American Hall of Fame Magic: The Gathering pro player Reid Duke secured his spot in the top eight playoffs at the 2023 MTG World Championship after an intense day of matches. Duke was closely followed by veteran player Greg Orange and Frenchman Jean-Emmanuel Depraz.
The 2022-2023 Magic season featured the return of Pro Tour tabletop play, with players from around the world vying for a chance at the World Championship title. The tournament showcased two formats: Draft and Standard Constructed.
Duke, the winner of Pro Tour Phyrexia, had a strong start on day one and continued his success on day two with an impressive 6-1 record. He only suffered one loss during the Wilds of Eldraine Draft rounds but quickly bounced back with an undefeated run in the second set of three Draft rounds, utilizing a powerful three-color Sultai deck.
Needing just one more win to secure his spot in the top eight, Duke shifted to the Standard Constructed rounds and defeated Australian player Anthony Lee and his Golgari Midrange deck with his Domain Ramp deck, becoming the first player to advance into the top eight playoffs.
Here are the top eight players at the 2023 Magic World Championship and their Standard Constructed decks:
| Player | Deck |
|---|---|
| Reid Duke | Domain Ramp |
| Simon Nielsen | Azorius Soldiers |
| Kazune Kosaka | Esper Midrange |
| Willy Edel | Domain Ramp |
| Jean-Emmanuel Depraz | Esper Legends |
| Greg Orange | Bant Control |
| Lorenzo Terlizzi | Esper Midrange |
| Anthony Lee | Golgari Midrange |
Anthony Lee stood out during the tournament, going undefeated with one draw on day one. Eight players chose Golgari Midrange as their Standard Constructed deck, and Lee’s performance with it earned him a spot in the top eight.
The match between Willy Edel and Kenji Sego proved to be the most thrilling of day two. Edel narrowly made it to day two after a match against World Champion Yuta Takahashi, where both players needed a fourth win to advance. The game reached its time limit, and Takahashi conceded, allowing Edel to move forward.
In the final match of day two, Edel faced off against Sego in another Golgari Midrange versus Esper Midrange matchup. The last game ended in a draw, and Sego conceded, ultimately granting Edel a place in the top eight. Three matches on day two ended in draws that turned into concessions.
Fans can catch all the action of the top eight playoffs at the 2023 Magic World Championship starting at 12pm CT.
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Source: DOTESPORTS
