Brent Yetter had again beaten out Edgar Flores, and carried the Team Rampage banner to the semifinals. This is the second Top 8 Shonen Jump appearance for both of these duelists, but Dale already has a championship under his belt. He was now only two rounds away from becoming the Yu-Gi-Oh! Trading Card Game’s second two-time Shonen Jump Championship winner, but for Yetter, a victory here today would give him his first Shonen Jump title. Long due, he’s been a top player in the game for ages.

Whoever won here would be the odds-on favorite for the finals.

Yetter won the roll and set a card to each zone, but he lost his set monster, Magical Merchant, to Nobleman of Crossout the moment he passed. Dale followed it up with only a set spell or trap card. Yetter took advantage, and pressed with a Spirit Reaper on the following turn, but had walked into a trap! Sakuretsu Armor! Dale set another spell or trap, passed, and Yetter attacked again, this time scoring a hit with D. D. Warrior Lady.

Dale summoned Breaker the Magical Warrior, breaking Scapegoat. Yetter chained it, bringing four Sheep tokens to the field. Breaker hit a Sheep token and Dale ended his turn.

Graceful Charity was Yetter’s next play, and after considering his hand he dropped Treeborn Frog and Sakuretsu Armor. Smashing Ground destroyed his opponent’s Breaker, and D. D. Warrior Lady attacked directly yet again. He passed, Dale set a monster and passed back, and Yetter took his from from the graveyard. He tributed it for Jinzo, activated Nobleman of Crossout, and removed Dale’s set monster from play: Dekoichi. Dale lost another from his deck, and Yetter lost three of his to the removed from game area. Dale had just one set spell or trap card, and was being threatened by Yetter’s Jinzo and Breaker the Magical Warrior.

Both monsters attacked directly, lowering Bellido to just 1100 life points. Yetter still had 8000 remaining, and when Dale saw his next draw it was enough for him to scoop.

He side decked silently, shaking his head a bit while he did so. He smokescreened, shuffling his entire side deck into his deck and then removing fifteen cards.

“I had two Zaborgs and a Jinzo in the opening,” he remarked. “And all my traps.” That Jinzo had just wrecked him, and losing Breaker had crippled his tribute-filled hand.

He opted to open the second duel, and did so with a set card to each zone. He debated the spell or trap card, setting one and then replacing it with another before passing. Yetter special summoned Cyber Dragon, summoned Breaker, broke Dale’s face down card and found it to be Enemy Controller. Controller was chained and Cyber Dragon went to defense. Breaker attacked, hitting Newdoria, and Dale destroyed Cyber Dragon with its effect. Yetter set a card to his spell and trap zone and ended his turn.

Dale set two back row cards, and Yetter immediately attacked for 1600 with Breaker. He set a monster and passed. Dale blasted Yetter’s set spell or trap card in the end phase, but Yetter chained it, Book of Moon, turning down his Breaker. Dale set a monster and ended.

Yetter flip summoned Dekoichi the Battlechanted Locomotive, tributed Breaker for Zaborg, and blew away Dale’s set monster with its effect: another Dekoichi. Zaborg and Dekoichi attacked directly, and Yetter set a back row card. It was Torrential Tribute, and he lost it to Mystical Space Typhoon in the end phase. Dale seemed to have tons of spell and trap removal, but little else. He drew, set another card to each zone, and passed.

Zaborg attacked Dale’s set monster, Night Assailant, and Dale used it to destroy the Dekoichi. Sakuretsu finished off Zaborg a turn later, but Dale couldn’t get a monster. Premature Burial brought Zaborg up again, and Yetter attacked with Spirit Reaper. It hit, discarding Chaos Sorcerer from Dale’s Hand. Zaborg swung, but Dust Tornado destroyed the Premature, destroying Zaborg in turn to prevent the attack.

Dale used Snatch Steal to destroy Spirit Reaper and set a spell or trap card. He ended his turn, and Yetter brought out Chaos Sorcerer.

“Game?” he asked.

Dale stood up from his seat and offered him the handshake. Despite obvious frustration, he was a class act to the end.

“What was in your hand?” asked Yetter.

“Nothing” Dale replied. “I got three pieces of spell and trap removal.” Rough beats, as Dale loses two fast games to admittedly poor draws.

Brent Yetter moves on to the finals, ending Dale’s incredible run here at Shonen Jump Chicago and taking Team Rampage to the finals!