Magic: The Gathering Pro Tour season 1999–2000

The 1999–2000 Pro Tour season was the fifth season of the Magic: The Gathering Pro Tour. It began on 3 September 1999 with Pro Tour Boston and ended on 6 August 2000 with the conclusion of 2000 World Championship in Brussels. The season consisted of twenty Grand Prixs, and six Pro Tours, located in Washington D.C., London, Chicago, Los Angeles, New York, and Brussels. At the end of the season Bob Maher, Jr. was awarded the Pro Player of the year title.

1999–2000 Pro Tour season
Pro Player of the YearUnited States Bob Maher, Jr.
Rookie of the YearUnited States Brian Davis
World ChampionUnited States Jon Finkel
Pro Tours6
Grands Prix20
Start of season3 September 1999
End of season6 August 2000

Mode

edit

Six Pro Tours and 20 Grand Prix were held in the 1999–2000 season. Based on final standings Pro Points were awarded as follows:[1]

Rank Pro Points awarded at
Pro Tour
(individual)
Pro Tour
(teams)
Grand Prix
(individual)
Grand Prix
(teams)
Worlds
(team)
1 32 24 6 4 5
2 24 12 5 3 4
3–4 16 10 4 2 3
5–8 12 8 3 1 2
9–12 8 6 2 1 1
13–16 8 6 2
17–24 7 4 1
25–32 6 3 1
33–48 5 2
49–64 4 1
65–128 3 1
129+ 2 1

Pro Tour – Washington D.C. (3–5 September 1999)

edit

Washington D.C. was the first team Pro Tour. In a high-profile Top 8 featuring six players who were later inducted into the Hall of Fame, team Your Move Games (YMG) came out on top. YMG consisted of Dave Humpherys, Rob Dougherty, and Darwin Kastle, all eventual members of the Hall of Fame.[2]

Tournament data

edit

Players: 243 (81 teams)
Prize Pool: $100,230[3]
Format: Urza's Saga Team Sealed (Urza's Saga, Urza's Legacy, Urza's Destiny) – first day, Urza's Saga Team Rochester Draft (Urza's Saga-Urza's Legacy-Urza's Destiny) – final two days
Head Judge: Mike Guptil[4]

Top 8

edit
Semifinals Semi-finals
      
1 Game Empire 2
4 THL
Game Empire
Your Move Games 2
2 Your Move Games 2
3 Antarctica

Final standings

edit
Place Team Player Prize Pro Points Comment
1 Your Move Games   Rob Dougherty $30,000 24 2nd Final day
  Dave Humpherys 24 2nd Final day
  Darwin Kastle 24 4th Final day
2 Game Empire   Kurt Burgner $15,000 12 2nd Final day
  Alan Comer 12 3rd Final day
  Brian Selden 12 2nd Final day
3 Antarctica   Jon Finkel $9,000 10 6th Final day
  Steven O'Mahoney-Schwartz 10 3rd Final day
  Daniel O'Mahoney-Schwartz 10
4 THL   Marc Aquino $7,500 10
  Richard Jones 10
  Drew McLean 10

Grand Prixs – Tohoku, Memphis, Lisbon

edit

Pro Tour – London (15–17 October 1999)

edit

Kyle Rose won Pro Tour London, defeating Austrian Thomas Preyer in the finals.[5] Darwin Kastle's back to back Top 8 appearances in Washington and London brought him to five final day appearance in his career.[2]

Tournament data

edit

Players: 310[6]
Prize pool: $151,635
Format: Urza's Saga Booster Draft (Urza's Saga-Urza's Legacy-Urza's Destiny)
Head Judge: Carl Crook[4]

Top 8

edit
Quarter-finals Semi-finals Finals
         
1 Mike Bregoli 3
8 Darwin Kastle 0
Mike Bregoli 0
Kyle Rose 3
5 Kyle Rose 3
4 William Jensen 0
Kyle Rose 3
Thomas Preyer 1
3 Gunnar Refsdahl 2
6 Thomas Preyer 3
Thomas Preyer 3
Ben Rubin 2
7 Marc Hernandez 0
2 Ben Rubin 3

