It all came down to this. Bobby Chambers had never made it to a Shonen Jump Championship Top 8 before, and now he was up against perhaps the greatest player of our time. Defeating his opponent and capturing the title here would vault him to fame and stardom in the dueling world.

John Jensen is the Shonen Jump Champion of Atlanta, Indianapolis, and split an SJC victory before those two with teammate Andrew Fredella in Orlando. He is one of only three duelists to ever win two SJC titles, and the only one to ever win two and split a third.

Chambers opened with a set card to each zone. Jensen summoned Exiled Force, tributed it to destroy Chambers’ set monster, and found it to be Treeborn Frog. Less than optimal. Still, Jensen activated Last Will, special summoned Sangan, and swung for 1000. He set a spell or trap and ended.

Cyber Dragon came down for Chambers, attacked Sangan, and Jensen didn’t hesitate a moment: “I’ll take it.” Sangan went down; Jensen took 1100 damage, and proceeded to search his deck for Dekoichi the Battlechanted Locomotive. Chambers ended, Jensen set a monster, and Chambers tributed his Cyber Dragon for Zaborg the Thunder Monarch, destroying the set monster; Jensen lost his Dekoichi the Battlechanted Locomotive. Zaborg attacked directly, Jensen turned it to defense with Enemy Controller to stop the attack, and Chambers passed.

Jensen summoned D. D. Assailant, but lost it to Ring of Destruction. It was 5200 to 5300 in Chambers’ favor, and Jensen set a single spell or trap card. “Go.”

Treeborn Frog came back up to Chambers’ field, but when he attacked with Zaborg the Thunder Monarch he lost it to Mirror Force. He set one back row card, passed to Jensen, and Jensen set two back row cards. Chambers punished him for it next turn, hitting him with Heavy Storm, but Jensen chained Call of the Haunted, targeting Sangan. Both duelists lost two non-monster cards, but Jensen got to pull a monster with Sangan! Still, Chambers kept the pressure up, attacking with Asura Priest to drop Jensen to 3500 life points. He ended his turn, took back Asura, and play was to Jensen.

He set a monster and ended, clearly not in control of the match. Asura Priest attacked again, this time hitting Apprentice Magician. Jensen pulled Old Vindictive Magician with its effect, the Priest attacked again, and both monsters were destroyed. Chambers passed, his Treeborn Frog still floating cheerily about the field.

It was 3500 to 5300.

Jensen summoned Breaker the Magical Warrior, but Chambers activated Torrential Tribute on the chain to clear the field. Jensen just couldn’t establish any field presence. Still, he special summoned his D. D. Assailant with Premature Burial, and attacked directly to bring Chambers down to 3600!

Chambers chose not to return his Frog, and special summoned Cyber Dragon. He normal summoned Mystic Tomato, attacked with Cyber Dragon to destroy and remove D. D. Assailant, and then swung with the Tomato. He set one spell or trap and passed.

Jensen special summoned Cyber Dragon, tributed it for Zaborg the Thunder Monarch, destroyed the Tomato with its effect, and attacked into Book of Moon. Zaborg went face down and Jensen passed with one card in hand. Chambers took back his Frog, set a card to each zone and ended. Jensen summoned Cyber-Stein, attacked Treeborn Frog with it, and Chambers took the hit, losing his Frog. It was a gutsy move on behalf of Jensen, who had only 900 life points remaining to his opponent’s 3600.

He followed it up with Creature Swap! Talk about making the most of a dead card. Chambers chained Enemy Controller, tributed his set monster for it, and took control of Cyber-Stein on the chain! When Swap resolved it gave Jensen back his useless Stein, and, after running some numbers, he conceded the game. Zaborg would flip next turn, hammer home a shot on the Stein, and there would be nothing Jensen could do.

Bobby Chambers is one game away from winning Shonen Jump Championship Boston.

The Shrink promo which was at stake was placed next to the feature match table, and, before side decking, Chambers took a moment to give it a long, hard look.

“I want that.”

Both duelists set to side decking and shuffling, and each did so quickly. Jensen piled out his five cards for his opening hand, took a deep breath, and picked them up. He set a card to each zone and ended.

Chambers blasted Jensen’s Ring of Destruction with Mystical Space Typhoon, special summoned Cyber Dragon, dropped Nobleman of Crossout to remove Jensen’s set D. D. Assailant, and summoned Newdoria. The resulting attacks lowered Jensen down to 4700 life points, and Chambers set a spell or trap card. Jensen was again in trouble.

He special summoned Cyber Dragon himself, attacked to trade off with Chambers, and both Dragons were destroyed. He set a monster, set a spell or trap, and ended.

Exiled Force cleared out his monster next turn, Apprentice Magician. Newdoria attacked directly and Chambers ended his turn. Premature Burial flipped on Jensen’s side, brought back Cyber Dragon, attacked Newdoria, and both monsters were destroyed. Jensen set a monster and passed.

Chambers set one too and passed back. It was 7100 to 2700.

Jensen summoned Mystic Swordsman LV2, and Chambers flipped Torrential Tribute! His set monster was Sangan: a classic play! The Sangan got him D. D. Warrior Lady while Jensen lost his monsters. Chambers set a monster and passed.

