Fate had pitted two competitors from Chicago against each other. Seventeen year-old Bill Fulfer is playing a successful Macro Cosmos build that has brought him here, to a 5-1 record in Round 7. He’s playing against Mike Glowacki, the duelist I featured earlier today with a Reasoning-based Six Samurai deck. If Glowacki can strike fast enough he could claim victory, but if Fulfer can hold him off, his remove from play effects will seriously hinder cards like Grandmaster of the Six Samurai and Cunning of the Six Samurai.

Glowacki opened the match with a set Dimension Wall, holding Torrential Tribute, Grandmaster, The Six Samurai – Irou, The Six Samurai – Nisashi, and Cunning of the Six Samurai. Fulfer activated Dimensional Fissure, summoned D.D. Survivor and ran straight into Dimension Wall, suffering 1800 damage!

The Six Samurai – Nisashi was summoned next turn, and Glowacki followed up with Grandmaster of the Six Samurai and Great Shogun Shien! Grandmaster took out D.D. Survivor, Nisashi attacked twice, and Shogun hit directly, leaving Fulfer at just 600 life points! Glowacki set a spell or trap to end.

Fulfer set a card to each zone and turned Survivor to defense mode. Shien went to defense mode next turn; Nisashi attacked Survivor, then Fulfer’s set Apprentice Magician, who in turn special summoned Old Vindictive Magician. Grandmaster attacked Old Vindictive and Fulfer used his effect to blow away Great Shogun Shien. Glowacki ended and his opponent brought back D.D. Survivor.

The Survivor went to defense mode again, and Fulfer set a monster. Glowacki summoned Irou next turn, but Solemn Judgment negated the summon. Nisashi took out both monsters, but the set monster was Old Vindictive Magician, and he destroyed and removed Grandmaster from play. Next turn Fulfer summoned Breaker the Magical Warrior and Glowacki activated Torrential Tribute! Survivor came back in defense mode.

“That’s game,” announced Glowacki. He special summoned Cyber Dragon, normal summoned Yaichi, and attacked. Cyber Dragon took down Survivor one last time and Yaichi struck for game! Both duelists dove into their side decks.

An explosive early game lets Mike Glowacki claim the first duel! He was visibly building momentum.

Fulfer opened game 2 with a set spell or trap, and Glowacki fearlessly dropped Reasoning. Fulfer called seven for Reasoning’s effect, and Glowacki got a free Grandmaster! He summoned Yaichi, used his effect to destroy Fulfer’s set Solemn Judgment, special summoned Shogun, and attacked to reduce Fulfer to 1000 life points. Fulfer set a monster, Spirit Reaper, and it was flipped by an attack from Shogun Shien next turn.

Fulfer activated Dimensional Fissure, used Exiled Force to destroy Shogun Shien, then set a spell or trap. Glowacki set another back row card and Fulfer set a card to each zone. Glowacki passed. Fulfer summoned D.D. Survivor and activated Smashing Ground but was repelled by Dark Bribe! Grandmaster destroyed the Survivor next turn, Glowacki played another face down to his back row, and Survivor came up in defense. Fulfer set another monster, passed, and Glowacki knocked around the Survivor for fun — he came back in defense mode. Fulfer set a spell or trap and next turn Glowacki activated Heavy Storm, but lost out on the chain to Dark Bribe. He ended, Fulfer set a spell or trap, and Glowacki activated Brain Control to destroy Spirit Reaper. He normal summoned Nisashi, special summoned Great Shogun Shien, and attacked Fulfer’s first set monster with Nisashi — it was D. D. Scout Plane, and it was destroyed and removed. Nisashi then attacked into Marshmallon, and Grandmaster destroyed D.D. Survivor.

When the Scout Plane came back Fulfer, activated Torrential Tribute, but Glowacki chained Dark Bribe! Fulfer resignedly special summoned his D.D. Survivor, sadly not to the empty field he’d hoped for. He turned Survivor and Scout Plane to defense mode, set another card to his back row, and ended. Next turn Nisashi knocked Survivor and Scout Plan back out of play and they were special summoned again in the end phase. Fulfer set another spell or trap.

Glowacki activated Reasoning and his opponent called four. He lost two of his three Dimension Walls, hit Grandmaster, and lost him since he already had a Grandmaster in play. “Your move.” Fulfer passed. Glowacki summoned The Six Samurai – Zanji, Fulfer responded with Solemn Judgment, and Glowacki chained a Solemn of his own! Zanji was what Glowacki needed to take down Marshmallon, and that’s exactly what happened! Nisashi cleared the field and Grandmaster attacked for game.

Mike Glowacki takes two games straight, proving the power of the post-Gladiator’s Assault Six Samurai!