Final standings

edit
Place Player Prize Pro Points Comment
1   Kyle Rose $25,000 32 3rd Final day
2   Thomas Preyer $15,000 24
3   Mike Bregoli $10,000 16
4   Ben Rubin $8,000 16 3rd Final day
5   Gunnar Refsdal $6,500 12
6   William Jensen $5,500 12
7   Marc Hernandez $4,800 12
8   Darwin Kastle $4,300 12 5th Final day

Grand Prixs – Kyushu, Sao Paulo, Milan, San Diego, Tours

edit

Pro Tour – Chicago (3–5 December 1999)

edit

Bob Maher, Jr. won Pro Tour Chicago playing a blue-green-white control deck. He defeated Brian Davis in the finals 3–2. First time Pro Tour attendant Davis reportedly played so horribly, that around spectators the joke went, that Davis was the first to have played 5–0 in the finals and lost, referring to their perception that he could and should have won every single game.[2]

Tournament data

edit

Prize pool: $151,635
Players: 344
Format: Extended
Head Judge: Nat Fairbanks[4]

Top 8

edit
Quarter-finals Semi-finals Finals
         
1 Christian Lührs 3
8 Hector Fuentes 1
Christian Lührs 1
Bob Maher, Jr. 3
5 Bob Maher, Jr. 3
4 Dirk Baberowski 0
Bob Maher, Jr. 3
Brian Davis 2
3 Brian Davis 3
6 Tony Dobson 1
Brian Davis 3
Raphaël Lévy 0
7 Raphaël Lévy 3
2 Alan Comer 0

Final standings

edit
Place Player Prize Pro Points Comment
1   Bob Maher, Jr. $25,000 32
2   Brian Davis $15,000 24 Pro Tour debut
3   Christian Lührs $10,000 16 2nd Final day
4   Raphaël Lévy $8,000 16 2nd Final day
5   Alan Comer $6,500 12 4th Final day
6   Dirk Baberowski $5,500 12 2nd Final day
7   Tony Dobson $4,800 12
8   Hector Fuentes $4,300 12 1st Spaniard in a Top 8

Grand Prixs – Manila, Seattle, Madrid

edit

Pro Tour – Los Angeles (4–6 February 2000)

edit

Trevor Blackwell defeated Chris Benafel in the finals to become Pro Tour Los Angeles champion.[2]

Tournament data

edit

Prize pool: $151,635
Players: 337
Format: Mercadian Masques Booster Draft (Mercadian Masques)
Head Judge: Dan Gray[4]

Top 8

edit
Quarter-finals Semi-finals Finals
         
1 Kurt Burgner 3
8 Brian Selden 0
Kurt Burgner 0
Trevor Blackwell 3
4 Trevor Blackwell 3
5 Andrew Nishioka 0
Trevor Blackwell 3
Chris Benafel 1
3 Bruce Cowley 1
6 Mike Long 3
Mike Long 2
Chris Benafel 3
2 Erno Ekebom 0
7 Chris Benafel 3

Final standings

edit
Place Player Prize Pro Points Comment
1   Trevor Blackwell $25,000 32
2   Chris Benafel $15,000 24
3   Kurt Burgner $10,000 16 3rd Final day
4   Mike Long $8,000 16 4th Final day
5   Erno Ekebom $6,500 12
6   Bruce Cowley $5,500 12
7   Andrew Nishioka $4,800 12
8   Brian Selden $4,300 12 3rd Final day

Grand Prix – Taipei, Philadelphia, Cannes, Kuala Lumpur, Frankfurt

edit

Pro Tour – New York (14–16 April 2000)

edit

Sigurd Eskeland won Pro Tour New York, defeating Warren Marsh in the finals.[2] Eskeland played a blue control-deck with the centerpiece of the deck being Rising Waters.[7] His opponent played the deck most present at this tournament, Rebels.[8] PT New York is considered to be the first time where there was a dominant deck at a Pro Tour, the deck did not win the tournament.

