Two of the world’s greatest duelists were going head to head. My first choice for a feature this round was definitely Audrey Tan versus Dale Bellido, but neither wanted a feature match, which was unfortunate. That left us with a great Gladiator mirror though, with an interesting twist: Paul Levitin hasn’t played Gladiator Beasts since his seminal showing in Minneapolis, so he’s never actually played a Gladiator mirror.
Game 1
He won the roll and passed his opening turn, and took 1500 damage from Bestiari next turn. Dalit shuffled back Bestiari for Laquari, set Trap Dustshoot, and robbed Paul of Test Tiger on the following turn. That left Levitin with two copies of Gladiator Beast Darius, one Gladiator Beast Secutor, Solemn Judgment, Premature Burial, and Mirror Force in hand. He normal summoned Darius, set three cards to his back row, and ended.
Dalit had the Heavy! He activated Heavy Storm, forcing Levitin to flip the Solemn Judgment he’d likely been reserving for Gladiator Beast Gyzarus. Could he make the contact Fusion?
The answer was yes: Dalit set Bestiari, contact Fused for Gyzarus, wrecked the field, and had two copies of Laquari by the time he was finished. Levitin scooped moments later.
A desperation play from Levitin leads to utter ruin as Dexter Dalit flops an unexpected Heavy Storm, taking Game 1 in mere minutes!
Game 2
Levitin started Game 2 with Elemental Hero Stratos, getting Elemental Hero Prisma from his deck with his effect. He set one card to his back row, ended, and Dalit was up. He set two cards to his back row, set a monster, and passed.
Prisma hit the field for Levitin, sending Gladiator Beast Bestiari to the graveyard. He followed it up with Monster Reborn, drawing a bemused grin from Dalit. He chained his set Mystical Space Typhoon, destroying Levitin’s Torrential Tribute, but Bestiari was still successfully summoned.
Prisma and Bestiari were contact Fused for Gyzarus, destroying Dalit’s face-down Sangan. He chained the other target, Phoenix Wing Wind Blast, discarding Gladiator Beast Darius to send Gyzarus back to the Fusion deck. Sangan got him Bestiari, and Levitin activated Reinforcement of the Army to get another Prisma from his deck.
Levitin sent Stratos to make a direct attack and ended his turn, his hand consisting of Cold Wave, Brain Control, Laquari, and Prisma. Dalit summoned Bestiari, special summoned Test Tiger, tagged out Bestiari for Gladiator Beast Murmillo, and destroyed Stratos. Murmillo attacked and tagged out to Laquari and Dalit ended his turn by setting a spell or trap.
He had one card in hand, one set card in his back row, and Laquari. Paul drew for his turn, holding five cards total — he had topdecked into Rescue Cat. The duel stood at 6200 life points to 7200, with Levitin leading.
He activated Cold Wave, summoned Rescue Cat, and tributed it to special summon Test Tiger and Neo-Spacian Dark Panther. The Panther copied Laquari, the Tiger tagged it out for Murmillo, and Murmillo’s effect destroyed Laquari. Levitin’s Murmillo then made a direct attack, and he tagged it out for Gladiator Beast Laquari to end his turn.
Dalit drew, and summoned a Rescue Cat of his own! Levitin gave a groan, as Dalit tributed it to search his deck for Test Tiger and Dark Panther. The Tiger tagged out the Panther, the resulting Murmillo took out Levitin’s Laquari, and once Murmillo attacked Dalit traded it for Laquari.
. . . And Levitin drew another Rescue Cat! He summoned it, and Dalit took a moment to inspect his graveyard. He flipped Solemn Judgment to negate the summon of the Cat. Levitin activated Brain Control, smacked Dalit for 2100 damage with his own Gladiator Beast, and then tagged it out for Gladiator Beast Darius. Darius grabbed Laquari from Levitin’s graveyard and Dalit, who had just one card left, clucked his tongue. “I only have three outs.” Levitin ended.
Dalit summoned Elemental Hero Prisma, sent Bestiari to his graveyard, and then ran over Darius to clear the field. He set his last card to his back row.
Levitin summoned Gladiator Beast Laquari and Dalit could do nothing — Levitin attacked directly to capture the game! Play moved swiftly to Game 3.
Game 3
Dalit opened the third and final game, passing his turn just as Levitin had in Game 1. Levitin looked to take advantage, activating Reinforcement of the Army to grab Elemental Hero Prisma. He summoned it, sent Bestiari to the graveyard, and tagged Prisma out with Test Tiger. In came Gladiator Beast Secutor!
Secutor attacked, Levitin brought out two copies of Laquari, and he tagged out all three of his Gladiator Beasts for Gladiator Beast Heraklinos! “Wow, that good of a hand?” Levitin grinned and set a spell or trap — if it was Solemn Judgment, Dalit was screwed.
“Don’t act like you have outs,” grinned Levitin, as Dalit pondered his hand.
“How many cards?”
“Three! That’s plenty of ammunition!”
Dalit summoned Rescue Cat tributed to bring out Dark Panther and Test Tiger, then tributed Test Tiger to try and tag out the Panther . . . but Levitin had Book of Moon. He chained it, turning Dark Panther face down and rendering the Tiger useless. Dalit set a spell or trap and lost his Panther to Heraklinos next turn.
Another set monster was Dalit’s only move. Levitin had Mind Control, Rescue Cat, D.D. Crow, Dark Panther, and Solemn Judgment. He activated the Control, getting another Dark Panther, and groaned: “Wow, I just lost.”
He made a direct attack with Heraklinos to drop Dalit to 4600 life points, then set one spell or trap card before sending back the Panther. Dalit activated Mystical Space Typhoon, and Levitin discarded his own Panther to negate it. Prisma was Dalit’s next play, and he used its effect to mimic Bestiari. He flipped Panther, mimicked Heraklinos, and contact Fused for Gyzarus, but Paul flipped Solemn Judgment! Dalit set two cards to his back row.
Next turn Levitin summoned another Rescue Cat. He brought out Dark Panther and Test Tiger, tagged out with the Tiger to Laquari and it was all over.
Paul Levitin comes back from a Game 1 deficit to take Game 2 and Game 3, moving on with a 5-1 record!