Top 8 Profiles

Here they are, the last 8 Duelists remaining in competition! 4 of them will be representing Europe at the World Championship in August, so take a good look at these accomplished Duelists!

 

 

Name: Abderazak Gasmi Age: 17 Occupation: I just finished school! Hometown: Nice, France How did you qualify for the European Championship?

I couldn't qualify early and time was slowly running out; I eventually made the cut as the last player at a Regionals that earned an invite!

 

Deck you were playing this weekend and why?

HAT - It's the best Deck in the format.

 

Best play you've seen this weekend?

My opponent had Skill Drain, I set only 1 card with Traptrix Myrmeleo in the Graveyard. My opponent activated Royal Decree to negate his own Skill Drain as he wanted to use some monster effects; I Chained Call of the Haunted to bring back Traptrix Myrmeleo. The effect activated, but it wouldn't resolve just then; it resolves in a new Chain. So the current Chain resolved and then after that, Traptrix Myrmeleo allows me to destroy his Royal Decree. Therefore, Skill Drain is active again and my opponent couldn't perform the plays he wanted to while I now suddenly had a monster on the field that couldn't have activated its effect otherwise!

 

If you could turn into a Yu-Gi-Oh! monster, which monster family would you join and what would your effect be?

There is already a monster like me - Neo-Spacian Grand Mole. It's my favorite card so I would just become a copy of it.

 

 

Name: Marcello Barberi Age: 20 Occupation: Law Student Hometown: Rome, Italy How did you qualify for the European Championship?

I did very well at a Regional in Rome.

 

Deck you were playing this weekend and why?

Mermail - neither HAT or Geargia seemed like a good choice to me since it can be very tiring to play against the same Deck. Mermail can consistently deal with any situation, even when your opponent has a very great opening.

 

Best play you've seen this weekend?

I was able to trick my opponent into a bad play; I had Mermail Abyssleed and Mechquipped Angineer and my opponent was about to Xyz Summon a Rank 4 monster. I asked him if Number 101: Silent Honor Ark works on Mechquipped Angineer and that might have caused him to go for that play. I knew that it didn't work on Mechquipped Angineer and that's why he lost the game in the end.

 

If you could turn into a Yu-Gi-Oh! monster, which monster family would you join and what would your effect be?

I would be "Wind-Up Bestio" and my effect would be: "Once per turn: Your opponent has to say "Bshhh"!" I want to thank my friends from CCG that tested with me.

 

 

Name: Dominic Böhmer Age: 16 Occupation: Pupil Hometown: Hagen, Germany How did you qualify for the European Championship?

I did well at a Regionals, but I also qualified thanks to good results at the YCS Paris and the German National Championship.

 

Deck you were playing this weekend and why?

Geargia Hands - I have been playing the Deck forever and I knew it by heart. That was most important to me and since I also did well at 2 major events before with it, I thought it would be a great choice once again.

 

Best play you've seen this weekend?

I didn't really watch any other games and I don't remember most of my own matches. I immediately forget about them once they are done.

 

If you could turn into a Yu-Gi-Oh! monster, which monster family would you join and what would be your effect?

I want to become a Geargia Monster. I would be "Geargiano Mk-4" and my effect would be "When this card is Normal Summoned, you can Special Summon a Level 4 "Geargia" Monster from your Deck."

 

 

Name: Niccoló Mazzoleni Age: 18 Occupation: Student Hometown: Venice, Italy How did you qualify for the European Championship?

I attended a Regional and I made it to the finals!

 

Deck you were playing this weekend and why?

Spellbooks - I played Geargia at the National Championship and I found it very hard to play against the same Deck. So I wanted to avoid that for this weekend and that's why I went with something different.

 

Best play you've seen this weekend?

In a Spellbooks mirror at the end of Day 1, my opponent has Spellbook Magician of Prophecy, Spellbook of Fate and The Grand Spellbook Tower. I Summon my own Spellbook Magician of Prophecy, I attack, he flips Spellbook of Fate and banishes 2, but I can Chain my own Spellbook of Fate, banishing 3, which means he can't activate The Grand Spellbook Tower and I get to keep my Spellbook Magician of Prophecy. That was quite game-breaking.

 

If you could turn into a Yu-Gi-Oh! monster, which monster family would you join and what would your effect be?

