
GRAND PRIX HONG KONG 2015
August 7-9, 2015
Kowloon Bay International Trade and Exhibition Centre
1 Trademart Drive, Kowloon Bay, Kowloon
Hong Kong
Official Hashtag: #gphongkong
GENERAL INFORMATION
News Update: August 5, 2015
According to the Joint Typhoon Warning Centre, cyclone Soudelor is heading toward Taiwan, China, and Japan over the next few days. Players traveling from these countries to Grand Prix Hong Kong might experience delays on Thursday or Friday due to the effect of the storm.
We encourage players wishing to play who have not pre-registered for the event to do so in case their flight is delayed.
Online registration will be extended till midnight August 7th. We are monitoring the situation and will adjust start time on Saturday if needed.
Welcome to Hong Kong! Situated on the southeast coast of China, Hong Kong's strategic location on the Pearl River Delta and South China Sea has made it one of the world's most thriving and cosmopolitan cities. The former British colony is a major tourism destination and an important hub in East Asia with global connections to many of the world's cities. It is a unique destination that has absorbed people and cultural influences from diverse places and proudly proclaims itself to be Asia's World City. The Magic Grand Prix circuit is returning to Hong Kong and bringing with it all of the excitement and extravaganza that only a Grand Prix can deliver!
Grand Prix Hong Kong is open to the public and all players are invited to play in this incredible event. Players will be battling it out for the glory with Magic Origins Sealed Deck, and in addition, the side event schedule is filled with exhilarating events with multiple formats. With Planeswalker Points multipliers of 8x for the main event and 3x for all side events, there is no better way to chalk up those Planeswalker Points!
The first 1000 players that play in a scheduled side event on the Friday 7th August will score a Grand Prix Playmat. Local and international vendors will be here for all of your merchandise needs. This is one event that you can't miss!
Entry into the Grand Prix event venue is free of charge.
Main Event Registration Fee: $450 HKD
Main Event Maximum Capacity is 1,500 Players
Registration online until August 7 at 8pm
Registration will be held on-site Friday, August 7 from 11:00 a.m. – 8:00 p.m.
There will be no on-site registration on Saturday.
Many Grand Prix offer additional services to participants, such as Sleep-In Specials and VIP packages. Sleep-In Specials allow players with byes to skip the player meeting on Saturday and arrive shortly before their first round begins. VIP packages provide various perks such as complimentary bottled water, special seating, and exclusive artist signings. Details of these services vary from event to event; please check the organizer's web site for specifics.
The format for Grand Prix Hong Kong is Magic Origins Limited. For more information on the format and schedule, click here.
Players can earn tournament byes for the Grand Prix Hong Kong main event on Saturday by meeting the appropriate Planeswalker Point thresholds by August 5 or by winning a Grand Prix Trial that awards byes to this event.
For more information on the number of byes you can earn for this event and how to earn them, click here.
Along with the main event, there are additional side-event tournaments to play in at a Grand Prix. Side events are offered at all Grand Prix on Friday, Saturday, and Sunday. For details on side events that you can find at every Grand Prix, click here.
A list of additional events and a full schedule for when side events take place can be found on the Grand Prix Hong Kong website. All side events (except casual events) will have a Planeswalker Points multiplier of 3x.
Last Chance Trials
Constructed and Sealed Trials will take place on August 7. Constructed Trials take place from 11 a.m. - 6 p.m.. Sealed Trials take place from 11 a.m. - 6 p.m.
Contructed Trials - $120 HKD
Sealed Trials - $250 HKD
Constructed Trial Prizes
1st Place - 2 Byes + 36 Tix
2nd Place - 24 Tix
3rd Place - 18 Tix
4th Place - 18 Tix
5th Place - 8 Tix
6th Place - 8 Tix
7th Place - 8 Tix
8th Place - 8 Tix
Sealed Trial Prizes
1st Place - 2 Byes + 36 Tix
2nd Place - 24 Tix
3rd Place - 18 Tix
4th Place - 18 Tix
5th Place - 8 Tix
6th Place - 8 Tix
7th Place - 8 Tix
8th Place - 8 Tix
Other Attractions
Prize Wall: Win the prize you want! What can you win? Uncut sheets, t-shirts, sets, foil sets, Pop figurines, old set booster and much more are up for grabs.
Info Desk: Have any questions? Then head over here, where they can answer anything.
Some of the hottest and most famous artists in Magic will be joining us at Grand Prix Hong Kong. All artists will be available to sign cards, playmats, and more. In addition, all will be selling prints, artist proofs, original art/sketches, and doing custom alterations of mats and cards!
