FlashFire. Serf. A World of Books. San Leandro, CA. Monsters: 20 1 Invader of the Throne 1 cyber jar 3 Giant Germ 2 sangan 1 witch of the black forest 3 magician of faith (MOF) 3 giant soldier of stone (GSOS) 2 cannon soldier 3 wall of illusion 1 Flash Assailant (the FLASH) Magic: 13 3 Tremendous Fire (the FIRE) 1 Change of Heart 1 Pot of Greed 1 Raigeki 1 Dark Hole 1 Monster Reborn 2 Heavy Storm 3 Ookazi Trap: 7 1 Mirror Force 3 Attack and Receive 2 Just Desserts 1 Gravity Bind Total 40 Tournament on February 9, 2003 (Official UpperDeck Tournament) I had thought that the end of Tournament Season 2 was on the last day of February, so I retired FlashFire and started playing with other decks. But since UpperDeck has posted the end to be on March 28, I had to bring FlashFire out of retirement and start dueling seriously again. Today was a nice and sunny California Sunday, but with a winter chill in the air. Since I’m such a nice guy, I didn’t want the other duelists to freeze. You know what that means...turn up the heat with FlashFire. It’s getting hot in here, so take off all your clothes! 1st match Opponent: Alex (Beatdown) I was not supposed to face Alex, but he came late and got the last spot. This is the same Alex that beat Thriller to a pulp last week. So, would Alex coming late be lucky for him? Or would this be, as Alan would say: "Revenge!"? First duel, Alex was still expecting Thriller. He didn’t know that thousands of people emailed me last week and told me that February 14 was Valentine’s Day, not Halloween. Since I was using the wrong deck for the Holiday, I had to make a change. What better deck to use to match Valentine’s Day, the day of love, passion, and heat, than FlashFire? Weird thing in this first duel, I didn’t draw a single burn card. He did lose half his LP, about 3775 either due to Jirai Gumo, or Solemn Judgment. For the rest, I just managed to beat him down with my monsters along with Cannon Soldier. I win with 5500 LP left. Second duel, before this started, Alex went to his side deck and put in both Noblemen (I found out later). For this duel, I was chipping away at his LP slowly with my monsters attacking. I’m at 5200 and he’s at 200 with one monster on the field. I draw Just Desserts and set. Next turn I activate, turn the heat up and burn his remaining LP away. It’s getting hot in here, so Alex take off all your clothes! 2nd match Opponent: Edmund (Hand Disruption deck) Edmund is a regular advanced duelist, but I have not faced him at all. This was the very first time we dueled against each other. He’s known about me, and I’ve known about him. Is what I’ve heard about Edmund true? Will he leave me with no cards in my hand, no options, Time Sealed and helpless? Read on. First duel, I start off doing 500 damage by suiciding my Giant Germ into his White Magical Hat (WMH). A couple of turns later, my Cyber Jar goes off and leaves him with a WMH in defense, me with 5 monsters in attack mode. I attack and bring his LP down to 2200. Next turn I summon Cannon Soldier, launch and win with 8000 LP. Second duel was closer and took longer than the first. I have been burning him here and there and brought him down to 5250. He had me at 4450 and made me discard two cards thanks to the WMH. He also Time Sealed me and I had to skip my draw phase. Good think I drew Raigeki the previous turn, so I threw a lightning bolt and killed all his monsters and attacked to bring him down to 1600. He placed a monster in defense mode, then ended. I drew and it was Cannon Soldier. I summoned, launched, turned up the heat and burned away his remaining LP. It’s getting hot in here, so Edmund take off all your clothes! 3rd match Opponent: Nick (Painful Beatdown) Yes, this is the same Nick that beat me last time with his Jinzo. But before we started, I checked his deck and made sure he only had one Jinzo. I also checked his side deck. Everything was ok, so I asked him what happened to his other Jinzos. He told me he traded those two away at school for a Painful Choice and a bathroom pass. I told him it was a good deal, knowing his history with the bathroom. I knew I had to watch out, since Nick is a very good duelists and he had just defeated Kevo Kaiba to make it to face me. Kevo and I have a curse where we both lose to the same duelists. I decided to side deck in Cursebreaker (looks like Despell) for good luck. First duel, I hit Nick fast and hard before he could get that Jinzo out. I burned his LP down to zero while I still had 8000. Second duel, Nick started off with Painful Choice. I gave him Jirai Gumo to put in his hand. He then set, and next turn flipped Magician of Faith and did another Painful Choice. This time I gave him Summoned Skull. This duel was close, I was at 3150 and he had 2900. I had a Wall of Illusion in face up defense and a face down Giant Germ. Nick had 3 monsters on the field. 