After fifteen rounds of Standard, with a total of 1,101 others eliminated, only eight players remained in the running for the fame and the fortune, the title and the trophy. Find out more about these people, their decks, and there tournament so far here!
Name: Guillaume Wafo-Tapa
Age: 37
Occupation: Student
Hometown: Bordeaux, France
Previous Magic accomplishments:
Member of the Hall of Fame.
What deck did you play this weekend, and why did you choose it?
Esper. Because it's the best control deck in the format.
What was the best card in your main deck, and why?
I don't know how to answer this question. It's not about one card in particular.
What was the best card out of your sideboard, and why?
See the previous answer.
Name: Giordano Fagiolo
Age: 22
Occupation: Student
Hometown: Albano Laziale (Rome), Italy
Previous Magic accomplishments:
Won two PPTQs.
What deck did you play this weekend, and why did you choose it?
Mono-Red. A friend recommended it after seeing that my Green-White Cats didn't work.
What was the best card in your main deck, and why?
Goblin Chainwhirler because it's good in the mirror match; Rekindling Phoenix because it's good against Grixis and in the mirror.
What was the best card out of your sideboard, and why?
Glorybringer helped in every match I played, except for Turbo Fog.
Name: Arne Huschenbeth
Age: 21
Occupation: Student
Hometown: Hamburg, Germany
Previous Magic accomplishments:
Won Game Day once or twice.
What deck did you play this weekend, and why did you choose it?
Esper Dragons. It beats up Red-Black and Turbo Fog and has game against every other popular deck.
What was the best card in your main deck, and why?
Teferi, Hero of Dominaria. Pretty solid Magic card.
What was the best card out of your sideboard, and why?
Chromium, the Mutable. It's an Esper Dragon, what more do you want. (I actually never boarded it in.) Thanks to Oliver Tiu and to my partner in crime Sascha Schwarz for helping tune the deck.
Name: Nils Gutiérrez von Porat
Age: 20
Occupation: Student
Hometown: Maià de Montcal, Catalonia
Previous Magic accomplishments:
One individual Grand Prix Top 16, one Team GP Top 16, played in Pro Tour 25th Anniversary and had some more GP cash finishes.
What deck did you play this weekend, and why did you choose it?
Sultai God-Pharaoh's Gift, because it was unexpected and I think it's very powerful.
What was the best card in your main deck, and why?
Glint-Nest Crane, because it always hits.
What was the best card out of your sideboard, and why?
Negate, because it's the best sideboard card in the format.
Name: Thomas Mechin
Age: 21
Occupation: Student
Hometown: Angers, France
Previous Magic accomplishments:
European Legacy champion 2017, Top 16 at GP Barcelona, some Pro Tour qualifications.
What deck did you play this weekend, and why did you choose it?
I play Turbo Fog! I think it's well positioned and my friend Pierre built a great list.
What was the best card in your main deck, and why?
Nexus of Fate! What else?
What was the best card out of your sideboard, and why?
Negate! Because it's the best answer to the vast majority of sideboard cards!
Name: Jérémy Dezani
Age: 28
Occupation: Magic pro, Hareruya writer
Hometown: Paris, France/Tokyo, Japan
Previous Magic accomplishments:
Player of the Year 2014, PT Theros champion, 13 GP Top 8s.
What deck did you play this weekend, and why did you choose it?
Esper. Deck looked great but needed some improvements to be able to beat Fog.
What was the best card in your main deck, and why?
Teferi, Hero of Dominaria. Should be banned.
What was the best card out of your sideboard, and why?
Detection Tower. Was able to deal with double Carnage Tyrant in the same turn.
Name: Panagiotis Papadopoulos
Age: 28
Occupation: Accountant
Hometown: Athens, Greece
Previous Magic accomplishments:
Champion World Magic Cup 2016, PT Aether Revolt Top 16.
What deck did you play this weekend, and why did you choose it?
Red-Black Aggro. I think it is the best deck.
What was the best card in your main deck, and why?
Rekindling Phoenix won most of my games when I cast it. This card is insane.
What was the best card out of your sideboard, and why?
The fourth Phoenix. If it is good preboard why not have one extra in the side?
Name: Alexander Gordon-Brown
Age: 27
Occupation: Stay-at-home dad, former trader
Hometown: London, United Kingdom
Previous Magic accomplishments:
PPTQ win in Standard in May, PPTQ win in Modern in July, 5-3 at GP Birmingham 2018. This is my second GP ever.
What deck did you play this weekend, and why did you choose it?
Sultai Midrange—I like the red matchup a lot, and I expected a ton of it. In the tournament so far, I played against R/x eleven times. Also, The Scarab God is a busted card, which I will be sad to see go.
What was the best card in your main deck, and why?
The Scarab God, by far. Best turn four play, best turn five play, best play on an empty board. The card really does do it all.
What was the best card out of your sideboard, and why?
Wildgrowth Walker. Gives you a much needed plan B against the red decks, and allows you to gain life via Scarab God to avoid sudden Glorybringer death.