off big in the Gladiator mirror match many times before. A win here may now be academic.

Game 2

Scurry opened with Secutor, Dark Panther, Test Tiger, Prisma, and Mirror Force. Ackerman set a single spell or trap to start, and Scurry drew another Dark Panther. It was a difficult hand to play out—he’d ideally not have drawn any of the Panthers, instead bringing them out with Rescue Cats. He thought a moment, then summoned Prisma to toss Bestiari to the graveyard. He attacked for 1700 damage, set Mirror Force, and ended. Mind Control or Brain Control here would be ruinous.

Ackerman summoned Gladiator Beast Bestiari, and then, sure enough, he activated Mind Control! Ackerman sent Bestiari to the graveyard with Prisma’s effect, Contact fused for Gladiator Beast Gyzarus, and Gyzarus destroyed Scurry’s Mirror Force. Gyzarus attacked directly and tagged out for Laquari and Darius—Bestiari came out of the graveyard and Ackerman Contact fused all three for Gladiator Beast Heraklinos! “Go ahead.”

Scurry had to get rid of that Heraklinos. He summoned Neo-Spacian Dark Panther, but Ackerman flipped Solemn Judgment! Scurry had nothing to set in his back row; he was stuck with an all-monster hand. He ended, and next turn Ackerman summoned Gladiator Beast Darius. Both Gladiators attacked, and Scurry dropped to 900 life points.

“Tag out,” announced Ackerman, switching out Darius for a boosted Laquari. “Pass.” Now Scurry was in trouble. He summoned another Panther, special summoned Test Tiger, and tributed the Tiger to switch out Dark Panther for Darius. He tried to bring up Bestiari with its effect, going for Gyzarus, but Ackerman chained D.D. Crow to remove the target from the graveyard! Scurry lost his brief moment of hope and conceded the second duel.

Robert Ackerman battled back from a game 1 loss yet again, struggling into game 3!  

Game 3

Scurry opened with two Solemn Judgments, Book of Moon, Rescue Cat, Elemental Hero Prisma, and Gladiator Beast Bestiari. He summoned Prisma, activated its effect with priority to send Bestiari to the graveyard, and then set both Solemn and the Book. “Go.”

Ackerman blew away one Solemn with Mystical Space Typhoon, then searched his deck for Elemental Hero Prisma with Reinforcement of the Army. He summoned it, sent Bestiari to the graveyard with its effect, and then special summoned Test Tiger. He tributed the Tiger, and Scurry chained Book of Moon, turning Prisma face down to stop the tag-out! Ackerman was left to set a spell or trap and end. Since Scurry had Solemn set, he had nothing to fear.

He shuffled his hand: Dark Panther, Rescue Cat, and Bestiari. He sent his third Bestiari from his deck to the graveyard with Prisma’s effect, then summoned Rescue Cat! He tributed it, special summoned two Test Tigers from his deck, and tributed one to trade Prisma for another Gladiator. Ackerman chained Book of Moon, but Scurry chained Solemn to force his play through. Prisma was traded for Gladiator Beast Darius, Darius grabbed Bestiari from the graveyard, and Scurry Contact fused them both for Gladiator Beast Gyzarus. Gyzarus destroyed Ackerman’s set Prisma and attacked directly, and then Test Tiger made a direct attack too. Ackerman dropped to 5000 life points, while Scurry had 4000 after paying for his Solemn.

Gladiator Beast Gyzarus tagged out to special summon Darius and Laquari. Darius pulled Bestiari from the graveyard, and Scurry seemed to realize that leaving Test Tiger on the field was a risky move. Sure enough, he tributed Test Tiger for a useless tag-out just to get it off the field, and then Contact fused his remaining monsters for Gladiator Beast Heraklinos. “I messed up so bad, son. I’m done.”

Ackerman drew and set Gladiator Beast Bestiari. Scurry summoned Bestiari himself, attacked with Heraklinos, and then made a direct attack with Bestiari. Bestiari tagged out for Laquari, and Scurry ended with two cards in hand for Heraklinos’s effect.

Ackerman made a last-ditch effort: with three cards in hand, he set two to his back row, and then set a monster. Scurry attacked with Heraklinos, running over Ackerman’s Laquari, then made a direct attack with his own Laquari. He set a spell or trap, and Ackerman set a monster.

Scurry was holding Prisma, Dark Panther, and Test Tiger, but he opted not to play any of them. Heraklinos attacked. Ackerman flipped Crush Card Virus, and Scurry negated it with Heraklinos’s effect! Ackerman immediately extended the handshake.

Shane Scurry moves on to the finals, competing for the title of U.S. National Champion!