The Grand Prix circuit took a break from Standard this weekend. Instead over 4,600 players arrived at Grand Prix in
Kobe and Copenhagen to take their turn at Modern. Known for being an incredibly diverse tournament format, the weekend provided some relief from a Standard format seemingly dominated by Aetherworks Marvel. When it came to the elimination rounds there were 14 distinct archetypes across both Top 8s (although to be fair this does include two stripes of Death's Shadow decks).
First up was Kobe. The Top 8 in Japan featured 8 different archetypes: Ad Nauseum Combo, Affinity, Esper Control, Grixis Shadow Shadow, Dredge, Jeskai Control, Eldrazi Tron, and White-Black Eldrazi. The finals came down to White-Black Eldrazi, in the hands of veteran Joe Soh, against Terumasa Kojima and Dredge. The interplanar beings triumphed over the undead and Joe Soh emerged victorious.
(Chapman) Joe Soh of Malaysia wins #gpkobe 2017, improving upon his 2nd place finish from #gokobe 2015! Congrats! pic.twitter.com/ABuQCA26A6
— Magic Pro Tour (@magicprotour) May 28, 2017
White-Black Eldrazi - Modern | Joe Soh, Winner Grand Prix Kobe
- Creatures (16)
- 1 Shriekmaw
- 3 Reality Smasher
- 4 Thought-Knot Seer
- 4 Tidehollow Sculler
- 4 Wasteland Strangler
- Sorceries (9)
- 1 Collective Brutality
- 1 Thoughtseize
- 3 Inquisition of Kozilek
- 4 Lingering Souls
- Instants (7)
- 1 Dismember
- 2 Fatal Push
- 4 Path to Exile
- Artifacts (5)
- 1 Ratchet Bomb
- 4 Relic of Progenitus
- Lands (23)
- 1 Plains
- 3 Swamp
- 1 Fetid Heath
- 2 Godless Shrine
- 4 Caves of Koilos
- 4 Concealed Courtyard
- 4 Eldrazi Temple
- 4 Mutavault
- Sideboard (15)
- 1 Cast Out
- 1 Disenchant
- 1 Thoughtseize
- 2 Blessed Alliance
- 2 Kalitas, Traitor of Ghet
- 2 Surgical Extraction
- 3 Fulminator Mage
- 3 Stony Silence
Moving to Copenhagen there was another Top 8 with eight distinct archetypes: Grixis Shadow, Lantern Control, Living End, Titan Shift, Storm, Dredge, Counter Company, and Death's Shadow. The finals in Denmark saw Grixis Shadow in the hands of Mattia Rizzi against Living End piloted by Cristian Ortiz Ros. Rizzi overcame a tough matchup and a deck registration error - he included Flooded Strand over Scalding Tarn on his decklist and was allowed to make the swap with a warning - and a self-proclaimed nightmare matchup to hoist the trophy. We are presenting the winner's decklist with the lands played, not registered.
(Tobi) Congratulations to Mattia Rizzi who beat Cristian Ortiz Ros 2-0 in the finals to become the champion of #gpcopen 2017! pic.twitter.com/dJ7xu6oE3k
— Magic Pro Tour (@magicprotour) May 28, 2017
Grixis Shadow - Modern | Mattia Rizzi, Winner Grand Prix Copenhagen
- Creatures (16)
- 2 Gurmag Angler
- 2 Tasigur, the Golden Fang
- 4 Death's Shadow
- 4 Snapcaster Mage
- 4 Street Wraith
- Sorceries (10)
- 2 Inquisition of Kozilek
- 4 Serum Visions
- 4 Thoughtseize
- Instants (15)
- 2 Kolaghan's Command
- 2 Lightning Bolt
- 2 Stubborn Denial
- 2 Terminate
- 3 Fatal Push
- 4 Thought Scour
- Lands (19)
- 1 Island
- 1 Swamp
- 1 Steam Vents
- 2 Blood Crypt
- 2 Watery Grave
- 4 Bloodstained Mire
- 4 Polluted Delta
- 4 Scalding Tarn