October 5 2014
TOP 5 CARDS by Chapman SimThese were the cards that shaped the tournament, that sparked discussions and were the most debated, the cards that won games and turned Grand Prix Shanghai into an event to remember. 5....
Ex-National Champion Yu Yin steamrolled through the competition in Shanghai to come up on top with his powerful Abzan deck. Defeating fellow countryman Xu Su in the finals with Abzan Ascendancy and Abzan Charm, I'm sure Anafenza, the Foremost would be proud to have him in the Abzan House! Hearty congratulations to Yu Yin!
TOP 8 COVERAGE
The five clans clashed against each other, each one hoping to emerge victorious. The Mardu Horde mounted a blistering assault, and The Sultai Brood were content to abuse abuse their graveyards. The Temur Frontier fought ferociously and The Jeskai Way displayed its prowess.
However, the weekend was won by The Abzan Houses and Anafenza, the Foremost would be so proud to have Yu Yin in her clan. Yu's deck consisted Abzan signature beasts Siege Rhino and Ivorytusk Fortress, backed by classic "in-house" spells such as Abzan Charm and Abzan Ascendency. Powering through the quarterfinals and semifinals with finesse, Yu eventually defeated Xu Su's Temur concoction in an epic finals worthy of remembrance.
The Chinese put up a strong fight and occupied half the spots in the final table. Han Bing might be the National Champion this season, but Xu Su and Liu Yuchen are also well-known veterans within the Chinese community.
Rounding off the rest of the Top 8 are Zhang Meng Qiu from Hong Kong, Oh Joohyun from South Korea, as well as Tamada Ryoichi and Hall-of-Famer Shuhei Nakamura of Japan.
Congratulations to Yu Yin, the first ever Khans of Tarkir Limited Grand Prix Winner! You've just won China's biggest Grand Prix!
October 5 2014
TOP 5 CARDS by Chapman SimThese were the cards that shaped the tournament, that sparked discussions and were the most debated, the cards that won games and turned Grand Prix Shanghai into an event to remember. 5....
October 5 2014
FINALS: YU YIN VS XU SU by Chapman SimAfter competing in seventeen matches, both players have proven that they are two of the best in the entire room. However their day was not over. They had just one more match to go. The most...
October 5 2014
SEMIFINALS: YU YIN VS HAN BING by Chapman SimYu Yin and Han Bing already knew that it was going to be an all-China finals. After all, the match at the other bracket was over in the blink of an eye. Xu Su capitalized on Tamada Ryoichi's...
DAY 2 COVERAGE
Players are now moving into their tables and getting ready for the Booster Draft Portion. This is the first time Khans of Tarkir will be utilized on the Grand Prix Circuit and many surprises await!
Saeki Katsuhisa, Han Bing, and Charles Lai are the only 9-0 players in the field of 1192, but we see many familiar names lurking near the top of the standings and it promises to forge a talented Top 8! Who will become the Grand Prix Shanghai 2014 Champion?
October 5 2014
FEATURE MATCH 15 by Chapman SimIt has been said that Japanese Nationals is one of the toughest tournaments in the world, owing to its high concentration of pro players in the country. Tamada Ryoichi's most notable achievement...
October 5 2014
QUICK QUESTIONS #6 by Chapman SimIs it possible to draft just two colors in Khans of Tarkir? Shouta Yasooka: Yes, but maybe only White Black or White Green. Yuuki Ichikawa: Yes, either White Green, White Red or White...
October 5 2014
BANNERS UP! by Chapman SimA picture is worth a thousand words. So this article is around five thousand words long. *wink* Five players show off their impressive draft decks as we enter the last round of competition before...
DAY 1 COVERAGE
1192 players have now been reduced to just 129 in China's biggest Grand Prix to date.
Saeki Katsuhisa, Charles Lai and China's National Champion Han Bing remain the only three players with perfect records. Shuhei Nakamura, Ryan Luo, Shawn Khoo, Gao Tan, Jiu Yuchen, Bruce Pai and Huang Hao-Shan are also lurking at the top of the standings, all at 8-1 records. Yuuya Watanabe, Ken Yukuhiro, Shouta Yasooka, Soh Weng Heng, Fabien Li and Soh Joe barely made the cut, with the minimum required 21 points.
Tomorrow will be a totally different ball game altogether. Everyone will be drafting Khans of Tarkir tomorrow and I can't wait for all the action to unfold! Be back tomorrow for more updates!
GRAND PRIX SHANGHAI FACT SHEETOctober 4 2014
FEATURE MATCH 9 by Chapman SimZhang Zhiyang is one of China's finest players, with three Grand Prix Top 8s and a World Team Champion title under his belt. This makes him one of the most decorated Chinese players in the room...
