It's not just about the cool decks that make the Top 8 – it’s the players piloting them. These eight players fought through 15 rounds of swiss and everything the Modern format could throw at them to advance to the elimination rounds.
Age: 21
Hometown: Tulsa, Oklahoma
Previous Magic Accomplishments: Top 8 at Grand Prix San Antonio in 2014
What did you play this weekend, and why? Red-Green Titanshift. It’s what I have the most experience with.
What was the best card out of your sideboard, and why? Engineered Explosives, because of how versatile it is.
What does this Top 8 mean to you? It means a lot to have my hard work yield results.
Age: 20
Hometown: Orlando, Florida
Previous Magic Accomplishments: Game Day Champion
What did you play this weekend, and why? Mono-Green Tron, because my friends convinced me that Death’s Shadow requires absolute mastery to perform well with.
What was the best card out of your sideboard, and why? Spatial Contortion because it did a lot of contorting.
What does this Top 8 mean to you? Everything.
Age: 27
Hometown: Columbia, Maryland
Previous Magic Accomplishments: Pro Tour Ixalan Winner; 2015 World Champion
What did you play this weekend, and why? Black-Green Tron, because Corey Baumeister told me to.
What was the best card out of your sideboard, and why? Thoughtseize. It gives you a different element of interaction.
What does this Top 8 mean to you? I don’t suck at Modern!
Age: 22
Hometown: San Antonio and Houston, Texas, and Omaha, Nebraska.
Previous Magic Accomplishments: Three previous Grand Prix Top 8s. Gold pro for a couple seasons now, six Pro Tour cashes and a Magic Online Championship Series appearance.
What did you play this weekend, and why? Dredge. It has lots of good matchups to carry me despite my inexperience and poor play.
What was the best card out of your sideboard, and why? Leyline of the Void. It gives you a chance against Storm.
What does this Top 8 mean to you? Fourth Top 8 feels good man. But I want a trophy!
Age: 37
Hometown: Austin, Texas
Previous Magic Accomplishments: 16th at SCG Dallas in 2017
What did you play this weekend, and why? Living End – drawing cards is fun!
What was the best card out of your sideboard, and why? Leyline of the Void – casual wins in good matches.
What does this Top 8 mean to you? A competitive accomplishment.
Age: 24
Hometown: Seattle, Washington
Previous Magic Accomplishments: Two Grand Prix Top 8s in Orlando (Limited) and Las Vegas (Modern)
What did you play this weekend, and why? Jeskai Breach.
What was the best card out of your sideboard, and why? Negate. It always countered my opponent’s best sideboard cards.
What does this Top 8 mean to you? So much. I went to my first Pro Tour this year in Japan, and this Top 8 qualifies me for my fourth consecutive Pro Tour, so hopefully I can follow up on this finish and continue to play on the pro circuit.
Age: 36
Hometown: Arlington, Virginia
Previous Magic Accomplishments: Neil Tuck and I almost 4-0’ed a Prerelease Two-Headed Giant event at Victory Comics.
What did you play this weekend, and why? Red-Green Titanshift. Valakut is my favorite card to play and Primeval Titan is my patronus.
What was the best card out of your sideboard, and why? Tireless Tracker – so many decks try to attack my resources, and Tracker is a great way for me to recoup lost cards.
What does this Top 8 mean to you? Special thanks to my wonderful wife Megan, who supports my weekly Magic hobby. She’s the best!
Age: 19
Hometown: Fayetteville, Arkansas
Previous Magic Accomplishments: Won a PPTQ, Top 16 at the last Modern Regionals, talked Julian John into playing Tron.
What did you play this weekend, and why? Mono-Green Tron. I’ve played the deck for two-plus years and it was well-positioned.
What was the best card out of your sideboard, and why? Spatial Contortion. It killed many Humans and Robots.
What does this Top 8 mean to you? That I can play competitive Magic with some of the best players I have met.