Making the Top 8 of a Grand Prix is a momentous achievement, whether it’s your first (in your first-ever GP) like Brian Yin, or your second in a row like Joe Demestrio.
These are the eight players who accomplishment the feat in Houston!
Name: Axel Martinez Ocampo
Age: 35
Hometown: Cuernavaca Moredos
Previous Magic Accomplishments: Nationals champion! I’ve played 8-10 Pro Tour and have two Grand Prix Top 8s.
What colors was your Sealed Deck? White-Black, going 8-1.
What was the best card in your Sealed deck? Settle the Wreckage
What were your draft decks, and records with them? White-Black going 3-0 and then White-Black going 1-2-0.
What common or uncommon do you most want to open in the Top 8? Ravenous Chupacabra
What does this Top 8 mean to you? I play too much Magic Online.
Name: Joe Demestrio
Age: 22
Hometown: Oakland, CA
Previous Magic Accomplishments: Back-to-back Grand Prix Top 8s!
What colors was your Sealed Deck? 8-1 with blue-green.
What was the best card in your Sealed deck? Crashing Tide.
What were your draft decks, and records with them? 2-1 and then 2-0-1 with white-black.
What common or uncommon do you most want to open in the Top 8? The four-mana excellent Limited design Ravenous Chupacabra.
What does this Top 8 mean to you? The Top 4 in Santa Clara meant the world. B2B is surreal.
Name: Bradley Yoo
Age: 28
Hometown: Palo Alto, CA
Previous Magic Accomplishments: Top 8 at Grand Prix Washington DC
What colors was your Sealed Deck? 8-1 with red-green.
What was the best card in your Sealed deck? Needletooth Raptor and Forerunner of the Empire.
What were your draft decks, and records with them? Blue-Green Merfolk 2-1 and then Black-Red Pirates 2-0-1.
What common or uncommon do you most want to open in the Top 8? Merfolk Mistbinder.
What does this Top 8 mean to you? I’m now locked for Silver!
Name: Randy Perez
Age: 28
Hometown: McAllen, TX
Previous Magic Accomplishments: Day 2 at Grand Prix Vegas 2017 (Modern).
What colors was your Sealed Deck? White-Black, going 8-0-1.
What was the best card in your Sealed deck? Champion of Dusk.
What were your draft decks, and records with them? Red-White, going 2-1, and then Green-Blue Tempo 2-1.
What common or uncommon do you most want to open in the Top 8? Ravenous Chupacabra.
What does this Top 8 mean to you? Hopefully recognition of my hometown Magic community and inspiration for the youth at my local store Myth Adventurs.
Name: Rob Swarowski
Age: 38
Hometown: Las Vegas, NV
Previous Magic Accomplishments: One Grand Prix win in the 90s, three overall Grand Prix Top 8s.
What colors was your Sealed Deck? 9-0 with green-blue-black double cost in all three colors.
What was the best card in your Sealed deck? Vraska, Relic Seeker
What were your draft decks, and records with them? Red-White Dino Pirates, going 3-0, and then White-Black Vampires going 0-0-3.
What common or uncommon do you most want to open in the Top 8? Chupacabra!
What does this Top 8 mean to you? It’s nice to be back, it’s been a real long time.
Name: Brian Yin
Age: 30
Hometown: Pullman, WA
Previous Magic Accomplishments: Spiked a Prerelease… I think?
What colors was your Sealed Deck? White-Black Vampires
What was the best card in your Sealed deck? Profane Procession
What were your draft decks, and records with them? White-Black Vampires 3-0 and then Blue-Red Merfolk 3-0.
What common or uncommon do you most want to open in the Top 8? Foil Island.
What does this Top 8 mean to you? My first Top 8… actually it's my first competitive event, so the start of my learning Constructed next?
Name: Ben Yu
Age: 32
Hometown: West Hills, CA
Previous Magic Accomplishments: Jacob Wilson life mentor
What colors was your Sealed Deck? Bant, went 7-2.
What was the best card in your Sealed deck? The Immortal Sun.
What were your draft decks, and records with them? 2-0-1 with a four-color monstrosity, then 3-0 with Blue-Black Control.
What common or uncommon do you most want to open in the Top 8? Foil Flood of Recollection
Name: Phimus Pan
Age: 32
Hometown: Phoenix, AZ
Previous Magic Accomplishments: SCG Legacy Open Winner
What colors was your Sealed Deck? Black-red splashing Elenda, the Dusk Rose
What was the best card in your Sealed deck? Etali, Primal Storm
What were your draft decks, and records with them? Red-Green Aggro, 3-0, then Green-White Dinosaurs 2-0-1.
What common or uncommon do you most want to open in the Top 8? Ravenous Chupacabra!
What does this Top 8 mean to you? Time to play some more Magic!