I would be the "High Priest of Prophecy" and when I enter play, I can destroy a card on the field for every Spellbook in my Graveyard!

 

 

Name: Andrea Zenari Age: 21 Occupation: Student at day, barman at night. Hometown: Milan, Italy. How did you qualify for the European Championship?

I advanced to the Top 8 at YCS Brussels.

 

Deck you were playing this weekend and why?

Bujin - Prince Yamato wants to become a king!

 

Best play you've seen this weekend?

I Special Summoned Bujin Hirume, I Normal Summoned a Bujin, I then went for Bujintei Susanowo and searched for another Bujin Hirume, I Special Summoned it, I followed it up with Bujin Arasuda, I then went for Bujintei Kagutsuchi and this way, I could destroy all of his monsters and attack for game!

 

If you could turn into a Yu-Gi-Oh! monster, which monster family would you join and what would your effect be like?

I would like to become a Trap Card instead! I would be a Continuous Trap Card that you can only activate if you're paying half your Life Points and as long as I'm on the field, you can't Special Summon.

 

 

Name: Eugen Heidt Age: 20 Occupation: I'm learning to become an electronics engineer. Hometown: Frankfurt, Germany How did you qualify for the European Championship?

I won a Regional near my hometown.

 

Deck you were playing this weekend and why?

Mermail - I first wanted to play Monarchs, but during testing with Alpay, I realized my match-ups against a few of the other popular Decks was a little too bad. So we then switched to Mermail and this was definitely the better choice this weekend.

 

Best play you've seen this weekend?

I played against a Lightsworn Duelist and I started with Mermail Abysspike, Atlantean Dragoons and Soul Charge. That meant that I ended up Bahamut Shark, Mermail Abysstrite and Moulinglacia the Elemental Lord and Mermail Abyssgaios, so he started with 3 cards in hand. The game was practically over before it even began!

 

If you could turn into a Yu-Gi-Oh! monster, which monster family would you join and what would your effect be like?

I love Gimmick Puppet Giant Grinder since it looks very cool and its effect is also very nice. So I would try to aspire to become like him.

 

 

Name: Piyal Peiris Age: 20 Occupation: I finished school and I will probably start studying now. Hometown: Bonn, Germany How did you qualify for the European Championship?

I was doing quite well at YCS Brussels; I advanced to the Top 32 there.

 

Deck you were playing this weekend and why?

Evilswarm - you don't have to think all that much about most of your plays, so you will not lose too much of your concentration. Since I expected it to be a long weekend, this seemed like a good choice.

 

Best play you've seen this weekend?

In round 5, I played against a Geargia player who was out of cards. He drew into Soul Charge, he brought back 3 Geargiarmor and a few turns later, I was the one hanging in the ropes. I lost that game. Ever since, I want Soul Charge to end up on the Banned List!

 

If you could turn into a Yu-Gi-Oh! monster, which monster family would you join and what would be your effect like?

I would become one of the Rescue monsters. I would be "Rescue Piyal" and you would have to banish me so I could Special Summon 2 Normal "Cat" Monsters from your Deck that would be destroyed at the end of your turn.

 

 

Name: Marcel Burri Age: 25 Occupation: Student Hometown: Bern, Switzerland How did you qualify for the European Championship?

I don't remember. It might have been YCS Berlin, but I might have been qualified there already.

 

Deck you were playing this weekend and why?

Lightsworn Rulers - I didn't like the other Decks. Thanks to Red-Eyes Wyvern and the Dragon Rulers, the Lightsworn Deck is now extremely reliable, something that it was always lacking. Judgment Dragon is still one of the best cards in the game.

 

Best play you've seen this weekend?

In the Top 16, the third Duel was rather interesting. I started with Kuribandit and a few cards that allowed me to draw, so I had a good set-up. He had Lonefire Blossom, Soul Charge and Sylvan Charity and he ended with Stardust Dragon and 2 copies of Divine Dragon Knight Felgrand. I had 2 Breakthrough Skill in my Graveyard and they have never been more important than they were in this particular match since they practically shut down his very impressive monsters!

 

If you could turn into a Yu-Gi-Oh! monster, which monster family would you join and what would be your effect?

I would be a Synchro Monster since I prefer them to the Xyz Monsters. You would need a Tuner and 2 more monsters to Special Summon me and my effect would be: Search your opponent's Deck for 2 cards and banish them. Also, I cannot be targeted for effects.