February 9 2015
TOP 5 CARDS by Event Coverage Staff5. Eidolon of the Great Revel Like Infect, Burn was a deck that surprised many people with its solid performance. It wasn’t that the deck was an unknown, but before today it was always a...
Antonio Del Moral León makes Magic history as Spain's first Pro Tour champion.
SUNDAY COVERAGE
This weekend proved to be monumental for Spain, and it is all thanks to Antonio Del Moral León. Coming into his fourth Pro Tour, the 2014 Magic Online Championship Series season winner battled through Top 25 players, Hall of Famers, and eventually one very talented Pro Tour first-timer before ultimately achieving victory at Pro Tour Fate Reforged in Washington, DC.
Piloting a traditional Splinter Twin deck, Del Moral León traversed through an intense quarterfinal match against sixth-ranked player Lee Shi Tian and his Burn deck. From there, he quickly trumped Hall of Famer Jelger Wiegersma in the semifinal mirror match pitting Splinter Twin against Splinter Twin. After that, he overcame Pro Tour first-timer Justin Cohen's devastating Amulet Bloom deck in the finals, securing the trophy, $40,000 USD, Platinum Pro status, and an invitation to the 2015 World Championship.
Perhaps worth more than all of that though, is Del Moral León's place in Magic history as Spain's first Pro Tour champion.
Modern has been turned on its head, but sometimes an old favorite never goes out of style, and Del Moral León proved just that.
February 9 2015
TOP 5 CARDS by Event Coverage Staff5. Eidolon of the Great Revel Like Infect, Burn was a deck that surprised many people with its solid performance. It wasn’t that the deck was an unknown, but before today it was always a...
February 8 2015
TOP 8 DECKLISTS by Wizards of the CoastHere are the Top 8 Modern Constructed decklists of Pro Tour Fate Reforged! Seth...
February 9 2015
Finals: Justin Cohen (Amulet Bloom) vs. Antonio Del Moral León (Blue-Red Splinter Twin) by Jacob Van LunenTwo players sat down in the feature match area for the last match of the tournament, both relatively new to the scene. Sitting there was only one trophy that said 'Pro Tour Champion', and along...
SATURDAY COVERAGE
At the end of sixteen rounds, only eight remain. Sitting at the top of the standings is last week's Grand Prix San Jose team champion, Platnum Pro, and eleventh-ranked Eric Froehlich, but he is not the only all-star in tomorrow's playoffs. Following him is Dutch Hall of Famer Jelger Wiegersma, along with three-time Grand Prix champion Seth Manfield.
Joining these three is Pro Tour Born of the Gods finalist and fifteenth-ranked Jacob Wilson, who has proven his mastery of the Modern format this weekend.
Also in tomorrow's Top 8 and another Modern all-star is Lee Shi Tian of Hong Kong, arguably the best Magic player from Asia as he earns his incredibly fourth Pro Tour Top 8 in two and a half years. He will be joined by 2014 Magic Online Championship Series winner Antonio Del Moral León of Spain, newcomer Justin Cohen, and Grand Prix Nashville team champion Jesse Hampton.
Eight great players, three more rounds, and tons of Modern excitement await you tomorrow. Be sure to tune in, because you won't want to miss a second of the action.
February 8 2015
There's a First Time for Everything by Marc CalderaroFor many of the people here, the Pro Tour is old hat. That doesn't mean it's easy—players test for weeks leading up to a each event—but it becomes easy to take things for granted. Ho hum,...
February 8 2015
Round 16: (12) Samuel Black (Amulet Bloom) vs. Jesse Hampton (Abzan) by Jacob Van LunenThe stakes are about as high as they get. This is the final round of Pro Tour Fate Reforged and the winner of this match will secure a spot in the Top 8 elimination rounds. These two have...
February 8 2015
Round 15: (6) Lee Shi Tian (Burn) vs. Nathan Smith (Burn) by Adam StyborskiLee Shi Tian: The sixth-ranked player, 2014 World Championship competitor, and three-time Pro Tour Top 8 contender, two of which came with the Modern format as well as last fall's Pro Tour Khans...
FRIDAY COVERAGE
At the end of eight rounds of competition, only two players will return tomorrow with undefeated records. One of those players is Austin Bursavich, the Infect player from the United States. The other undefeated player at the end of Day One is Gold-level Pro and three-time Grand Prix champion Seth Manfield, piloting Burn.