43% of the players entering the tournament had chosen rebel decks. On the second day of the tournament rebels were even more present, comprising and unprecedented 57% of the field. These numbers were again topped by the final eight where six of eight decks were rebel decks.[9] In contrast the winning Rising Waters deck comprised only 8.4% of the field on day one and 14.5% on day two. In the top eight the two non-rebel decks were both Rising Waters decks. Rising Waters on both days had the highest winning percentage of all decks played with 60% on day one and 53.8% on day two.[10]

Tournament data

edit

Players: 310
Prize pool: $151,635
Format: Mercadian Masques Block Constructed (Mercadian Masques, Nemesis)
Location: New York State Armory
Head Judge: Cyril Grillon[4]

Top 8

edit
Quarter-finals Semi-finals Finals
         
1 John Larkin 1
8 Mattias Kettil 3
Mattias Kettil 2
Sigurd Eskeland 3
5 Sigurd Eskeland 3
4 Travis Turning 1
Sigurd Eskeland 3
Warren Marsh 1
3 Mike Bregoli 0
6 Warren Marsh 3
Warren Marsh 3
Ben Rubin 1
7 John Hunka 1
2 Ben Rubin 3

Final standings

edit
Place Player Prize Pro Points Comment
1   Sigurd Eskeland $25,000 32 1st Norwegian to win a Pro Tour
2   Warren Marsh $15,000 24
3   Ben Rubin $10,000 16 4th Final day
4   Mattias Kettil $8,000 16
5   John Larkin $6,500 12 1st Irish Player in a Top 8
6   Mike Bregoli $5,500 12 2nd Final day
7   Travis Turning $4,800 12
8   John Hunka $4,300 12

Winner's deck

edit

Sigurd Eskeland played a blue control-deck with the centerpiece of the deck being Rising Waters.

Sigurd Eskeland – 1999–2000 Pro Tour New York champion
Main Deck: Sideboard:

4 Drake Hatchling
4 Stinging Barrier
4 Waterfront Bouncer
4 Eye of Ramos
3 Seal of Removal
4 Gush
4 Rising Waters
1 Brainstorm
3 Counterspell
4 Thwart
3 Daze

18 Island
4 Rishadan Port

2 Bribery
1 Counterspell
1 Hoodwink
2 Island
3 Misdirection
2 Rath's Edge
1 Seal of Removal
4 Stronghold Zeppelin

Team Challenge

edit

The Team Challenge was a predecessor to the Masters Series events that were held from 2000 to 2003. These events were open only to the most accomplished players and awarded cash prizes even for entering the tournament. The Team Challenge at Pro Tour New York 2000 awarded $3,000 for entering the tournament, $9,000 to the runners-up team, and $15,000 to the winners. Four teams were invited to enter the tournament.[11] In a field composed of otherwise American teams the French team Black Ops defeated Game Empire and Antarctica to win the tournament.

Semi-finals Finals
      
1 Antarctica 2
4 Your Move Games 1
Antarctica 1
Black Ops 2
3 Black Ops 2
2 Game Empire 1
Team Player Team Player
Antarctica   Daniel O'Mahoney-Schwartz Game Empire   Brian Selden
  Jon Finkel   Alan Comer
  Steven O'Mahoney-Schwartz   Kurt Burgner
Black Ops   Florent Jeudon Your Move Games   Rob Dougherty
  Antoine Ruel   Dave Humpherys
  Olivier Ruel   Darwin Kastle

Grand Prixs – Nagoya, St. Louis, Copenhagen, Pittsburgh

edit

2000 World Championships – Brussels (2–6 August 2000)

edit

Jon Finkel won the 2000 World Championship, defeating teammate Bob Maher, Jr. in the finals. The second place allowed Maher to take the Pro Player of the year title, surpassing Darwin Kastle in the final standings. Finkel became the second player to win two Pro Tours and the first with seven Top 8 appearances. The US team won the national team competition, also with Finkel as reigning national champion at its head.[2]

Tournament data

edit

Prize pool: $201,620 (individual) + $50,000 (national teams)[12]
Players: 273
Individual formats: Formats: Mercadian Masques Booster Draft (Mercadian Masques-Nemesis-Prophecy), Mercadian Masques Block Constructed (Mercadian Masques, Nemesis, Prophecy), Standard
Team Format: Standard
Head Judge: Cyril Grillon[4]

