After many rounds of Swiss and some great games of Magic, the Top 8 of Grand Prix Portland is set! Learn more about Portland's Top 8 competitors, including their previous accomplishments and what a win today would mean to them, below.
Name: Chris BotelhoAge: 23
Hometown: Vancouver, Washington
Previous Magic Accomplishments:
Top 8'ed a Game Day.
What did you play this weekend, and why?
Grixis Kitty Pact/Cat Pact, because it's what the world needed but didn't know it should want.
What was the best card in your main deck, and why?
Real Answer: Demonic Pact
Fun Answer: Dark Petition, because it's always the best card
What was the best card out of your sideboard, and why?
Whatever counterspell was appropriate for the deck at hand. Alternatively, Infinite Obliteration. Pish posh on Emrakul.
What does this Top 8 mean to you? And what would it mean if you won?
I'm almost too shell-shocked to say. Getting onto the Pro Tour is already unbelievable. Winning a GP would be an utterly unreal dream come true. I'd never even considered it before right now.
Name: Oliver TomajkoAge: 1738/115.867 [15]
Hometown: Croton-on-Hudson
Previous Magic Accomplishments:
-Won an SCG Open
-Was adopted by Mario Martinez after Evan Petre disowned me
What did you play this weekend, and why?
Temur Emerge because it's great and all the other decks suck, and my cheerleader, Mike Soles, enjoys value.
What was the best card in your main deck, and why?
Elder Deep-Fiend, because it won't eat my cookie dough ice cream, unlike Emrakul. #NoTrophiesTeam
What was the best card out of your sideboard, and why?
Reality Smasher, it allows me to kill scary Planeswalkers. #TeamFYP
What does this Top 8 mean to you? And what would it mean if you won?
It means that I get to go to the next PT and also that my brother, Gabriel, doesn't think I suck.
Name: Paul RietzlAge: 31
Hometown: Scottsdale, AZ
Previous Magic Accomplishments:
GP Portland 2013 Top 8
What did you play this weekend, and why?
Bant Company, trying to get back to just playing the best deck.
What was the best card in your main deck, and why?
Basic lands - you just want to play beautiful Revised basics every turn of every game.
What was the best card out of your sideboard, and why?
Probably Tragic Arrogance, solved a few problems no other card could.
What does this Top 8 mean to you? And what would it mean if you won?
Helps wash the bad taste of Sydney out of my mouth. If I won it would be gone completely.
Name: Michael HantzAge: 26
Hometown: Oceanside, CA
Previous Magic Accomplishments:
PT DTK Competitor
PT Origins Competitor
What did you play this weekend, and why?
B/G Delirium, it has a reasonable match-up against everything and I love me some basic forest.
What was the best card in your main deck, and why?
Liliana, she does so much for three mana it's unreal.
What was the best card out of your sideboard, and why?
Languish, when it's good IT'S GREAT.
What does this Top 8 mean to you? And what would it mean if you won?
Back on the PT! The 8 points would be a great start to a run at Gold.
Name: Travis WooAge: 26
Hometown: Seattle
Previous Magic Accomplishments:
2 GP Top 8s, built a PT Top 8 deck
YouTube as Travis Wizard
What did you play this weekend, and why?
B/W Planeswalkers because I love Orzhov control and the list is amazing
What was the best card in your main deck, and why?
Oath of Liliana is a Planeswalker that can't be attacked.
What was the best card out of your sideboard, and why?
4th Read the Bones and 27th land for consistency
What does this Top 8 mean to you? And what would it mean if you won?
Feels good. Would be awesome to hold the trophy. #Magicforgood
Name: Max MickAge: 14
Hometown: San Diego, California
Previous Magic Accomplishments:
Won 2 PPTQs???
Otherwise none. Only playing competitively for a year.
What did you play this weekend, and why?
Bant Company, because it's the only deck I know how to play well and I felt comfortable with the mirrors, which is the deck I expected to see the most.
What was the best card in your main deck, and why?
Tamiyo, Field Researcher, because it improves some of your worst match-ups and crushes the mirror.
What was the best card out of your sideboard, and why?
Tragic Arrogance, because again, it crushes the mirror and helps somewhat with Ishkanah, Grafwidow.
What does this Top 8 mean to you? And what would it mean if you won?
It means a ton because it's my first Pro Tour and my first large event win.
Name: Tanner von DifloeAge: 19
Hometown: Seattle, Washington
Previous Magic Accomplishments:
Nothing
What did you play this weekend, and why?
Bant Company, friends told me to play it.
What was the best card in your main deck, and why?
Collected Company, card is always insane.
What was the best card out of your sideboard, and why?
Clash of Wills, helps keep the board state in my favor.
What does this Top 8 mean to you? And what would it mean if you won?
This is my first Top 8 at a high-level tournament, so it's pretty exciting.
Name: Robert SantanaAge: 26
Hometown: El Monte, California
Previous Magic Accomplishments:
Went 4-1 at FNM
SCG Las Vegas Open Top 16
What did you play this weekend, and why?
Jund Delirium. Playing Mindbender is gas. [Distended Mindbender, that is.]
What was the best card in your main deck, and why?
Distended Mindbender. Ripping two cards and have a 5/5 never felt so right.
What was the best card out of your sideboard, and why?
Pick the Brain. Turn 3 taking all copies of a single card is absolutely unfair.
What does this Top 8 mean to you? And what would it mean if you won?
This Top 8 means the world. I have been grinding for about two years now and finally going to the Pro Tour feels amazing.