World Championship 2023 Top 16 Player Interviews (Part Two)

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How did you prepare for today's event? Did you practice with a specific person or team?
I practice and talk with my teammates on discord, shoutout to formula. Having that community has helped me tons. Having people to talk and test with makes a huge difference. I also think about the game a lot just kind of mulling things over in my mind when I have free time.  

​What deck did you play in this event and why?
Chaos Turbo. A lot of the time I like to play something different, but I didn't have another strategy I was confident enough in when testing. I wanted to play what gives me the best chance to win, especially for this tournament. It seems like other people came to similar conclusions with the amount of turbo in the top cut. 

What decks or players were you looking forward to playing against?
I felt confident with all of my matchups in terms of decks. I did want to play vs more  chaos aggro decks then I did. There's a lot of hype around alternative aggro strategy's to standard warrior which I appreciate. 

What decks or players were you NOT looking forward to playing against?
Raysaber's 3 Spirit Reaper deck looked scary. I'm glad he was on the other side of the bracket.  I also wanted to avoid players like GeistD, Alvarado, Marcuslol to name a few. 

What card had been overperforming for you during the event?
Spirit reaper. I feel like I was always very happy to see it, I wish I played a 2nd copy. Playing around mind control and being able to play it offensively and defensively is a lot of value.

What has been your favorite moment of the event so far?
It's very hard to pin it to 1 moment, It was an overwhelmingly positive experience. I side-decked Jinzo and call of the haunted, but I only played 1 aggro and 1 burn deck throughout the entire tournament. But I enjoyed getting to use Jinzo to win the game at least once.

What predictions do you have for the rest of the event?
There's a lot of duelists still in and that lost early day 2 that deserve to win. 

If you could go back, what (if any) changes would you would make to your deck today?
I would add another spirit reaper, probably over a GK Spy. Other than that I liked my list I felt like it was good for the event. 

What would winning the world championship mean to you?
Having the personal validation, as well as actually getting paid, after all the time I've put into this game would be incredible. And just being able to say you were the world champion at something unironically is rare.

Any shout outs you would like to make?
Team formula. My girlfriend Erica for supporting me and not being too annoyed I'm spending time playing this game.

How did you prepare for today's event? Did you practice with a specific person or team?
N/A

​What deck did you play in this event and why?
​N/A

What decks or players were you looking forward to playing against?
​N/A

What decks or players were you NOT looking forward to playing against?
​N/A

What card had been overperforming for you during the event?
​N/A

What has been your favorite moment of the event so far?
​N/A

What predictions do you have for the rest of the event?
​N/A

If you could go back, what (if any) changes would you would make to your deck today?
​N/A

What would winning the world championship mean to you?
​N/A

Any shout outs you would like to make?
​N/A

How did you prepare for today's event? Did you practice with a specific person or team?
Discussed theories and ideas with team Safari Zone.  Practiced on ladder and with some teammates.

​What deck did you play in this event and why?
Chaos Turbo, it has great coverage and in my opinion is the best deck.

What decks or players were you looking forward to playing against?
No specific deck, but excited to play all the great duelist in top cut.

What decks or players were you NOT looking forward to playing against?
Anything main decking Mind Controls

What card had been overperforming for you during the event?
It would have to be solemn judgement

What has been your favorite moment of the event so far?
Beating Alvarado in top cut.  Definitely a player I look up to.

What predictions do you have for the rest of the event?
Chaos Turbo will win

If you could go back, what (if any) changes would you would make to your deck today?
I'd play Wing Blast over Raigeki Break

What would winning the world championship mean to you?
Another feather in cap.  Would be a great honor.

Any shout outs you would like to make?
​Team Safari Zone, my sponsor TGS, and My wife Isabella 

How did you prepare for today's event? Did you practice with a specific person or team?
JamesArc + Anthony Alvarado

​What deck did you play in this event and why?
Chaos Turbo

What decks or players were you looking forward to playing against?
Anyone

What decks or players were you NOT looking forward to playing against?
Nothing

What card had been overperforming for you during the event?
Creature Swap

What has been your favorite moment of the event so far?
Catching my opponent forgetting to banish both Night Assailants from deck

What predictions do you have for the rest of the event?
I should probably be winning

If you could go back, what (if any) changes would you would make to your deck today?
nothing

What would winning the world championship mean to you?
Slightly makes up for losing in prior Goat Worlds top cut

Any shout outs you would like to make?
Bongo Boys baby

How did you prepare for today's event? Did you practice with a specific person or team?
 I played some practice matches with Kotsos, Zogler & KCfilosofos

​What deck did you play in this event and why?
I played the burn strategy because I think it suits my playstyle

What decks or players were you looking forward to playing against?
All the player were at a very high level so I did not have any preference.

