With a powerful run by way of the decrease bracket, Nathan Steuer is the 2022 Magic: The Gathering World Champion after defeating finalist Eli Kassis in a 2-1 midrange battle.
Steuer earns $100,000 and turns into the Magic World Champion. This achievement comes in the course of the closing day of Magic30, a three-day Thirtieth-anniversary celebration for Magic: The Gathering. It’s the end result of an unbelievable aggressive 12 months for Steuer, who gained two Magic On-line Champions Showcase occasions in February and earlier in October.
His February victory put the group on discover with a rare 6-0 run by way of MOCS, foregoing the finals due to his undefeated run by way of each Restricted and Constructed. A number of weeks in the past Steuer dominated Pioneer by expertly piloting Izzet Phoenix.
All year long he made his argument as one of the best all-around Magic participant on the planet, profitable in a wide range of codecs and sustaining a excessive customary in every.
Regardless of Steuer’s Grixis Midrange being favored in a matchup towards the event deck Esper Midrange, which bore out throughout Steuer’s run by way of the decrease bracket, the actual hurdle was getting previous Kassis the participant.
Steuer had been defeated twice by Kassis previous to their finals assembly.
First, it was over the past spherical on day two, which practically eradicated Steuer from the event earlier than he managed to make it into the top-four bracket off tiebreakers. Then to begin the highest 4, Steuer suffered a 2-1 loss to Kassis, forcing the eventual champion to battle by way of the decrease bracket.
The finals matchup was a swingy battle between two midrange lists that may produce infinite quantities of worth. Like most midrange mirrors, it usually got here right down to hitting land drops. Each gamers had their moments of mana points and unhealthy beginning palms, forcing them to navigate by way of tough conditions. Steuer and Kassis performed tight video games, not leaving many simple openings for the opposite to reap the benefits of.
Within the closing recreation to resolve the event, Kassis struggled with mana and located himself caught on three lands. This gave Steuer the opening he wanted to safe match level and the Magic World Championship.
Kassis entered the finals because the top-ranked participant and ran by way of the higher bracket to cement his place within the finals. Final 12 months Kassis competed in his first World Championship. He got here into the top-four bracket with a 6-0 efficiency on day two and seemed like the person to beat.
The following main aggressive Magic occasion shall be in February 2023 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. The invite record will embrace all 32 gamers from the 2022 World Championship and prime performers from the New Capenna Championship and numerous Regional Championship occasions.
Will probably be the return of high-level tabletop Magic, which ought to current a problem for gamers who’ve been centered on competing digitally for practically three years.