Artists scheduled to appear at Grand Prix Hong Kong include Rob Alexander, Steve Argyle, and Parente. For more information on these artists, click here
Airport Information
Public Transportation Information
Catch the MTR to Kowloon Bay station and you can get a free shuttle bus to the venue. Details
Hotel Information
Top Deck Events has arranged a great deal at the Pentahotel!
It is a 4 star hotel in the middle of Kowloon, and features a roof top pool, games room and pizza bar!
If you book the hotel through Top Deck Events, you get the rate of 700HKD+10% service charge per night.
Here is a link to the hotel’s web site.
PROMOTIONAL ITEMS
Get your promo card by playing in the Grand Prix (while supplies last).
Players in select side events at Grand Prix Hong Kong will receive an event-exclusive UltraPRO playmat featuring the art from the Magic Origins card Archangel of Tithes by Cynthia Sheppard. See the Grand Prix Hong Kong fact sheet for details.
FORMAT AND SCHEDULE
Format: Magic Origins Sealed Deck
Main Event Registration Fee: $450 HKD
Main Event Maximum Capacity is 1,500 Players
- Online registration until August 7
- On-site registration on August 7 from 11:00 a.m. – 8:00 p.m.
- Saturday, August 8: Grand Prix Hong Kong begins at 9:00 a.m.
- Sunday, August 9: Day Two begins at 9:00 a.m.
Registration for the Grand Prix main event closes Friday night. There will be no Saturday registration.
The main tournament at Grand Prix Hong Kong is open to Magic players of all ages.
Players must have a signed waiver and consent form to compete at Grand Prix Hong Kong. Forms can be downloaded here and will be available on-site. Minors must have a parent of guardian’s signature on these forms. Minors will not be able to register or play unless we receive a waiver signed by a parent or guardian. No exceptions.
- Magic Origins Limited
- Day One: Sealed Deck
- Day Two and Top 8: Booster Draft
- Sealed deck Product: 3 Magic Origins Limited boosters
- Booster Draft Product: 1 Magic Origins Limited boosters
- Deck lists are required
- If product is not stamped or preregistered, deck registration and deck swap will be performed for the Swiss Sealed Deck
- Modified Swiss-style (50-minute rounds).
- Day One will consist of 9 Swiss rounds. Day Two will consist of 6 Swiss rounds and the Top 8 single-elimination finals.
- All players with an X-2-0 record (or better) or the top 64 players – whichever is greater – advance to the second day of competition for prizes and invitations.
- The Top 8 players after the final Swiss round on Day Two will advance to the Top 8 single-elimination playoff.
- Top 8 playoff matches will be best 2 of 3.
- Top 8 playoff matches will have no time limit. (Players are still expected to play at a normal pace and complete playoff matches in a reasonable amount of time.)
- The Top 8 players will be seated randomly at the draft table immediately prior to drafting. The Top 8 bracket will be determined using this random seating.
- Standings after the Swiss rounds will be used to determine final order in the standings for losing players in the quarterfinal and semifinal playoff rounds.
- For the first game of each match in the Top 8, the player that finished higher in the Swiss rounds chooses either to play first or to play second. For subsequent games in each Top 8 match, the usual Play/Draw rule applies (loser of the previous game decides whether to play first in the next game).
Judges
Judges interested in applying for the event should do so using the Judge Center.
Notes
- Planeswalker Points multiplier 8x, Rules Enforcement Level (REL) is Competitive on Day One and Professional on Day Two.
- The Magic: The Gathering Tournament Rules and the Magic: The Gathering Infraction Procedure Guide are in effect for this event unless specifically overruled by information in this Format Document. Rules documents can be found in the Magic Document Center.
- Players are responsible for bringing their own method of tracking life totals, card sleeves, and appropriate counters or tokens.
- In the event that a player who wins an invitation to a Pro Tour stop at a Grand Prix has already qualified for an invitation, the invitation does not pass down under any circumstances. Previous qualification may be through a Qualifier tournament, through performance at a professional tournament, or by being an invited DCI player (valid upon the date of the official rank announcement for the appropriate professional tournament).
