
GRAND PRIX MIAMI 2015
March 6-8, 2015
Miami Beach Convention Center - Hall D
1901 Convention Center Dr
Miami Beach, FL 33139
United States
Official Hashtag: #gpmiami
GENERAL INFORMATION
StarCityGames.com proudly presents Grand Prix Miami!
The action takes place in the heart of beautiful South Beach, surrounded by warm weather, inviting water, soft sand beaches, and sizzling nightlife. However, you'll also be surrounded by thousands of fellow fans, and as much Magic as you can fit into one weekend. On March 6-8, find out why Miami is really nicknamed "The Magic City!"
Make plans to join us for Grand Prix Miami!
Entry into the Grand Prix event venue is free of charge.
Main Event Registration Fee: $60 – Main Event Maximum Capacity is 3,500 Players
Registration online from January 16 until March 6 at 10 p.m.
Registration will be held on-site Friday, March 6 from 10 a.m. - 10 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 Miami is Standard Constructed. For more information on the format and schedule, click here.
Players can earn tournament byes for the Grand Prix Miami main event on Saturday by meeting the appropriate Planeswalker Point thresholds by March 4 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 GP Miami website. All side events (except casual events) will have a Planeswalker Points multiplier of 3x.
Last Chance Trials
Standard and Sealed Trials will take place on March 6 from 10 a.m. - 7 p.m.
Standard Trials - $20
Sealed Trials - $25
Prizes:
1st - 2 byes in the main event, 18 Fate Reforged booster packs, Sleep-In Special
2nd - 18 Fate Reforged booster packs
3rd-4th - 9 Fate Reforged booster packs
5th-8th - 6 Fate Reforged booster packs
9th-16th - 3 Fate Reforged booster packs
Some of the hottest and most famous artists in Magic will be joining us at Grand Prix Miami. 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 Miami include Aleksi Briclot, Zoltan Boros, rk post, Jason A. Engle, Jeff Miracola, and John Stanko. For more information on these artists, click here.
The nearest airport to the venue is Miami Airport.
For driving directions to the venue, click here.
For public transportation info, click here.
A room block has been set up at the Red Roof Plus - Miami Airport if you're looking for a hotel to stay at. The address is:
Red Roof Plus - Miami Airport
3401 Le Jeune Rd.
Miami, FL 33142
The rate is $129, and is 10.6 miles from the venue. Parking at the hotel is free.
Call the hotel directly at 305-871-4221 and identify yourself as part of the "Star City Games" group. Guests may also email he sales department at nbarradas@redroof.com or mrivera@redroof.com. This rate is guaranteed until Thursday, February 5.
PROMOTIONAL ITEMS
Get your promo card by playing in the Grand Prix (while supplies last).
Select participants at Grand Prix Miami will receive an event-exclusive playmat featuring art from Mardu Scout. For details, see the GP Miami website.

LIVE STREAMING VIDEO
Follow live streaming video coverage of Grand Prix Miami on DailyMTG and Twitch.TV/SCGLive, featuring Cedric Phillips, Patrick Sullivan, and Matthias Hunt. Coverage begins Saturday at 9:30 a.m. local time (ET)/6:30 a.m. PT/2:30 p.m. GMT. Coverage of Day Two begins Sunday at 9 a.m. local time (ET)/6 a.m. PT/2 p.m. GMT.
FORMAT AND SCHEDULE
Format: Standard Constructed
Main Event Registration Fee: $60 - Main Event Maximum Capacity is 3,500 Players
- Online registration from January 16 until March 6 at 10 p.m.
- On-site registration on March 6 from 10 a.m. - 10 p.m.
- Saturday, March 7: Grand Prix Miami begins at 9:00 a.m.
- Sunday, March 8: 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 Miami is open to Magic players of all ages.
Players must have a signed waiver and consent form to compete at Grand Prix Miami. 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.
- Standard Constructed
- Deck lists are required
- Players must use the same deck on Day Two that they used on Day One
- 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.)
- 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 Magic Origins July 31 - August 2, 2015. In addition, all players with 39 match points or greater at the end of the event will receive an invitation to Pro Tour Magic Origins July 31 - August 2, 2015. All prizes displayed in U.S. dollars. Prizes subject to change. For every event held in the U.S., a 30% withholding tax will automatically be deducted from the prize payments to all international players, unless the player has an Individual Taxpayer Identification Number (ITIN) that has been filed with the withholding agent. (For information on applying for an ITIN, please visit www.irs.gov) In some cases, players may be eligible to reclaim the 30% withheld; please consult with a tax professional in your area. Tax forms for prizes paid within a calendar year will be mailed by March of the following year. These tax forms are very important, and it is recommended that they be retained for five years. If you do not receive a form, you must contact us within one year to request a copy. |
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 2014 Yearly Award Season (March 18, 2013 - June 1, 2014)
- 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 1,300 Planeswalker Points in the 2014 Yearly Award Season (March 18, 2013 - June 1, 2014)
- Players who have accumulated at least 1,300 Planeswalker Points in the 2015 Yearly Award Season (June 2, 2014 - May 31, 2015)
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

ALEKSI BRICLOT
Aleksi Briclot is an illustrator and concept artist from Paris, France. Aside from his work on Magic: The Gathering art, Briclot is also a designer and art director for video games, and is the co-founder of video game development studio DONTNOD Entertainment. His notable Magic works include the original five planeswalkers from Lorwyn block.

ZOLTAN BOROS
Hungarian-born Zoltan Boros is one of the defining presences of modern Magic art with more than a hundred illustrations to his name. His work appears on the regular printings of Academy Ruins and Electrolyze.

rk post
A farmboy from Illinois with a gift for sketching, rk post has become one of Magic's iconic artists. Some of his most beloved creations include Morphling as well as Lightning Angel.

JASON A. ENGLE
Jason A. Engle has been pursuing a career in illustration since 1998, and since then he has expanded his portfolio to a wide range of designs spanning multiple genres. Some of his notable Magic works include Avatar of Slaughter and Skirsdag High Priest.

JEFF MIRACOLA
Jeff Miracola is a freelance artist from Milwaukee who works with several companies in the game industry. His notable Magic works include Equilibrium and Firestorm.

JOHN STANKO
John Stanko is an assistant professor of graphic design at the University of South Florida and St. Petersburg, and his client list as a freelance designer and art director spans a variety of fantasy genres. His popular Magic works include Containment Priest and Magister of Worth.
CONTACT INFORMATION
Tournament Organizer: StarCityGames.com
Email: op@starcitygames.com
Phone: 1-540-767-4263 (Extension 283)