Worlds

The champion is Taiwan rep Shin En Huang IIRC

Decklist:

Source: Yugioh Edition Singapore

Quite a weird deck: No Gold Sarcophagus, Dragon Ravine replaces them all, then LADD, then no Ancient Sacred Wyvern. The lack of Master of Blades is understandable because there would be absolutely no Evilswarm or anything that targets at Worlds

Spoiler: I don't hate this guy for being fat, I'll just be reporting the duel a little bit

So, in the final duel, when David Keener had double Starhall Jowgen, Blue Magician AND Solemn Judgment set, it was Huang's turn. He summoned Tsukuyomi, and Keener let it go? The moment I saw him nodded, I immediately knew who would be the Worlds Champion 2013.

Moving on, Huang pitched Blaster for Stream, calling out Tidal, then pitched Redox for Lightning, calling out Tempest. He made Dracosack, which got Fate'd to face-down. Huang called back the discarded Redox, killed Jowgen and Magician with Tsukuyomi and Redox, finally Rejuvenation'd for 4, into another Rejuvenation for 4 (what a lucksack)

Keener fought back, cleared the Dracossack with Jowgen + Power (Judgment included), ending the turn with quite a strong position consisting of Jowgen in ATK position, double Starhall (total of 12+ counters) + Spellbook Tower face-up, Spellbook of Fate + Solemn Judgment + Phoenix Wing Wind Blast set, adding 4 Books during the End Phase, with the Wind Blast getting MST'd

Strong position?

Huang summoned Tsukuyomi (yet again), and this time Keener chose to Solemn Judgment it

It still seems like a good lock for Keener, of course. The seemed-to-be only out of Huang was cleared

BUT

Huang followed with Card Destruction, trading his just-refuelled hand (due to double Rejuvenation from the previous turn) for a new hand consisting of Blaster and Burner...

This was Huang's feeling expression after pitching Blaster and Burner, taken from the live stream

Of course Huang called back Tempest, Tidal and Redox, attacked into Keener's clear field to wipe out his 3900 life point left (due to Solemn Judgment)

Had Keener not conserved his Solemn Judgment, the championship would have definitely gone to US team

I really didn't/don't understand what Keener was saving the Judgment for. If Huang had Heavy Storm, there wouldn't be Keener's extra turn anyway

And, double Rejuvenation for 8 into Card Destruction into Blaster + Burner is skill

Luck is a part of this game, especially this format. I don't blame Huang for having luck at the right time, but it's still a pity how the US team lost this competition. They're really strong, but due to the overpoweredness, Keener had to face Aaron Riker (rapture) in top 8. I guess luck stood by his side during the top 8 :<

Earlier, Hiromi Kodou and Thai rep faced each other in the 3rd/4th place match. The first game was REALLY slow, which lasted for more than one hour. Thai rep resolved 3 Threatening Roar and 1 EEV on spell to secure the win. In game 2 Kudo won it quick, and in game 3 Thai rep (I can't remember his name, sorry) had a combination of Book of Moon and Threatening Roar to push through Kudo's Scarecrow, then flipped the Roar during Kudo's last turn to secure the win (in time)

His deck didn't have any hand traps at all (wtf). Instead he played 3 Threatening Roars, 2 EEVs and Return from DD. That helped him in the Dragon mirror, but I guess his weird choice cost him the Spellbook match vs. Keener. Kudo played it out really well, but Thai rep's deck is too good for playing in time

And that's it. Until next time guys xD