Top 8

edit
Quarter-finals Semi-finals Finals
         
1 Dominik Hothow 3
8 Nicolas Labarre 1
Dominik Hothow 0
Bob Maher, Jr. 3
5 Helmut Summersberger 2
4 Bob Maher, Jr. 3
Bob Maher, Jr. 2
Jon Finkel 3
3 Tom van de Logt 2
6 Benedikt Klauser 3
Benedikt Klauser 1
Jon Finkel 3
7 Janosch Kühn 1
2 Jon Finkel 3

Final standings

edit
Place Player Prize Pro Points Comment
1   Jon Finkel $34,000 32 7th Final day, 2nd Pro Tour win
2   Bob Maher, Jr. $22,000 24 2nd Final day
3   Dominik Hothow $16,000 16
4   Benedikt Klauser $13,000 16 2nd Final day
5   Tom van de Logt $11,000 12
6   Helmut Summersberger $9,500 12
7   Janosch Kühn $8,250 12 2nd Final day
8   Nicolas Labarre $7,250 12 3rd Final day

National team competition

edit
  1.   United States (Jon Finkel, Chris Benafel, Frank Hernandez, Aaron Forsythe)
  2.   Canada (Ryan Fuller, Murray Evans, Gabriel Tsang, Sam Lau)

Pro Player of the year final standings

edit

After the World Championship Bob Maher, Jr. was awarded the Pro Player of the year title.[13]

Rank Player Pro Points
1   Bob Maher, Jr. 72
2   Darwin Kastle 69
3   Jon Finkel 68
4   Alex Shvartsman 58
5   Trevor Blackwell 50
  Ben Rubin 50

References

edit
  1. ^ "DCI Invitation Policy For Magic: The Gathering Tournaments 1999 – 2000 Professional Season". Wizards of the Coast. 2000. Archived from the original on 18 August 2000. Retrieved 29 April 2016.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: unfit URL (link)
  2. ^ a b c d e f Rosewater, Mark (26 July 2004). "On Tour, Part 1". Wizards of the Coast. Archived from the original on 19 October 2008. Retrieved 1 December 2008.
  3. ^ "Pro Tour Results Archive Pro Tour – Washington DC, 1999". Wizards of the Coast. Archived from the original on 11 February 2001. Retrieved 29 April 2016.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: unfit URL (link)
  4. ^ a b c d e f "Head Judges of Pro Tours and World Championships". XS4ALL. 30 October 2009. Retrieved 16 November 2009.
  5. ^ "Online Coverage Pro Tour London". Wizards of the Coast. 17 October 1999. Archived from the original on 18 June 2000. Retrieved 29 April 2016.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: unfit URL (link)
  6. ^ "Online Coverage Pro Tour London Round 1 Standings". Wizards of the Coast. 15 October 1999. Archived from the original on 3 March 2001. Retrieved 29 April 2016.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: unfit URL (link)
  7. ^ "Top 8 Decks". 15 April 2000. Archived from the original on 2 May 2001. Retrieved 1 April 2009.
  8. ^ "Day 1 Deck Breakdown". 14 April 2000. Archived from the original on 6 November 2001. Retrieved 1 April 2009.
  9. ^ Buehler, Randy (June 2000). "Pro Tour–New York Back to the Armory". The Sideboard. 5 (2): 4–7.
  10. ^ "Hard Data". The Sideboard. 5 (2): 18. June 2000.
  11. ^ Buehler, Randy (16 April 2000). "Magic: The Gathering Team Challenge 2000 Semifinals". The Sideboard (online). Archived from the original on 3 November 2001. Retrieved 4 August 2009.
  12. ^ "DCI Invitation Policy For Magic: The Gathering Tournaments 1999 – 2000 Professional Season". Wizards of the Coast. 2000. Appendix B: Prize Schedules. Archived from the original on 18 August 2000. Retrieved 5 March 2018.
  13. ^ "1999–2000 Player of the Year Standings". Wizards of the Coast. 2000. Archived from the original on 2 June 2009. Retrieved 1 April 2009.