February 6 2015
Pro Tour Fate Reforged Modern Metagame Breakdown by Adam StyborskiWhat happens when a format gets reforged? While Grand Prix Omaha covered the Modern format a month ago, it was the swan song for Birthing Pod's place in the format. The shuffle of cards and decks...
February 7 2015
Pro Strategies are Proactive by Marc CalderaroIt took very little time for people to realize that Abzan was the deck to beat. That doesn't mean it's the best-performing deck here today, nor the best deck as a whole. But coming into the...
February 7 2015
Going Rogue by Jacob Van LunenComing into this weekend, the new Modern was an unexplored landscape. Players expected and were unsurprised by the presence of Abzan, Burn, Jeskai Control, Splinter Twin, and even more fringe...
Pre-Show Coverage
A fresh booster draft format, an all-new Modern landscape, $250,000, and plenty of Pro Points await the world’s top Magic players in Washington D.C. Pro Tour Fate Reforged will feature everything from the latest spin on Khans of Tarkir block booster draft to the wide-open possibilities that Modern Constructed has to offer. Who will be crowned the Pro Tour Fate Reforged champion? Tune in February 6-8 for plenty of feature matches, Deck Techs, player interviews, draft breakdowns, and a whole lot more.
February 5 2015
Pro Tour Fate Reforged Modern Primer by Jacob Van LunenWelcome back to Perilous Research, DailyMTG.com's exclusive Magic Online column! Fate Reforged is finally available on Magic Online. The release of the new set in conjunction with the new bannings...
February 4 2015
Twitch Chat and CoverItLive at Pro Tour Fate Reforged by Nate PriceThose of you tuning in to twitch.tv/magic this weekend for Pro Tour Fate Reforged might notice a slight difference from the experience we've offered at past Pro Tours: we have decided to disable...
February 3 2015
A Brief History of the Modern Banned List by Blake RasmussenThis weekend, Pro Tour Fate Reforged takes us back to the Modern format on the Pro Tour for the fourth time since its creation in August 2011 (plus a few trips during the World Championships)....
(1) Eric Froehlich
(8) Jesse Hampton, 2-1
(4) Seth Manfield
(5) Justin Cohen, 2-1
(2) Antonio Del Moral León, 2-1
(7) Lee Shi Tian
(3) Jelger Wiegersma, 2-1
(6) Jacob Wilson
(8) Jesse Hampton
(5) Justin Cohen, 2-1
(2) Antonio Del Moral León, 2-0
(3) Jelger Wiegersma
(5) Justin Cohen
(2) Antonio Del Moral León, 3-1
article PRO TOUR FATE REFORGED February 9, 2015
by Event Coverage Staff5. Eidolon of the Great Revel Like Infect, Burn was a deck that surprised many people with its solid performance. It wasn’t that the deck was an unknown, but before today it was always a...
article PRO TOUR FATE REFORGED February 8, 2015
by Wizards of the CoastHere are the Top 8 Modern Constructed decklists of Pro Tour Fate Reforged! Seth...
article Pro Tour Fate Reforged February 9, 2015
Finals: Justin Cohen (Amulet Bloom) vs. Antonio Del Moral León (Blue-Red Splinter Twin)
by Jacob Van LunenTwo players sat down in the feature match area for the last match of the tournament, both relatively new to the scene. Sitting there was only one trophy that said 'Pro Tour Champion', and along...
article PRO TOUR FATE REFORGED February 8, 2015
by Wizards of the CoastThese players earned 18 match points (went 6-4) in the Modern Constructed portion of Pro Tour Fate Reforged. Want to see what they played? Check our their decklists below! ...
article PRO TOUR FATE REFORGED February 8, 2015
by Wizards of the CoastThese players earned 18 match points (went 6-4) in the Modern Constructed portion of Pro Tour Fate Reforged. Want to see what they played? Check our their decklists below! ...
article PRO TOUR FATE REFORGED February 8, 2015
by Wizards of the CoastThese players earned 18 match points (went 6-4) in the Modern Constructed portion of Pro Tour Fate Reforged. Want to see what they played? Check our their decklists below! ...
article PRO TOUR FATE REFORGED February 8, 2015
by Wizards of the CoastThese players earned 18 match points (went 6-4) in the Modern Constructed portion of Pro Tour Fate Reforged. Want to see what they played? Check our their decklists below! ...
