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PRIO

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Yugi | Kaiba
Joey | Pegasus
Yugi 2004 | Kaiba 2004
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Yugi 2013 | Kaiba 2013

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Dragons Roar &
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EP1 Spoiler

Tournament Packs:
TP1 / TP2 / TP3 / TP4
TP5 / TP6 / TP7 / TP8
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Jaden | Chazz
Jaden #2 | Zane
Aster | Jaden #3
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Yugi | Yusei #2
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Crow

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Dark Beginnings
1 | 2
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1 | 2 | 3 | 4
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1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5
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DLG1
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1 | 2
Champion Pack
1 | 2 | 3 | 4
5 | 6 | 7 | 8
Turbo Pack
1 | 2 | 3 | 4
5 | 6 | 7

Hidden Arsenal:
1 | 2 | 3 | 4
5 | 6 | 7

Checklists
Brawlermatrix 08
Evan T 08
X-Ref List
X-Ref List w/ Passcodes

1. Currently you have 3 top 16 appearances , one of which netted you a Crush Card Virus. (CCV) Now there has been a lot of talk about the impact of crush card virus, but is it that good? Exactly what impact does it have on gameplay?

   Actually I at least top eighted in all of them. I received a crush card at SJC Collinsville (AKA Missouri) where I sold it within five minutes for 2500 cash. Crush Card Virus most definitely is that good. It is currently one of the only cards in the game to generate huge swings in advantage for a very little cost. One example was my match against Shane Scurry in Minnesota, where I had two cyber dragons on the field with the third in hand along with malicious snipe hunter and ring. He had zero cards drew removed for malicious set a card. I went to snipe hunter where he chained crush card and killed every monster I had. It really affects the game tremendously, and even though there are only 32 released, it is still going to be a major threat at nationals.
    

2. One of the hot issues on various forums is the legality of cards which aren’t available to the mass market in the USA nationals. Is it right to allow good players exceptionally good cards? If so why?

   It is right to allow players who win prize cards to play them, even if they are ridiculously good. There are so few that you will probably only see them at large scale tournaments, or one at max at a regional event. It just adds more strategy to the game, by now having to watch out for cards like CCV. Also most players will know who is running CCV at an event and know when to protect themselves against it.

3. What team are you currently on? What impact does being on this team have to you and do you think teams are important in YuGiOh!?

   I am currently on Team Kamikaze Sponsored by ShopCCG.com (Opening July 4^th, where you can have a myspace type profile post your inventory and selling prices and trade/sell with all the users)

   The impact and importance of being on a team is being able to play test with people you trust and not worrying about your ideas getting to the public before a large scale event. Right now our team has a new original deck for nationals that we wouldn’t want leaked, nor would have come up with if it wasn’t for everyone’s contributions. We also get cards for each other, like at SJC Collinsville three of us top8ed because we all tested with each other to make the deck perfect. (Though everyone on the team ran the same deck but me, I Couldn’t afford the cards)

4. At the last Shonen Jump Force of the Breaker didn’t make that much of an impact, why do you think this is?

   The only new cards in top16 of the event were Raiza the Storm Monarch, and volcanic shell. There was a lot of new deck archetypes being played at the event, just none were strong enough to make the top16 cut. The main deck’s of the new set, chaos and crystal beasts, were being played in inconsistent forms. Maybe people have found a stronger way to run the new cards, and are keeping it secret for nationals.

5. It seems that the Meta for this format has become largely undefined and fluctuates very rapidly. For example, Its gone from Bazooper to D.D.T to Demise OTK to Monarchs to Perfect circle and much more besides. Do you think UDE/ Konami of Japan got the list right this time, and do you have any predictions for the next big Meta shift?

   The list will never be right, but I have heard the fewest complaints about this list than any other. The current list is outdated because of so many new cards released that have made a large scale impact on the game. The next big Meta shift is going towards the T deck originally piloted at SJC Anaheim. It is gaining high momentum and is the deck to beat at nationals.

6. One of the decks that you’re most famous for playing is Six Samurai. How did you stumble upon the awesome one turn kill aspect of the deck?

   Well I originally gained interest in the deck and saw them fit for play when it first top16ed at SJC Houston. I decided to make a build to run at a regional. I honestly didn’t think that they would win at all, but I decided to play them anyway because it was one of the more fun decks in the game. Throughout the regional games were lasting very short, and when I won the regional I decided to take the deck to the next level, and SJC. I play tested and play tested, and found that the best way to win was as fast as possible, before my opponent could take advantage of their high card advantage. The deck was very strong for that brief period, where decks were far slower than the pace now.

7. Lately it seems Sixth Samurai has fallen to the wayside in place of Perfect Circle. Are there any improvements that you would suggest to budding Samurai Players in anticipation of this match up and why?

   Once again I took samurais to a regional, this time in the brink of everyone playing monarchs or Perfect Circle, which I expected. This caused me to main deck multiple copies of pulling the rug, which is really all you can do versus perfect circle. With the speed of the game gaining momentum, Samurais are being left in the dark. Also Interesting fact on Perfect Circle Monarchs, at SJC Ohio Paul Levitan was running what I thought was a new deck, so I had to watch. He was sporting new cards such as fear monger, and destiny hero Discman, which I thought was called destiny hero perfect circle, for some reason. So when I got back home I made versions of the deck and posted it on forums calling it perfect circle, surprisingly the name stuck, and we are here with it today.

8. What are you running at the nationals this year and why?

   Well, I am not for sure yet, being as there are so many competitive decks. But for certain, being as the best players in the country will be participating, I am going to run the most consistent deck possible.

9. Who and what do you hotly tip to place highly (besides yourself) at the USA nationals and why?

   First off, anyone with CCV has a high advantage in nationals, and they have the best chance of placing high with T’s deck. I believe most all of the decks in top16 will be T’s deck, and PC, with a gadget deck in the mix, and a few rogue decks.

   My top pics for nationals will be that Kris Perovic, and Shane Scurry will do very well. T has had a great run since his return so he will be up there. Keanson Ye has been doing very consistent also; I wouldn’t be surprised if he made the cut.

10. Whats the most funniest, craziest or surreal thing that’s ever happened to you while playing YuGiOh!?

22. Me losing to exodia reversal quiz horus and zombies at nats 05.

23. Jeff Jones wrecking everyone at regional’s with Horus.

24. Alex priebe going undefeated in Swiss at regional then his parents making him leave.

25. Getting crush card and 2 minutes later getting offered 2500 and selling crush card.

26. Billy fulfer playing Japanese crush in a regional and it being legal, and he won the regional.

27. At SJC Indy 06 watching mean people getting inflatable poke balls and running up to fat kids and saying I choose you snorlax.

28. Joe crisara getting his deck stolen 19 times total.

29. rob pace falling down an escalator

30. Joe crisara cutting his toe open falling down an escalator

32. me top8ed a regional going 0-2 losing round 1 and round 2 to both the people that were undefeated going into round 8

1. Do you have any shout outs, messages or anything which you would like to add?