Grand Prix Toronto

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Happy Saturday MTG peeps,

We just wanted to give you a heads up as to the Toronto Grand Prix Trial at OMG! Games here in Barrie, Ontario.  Winning this Sunday at the GP Trial at OMG! Games gives you not only 2 Byes at GP Toronto but also nets you a highly sought-after From the Vault: 20 box.  Here's the 4.1.1. you need to know . . .

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GPT Toronto

Date:  Sunday 10th November, 2013

Time:   Registration opens at 11:00am, play starts at 12:00pm

Location:  OMG! Games, 130 Bellfarm Rd., Barrie, Ontario L4M 6J4

Cost: $30.00 Entry

Format:  Theros Sealed
Modified Swiss pairings with 50 minute timed rounds.
Cut to untimed top 8 draft.
Competitive Rel. event

Prizes:
1st - A From the Vault 20, VIP entry and 2 Byes at GP Toronto
2nd - From the Vault 20
3rd-8th- store credit based on attendance
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Grand Prix Toronto

Date: November 29 - December 1, 2013
Format: Theros Sealed Deck/Booster Draft
Tournament Location
The International Centre -- Hall 1
6900 Airport Rd, Mississauga ON
Click here for map
Registration: $45 CDN
On-site Registration:
Friday, November 29: 2 p.m. – 8 p.m.
Saturday, November 30: 8 a.m. – 9:45 a.m.
Sleep-in Special and VIP packages will be available.

In addition to a challenging Sealed Deck/Booster Draft main event, the weekend offers something to appeal to Magic players of every taste and ability. It doesn't matter if you're coming for just a couple of hours or committed to the entire weekend, Grand Prix Toronto has something for you. The schedule features such events as constructed tournaments offering major prizes and casual Two-Headed Giant and Commander formats, culminating with the increasingly popular Sunday Super Series, That tournament offers a trip to Seattle to hobnob with the folks from Wizards of the Coast next February! Visit www.westcanevents.com for a full side-event schedule, as well as a list of vendors, artists, and additional info. 
Special artist guests for this event will be Chris Rahn, Zack Stella and Noah Bradley.


The first 750 registered players in Grand Prix Toronto will receive this Colossus of Akros playmat (while supplies last). 
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GP Toronto

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Happy Monday MTG peeps,

Over the weekend, more than 1,050 Magic the Gathering players traveled from far flung exotic locations to participate in the Grand Prix championship tournament in Toronto.  

Approximately a dozen players from our own local gaming store, OMG! Games in Barrie, Ontario made the trek down to vie for fame and fortune in this Modern format tournament.  We don't think Team Barrie broke into the top 100 standings but will catch up with them latter to confirm.

The metagame clearly favoured Jund, and Red-Green Tron, with Scapeshift, Twin, and Robots making a solid showing as well.  At the end of Day Two Willy Edel of Rio de Janeiro beat out Californian Sam Pardee to take the title of Grand Prix Toronto Champion.  A great showing by fellow Canadians Jon Stern, Collin Morton, Alon Chitiz, and James Vance all found seats at the Top 8 finals table.

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The deck we here at MTG Realm that most interested us was a Black / White tokens build, piloted by American player Melissa DeTora who took 9th Place in the tournament.  Why do we love this build - well mostly because we actually own most of the cards and have had a lot of fun playing something similar.  With a few minor tweaks and an acquisition from MTG Mint Card, we will have a Modern deck to take to the gaming store.  Here's a quick look at Melissa's deck . . .

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GP Toronto

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Happy Thursday MTG peeps,

We've noticed quite a few friends over at OMG! Games here in Barrie working on Modern format lists for the last few weeks but really thought not too much of it until we realised today that a Toronto will be hosting a 2012 Grand Prix tournament in less a month from now and yes- the format is standard.

Here's the 4.1.1. you need to know -   

Date: Dec. 8-9, 2012
Description:    Grand Prix: Toronto
Format: Modern Constructed
Location: Toronto Congress Center (South), 650 Dixon Rd., Toronto, M9W1J1

Times: Onsite Registration - Friday 3pm-9pm, Saturday 8:00am-9:45am.
Saturday - 10:00 am seating posted for player meeting
Sunday - 9:00 am seating posted for player meeting

Entry Fee: $40

Prizes: Each Grand Prix tournament has a prize purse of $30,000, with a first-place prize of $3,500 (prizes subject to change).

Artists in attendance: Raymond Swanland, Winona Nelson, Anthony Palumbo

Very slick playmat and Lotus Cobra promo available!

WestCan Events GP: Toronto Page
WotC Grand Prix page

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We here at MTG Realm really are kitchen table / Friday Night Magic folk to the core and really have not attended a large professional event.  For that matter, we've not even played Modern format either but are certainly willing to address both these challenges.

Modern is a constructed format that allows expansion sets and core sets from Eighth Edition forward, save for the Modern ban list. The modern format thus encompasses all cards that have been printed in a set using the modern Card Frame. The format was officially codified on August 12, 2011. 

The deck we are contemplating of putting together is not only easy but fairly inexpensive as well.  We have most the cards as we had played a similar 'Soul Sisters' deck before.  We do need to get some last minute shopping done at MTG Mint Card to complete the deck - namely Martyr of Sands, Ranger of Eos, and some more Spectral Procession.  Here's a quick peek of the work in progress . . .

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