article Pro Tour Fate Reforged February 8, 2015
Semifinal: Antonio Del Moral León (Blue-Red Twin) vs. Jelger Wiegersma (Blue-Red Twin)
by Adam StyborskiIn his fifth Pro Tour Top 8, Jelger Wiegersma looked the same as he always did. As a member of the Hall of Fame with a team Pro Tour win notched on his belt already, Wiegersma was looking to...
article PRO TOUR FATE REFORGED February 8, 2015
Semifinals: Justin Cohen (Amulet Bloom) vs. Jesse Hampton (Abzan)
by Marc Calderaro"Are mulligans on camera too?" Jesse Hampton asked as he shipped his first hand back into his deck. He was assured they were not. "Good. I don't want to be criticized by the masses." He smiled....
article PRO TOUR FATE REFORGED February 8, 2015
Quarterfinals: Jelger Wiegersma (Splinter Twin) vs. (15) Jacob Wilson (Abzan)
by Jacob Van LunenIt's the old guard versus the new as up-and-comer Jacob Wilson faces off against Hall of Fame member Jelger Wiegersma. Platinum Pro and fifteenth-ranked Jacob Wilson is a rising star in the...
article PRO TOUR FATE REFORGED February 8, 2015
Quarterfinal: Antonio Del Moral León (Blue-Red Twin) vs. (6) Lee Shi Tian (Burn)
by Adam StyborskiIn his third Modern format Pro Tour, and fourth total of his career, sixth-ranked player Lee Shi Tian was a bundle of energy. Thanks to testing efforts with his teammates, he set aside his Jeskai...
article PRO TOUR FATE REFORGED February 8, 2015
Quarterfinals: Seth Manfield (Burn) vs. Justin Cohen (Amulet Bloom)
by Marc CalderaroYou might have seen their faces at a Grand Prix before, but both of these players are new to these Pro Tour Sunday lights. Though Gold-level Pro Seth Manfield is far from green, this is his...
article PRO TOUR FATE REFORGED February 8, 2015
Quarterfinals: (11) Eric Froehlich (Abzan) vs. Jesse Hampton (Abzan)
by Jacob Van LunenIt's been a long strange trip for Jesse Hampton. His journey started a few months ago; Hampton agreed to play the Team Limited Grand Prix in Nashville with his close friends Matthew Nass and...
article Pro Tour Fate Reforged February 8, 2015
by Wizards of the CoastMeet the eight players who battled their way to the Sunday playoff rounds of Pro Tour Fate Reforged! Eric Froehlich Age: 30 Hometown: Las Vegas, Nevada Limited Record: 5-1 Constructed...
article Pro Tour Fate Reforged February 8, 2015
by Marc CalderaroIt was only a few weeks ago that the banning and unbanning announcements shook the Modern metagame to its core. The safe deck choices were either no longer safe, or no longer possible. There were...
article PRO TOUR FATE REFORGED February 8, 2015
Pro Tour Fate Reforged Photo Essay
by Craig Gibson and Marc CalderaroNot all the stories at the Pro Tour can be told with words. Tell me, please tell me, how you can use words to discuss how Pro Tour Hall of Fame member and fourteenth–ranked Paul Rietzl is so...
article Pro Tour Fate Reforged February 8, 2015
by Jacob Van LunenWe're establishing a much clearer understanding of the new Modern metagame as we wrap up the final day at Pro Tour Fate Reforged. Only six archetypes managed to post undefeated records in the...
article Pro Tour Fate Reforged February 8, 2015
Digging Deeper into the Pro Tour Fate Reforged Top 8
by Adam StyborskiEvery player who earns the right to play on the Pro Tour wants to do well. Making the Day Two cut is the first hurdle, and fighting to make Top 8 is a supreme feat. Making it all the way through...
article Pro Tour Fate Reforged February 8, 2015
There's a First Time for Everything
by Marc CalderaroFor many of the people here, the Pro Tour is old hat. That doesn't mean it's easy—players test for weeks leading up to a each event—but it becomes easy to take things for granted. Ho hum,...
article Pro Tour Fate Reforged February 8, 2015
Round 16: (12) Samuel Black (Amulet Bloom) vs. Jesse Hampton (Abzan)
by Jacob Van LunenThe stakes are about as high as they get. This is the final round of Pro Tour Fate Reforged and the winner of this match will secure a spot in the Top 8 elimination rounds. These two have...