October 4 2014
THE SPECIALTY OF EACH CLAN by Chapman SimDelve Yuuki Ichikawa (2-time Pro Tour Top 8 Competitor and Platinum Pro) was witnessed summoning Shambling Attendants as early as turn four, largely with the help of Scout the Borders. Such is...
October 4 2014
QUICK QUESTIONS #3 by Chapman SimWhat is your favorite Morph creature and why? Kuo Tzu Ching: Kheru Spellsnatcher. It's great in a standstill. ...
(1) Zhang Meng Qiu
(5) Yu Yin, 2-1
(7) Han Bing, 2-0
(3) Oh Joohyun
(4) Tamada Ryoichi, 2-0
(8) Shuhei Nakamura
(6) Xu Su, 2-1
(2) Liu Yuchen
(5) Yu Yin, 2-1
Han Bing
(4) Tamada Ryoichu
(6) Xu Su, 2-0
(5) Yu Yin, 2-1
(6) Xu Su
Note: final standings reflect the number of players participating in the event, not the number of preregistered players.
article GRAND PRIX SHANGHAI 2014 October 5, 2014
by Chapman SimThese were the cards that shaped the tournament, that sparked discussions and were the most debated, the cards that won games and turned Grand Prix Shanghai into an event to remember. 5....
article GRAND PRIX SHANGHAI 2014 October 5, 2014
by Chapman SimAfter competing in seventeen matches, both players have proven that they are two of the best in the entire room. However their day was not over. They had just one more match to go. The most...
article GRAND PRIX SHANGHAI 2014 October 5, 2014
SEMIFINALS: YU YIN VS HAN BING
by Chapman SimYu Yin and Han Bing already knew that it was going to be an all-China finals. After all, the match at the other bracket was over in the blink of an eye. Xu Su capitalized on Tamada Ryoichi's...
article GRAND PRIX SHANGHAI 2014 October 5, 2014
QUARTERFINALS: OH JOOHYUN VS HAN BING
by Wizards of the CoastOh Joohyun is a relative unknown, but great friends of Pro Tour regulars Park Jun Young and Nam Sung Wook. Today, he will be playing in his very first Grand Prix Top 8. Han Bing on the other hand...
article GRAND PRIX SHANGHAI 2014 October 5, 2014
QUARTERFINALS: YU YIN VS ZHANG MENG QIU
by Chapman SimBoth players are playing in their first Grand Prix Top 8 and were clearly very excited to qualify for Pro Tour Fate Reforged. Zhang Meng Qiu is one of the best from Hong Kong, while Yu Yin has a...
article GRAND PRIX SHANGHAI 2014 October 5, 2014
by Chapman SimThese are the decks that conquered the competition and took their players to the Top 8 in Grand Prix Shanghai 2014. ...
article GRAND PRIX SHANGHAI 2014 October 5, 2014
by Wizards of the CoastAfter many rounds of Swiss and some great games of Magic, the Top 8 for Grand Prix Shanghai is set! Learn more about this event’s Top 8 competitors, their history at the top tables, and more by...
article GRAND PRIX SHANGHAI 2014 October 5, 2014
by Chapman SimIt has been said that Japanese Nationals is one of the toughest tournaments in the world, owing to its high concentration of pro players in the country. Tamada Ryoichi's most notable achievement...
article GRAND PRIX SHANGHAI 2014 October 5, 2014
by Chapman SimIs it possible to draft just two colors in Khans of Tarkir? Shouta Yasooka: Yes, but maybe only White Black or White Green. Yuuki Ichikawa: Yes, either White Green, White Red or White...
article GRAND PRIX SHANGHAI 2014 October 5, 2014
by Chapman SimA picture is worth a thousand words. So this article is around five thousand words long. *wink* Five players show off their impressive draft decks as we enter the last round of competition before...
article GRAND PRIX SHANGHAI 2014 October 5, 2014
by Chapman SimXu Su is one of the most experienced players in all of China. Ever since placing 2nd place at Chinese Nationals back in 2003, he never stopped garnering the respect of the local community....
article GRAND PRIX SHANGHAI 2014 October 5, 2014
by Chapman SimWhile we're busy kicking off Grand Prix Shanghai's Booster Draft portion, Orlando began to draw its curtains. 8000 miles away, another wave of Magic players are congregated to celebrate the first...
article GRAND PRIX SHANGHAI 2014 October 5, 2014
by Chapman SimWhat are the best cards in both your Booster Drafts today? Gao Tan: Pod 1: Sagu Mauler Pod 2: Savage Knuckleblade ...
article GRAND PRIX SHANGHAI 2014 October 5, 2014
DRAFTING YOUR TARKIR MANA BASE
by Chapman SimConsidering that there are only around 50 gold cards in Khans of Tarkir, of which only 5 are in the common slot, mana-fixing may not feel as important as it seems. But a good mana base is the...
