Learn more about Pro Tour Aether Revolt's Top 8 competitors—including who they are, what they’ve done in the game, and more—by taking a look through their profiles!
Name:
Marcio Carvalho
Age: 31
Team: DEX Army
Previous Magic Accomplishments: 2 Pro Tour Top 8s. 13 Grand Prix Top 8s, with 3 wins. Finals of the 2016 World Championship.
Limited Record: 4-2
Standard Record: 9-0-1
What archetypes did you draft? Which was your favorite?
Blue-Red Improvise and Black-Red Aggro. I preferred the Black-Red deck.
What's the key to drafting Aether Revolt/Kaladesh?
Curve them out. Don't draft white.
What Standard deck are you playing and why?
Mardu Vehicles! I was going to play Black-red, but Thiago Saporito told me that Mardu was awesome. I played some games and I was sold!
What card was your MVP for the weekend?
What would winning the Pro Tour mean to you?
A dream come true!
Name:
Lucas Esper Berthoud
Age: 37
Hometown: Taubate, Sao Paulo
Team: DEXthird
Previous Magic Accomplishments: 2007 Brazilian National Champion
Limited Record: 3-3
Standard Record: 10-0
What archetypes did you draft? Which was your favorite?
Black-Red both times. I had three Self-Assemblers.
What's the key to drafting Aether Revolt/Kaladesh?
Someone please tell me.
What Standard deck are you playing and why?
Mardu Vehicles. I always liked racing cars.
What card was your MVP for the weekend?
What would winning the Pro Tour mean to you?
I would love to bring the trophy back to Brazil and share this honor with the community.
Name:
Liu Yuchen
Age: 25
Hometown: Beijing, China
Previous Magic Accomplishments: 5 Grand Prix Top 8s, 2016 Chinese National Champion
Limited Record: 5-1
Standard Record: 7-1-2
What archetypes did you draft? Which was your favorite?
Blue-White and Red-Green. I like the fliers.
What's the key to drafting Aether Revolt/Kaladesh?
I have no idea.
What Standard deck are you playing and why?
Mardu Vehicles. Because I like Gideon.
What card was your MVP for the weekend?
What would winning the Pro Tour mean to you?
Happy?
Name:
Donald Smith
Age: 21
Hometown: Cut Off, Louisiana
Team: Lingering Souls
Twitter Handle: @donaldwsjr
Previous Magic Accomplishments:
Top 25 Pro Tour Battle for Zendikar, Top 25 Pro Tour Kaladesh, Silver pro.
Limited Record: 4-2
Standard Record: 8-0-2
What archetypes did you draft? Which was your favorite?
Green-blue with Baral's Expertise, then black-red with two Weldfast Engineer, my favorite.
What's the key to drafting Aether Revolt/Kaladesh?
Read signals carefully in Pack 1 to get a payoff in Kaladesh.
What Standard deck are you playing and why?
Mardu Vehicles. Amazing versus Saheeli Rai and its "bad" matchup (Black-Green) is close.
What card was your MVP for the weekend?
What would winning the Pro Tour mean to you?
I would be able to start a career playing Magic—my dream.
Name:
Jan Ksandr
Age: 24
Hometown: Prague, Czech Republic
Previous Magic Accomplishments:
Finals of Grand Prix Sydney.
Limited Record: 5-1
Standard Record: 7-2-1
What archetypes did you draft? Which was your favorite?
First draft, I played a four-color deck, green-blue splashing white and black. In the first two packs I took four Unbridled Growth. Then I got two Torrential Gearhulk in the third pack. Second draft was Blue-Black Improvise.
What's the key to drafting Aether Revolt/Kaladesh?
Stay open, focus on archetypes.
What Standard deck are you playing and why?
Black-Green. My teammates Niels Molle and Kayure Patel built the deck and told me to play it.
What card was your MVP for the weekend?
What would winning the Pro Tour mean to you?
It would mean a lot to me. I think I would focus on Magic even more, travel around the world, doing what I really like.
Name:
Martin Jůza
Age: 29
Hometown: Plzen, Czech Republic
Team: Channel Fireball Fire
Twitter Handle: @juzam_
Previous Magic Accomplishments:
Two other Pro Tour Top 8s, 24? Grand Prix Top 8s.
Limited Record: 5-1
Standard Record: 7-2-ID
What archetypes did you draft? Which was your favorite?
Blue-Black Improvise, Black-Green Big Guys.
What's the key to drafting Aether Revolt/Kaladesh?
I wish I knew. Take colorless cards and stay open as long as possible, I guess?
What Standard deck are you playing and why?
Jund Energy Vehicles Aggro, or "Jundicles." It has a good Vehicle matchup, is even versus Black-Green, decent against Saheeli Rai.
What card was your MVP for the weekend?
What would winning the Pro Tour mean to you?
(Everything.) There is not enough space here to say it all.
Name:
Eduardo Sajgalik
Age: 29
Hometown: Montreal, Canada
Team: MTG Mint Card
Twitter Handle: @Walaoumpa
Previous Magic Accomplishments: Top 8 at Pro Tour Return to Ravnica (2012). Four Grand Prix Top 8, four National Team appearances, including twice as captain.
Limited Record: 5-1
Standard Record: 7-2-1
What archetypes did you draft? Which was your favorite?
Black-Red Midrange—Super solid, removal and aggressive creatures.
Blue-Green Anything Energy—Combine bad cards and hope. (Shipwreck Moray and Larger than Life)
What's the key to drafting Aether Revolt/Kaladesh?
Stay open, pick the late archetype cards. Also, Moray and Larger than Life.
What Standard deck are you playing and why?
Mardu Vehicles—The team believe the deck was good. I went with it.
What card was your MVP for the weekend?
What would winning the Pro Tour mean to you?
No idea. It sounds insane to me! I'm just very happy at the moment.
Name:
Paulo Vitor Damo da Rosa
Age: 29
Hometown: Porto Alegre, Brazil
Team: Channel Fireball Ice
Twitter Handle: @PVDDR
Previous Magic Accomplishments:
Second most Pro Tour Top 8s of all time.
Limited Record: 4-2
Standard Record: 8-2
What archetypes did you draft? Which was your favorite?
Green-blue, red-white. I liked green-blue more.
What's the key to drafting Aether Revolt/Kaladesh?
I think all the colors are good, but I like to take enablers before payoff.
What Standard deck are you playing and why?
Mardu Vehicles, the only strategy that doesn't need to sacrifice much to beat Jeskai Copy Cat.
What card was your MVP for the weekend?
Toolcraft Exemplar, it's so much better than any other one-drop.
What would winning the Pro Tour mean to you?
I'd be able to have a wedding party!