article Pro Tour Fate Reforged February 8, 2015
Round 15: (6) Lee Shi Tian (Burn) vs. Nathan Smith (Burn)
by Adam StyborskiLee Shi Tian: The sixth-ranked player, 2014 World Championship competitor, and three-time Pro Tour Top 8 contender, two of which came with the Modern format as well as last fall's Pro Tour Khans...
article PRO TOUR FATE REFORGED February 7, 2015
Round 14: Austin Bursavich (Infect) vs. Nathan Smith (Burn)
by Marc CalderaroIf Austin Bursavich has eluded your radar until this point, let this be the time he makes his first blip. Two-time Grand Prix Top 8 finisher Bursavich is a name that many players in the community...
article Pro Tour Fate Reforged February 7, 2015
The Measures and Milestones of Pro Tour Players
by Adam StyborskiDo you remember your first match of Magic? Perhaps you went to a local Friday Night Magic and first tried your hand at competitive play, or a friend pulled you to a Grand Prix or Pro Tour...
article Pro Tour Fate Reforged February 7, 2015
Round 13: Frank Karsten (Affinity) vs. Jelger Wiegersma (Splinter Twin)
by Jacob Van LunenIt's rare to see a pair of Hall of Famers playing against one another in the feature match area. It's downright magical to see a pair of Dutch Hall of Famers forced to face off when still in Top 8...
article PRO TOUR FATE REFORGED February 7, 2015
Round 12 Feature Match: (12) Samuel Black (Amulet Bloom) vs. Robin Dolar (Abzan)
by Adam StyborskiMaking the Top 8 of a Pro Tour is tough. Not only are you battling over two days against the best competitors in the world, you have to achieve a very good record along the way. Three, perhaps...
article PRO TOUR FATE REFORGED February 7, 2015
by Jacob Van LunenIt's no surprise that Abzan is the most played deck in the Modern portion of Pro Tour Fate Reforged. The deck is very clearly the most popular strategy in the wake of the banning of Dig Through...
article February 7, 2015
Day Two Modern Metagame Breakdown
by Adam StyborskiWhile the metagames at Pro Tours are always a little skewed, given the clustering of elite players from around the world, taking a look is always an interesting exercise. From our first glance...
article PRO TOUR FATE REFORGED February 7, 2015
Round 11 Feature Match: Pierre Dagen vs. Antonio Del Moral León
by Marc CalderaroThese two high-rolled two dice to see who would go first, and literally rolled five times, netting a tie each time. This is why the odd-even dice rolling is clearly superior. You'd think two...
article PRO TOUR FATE REFORGED February 7, 2015
Round 9 Feature Match: Jesse Hampton vs. (15) Jacob Wilson
by Jacob Van LunenJacob Wilson is a Platinum Pro from Canada with a Pro Tour Top 8 and four Grand Prix Top 8s already garnered in his short career. Wilson hopes to add another Pro Tour Top 8 to his resume this...
article PRO TOUR FATE REFORGED February 7, 2015
2015 World Magic Cup and World Championship Updates
by Helene BergeotWith the 2014–2015 Premier Play season in mid-swing, it's time to announce some important information regarding the 2015 World Championship, World Magic Cup Qualifiers, and the World Magic...
article PRO TOUR FATE REFORGED February 7, 2015
by Marc CalderaroFate Reforged is still new, but players at the Pro Tour must be fast learners. When drafting a new set, to help, players develop systems and ideas about the format. Maybe those plans are not the...
article PRO TOUR FATE REFORGED February 7, 2015
The Mana Matters of Fate Reforged
by Adam StyborskiFrank Karsten is known for a few things on the Pro Tour. He's a Hall of Fame player with a career spanning a decade and a half, racking up 6 Grand Prix and 3 Pro Tour Top 8s alongside a mammoth...
article Pro Tour Fate Reforged February 6, 2015
Pro Tour Fate Reforged Modern Metagame Breakdown
by Adam StyborskiWhat happens when a format gets reforged? While Grand Prix Omaha covered the Modern format a month ago, it was the swan song for Birthing Pod's place in the format. The shuffle of cards and decks...
article Pro Tour Fate Reforged February 7, 2015
by Marc CalderaroIt took very little time for people to realize that Abzan was the deck to beat. That doesn't mean it's the best-performing deck here today, nor the best deck as a whole. But coming into the...
article PRO TOUR FATE REFORGED February 7, 2015
by Jacob Van LunenComing into this weekend, the new Modern was an unexplored landscape. Players expected and were unsurprised by the presence of Abzan, Burn, Jeskai Control, Splinter Twin, and even more fringe...