What decks or players were you NOT looking forward to playing against?
Control with Royal Decree main seemed the worst matchup. 

What card had been overperforming for you during the event?
Dessert Sunlight was great, It has great synergy with Morphing & cyber jar helped win some matches

What has been your favorite moment of the event so far?
Game 2 of my first swiss match that seemed lost but I came back.

What predictions do you have for the rest of the event?
I think Ludo will win the tournament, he won in winners finals so it's very tough for anyone to win against him twice in a row.

If you could go back, what (if any) changes would you would make to your deck today?
I liked the deck. I  would not  have changed anything.

What would winning the world championship mean to you?
It would have been a great accomplishment but I am happy with the run I had.

Any shout outs you would like to make?
Shoutout to Kcfilosofos, Zogler, Evans & Kappas (the Greek team at worlds) for a great performance, to the Greek community for all the help & support, to the Overdose organization and every single member of the goat community for the kind words during this journey.

How did you prepare for today's event? Did you practice with a specific person or team?
Sure, I tested with my 2 team partners (Sesto and Baldo 1990, both qualified for the worlds) the team is called GDB2k23.I also tested on duelingbook so much last two months

​What deck did you play in this event and why?
Chaos Turbo

What decks or players were you looking forward to playing against?
I feel very comfortable playing the mirror match of turbo due to the long preparation tests. I played and won against Aalvarado, a legend of goat, that was a very great moment of my tournament. I feel a little bit uncomfortable against Burn, so I decided to put many cards in side deck for this type of match.

What decks or players were you NOT looking forward to playing against?
Burn and Ftk

What card had been overperforming for you during the event?
Kycoo, in the mirror match made the match alone several times.

What has been your favorite moment of the event so far?
Win against Aalvarado. We've both played since 2004/2005 and it is a legend for me

What predictions do you have for the rest of the event?
I hope an Italian win the tournament!

If you could go back, what (if any) changes would you would make to your deck today?
No changes; I’m proud of my deck list and how the tournament has gone for me!

What would winning the world championship mean to you?
It's the achievement for the best player in the world, so it would mean so much for me!

Any shout outs you would like to make?
Thank of all my team Sesto and Baldo1990 and one big hug to my wife and my one year-old son that was supporting me all this time!

How did you prepare for today's event? Did you practice with a specific person or team?
I've tested the deck with my friends and teammates before the event

​What deck did you play in this event and why?
Goat Control because its my favorite deck and I feel confident when I play it

What decks or players were you looking forward to playing against?
I expected a lot of Chaos Turbo, but I was prepared for all the matchups

What decks or players were you NOT looking forward to playing against?
Not a specific deck, I wasn't lookin to play against my friends and teammates

What card had been overperforming for you during the event?
Amazoness Archer came in clutch vs the burn matchup, I was glad that i have kept it in the side after i faced burn for the second time in a row 

What has been your favorite moment of the event so far?
When I realized that I made it to Top 32

What predictions do you have for the rest of the event?
I'll try my best to make it as far as possible, I hope for some Italians to win the whole thing

If you could go back, what (if any) changes would you would make to your deck today?
Nothing in particular

What would winning the world championship mean to you?
A dream come true

Any shout outs you would like to make?
​I want to make a huge shoutout to all my friends that were supporting me during the event, same to my teammates from GF Latina and The Bongo Boys #FREETHUGGER

How did you prepare for today's event? Did you practice with a specific person or team?
Was very underprepared to be honest but I have plenty of goat format experience

​What deck did you play in this event and why?
Earth Aggro because Grumple and my wife told me to 

What decks or players were you looking forward to playing against?
Was expecting Warrior and plenty of Turbo, so happy to play any of those

What decks or players were you NOT looking forward to playing against?
Control decks 

What card had been overperforming for you during the event?
DD Assailant. He applies safe pressure and its stats are nice

What has been your favorite moment of the event so far?
Too many to mention but overall just performing well with Earth Aggro and finishing games quick so I can recharge

What predictions do you have for the rest of the event?
Either I save the format or Turbo wins 

If you could go back, what (if any) changes would you would make to your deck today?
Maybe consider Nobleman of extermination in the side deck as hitting a saku and all other copies lets my earth guys attack

What would winning the world championship mean to you?
It would mean a lot because I have been playing for 4 years now and really enjoy goat

Any shout outs you would like to make?
All my team mates at team Bones shown great support throughout the event. Shoutout to my wife and son, they let me play in peace, and of course all the GF staff did a fantastic job