At the end of Round 15, only eight players remained. A few new faces joined a Top 8 full of Pro Tour regulars and a pair of Hall-of-Famers. Meet your Grand Prix New Jersey Top 8!
Name: Paul RietzlAge: It’s impolite to ask.
Occupation: Executive Recruiter
Hometown: Scottsdale, AZ
Previous Magic Accomplishments:
I won a JSS Challenge at TOGIT in New Jersey in 2001. Outside NJ, Hall of Fame and some Top 8s.
What did you play this weekend, and why?
Mardu, because it has all the best cards and a one-mana 3/2.
What was the best card in your main deck, and why?
Unlicensed Disintegration because it’s the only thing that beats Gideon. Also, Gideon.
What was the best card out of your sideboard, and why?
Sorin, because it’s super fun.
What does this Top 8 mean to you? And what would it mean if you won?
All I want to do is qualify for Worlds in Boston, where I grew up.
Name: Ben StarkAge: 33
Occupation: none
Hometown: Coral Springs, FL
Previous Magic Accomplishments:
20 GP Top 8s, 4 PT Top 8s
PT Paris Champion
GP Indy Champion
MtG Hall of Fame
What did you play this weekend, and why?
Jund Energy, Scrounger and Unlicensed Disintegration are more consistent than in Mardu
What was the best card in your main deck, and why?
Fatal Push - it kills 4-drops for 1 mana
What was the best card out of your sideboard, and why?
Natural Obsolescence - it’s great against Tower/Gearhulk and against Scrounger/Heart of Kiran
What does this Top 8 mean to you? And what would it mean if you won?
Top 8 means 4 pro points, and a win means 8!
Name: Robert LombardiAge: 33
Occupation: Engineer
Hometown: Hamilton
Previous Magic Accomplishments:
GP Toronto winner, PT scrub
What did you play this weekend, and why?
Mardu Ballista, it’s favored against the field.
What was the best card in your main deck, and why?
Gideon, removal matches up so poorly against him.
What was the best card out of your sideboard, and why?
Hungry Flames, nobody knows it exists
What does this Top 8 mean to you? And what would it mean if you won?
PT invite. Win would lock Silver for the year.
Name: Jarvis YuAge: 32
Occupation: Statistician
Hometown: Rockville, MD
Previous Magic Accomplishments:
GP Seattle win, GP Columbus Top 8
What did you play this weekend, and why?
Mardu, deck plays most of the best cards in the format.
What was the best card in your main deck, and why?
Veteran Motorist, scry makes your deck more consistent.
What was the best card out of your sideboard, and why?
Archangel Avacyn. It’s a split card: Sulfurous Blast and Rootborne Defenses.
What does this Top 8 mean to you? And what would it mean if you won?
Helps show other people that playing all formats strengthens your skill sets. Winning would put me much closer to Gold.
Name: Ben FriedmanAge: 23
Occupation: Magic Mastermind coach, new Metagame Gurus member
Hometown: Baltimore, MD
Previous Magic Accomplishments:
4 GP Top 8s
What did you play this weekend, and why?
4-Color Saheeli with Walking Ballistas. The deck is tremendous.
What was the best card in your main deck, and why?
Name: Corey BaumeisterAge: 25 (26 tomorrow)
Occupation: Magic player
Hometown: Mandan, ND
Previous Magic Accomplishments:
2nd at GP Miami
What did you play this weekend, and why?
4-Color Cats because I listen to my brother on just about every deck choice because he is great.
What was the best card in your main deck, and why?
Cat, because there are infinity of them.
What was the best card out of your sideboard, and why?
Release the Gremlins, because at worst it’s a 2-for-1.
What does this Top 8 mean to you? And what would it mean if you won?
Top 8 is huge. It locks in a flight to Japan while getting closer to my goal of Gold. It would mean I haven’t been wasting my time this year.
Name: Kyle MoranAge: 18
Occupation: high school student
Hometown: Larchmont
Previous Magic Accomplishments:
Going 5-4 at the last GP . . .
What did you play this weekend, and why?
4-Color Saheeli because I needed a deck for Standard and my friend had it on hand.
What was the best card in your main deck, and why?
Felidar Guardian because it is literally everything from a removal spell, card selection, and an infinite combo all rolled up into a 1/4 body.
What was the best card out of your sideboard, and why?
Nahiri, because it is my only answer to Authority of the Consuls in the mirror for a game 2, when the game degenerates to a board stall.
What does this Top 8 mean to you? And what would it mean if you won?
Given that I have never Day 2-ed a GP, I’m half expecting I will wake up from my dream any time now.
Name: Brandon AyersAge: 25
Occupation: wizard
Hometown: Omaha, NE
Previous Magic Accomplishments:
Top 8 GP New Jersey, Silver, teaming with Nathan Smith and John Rolf
What did you play this weekend, and why?
Mardu - I felt there were two choices, I chose the aggro deck!
What was the best card in your main deck, and why?
Avacyn, unexpected and great against Mardu and Saheeli
What was the best card out of your sideboard, and why?
Oath of Chandra, my roommate Jake and I wanted the transformational board.
What does this Top 8 mean to you? And what would it mean if you won?
I get to play all the Pro Tours for the 16-17 season, if I win I would lock Gold!