article Pro Tour Fate Reforged February 7, 2015
Round 8: Jon Finkel (Infect) vs. Martin Müller (Abzan)
by Marc CalderaroThe last time we saw Jon Finkel in the text feature match area, he fell in two quick games to Jon Stern. That was the only time that the Hall of Fame member has lost today. He's sitting 6-1, and...
article PRO TOUR FATE REFORGED February 7, 2015
Round 7: Lukas Blohan (Blue-Red Twin) vs. (15) Jacob Wilson (Abzan)
by Adam StyborskiJacon Wilson was no stranger to the Pro Tour or Modern. With plenty of Grand Prix success and a Pro Tour Born of the Gods finals appearance last year, Wilson handily earned his slot as the...
article Pro Tour Fate Reforged February 6, 2015
Round 6: Andrew Cuneo (Infect) vs. Ken Yukuhiro (Abzan)
by Jacob Van LunenGold-Level Pro Andrew Cuneo is no stranger to the top tables at the Pro Tour. With two Pro Tour Top 8s and two Grand Prix Top 8s, the Pennsylvania native has proven that he can tango with the...
article Pro Tour Fate Reforged February 6, 2015
Round 5: (17) Patrick Chapin (Esper Delve) vs. Matthew Sperling (Affinity)
by Marc CalderaroIt's hard not to know the name Patrick Chapin. Pro Tour Hall of Fame member, Pro Tour Journey into Nyx champion, two-time runner-up to the World Championship, and currently ranked 17th in the...
article PRO TOUR FATE REFORGED February 6, 2015
Round 4 Feature Match: Kenji Tsumura vs. Jon Stern
by Adam StyborskiThe phrase "went undefeated through Draft" is a common one you can apply to Pro Tour Top 8 competitors. As the Pro Tour has grown in size over recent years, the importance of starting one, or...
article PRO TOUR FATE REFORGED February 6, 2015
There and Back Again—A Québécois' Journey
by Marc CalderaroPascal Maynard has burst into 2015 in supreme fashion. He's the definition of white hot. Last year the Quebec native moved away from the game after some bad beats, and took a break to only play in...
article PRO TOUR FATE REFORGED February 6, 2015
Round 3 Feature Match: Patrick Cox vs. (11) Eric Froehlich
by Jacob Van LunenAt this point Eric Froehlich, affectionately known as Efro, needs little introduction. The eleventh-ranked player in the world has a staggering three Pro Tour Top 8s and thirteen Grand Prix Top 8s...
article PRO TOUR FATE REFORGED February 6, 2015
Pro Tour Fate Reforged Modern Introduction
by Jacob Van LunenPro Tour Fate Reforged brings Modern to Magic’s biggest stage. Most of you are probably familiar with Modern after Pro Tour Born of the Gods and the World Championship, but this weekend promises...
article PRO TOUR FATE REFORGED February 6, 2015
Drafting Downwind with Sam Pardee
by Marc CalderaroUnlike how many Magic players would feel, some players are glad to sit down at the drafting table next to Pro Tour Hall of Fame member and Pro Tour Berlin 2008 Champion Luis Scott-Vargas. This...
article PRO TOUR FATE REFORGED February 6, 2015
Round 2 Feature Match: Jon Finkel vs. Jon Stern
by Marc CalderaroHaving the title of "two-time Grand Prix champion" would usually provide you some clout. Canadian native and Gold-level pro Jon Stern, has a strong pedigree to be sure. And Stern can usually use...
article PRO TOUR FATE REFORGED February 6, 2015
The Revolution's Secret Weapon
by Jacob Van LunenAt last year's Modern Pro Tour, Patrick Dickmann introduced himself to the world with his exciting new take on Splinter Twin. Dickmann's mastery of the Modern format makes him a favorite coming...
article PRO TOUR FATE REFORGED February 6, 2015
Round 1 Feature Match: (2) Ivan Floch vs (21) Craig Wescoe
by Adam StyborskiPlaying on the Pro Tour is a dream many players share. With qualifying tournaments held around the world nearly every weekend, the battle to earn the right is the first achievement the game's...
article PRO TOUR FATE REFORGED February 6, 2015
by Adam StyborskiWho is Paul Cheon? For the many that joined the game in recent years, it's a name that may not immediately ring a bell. Cheon's storied history brought him to the forefront of the game alongside...
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