
Multimedias
- Day Three Wrap-up (9.7 MB zip)
- Top 8 Draft (28 MB zip)
- Pregame (16 MB zip)
- Quarterfinals (110 MB zip)
- Semifinals (66 MB zip)
- Final (69 MB zip)
- The Great Designer Search Finalists (13 MB zip)
- Day Two Wrap-up (11 MB zip)
- Tricks with Momentary Blink (21 MB zip)
- First-pick Fantasies (4.1 MB zip)
- Sage Advice (2.9 MB zip)
- Day One Wrap-up (8.3 MB zip)
- World Travel on the Pro Tour (15 MB zip)
- Ranking the Top Commons (4.4 MB zip)
- Overrated and Underrated Cards (6.2 MB zip)
- Pronouncing "Phthisis" (4.4 MB zip)
- Herberholz Stands Tall at 7-0 (10 MB zip)
Podcasts:
- Saturday, 9:01 p.m.: Hurtling Toward the Top 8 (14 MB mp3)
- Saturday, 6:52 p.m.: The Meat of the Order (6.9 MB mp3)
- Saturday, 2:24 p.m.: At the Top of the Day Two Standings (9.7 MB mp3)
- Friday, 9:01 p.m.: Cutting the Field (18 MB mp3)
- Friday, 5:36 p.m.: Getting the Flavor of Time Spiral Draft (13 MB mp3)
- Friday, 1:28 p.m.: Day One Begins (6.3 MB mp3)
The past may have been on everyone's timeshifted minds this week at Pro Tour - Kobe, but it was a glimpse into the future that demanded attention.
A masterful final game by 17-year-old Jan-Moritz Merkel earned him a championship in his first appearance on the Pro Tour. A native of Hamburg, Germany, Merkel harkened back to the days of the legendary Kai Budde in winning the first individual Pro Tour for his country since 2003.
Drafting a blue-green creature-heavy deck with strong morph undertones, Merkel faced Willy Edel's army of saprolings in the Kobe finals. Merkel captured victory by morphing his Brine Elemental after Edel's miscalculated alpha strike. That locked Edel's defenses and the pseudo- Time Walk allowed Merkel's Errant Ephemeron to strike twice to seal the win.
In discussing Magic's past and future, you can't ignore its present. For the last two seasons, the Japanese have dominated the game like so many Kais. Reigning Player of the Year Kenji Tsumura was one of three who defended their nation's home turf in the Pro Tour-Kobe Top 8, but he, Tomoharu Saito, and Takahiro Suzuki all fell in the quarterfinals.
That left Merkel to dispatch Bastien Perez and Edel to triumph over Thomas Didierjean in the semifinals. Edel was hoping to add a first-place trophy to his runner-up finish as part of Raaala Pumba at Pro Tour-Charleston earlier this season, but time wasn't on his side.
A few months ago, Jan-Moritz Merkel was heading to a Pro Tour Qualifier with dreams of walking amongst the giants. His time has arrived: he's a Pro Tour champion.
top 8 bracket

- Day 2 Blog Archive: Sneak Peek at Standard, Tough Brackets at the PTQ, Photo Journalism, and More!
by Ted Knutson
- Day 1 Blog Archive: Baseball, Bubble-Bubble, Eating Crow, and More!
by Brian David-Marshall
EVENT COVERAGE
- Finals: Pressure and Skill
Jan-Moritz Merkel vs. Willy Edelby Scott Johns - Semifinals: Both Green – In More Ways Than One
Bastien Perez vs. Jan-Moritz Merkelby Ted Knutson - Semifinals: Making Fungus, Making Faces
Thomas Didierjean vs. Willy Edelby Noah Weil - Quarterfinals: Fire and Niceties
Thomas Didierjean vs. Bram Snepvangersby Noah Weil - Quarterfinals: That Warm Embrace
Takahiro Suzuki vs. Willy Edelby Scott Johns - Quarterfinals: Out of Nowhere
Bastien Perez vs. Kenji Tsumuraby Ted Knutson - Quarterfinals: Cinderella Story Continues
Tomoharu Saito vs. Jan-Moritz Merkelby Kelly Digges - Decklists: The Top 8 Decks
by Event Coverage Staff
- Draft Viewer: The Top 8 Draft
by Event Coverage Staff
- The Top 8 Draft: Complete Pack List
by Event Coverage Staff
- Feature: The Top 8 Player Profiles
by Event Coverage Staff
- Round 15: For the Glory
Thomas Gundersen vs. Kenji Tsumuraby Brian David-Marshall - Round 14: Tricks and Traps
Kitamaya Maseya vs. Kenji Tsumuraby Noah Weil - Feature: Rules Mayhem!
by Scott Johns
- Feature: Quick Hits, Draft Table One
by Event Coverage Staff
- Round 13: Fast and Furious
Masami Ibamoto vs. Bastien Perezby Scott Johns - Round 12: TS on TS in TS
Tomoharu Saito vs. Takahiro Suzukiby Noah Weil - Draft Viewer: Draft 5, Table 1
by Event Coverage Staff
- Draft Four: Table Two – Signals in Action
by Noah Weil and Scott Johns
- Round 11: Living the Suite Life
Mike Thompson vs. Kenji Tsumuraby Brian David-Marshall - Round 10: The Blue-Red Blues
Nick Eisel vs. Amiel Tenenbaumby Scott Johns - Decklists: Kobe Legacy Tournament Top 8
by Event Coverage Staff
- Feature: Quick Hits, vol. 2
by Event Coverage Staff
- Round 9: Blink and You'll Miss It
Amiel Tenenbaum vs. David Felskeby Brian David-Marshall - Round 8: Rage and Sage
Tomoharu Saito vs. Mark Herberholzby Noah Weil - Draft Three: Tomoharu Saito at 6-0
by Noah Weil
- Info: Day 2 Player List
by Event Coverage Staff
- Info: Day 2 Country Breakdown
by Event Coverage Staff
- Decklists: The 6-0 Drafters
by Event Coverage Staff
- Photo Essay: Tour of Day One
by Scott Johns and Craig Gibson
- Round 7: The Frenchman and the Englishman
Pierre Canali vs. Quentin Martinby Ted Knutson - Round 6: Is There an Echo in Here?
Sam Gomersall vs. Paulo Vitor Damo da Rosaby Scott Johns - Round 5: Breakfast of Champions
Tom Van de Logt vs. Shuhei Nakamuraby Noah Weil - Feature: Quick Hits, vol. 1
by Event Coverage Staff
- Round 4: Teammates to the Death
Ben Lundquist vs. Paul Cheonby Ted Knutson - Round 3: "You playing first?"
Sam Gomersall vs. Antoine Ruelby Noah Weil - Draft Viewer: Draft 2
by Event Coverage Staff
- Round 2: "Bluff Master!"
Osyp Lebedowicz vs. Shuu Komuroby Scott Johns - Round 1: Old Hands, New Faces
Steve Sadin vs. Tommi Hoviby Ted Knutson - Draft One: Reports From the Floor
by Noah Weil and Event Coverage Staff
- Info: Day 1 Player List
by Event Coverage Staff
- Info: Day 1 Country Breakdown
by Event Coverage Staff
FINAL TOP 8 STANDINGS
1. Jan-Moritz Merkel | $40,000 | |
2. Willy Edel | $22,000 | |
3. Bastien Perez | $15,000 | |
4. Thomas Didierjean | $14,000 | |
5. Kenji Tsumura | $11,500 | |
6. Bram Snepvangers | $11,000 | |
7. Tomoharu Saito | $10,500 | |
8. Takahiro Suzuki | $10,000 |