May 17 2015
Top 5 Cards by Chapman Sim and Ben SwartzIt's tough to boil an entire weekend down to five cards, but these are the five that ultimately shaped Grand Prix Shanghai 2015. 5. Satyr Wayfinder Two of the breakout decks this tournament...
Yuuki Ichikawa and his Abzan Control deck featuring Satyr Wayfinder made his way past 899 other players to become Grand Prix Shanghai 2015 Champion!
TOP 8 COVERAGE
Congratulations to Yuuki Ichikawa, champion of Grand Prix Shanghai 2015.
Yuuki Ichikawa made his way through the field of 900 players defeating Yang Dehua in the quarterfinals, Nam Sung Wook in the semifinals, and Devsharan Singh in the finals.
Heading into the Grand Prix, players were looking to take down winning deck of last weekend: Abzan Aggro. Yuuki Ichikawa did this by playing Abzan Control--giving him access to cards like Elspeth, Sun's Champion and Crux of Fate. Three members of the top 8 played Abzan decks: Yuuki Ichikawa, previous Grand Prix Shanghai champion, Li Bo, and South Korean pro, Nam Sung Wook. Li Bo followed in the footsteps of Ichikawa and played Abzan Control while Nam Sung Wook stuck to his guns and played Abzan Aggro.
In preparation for the Abzan menace, the rest of the top eight were split between Red Green Decks. Three players, Xie Hao Chen, Hu Jin, and Lin Yang played Green Red Devotion. These players played large spells such as Ugin, the Spirit Dragon and Dragonlord Atarka to put pressure on their opponents. The last two players, Yang Dehua and Devsharan Singh, played Red Green Dragons. Capable of dealing 20 damage by the fifth turn, these players pounced on Abzan players throughout the weekend and rose to the top of the standings.
In the end, Yuuki Ichikawa and his Abzan Control deck were able to defeat Devsharan Singh and his Red Green Dragons deck in the finals. Congratulations once again to Yuuki Ichikawa, champion of Grand Prix Shanghai 2015!
May 17 2015
Top 5 Cards by Chapman Sim and Ben SwartzIt's tough to boil an entire weekend down to five cards, but these are the five that ultimately shaped Grand Prix Shanghai 2015. 5. Satyr Wayfinder Two of the breakout decks this tournament...
May 17 2015
Finals: Yuuki Ichikawa (Abzan Control) vs. Devsharan Singh (Green Red Dragons) by Chapman Sim900 players entered the tournament and only 2 are left. The match between Yuuki Ichikawa and Devsharan Singh would be the final one of the day. All that stands between them and the champion trophy...
May 17 2015
Top 8 Decklists by Wizards of the CoastThese are the top 8 decklists of grand Prix Shanghai 2015. Lin Yang's Green Red Devotion ...
DAY 2 COVERAGE
With the field of 900 boiled down to just 118, Day 2 of Grand Prix Shanghai is underway!
Hall of Famer and World Champion Makihito Mihara leads the pack, along with Lin Yang and Kazuaki Fujimura. The trio managed to survive the entire day without a scratch, winning all nine of their matches today.
Hot on their heels are World Team Champion Li Bo, the ever-mighty No 6. Yuuya Watanabe, three-time Pro Tour Top 8 competitor Terry Soh, Platinum Pro Nam Sung Wook and three-time Grand Prix Top 8 competitor Sun Bo, all at 24 match points.
No 4. Lee Shi Tian, No. 17 Shota Yasooka, Yuuki Ichikawa, Ken Yukuhiro, Park Jun Young, Teruya Kakumae and Tzu Ching Kuo are all at 7-2 and would need to make a deep run if they wanted to break into the Top 8 today!
Stay tuned as Chapman Sim and Ben Swartz bring you more action from the mainland!
May 17 2015
Deck Tech: Dragon Devotion by Ben SwartzYou may have already seen Makihito Mihara's take on the metagame with Dragon Metamorph, but Pro Tour San Diego Top 8 competitor Yoshihiko Ikawa has a different take on a deck with dragons. He...
May 17 2015
Crouching Tigers, Hidden Dragons by Chapman SimChina may not have many road warriors who trot the globe, but she certainly isn't devoid of great players. We have wrote about Li Bo (World Team Champion and Grand Prix Shanghai Champion) and Han...