article GRAND PRIX SHANGHAI 2014 October 5, 2014
by Chapman SimWhich clan do you like to draft the most? Han Bing: Mardu. I love the raid mechanic and it allows me to build the best tempo-based deck. ...
article GRAND PRIX SHANGHAI 2014 October 5, 2014
by Chapman Sim"Who is the draft master in the room? You?" I asked. "I don't know how to draft. It's everyone's first time," Shuhei Nakamura professes. The Hall-of-Famer jokingly proclaimed that he is a...
article GRAND PRIX SHANGHAI 2014 October 5, 2014
by Chapman SimShouta Yasooka and Ken Yukuhiro are two of the most accomplished players in the room and need little introduction. Interestingly, they have both drafted almost identical Sultai decks which attempt...
article GRAND PRIX SHANGHAI 2014 October 5, 2014
BUILDING A SEALED DECK WITH YUUYA WATANABE
by Chapman SimWatanabe's take on the Sealed format sounds simple enough. Either you build a two-color aggro deck with a light splash for a third color, or play a five-color control deck with the highest...
article GRAND PRIX SHANGHAI 2014 October 5, 2014
by Chapman SimTarkir is disarray and chaos. With five clans vying for your attention, this seems like a format that is rather difficult to decipher. You'll try to figure out which clan offers the best synergy,...
article GRAND PRIX SHANGHAI 2014 October 5, 2014
by Chapman SimThree players achieved the perfect 9-0 score yesterday. Han Bing chose to build a hyper-aggressive deck, with a bunch of two drops, removal spells and tempo cards. As evidenced by cards like...
article GRAND PRIX SHANGHAI 2014 October 4, 2014
by Chapman SimZhang Zhiyang is one of China's finest players, with three Grand Prix Top 8s and a World Team Champion title under his belt. This makes him one of the most decorated Chinese players in the room...
article GRAND PRIX SHANGHAI 2014 October 4, 2014
by Chapman SimDelve Yuuki Ichikawa (2-time Pro Tour Top 8 Competitor and Platinum Pro) was witnessed summoning Shambling Attendants as early as turn four, largely with the help of Scout the Borders. Such is...
article GRAND PRIX SHANGHAI 2014 October 4, 2014
by Chapman SimWhat is your favorite Morph creature and why? Kuo Tzu Ching: Kheru Spellsnatcher. It's great in a standstill. ...
article GRAND PRIX SHANGHAI 2014 October 4, 2014
by Chapman SimHan Bing has the honor of representing China this year at the World Magic Cup as the captain. After a money finish at Pro Tour Journey to Nyx, he is living up to the expectations of his fellow...
article GRAND PRIX SHANGHAI 2014 October 4, 2014
by Chapman SimJust because both players are fellow Grand Prix Champions does not necessarily mean they are in the same league. Then again, to be fair, few people are up there with Hall-of-Famer Shuhei Nakamura....
article GRAND PRIX SHANGHAI 2014 October 4, 2014
by Chapman SimWhat is the best Common, Uncommon and Rare/Mythic Rare for Khans of Tarkir Limited? Kuo Tzu Ching: Feat of Resistance, Abzan Battle Priest,...
article GRAND PRIX SHANGHAI 2014 October 4, 2014
by Chapman SimWhen people think of the Onslaught Block, the cycle of fetchlands come to mind. But, those aren't the only things to return to Khans of Tarkir from that block. It was also the debut of Morph...
article GRAND PRIX SHANGHAI 2014 October 4, 2014
by Chapman SimJust one point short of becoming the Japanese National Champion, you might think that Yuuki Ichikawa has had a disappointing season. Far from it. Making back-to-back Pro Tour Top 8s last...
article GRAND PRIX SHANGHAI 2014 October 4, 2014
by Chapman SimGrand Prix Taipei 2014 Champion Huang Hao Shan is no stranger to the Pro Tour and is one of the most well-known players in the Asia Pacific region. Recently winning the final WMCQ in Taipei, he...
article GRAND PRIX SHANGHAI 2014 October 4, 2014
by Chapman SimDo you play or draw in Sealed, and how many lands is correct? Lee Shi Tian: Play. 17. Tiago Chan: Play. 18. Gao Tan: Draw. 17. Soh Weng Heng: Draw. 17 + 1 Banner....
article GRAND PRIX SHANGHAI 2014 October 4, 2014
GRAND PRIX TRIALS WINNING DECKLISTS
by Chapman SimZurgo Helmsmasher would be so proud. A total of sixteen Khans of Tarkir Sealed Deck Trials took place yesterday, granting all winners Second Round Byes for today's main event. Apparently, Mardu...