PRIZE STRUCTURE
Place | Prize Money | |
1 | $4,000 | |
2 | $2,700 | |
3-4 | $1,500 | |
5-8 | $1,000 | |
9-12 | $600 | |
13-16 | $550 | |
17-23 | $500 | |
24-32 | $400 | |
33-64 | $300 | |
65-100 | $250* | |
101-230 | $200* | |
*If Grand Prix attendance is 1,200-2,399 participants, prize money will be paid out to 100th place. If Grand Prix attendance is 2,400-3,599 participants, prize money will be paid out to 150th place. If Grand Prix attendance is 3,600 or more participants, prize money will be paid out to 230th place. Attendance at a Grand Prix is calculated on participation, not preregistration. The Tournament Organizer will announce GP attendance as soon as this is confirmed. Tournament attendance and standing are subject to review by Wizards of the Coast before being finalized. Top 8 finishers also earn invitations and airfare to Pro Tour Battle for Zendikar October 16-18, 2015. In addition, all players with 39 match points or greater at the end of the event will receive an invitation to Pro Tour Battle for Zendikar October 16-18, 2015. All prizes displayed in U.S. dollars. Prizes subject to change. |
Place | Pro Point |
1 | 8 |
2 | 6 |
3-4 | 5 |
5-8 | 4 |
Top 8 players receive Pro Points based on rank. All other players receive Pro Points based on their match point total at the end of the event. | |
Match Points | Pro Points |
39+ | 4 |
36-38 | 3 |
33-35 | 1 |
0-32 | 0 |
TOURNAMENT BYES
Grand Prix tournament byes can be earned either through a player's yearly Planeswalker Points total or by winning a Grand Prix Trial.
Byes earned through Planeswalker Points are calculated using the Planeswalker Point totals from all reported events as of the Wednesday immediately before the Grand Prix. Points earned in tournaments held at the Grand Prix event site do not count toward earned byes at that Grand Prix.
Winners of a Grand Prix Trial tournament are awarded two byes in the Grand Prix that it feeds. Trial byes are not cumulative with other byes and do not pass down. Byes are not cumulative throughout the season or year. Byes do not pass down under any circumstances. Players who accumulate multiple byes to a particular Grand Prix tournament receive only the bye for the greatest number of rounds. For complete information about Grand Prix byes and their corresponding competitive season, please check the Magic: The Gathering Premier Event Invitation Policy.
- Players with a Pro Players Club level of Gold or Platinum
- Members of the Pro Tour Hall of Fame
- Winners of this event's Grand Prix Trial tournaments.
- Players with a Pro Players Club level of Silver
- Players who have accumulated at least 2,250 Planeswalker Points in the 2015 Yearly Award Season (June 2, 2014 – May 31, 2015)
- Players who have accumulated at least 2,250 Planeswalker Points in the 2016 Yearly Award Season (June 1, 2015 – May 29, 2016)
- Players who have accumulated at least 1,300 Planeswalker Points in the 2015 Yearly Award Season (June 2, 2014 – May 31, 2015)
- Players who have accumulated at least 1,300 Planeswalker Points in the 2016 Yearly Award Season (June 1, 2015 – May 29, 2016)
SIDE EVENTS
Along with the main event, there are additional side-event tournaments to play in at a Grand Prix. The Side Events listed in this section are on the schedule of every Grand Prix.
Last-Chance Trials
Earn a valuable Two-Round bye by winning one of the Last-Chance Trials. Last-Chance Trials are 32-person single-elimination events, starting as soon as 32 players register.
"Foiled Again"
A straight Swiss tournament lasting three or four rounds. Participants get one past promo card for playing, then one additional promo card per match win. Format varies by event.
Value Drafts
Enjoy a special discount on pick-up drafts on Saturday. Actual times and prices vary by event.
"Rebound" Event
Format at organizer's discretion. The winner(s) earn free entry into the "Super Sunday Series" (see Sunday Side Events). Players who also played in the main Grand Prix tournament will get a discount for entry.
Super Sunday Series
Qualifier tournaments for the Super Sunday Series will be held at each Grand Prix. The Top 8 players in the Super Sunday Series qualifier will each be awarded a commemorative Grand Prix water bottle. The winner of the Super Sunday Series qualifier will earn an invitation and travel award for the Super Sunday Series Championship 2016, expected to be held in January 2016 in Seattle. The Super Sunday Series Championship experience also includes a tour of Wizards of the Coast, dinner with Wizards employees, and more.
ARTIST INFORMATION

ROB ALEXANDER
Rob Alexander has been a professional illustrator for over 20 years, and has worked on concept art for a wide range of video games and tabletop games, including Magic. Some of his most popular Magic works include a wide variety of landscapes, including legendary lands from Kamigawa block such as Oboro, Palace in the Clouds and all of the original Ravnica block dual lands.

STEVE ARGYLE
Steve Argyle is a longtime illustrator and concept artist who has created some of Magic's most memorable contemporary works, such as Liliana of the Veil.
PARENTE
Parente is a longtime illustrator and concept artist . While known for his work as a freelancer on properties such as Magic, Parente spends most of his time on his own universe and comic, Dust. Notable Magic cards that Parente is known for include Masticore and Godo, Bandit Warlord.
CONTACT INFORMATION
Tournament Organizer: Top Deck Events
Email: lindsay@topdeckevents.com
Phone: +61 423 311 178