2 La Jinns and 1 Gearfried. I ended, then Nick tributed Gearfried for Jinzo, Change of Heart my Wall, then attacked me for the win. So close, then that ugly Jinzo had to appear. Third duel, I knew Nick was good, and he was pushing me to the limit. This duel took a long time, since we were both very careful. At one point, Nick had a Skull, 7 Colored Fish (yes, it is 7 colors, look closely), and a Jinzo. I had three monsters in DEF mode and at the end of the turn, they were all gone. I was at 2250. Next turn, I draw Dark Hole and blow everything up. I play Monster Reborn and summon the Skull. I attack and bring him down to 3400. He uses Raigeki and sets a monster. My turn, I use Change of Heart, he uses Solemn Judgment and he’s down to 1700. I set a monster and Just Desserts. Next turn, he flips over Cyber Jar and he gets 4 monsters. Which monsters? It doesn’t matter. Flip and activate Just Desserts, turn up the heat and burn his LP away. It’s getting hot in here, so Nick take off all your clothes! 4th match Opponent: Marcus the Penguin Knight (Kforce1-style beatdown) Marcus is known for his Penguin dance and his stuffed Penguin that he brings to his duels. He started off the day by beating ZeenO, so I know Marcus is no joke. Since Penguins like the cold and snow, I knew I had to turn the heat up really high for this match. Before our match started, Marcus side decks in Heavy Storm and some other cards from his fellow Kforce1 members. Hmmm, I see how it is, you’re either with us or against us. I take a quote from Kevo Kaiba and say, "bring it on". First duel was crazy. Marcus had the beatdown, but both of us were beating each other down. Summon, attack. Next turn, Change of Heart, Raigeki, Dark Hole, whatever to clean the field, summon and attack. This went on for a couple of turns until he was at 500 and I was at 650. His Cyber Jar went off, and one of the 5 cards he drew was a Ceasefire. I look at all the monster cards on the field and I know I’m done. Sure enough, that card burns me down to zero. Marcus takes the early lead 1-0, making it theoretically harder for me to win. Two questions come up, will I now have to take off all my clothes? and is the power of one enough? Second duel, I change my strategy and decide to take my time, no more beatdown-style attacking. I burn him a couple times really good with Just Desserts, for 2000 both times. He gets me down to 3600 and I have him at 2650. One thing I noticed about Marcus, he rarely had cards down in his M/T zone. So he sets a monster face down and ends. I draw and get Change of Heart. I play and take his Witch. I summon a Cannon Soldier and attack, then launch both to burn away his remaining LP. Third duel, by this time a crowd had gathered, but they kept coming and going since I play slowly. This is a strategy game! Anyway, Marcus trusts in the heart of the cards and plays a very good game. Notice I said "very good" and not perfect. One big mistake he made was he forgot I use Just Desserts and he kept putting monsters on the field. More fuel for me. With Marcus playing a good game, this was close and I was at 2550 while he was at 1800. I set my Cyber Jar, and earlier in duel one, his Cyber Jar messed me up. I end and he goes. He attacks and flips my Cyber Jar. A blue beam comes out and blows everything up on the field (like that, Keif?). He gets four monsters, a Change of Heart, and a Monster Reborn. He plays Monster Reborn and brings back a Summoned Skull. From the Cyber Jar, I get 2 Walls of Illusion, a Giant Soldier, a Sangan, and a Monster Reborn. He attacks and I’m left with 2 Walls, holding the line for me. Seeing 5 monsters on his side of the field, I start drooling. Come on Just Desserts, don’t fail me. I draw and get Just Dessert. I set, end, flip, activate and force feed him some nice and hot Just Desserts to burn his 1800 LP down to zero. It’s getting hot in here, so Marcus take off all your clothes! I win 4 packs and the adoration of the millions and the millions of my fans. It’s getting hot in here, so take off all your clothes! What’s up! to the hardcore Yu-Gi-Oh! gamers at a World of Books. Get lost! to the thieves that steal cards. Serf buffserf@yahoo.com