Jensen hit him with Nobleman of Crossout, removing Gravekeeper’s Spy from Chamber’s field, and one from his deck. Jensen’s last two cards were set, one to each zone. D. D. Warrior Lady attacked him next turn, destroying his set Cyber-Stein. Jensen attacked with Banisher of the Radiance next turn; both monsters were lost to D. D. Warrior Lady and Jensen passed.

Chambers summoned Mystic Tomato and hit directly, but Jensen summoned another Banisher! It destroyed the Tomato and removed it from the game! A flurry of cards hit the field and a turn or two passed too quickly to be documented. Banisher attacked directly yet again, Chambers set a monster; Jensen set a monster, and passed.

Chambers summoned Breaker the Magical Warrior, and it got its counter. Breaker broke Jensen’s set card, but it was Enemy Controller, and it chained to turn Breaker to defense! Jensen thought a while, and then attacked with the Banisher. Enemy Controller blocked it, keeping Breaker on the field. Jensen set a spell or trap and passed. Chambers tributed for Mobius the Frost Monarch, but Book of Moon was chained to turn it face down!

Jensen topdecked into Graceful Charity, drew Mystical Space Typhoon, Cyber Dragon, and Dekoichi the Battlechanted Locomotive, and discarded Dekoichi. He activated the Mystical Space Typhoon, destroying Chambers’ set Bottomless Trap Hole, and set to thinking. Chambers had only one card in hand, and one monster set.

“You’re at 5200?” asked Jensen.

“Yeah.”

He flip summoned D. D. Warrior Lady, and attacked with into the face down Mobius. Banisher attacked directly. Chambers drew for his turn, set his topdeck to his back row, and ate two attacks from D. D. Warrior Lady and Banisher. Jensen set a back row card, Chambers set one too, Jensen activated Last Will and attacked with D. D. Warrior Lady. Book of Moon repelled the Lady, but Chambers couldn’t do anything to stop Banisher of the Radiance! With Last Will as an insurance policy, there was nothing Chambers could do.

John Jensen pulls out of a terrible opening game situation to win the duel, and press the finals to a third game! It all came down to this. One more game would decide whether Bobby Chambers would score the underdog win, or if John Jensen would become the very first three-time Shonen Jump Champion.

“Good luck,” said Jensen, as both duelists finished shuffling each other’s decks. Chambers nodded, and announced that he’d go first.

He opened with Graceful Charity, discarding Premature Burial and Newdoria. He set a monster and ended. Jensen activated Reinforcement of the Army, pulled Mystic Swordsman LV2 from his deck, summoned it, and attacked into Chambers’ set monster. “Attack into Sangan,” he announced.

“You are correct,” responded Chambers. Sangan flipped, went to the graveyard, and fetched him Treeborn Frog. Jensen set Ring of Destruction to end his turn.

Chambers special summoned Cyber Dragon and attacked; Ring destroyed it, and each duelist went down to 5900 life points. It left Chambers in a tough situation, but he had Exiled Force to play out of it. He summoned it, both monsters were destroyed, and he passed with no back field. Jensen summoned Banisher of the Radiance, attacked for 1600, set a spell or trap, and passed.

A set card hit each of Chambers’ zones, and he ended. Jensen summoned Exiled Force, tributed it to destroy Chambers’ Dekoichi the Battlechanted Locomotive, and then attacked with Banisher into Mirror Force. It seemed like a premature move on Chambers’ behalf. Banisher went to the graveyard and Jensen passed.

Chambers summoned D. D. Warrior Lady, attacked for 1500, and passed with nothing in his back row. Jensen had Breaker the Magical Warrior, Smashing Ground, Heavy Storm, and Last Will in hand. He summoned Breaker, activated Smashing Ground, and attacked for 1900.

Chambers special summoned Cyber Dragon, but its attack was stopped by Book of Moon. Chambers set a monster; Jensen cleared the Dragon with Breaker, and set another monster. It was 2400 to 4400 for Jensen. He set a spell or trap and ended.

He lost his set monster, Sangan, to Nobleman of Crossout next turn. Chambers set a monster; Breaker hit the last set monster, Treeborn Frog, and Jensen passed. Chambers took back his Frog in defense, tributed it for Cyber Dragon, and attacked Breaker the Magical Warrior. Jensen had to take it, and Breaker was destroyed. Jensen activated Smashing Ground to destroy the Dragon and ended, stuck with Last Will and Zaborg dead in his hand.

Chambers brought back Treeborn Frog, flip summoned Gravekeeper’s Spy, and brought out another in defense. His first Spy attacked for 1200, dropping Jensen to 3000 life points. Chambers had 2400.

Jensen drew into Cyber Dragon! He special summoned it, tributed it for Zaborg, and blew away the defense position Spy with its effect! He activated Last Will, pulled D. D. Warrior Lady to the field, and ran over the spy with Zaborg. Chambers went to 1200. D. D. Warrior Lady removed the Frog from the game and Jensen ended.

Chambers drew, putting himself at four cards in hand. He summoned Banisher of the Radiance, activated Smashing Ground, and attacked directly for 1600. Jensen dropped to 1400, and Chambers passed. Jensen drew, and set his topdecked monster.

Chambers topdecked Heavy Storm! He activated it, clearing the field, and then tributed for Zaborg the Thunder Monarch! Zaborg’s effect destroyed Jensen’s set monster, Apprentice Magician, and Zaborg attacked for the win!

Bobby Chambers scores the huge upset, claiming victory over John Jensen and winning the title of Shonen Jump Champion Boston!