May 17 2015
Quick Questions 4: If you could turn back time, would you choose to play another deck this weekend after seeing the Shanghai metagame for yourself? by Chapman Sim and Ben SwartzIf you could turn back time, would you choose to play another deck this weekend after seeing the Shanghai metagame for yourself? 3 Pro Tour Top 8s & Invitational Winner, Terry Soh: I think I...
DAY 1 COVERAGE
After 9 rounds of intense competition, the field of 900 has been boiled down to just 118! Hall of Famer and World Champion Makihito Mihara leads the pack, along with Lin Yang and Kazuaki Fujimura. The trio managed to survive the entire day without a scratch, winning all nine of their matches today.
Hot on their heels are World Team Champion Li Bo, the ever-mighty No 6. Yuuya Watanabe, three-time Pro Tour Top 8 competitor Terry Soh, Platinum Pro Nam Sung Wook and three-time Grand Prix Top 8 competitor Sun Bo, all at 24 match points.
Teruya Kakumae's dreams of picking up some additional Pro Points are alive, but barely. He is at 7-2, along with No 4. Lee Shi Tian, No. 17 Shota Yasooka, Yuuki Ichikawa, Ken Yukuhiro, Park Jun Young, and Tzu Ching Kuo. These players would need to make a deep run if they wanted to break into the Top 8 tomorrow!
While the curtains are being drawn here in Shanghai, the action is just getting started at Grand Prix Florence where over 400 teams are converged for a weekend of Team Limited. And when that is said and done, you can also tune in to the 2014 Magic Online Championship coverage if your appetite for Magic has yet to be sated!
Chapman and Ben signing off for now!
May 16 2015
Round 9 Feature Match: Makihito Mihara vs. Jiang Li by Ben SwartzThe last round of the first day of each Grand Prix is always something special. There is a buzz in the air–who will make it in to day two, who will fall short. As the day draws to a close,...
May 16 2015
Deck Tech: Han Bing's White Blue Dragons by Chapman SimMTG Mint Card's Han Bing is the reigning China National Champion and is one of the most respected players in the country. His last solid finish was at Pro Tour Journey to Nyx, where he piloted a...
May 16 2015
Deck Tech: Shota Yasooka's Raptor Ascendency by Chapman SimWord on the street is that No. 17 Shota Yasooka's playing something interesting. But then again, doesn't he always? What did surprise me though, was that he wasn't playing a Blue Black control...
1 Xie Hao Chen
8 Hu Jin, 2-1
5 Li Bo
4 Devsharan Singh, 2-0
3 Lin Yang
6 Nam Sung Wook, 2-1
7 Yuuki Ichikawa, 2-1
2 Yang Dehua
8 Hu Jin
4 Devsharan Singh, 2-0
6 Nam Sung Wook
7 Yuuki Ichikawa, 2-1
4 Devsharan Singh
7 Yuuki Ichikawa, 2-1
Note: final standings reflect the number of players participating in the event, not the number of preregistered players.
article Grand Prix Shanghai 2015 May 17, 2015
by Chapman Sim and Ben SwartzIt's tough to boil an entire weekend down to five cards, but these are the five that ultimately shaped Grand Prix Shanghai 2015. 5. Satyr Wayfinder Two of the breakout decks this tournament...
article Grand Prix Shanghai 2015 May 17, 2015
Finals: Yuuki Ichikawa (Abzan Control) vs. Devsharan Singh (Green Red Dragons)
by Chapman Sim900 players entered the tournament and only 2 are left. The match between Yuuki Ichikawa and Devsharan Singh would be the final one of the day. All that stands between them and the champion trophy...
article Grand Prix Shanghai 2015 May 17, 2015
by Wizards of the CoastThese are the top 8 decklists of grand Prix Shanghai 2015. Lin Yang's Green Red Devotion ...
article Grand Prix Shanghai 2015 May 17, 2015
by Wizards of the CoastHungry for more decklists? Check out the decklists from players who placed 9th through 16th! ...
article Grand Prix Shanghai 2015 May 17, 2015
Semifinals: Nam Sung Wook (Abzan Aggro) vs. Yuuki Ichikawa (Abzan Control)
by Chapman SimBoth players have solid resumes and are about the most accomplished players left in the entire tournament. Nam Sung Wook and Yuuki Ichikawa both have multiple Grand Prix Top 8s, and have even...
