TOP 4 COVERAGE
Shahar Shenhar came to the World Championship as the youngest player in a field filled with Hall of Famers, Pro Tour Champions, and multiple Player-of-the-Year winners. After five days of grueling competition, the 19-year-old from Israel defeated Reid Duke to become the Magic World Champion. Shenhar's Blue-white-red Flash deck appeared to be a major underdog against Duke's Hexproof deck, yet Shenhar found a way to win in a thrilling five-game final.
The top overall seed heading into the Top 4, Duke defeated reigning Player of the Year Josh Utter-Leyton in the semifinals while Shenhar dispatched 2013 Magic Pro Tour Hall of Fame-elect Ben Stark in the other half of the bracket. Shenhar then came back from losing the first two games of the finals to to defeat Duke.
Battling over three days across four formats tested these 16 players unlike any tournament before. Playing against 15 of his peers, Shenhar demonstrated skill, creativity, and passion seldom seen in a player of his age. Duke, also a young master at the age of 23, came up one game short on his mission of redemption after his last-place finish in the 2012 Players Championship.
Shenhar and Duke represent the new age of Magic pro, tempered by Magic Online, hours of preparation with think-tank superteams, and a desire always to get better. Through this performance and their bright futures, expect Shenhar and Duke to be in many more amazing matches like this in the years to come.
THURSDAY COVERAGE
Shahar Shenhar came to the World Championship as the youngest player in a field filled with Hall of Famers, Pro Tour Champions, and multiple Player-of-the-Year winners. After five days of grueling competition, the 19-year-old from Israel defeated Reid Duke to become the Magic World Champion. Shenhar's Blue-white-red Flash deck appeared to be a major underdog against Duke's Hexproof deck, yet Shenhar found a way to win in a thrilling five-game final.
The top overall seed heading into the Top 4, Duke defeated reigning Player of the Year Josh Utter-Leyton in the semifinals while Shenhar dispatched 2013 Magic Pro Tour Hall of Fame-elect Ben Stark in the other half of the bracket. Shenhar then came back from losing the first two games of the finals to to defeat Duke.
Battling over three days across four formats tested these 16 players unlike any tournament before. Playing against 15 of his peers, Shenhar demonstrated skill, creativity, and passion seldom seen in a player of his age. Duke, also a young master at the age of 23, came up one game short on his mission of redemption after his last-place finish in the 2012 Players Championship.
Shenhar and Duke represent the new age of Magic pro, tempered by Magic Online, hours of preparation with think-tank superteams, and a desire always to get better. Through this performance and their bright futures, expect Shenhar and Duke to be in many more amazing matches like this in the years to come.
Article
August 1 2013
Round 12: No Pressure
by Josh Bennett
Reid Duke(Hexproof)
vs. Ben Stark (Blue-White-Red Control)
With the results of Round 11 locking the Top 4, the pressure was off for the competitors. "This is nice," said Ben Stark, "We get to...
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WEDNESDAY COVERAGE
Shahar Shenhar came to the World Championship as the youngest player in a field filled with Hall of Famers, Pro Tour Champions, and multiple Player-of-the-Year winners. After five days of grueling competition, the 19-year-old from Israel defeated Reid Duke to become the Magic World Champion. Shenhar's Blue-white-red Flash deck appeared to be a major underdog against Duke's Hexproof deck, yet Shenhar found a way to win in a thrilling five-game final.
The top overall seed heading into the Top 4, Duke defeated reigning Player of the Year Josh Utter-Leyton in the semifinals while Shenhar dispatched 2013 Magic Pro Tour Hall of Fame-elect Ben Stark in the other half of the bracket. Shenhar then came back from losing the first two games of the finals to to defeat Duke.
Battling over three days across four formats tested these 16 players unlike any tournament before. Playing against 15 of his peers, Shenhar demonstrated skill, creativity, and passion seldom seen in a player of his age. Duke, also a young master at the age of 23, came up one game short on his mission of redemption after his last-place finish in the 2012 Players Championship.
Shenhar and Duke represent the new age of Magic pro, tempered by Magic Online, hours of preparation with think-tank superteams, and a desire always to get better. Through this performance and their bright futures, expect Shenhar and Duke to be in many more amazing matches like this in the years to come.
