Gus Reyes, a 22-year-old supervisor from Chicago, was playing a Creator deck, the first to see major success at the premier level in North America.

Ross Nappi, half Gus’s age at only eleven, is a student from Mt Lebanon, PA. He was playing a teched-out Hybrid deck.

The quarterfinals began with an increased level of energy and excitement for the duelists involved. Ross Nappi and Gustavo Reyes were both pleased to have made it to the Top 8, which is quite a feat when playing in such a large event. Ross was quite proud of himself, and seemed assured he’d continue on, since he’d faced his opponent in a previous round and had been Gustavo’s only loss. Gustavo joked that it would either be revenge on his part or another defeat at Ross’s hands. Head Judge Ian Estrin announced the pre-finals format and began the round.

Game 1

Ross won the high roll and elected to go first. He opened strong, activating Painful Choice and looking quickly through his deck to choose D. D. Warrior Lady, Airknight Parshath, Breaker the Magical Warrior, Exiled Force, and Kycoo the Ghost Destroyer. Gustavo looked them over, and gave Ross the Airknight. Ross briefly considered his hand, then summoned Blade Knight and ended his turn. Gustavo also opened up with Painful Choice, and like Ross, he seemed to know exactly which cards he wanted to choose. He pulled them from the deck face-down, then turned them over to reveal them all at once. Ross rapidly chose Sinister Serpent and Gustavo deposited the others in the graveyard. Gustavo obviously had a good opening hand, as he then activated Pot of Greed, then Premature Burial to bring his discarded Airknight Parshath back from the grave, and summoning his own Blade Knight. He attacked Nappi’s Blade Knight with Airknight, then attacked Nappi directly with Blade Knight.

Play throughout the first game was fast and confident. Reyes managed to regain the upper hand whenever Nappi pressed an advantage. Both players knew their decks and made decisions quickly, and control of the game veered from player to player in the initial turns of the game. Nappi tried to gain some field advantage by Snatch Stealing Reyes’ Airknight, but Reyes responded with Ring of Destruction, paused for a response, then chained Emergency Provisions. Nappi’s Berserk Gorilla dealt some damage and removed some monsters from Reyes’ field. Both players managed to summon Black Luster Soldier – Envoy of the Beginning, but neither Soldier stayed in the game for long. Nappi hit a run of no monsters, and wasn’t able to regain control of the game as Reyes pecked away at his life points with Sinister Serpent. Nappi finally drew a monster, and set it in defense position, only to lose it to Change of Heart on Reyes’ next turn. Along with a freshly summoned Breaker the Magical Warrior, it was enough to finish off Nappi’s remaining life points, earning Reyes the first victory.

Game 2

Nappi took his first defeat seriously, knowing that he needed to win this game for the chance to remain in the Top 8. He again chose to go first, and studied his hand carefully before making his opening moves. He activated Swords of Revealing Light, then set a monster and ended his turn. Reyes drew, activated Pot of Greed, then took Nappi’s face-down monster with Change of Heart. He took a peek, then immediately flipped it up—it was Magician of Faith! Reyes retrieved his Pot of Greed, activated it again, then tributed the Magician to summon Mobius the Frost Monarch and rid the field of Swords of Revealing Light. Nappi went into turn two with a cleared field and a hand disadvantage, and never managed to recover. The game went on a few more turns and ended in another victory for Reyes.

Both players seemed energetic and focused, even after ten hours of play, during this fast quarterfinals match. They each wanted the victory, and both players knew their decks backwards and forwards. Most decisions were made confidently and quickly, without the usual riffling through hands and looking through graveyards that can stretch out a match. Despite being eliminated from the finals, Nappi earned that Nationals invite he was hoping for.