article Grand Prix Shanghai 2015 May 17, 2015
Semifinals: Hu Jin (Red Green Devotion) vs. Devsharan Singh (Green Red Dragons)
by Ben SwartzWhile the other Semifinals saw a battle of Abzan decks, this one, between Hu Jin and Devsharan Singh, was a battle of Red Green decks. Devsharan, a doctor from Kuala Lumpur, brought Red Green...
article Grand Prix Shanghai 2015 May 17, 2015
Quarterfinals: Hu Jin (Green Red Devotion) vs Xie Hao Chen (Green Red Devotion)
by Ben SwartzAt the end of the 15 rounds of swiss, only one player stood with an undefeated record: Xie Hao Chen. Ending with a 12-0-3 record, the student from Bejing ran the tables with his Green Red Devotion...
article Grand Prix Shanghai 2015 May 17, 2015
Quarterfinals: Yuuki Ichikawa (Abzan Control) vs. Yang Dehua (Green Red Devotion)
by Chapman SimPlatinum Pro Yuuki Ichikawa is playing in his third Grand Prix Top 8. Yang Dehua was playing in his first. This matchup promised to be rather exciting. Both decks had great bombs and an excellent...
article Grand Prix Shanghai 2015 May 17, 2015
Quarterfinals: Nam Sung Wook (Abzan Aggro) vs. Lin Yang (Green Red Devotion)
by Ben SwartzGrand Prix Melbourne champion Nam Sung Wook was looking for another Grand Prix victory this weekend. Playing this weekend's deck to beat--Abzan Aggro--he crushed opponent after opponent with Siege...
article Grand Prix Shanghai 2015 May 17, 2015
Quarterfinals: Li Bo (Abzan Control) vs. Devsharan Singh (Red Green Dragon)
by Chapman SimLi Bo is one of the more accomplished players in the Top 8 this afternoon. Aside from a World Team Champion title, this was Li's third Grand Prix Top 8 and he was playing for his second Grand Prix...
article Grand Prix Shanghai 2015 May 17, 2015
by Wizards of the CoastThese are the Top 8 Players of Grand Prix Shanghai 2015. Xie Hao Chen Hometown: Beijing, ChinaAge: 25Occupation: StudentDay 1 Score: 7-0-2 (2 Byes)Day 2 Score: 5-0-1 What Standard deck are...
article Grand Prix Shanghai 2015 May 17, 2015
by Ben SwartzYou may have already seen Makihito Mihara's take on the metagame with Dragon Metamorph, but Pro Tour San Diego Top 8 competitor Yoshihiko Ikawa has a different take on a deck with dragons. He...
article Grand Prix Shanghai 2015 May 17, 2015
Crouching Tigers, Hidden Dragons
by Chapman SimChina may not have many road warriors who trot the globe, but she certainly isn't devoid of great players. We have wrote about Li Bo (World Team Champion and Grand Prix Shanghai Champion) and Han...
article Grand Prix Shanghai 2015 May 17, 2015
by Chapman Sim and Ben SwartzIf you could turn back time, would you choose to play another deck this weekend after seeing the Shanghai metagame for yourself? 3 Pro Tour Top 8s & Invitational Winner, Terry Soh: I think I...
article Grand Prix Shanghai 2015 May 17, 2015
Round 13 Feature Match: Yoshihiko Ikawa (Dragon Devotion) vs Park Jun Young (Abzan)
by Ben SwartzRound 13 pitted two magic professionals against each other. On one side sat Park Jun Young, 4 time Grand Prix top 8 competitor. Park was looking to make that 5 this weekend in Shanghai. He had...
article Grand Prix Shanghai 2015 May 17, 2015
by Chapman SimDay 2 of Grand Prix Shanghai has begun. As mentioned previously, only 118 competitors remain and here is what they have brought to the tables. Top Archetypes: The 'Abzan'...
article Grand Prix Shanghai 2015 May 17, 2015
Quick Questions 3: What is the best way of dealing with Deathmist Raptor?
by Chapman Sim and Ben SwartzWhat is the best way of dealing with Deathmist Raptor? Pro Tour Dragons of Tarkir finalist, Shouta Yasooka: Perilous Vault, it's a colorless way to handle them. Three-time Grand Prix Champion...
