This weekend the professional circuit got its first look at Ixalan Limited but it wasn't the sort of preparation many need for the Pro Tour. Instead, the Grand Prix in Shizuoka and Providence were Team Limited events. Teams received a bounty of boosters to build their decks and as is often the case, some of the game's very best rose to the occasion. Across both Top 4 drafts there were four current Hall of Famers and a single member Hall of Fame Class of 2017 - to be inducted in a few short weeks.
It was the inductee - Martin Juza - whose triumphed over two other other Hall of Famers in the finals of Grand Prix Providence. Juza, along Andrew Baeckstrom and Corey Burkhart took down the Peach Garden Oath of Owen Turtenwald, Huey Jensen, and Reid Duke. On the other side of the globe the team of Michio Abe, Syo Hayakawa, and Kentarou Tachibana emerged triumphant. They beat the team of Kelvin Chew, Lee Shi Tian, and Jeremy Dezani in the Top 4 before taking out two Hall of Famers - Shoota Yasooka and Yuuya Wantanabe (with Hajime Nakamura as the third) in the finals.
Congratulations to this weekend's winners!
(Chapman) Michio Abe, Syo Hayakawa and Kentarou Tachibana are your #gpShizuoka (Autumn 2017) Champions! pic.twitter.com/NqytDW0O80
— Magic Pro Tour (@magicprotour) October 1, 2017
Congratulation to #GPPVD 2017 Winners Andrew Baeckstrom, Martin Juza, and Corey Burkhart! pic.twitter.com/ZqTeVItSgI
— Magic Pro Tour (@magicprotour) October 1, 2017