Utter-Leyton Casts Shadows Over Vancouver

TOP 8 COVERAGE

The Modern metagame at Grand Prix Vancouver promised to be as diverse as ever, with aggro, control and combo decks each claiming a decent slice of the pie. Lightning Bolts flew, companies were collected, and the Eldrazi continued to roam free. Longtime Affinity and Jund experts traded blows with newly-minted Modern players trying out Ad Nauseam or Zoo. Just about anything seemed possible.

About halfway through Day 1, however, one deck seemed to rise to the top. Death’s Shadow seemed more powerful than ever, despite the recent Gitaxian Probe ban. By Round 9, Sam Black, Gerry Thompson, and Josh Utter-Leyton had yet to take losses, and by the end of the day, they’d all secured coveted Top 8 slots. Utter-Leyton would emerge the victor, dispatching Merfolk master Jonathon Zaczek in the finals. He and his friends have cast a long shadow over Modern, and we’re eager how the format will change next.

Day 2 Coverage

The players are seated and ready to begin Day 2 of Grand Prix Vancouver, and our 1545 players have been whittled down to just 439. Leading the pack are Mutiny’s Gerry Thompson and Sam Black, along with Gabe Carleton-Barnes and Jund aficionados Neil Henly and Arian Moshrefi.

It was an incredible day for Thompson, Black, and fellow Death’s Shadow devotees, but Eldrazi Tron, Affinity, and Grixis Control are still chugging along at the top tables. Which of these decks will secure a coveted Top 8 slot? Join us for live video coverage at twitch.tv/magic.

Day 1 Coverage

This is the way Day 1 of Grand Prix Vancouver ended – not with a Bolt, but a Scapeshift. Gabe Carleton-Barnes clutched a Lightning Bolt, trying to fend off Eric Severson’s army of tiny creatures, when a Scapeshift appeared just in time. “You’re at fifteen?” he confirmed before sacrificing more than enough lands to get the job done.

Carleton-Barnes joins longtime Jund players Neil Henly and Arian Moshrefi and recent Death’s Shadow converts Gerry Thompson and Sam Black in the 9-0 bracket. Close behind them are players wielding everything from Ad Nauseam to Amulet Titan, so there should be no shortage of exciting match-ups to come. Join us tomorrow morning at 9 AM PT as we continue our broadcast at twitch.tv/magic.