article Grand Prix Shanghai 2015 May 17, 2015
Round 11 Feature Match: Kazuaki Fujimura (Abzan Control) vs. Lin Yang (Red Green Devotion)
by Ben SwartzComing into the second day of Grand Prix Shanghai there were three players sitting with a perfect 9-0 record. After round 10 there were only two: Kazuaki Fujimura and Lin Yang. By the end of this...
article Grand Prix Shanghai 2015 May 17, 2015
by Ben SwartzWhen Dragons of Tarkir came out, the dragons of the format really shifted the format. The Dragonlord creatures were the first that players decided to build around. And, here at Grand Prix Shanghai...
article Grand Prix Shanghai 2015 May 17, 2015
by Chapman SimWith the field of 900 boiled down to just 118, Day 2 of Grand Prix Shanghai is underway! Hall of Famer and World Champion Makihito Mihara leads the pack, along with Lin Yang and Kazuaki Fujimura....
article Grand Prix Shanghai 2015 May 16, 2015
Round 9 Feature Match: Makihito Mihara vs. Jiang Li
by Ben SwartzThe last round of the first day of each Grand Prix is always something special. There is a buzz in the air–who will make it in to day two, who will fall short. As the day draws to a close,...
article Grand Prix Shanghai 2015 May 16, 2015
Deck Tech: Han Bing's White Blue Dragons
by Chapman SimMTG Mint Card's Han Bing is the reigning China National Champion and is one of the most respected players in the country. His last solid finish was at Pro Tour Journey to Nyx, where he piloted a...
article Grand Prix Shanghai 2015 May 16, 2015
Deck Tech: Shota Yasooka's Raptor Ascendency
by Chapman SimWord on the street is that No. 17 Shota Yasooka's playing something interesting. But then again, doesn't he always? What did surprise me though, was that he wasn't playing a Blue Black control...
article Grand Prix Shanghai 2015 May 16, 2015
by Ben SwartzThree members of the Top 25 Pro Rankings have made their way to Shanghai this weekend: Yuuya Watanabe, Shota Yasooka, and Lee Shi Tian. I caught up with them and asked them about their decks,...
article Grand Prix Shanghai 2015 May 16, 2015
Quick Questions 2: Who is the best Standard player in the room today, and why?
by Chapman Sim and Ben SwartzWho is the best Standard player in the room today, and why? Three-time Grand Prix Champion Yuuta Takahashi: Me... (or anyone playing Abzan Aggro)... or Makihito Mihara! 5 Grand Prix Top 8s,...
article Grand Prix Shanghai 2015 May 16, 2015
Round 6 Feature Match: Ryan Luo (Abzan Aggro) vs. Li Bo (Abzan Control)
by Chapman SimTeam MTG Mint Card's Li Bo is one of the best players that China has to offer. For starters, he's won Grand Prix Shanghai 2012 and is one of the most well-known personalities within the mainland....
article Grand Prix Shanghai 2015 May 16, 2015
by Chapman SimMost of the Japanese players in the room today are household names. Just to rattle off a few, Shuhei Nakamura, Makihito Mihara, Yuuya Watanabe, Shota Yasooka, Kentaro Yamamoto, Yuuki...
article Grand Prix Shanghai 2015 May 16, 2015
Quick Questions 1: Which is the best deck without Dragonlord Ojutai or Deathmist Raptor?
by Chapman Sim and Ben SwartzWhich is the best deck without Dragonlord Ojutai or Deathmist Raptor? Hall of Famer, Shuhei Nakamura: Mono-green Devotion without Deathmist Raptor. Pro Tour Dragons of Tarkir finalist, Shouta...
article Grand Prix Shanghai 2015 May 16, 2015
Round 4 Feature Match: Kelvin Chew vs. Raymond Tan
by Ben SwartzIn the fourth round of Grand Prix Shanghai two national champions faced off. From Malaysia came Raymond Tan and from Singapore came Kelvin Chew. Both players brought Abzan Aggro decks with them...
article Grand Prix Shanghai 2015 May 16, 2015
by Chapman SimGrand Prix Shanghai 2015 is underway! As players began to shuffle up, I raced around the room of 900, looking for thirty of the most esteemed players. While some are more accomplished than others,...
article Grand Prix Shanghai 2015 May 16, 2015
by Chapman SimA total of eleven Standard Grand Prix Trials took place yesterday, granting the victors Two Round Byes in the main event today. Abzan Aggro and Abzan Control were popular, as was White Green...
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