Slingin' them spells.
As most of you know the Belgian MTG nationals were this weekend. I hadn't really planned on playing, let alone on doing well - especially since I literally haven't touched a non-digital card since last year's nationals - but after two days I found myself in the top 8.
Sadly, I would be facing FriedM in the quarterfinals.
After some soul searching I decided to scoop to ensure that he is qualified for all of next year's Pro Tours. He's a friend, I feel he really, really deserves it after working hard for a couple of years and I know how frustrating it is to be soooo close and not making it.
Thankfully karma seems to actually exist. Because I finished first in the swiss rounds, I'm officially fifth. Now it seems there's a good chance that one of the people in the top four isn't going, which would not only qualify me for Worlds in New York as part of the Belgian national team but would also ensure me a ticket. And there's more!
Because I scooped to Fried I was on time to play in the Pro Tour qualifier for Kuala Lumpur and won it, getting another plane ticket out of the deal. No splits here, no sir.
So now all of a sudden I'm (most likely) qualified for two Pro Tours and if I don't screw up too much at Worlds I'll also be qualified for the one after that.
The whole weekend's sorta surreal. I've been thinking about returning for a while now but I never really had the time or the resources to make it back on the Tour. I'd be lying if I said I wasn't secretly hoping this would happen, but I never expected it to. But it did. So now I'm back! I really hadn't realised how much I missed it :)
Sadly, I would be facing FriedM in the quarterfinals.
After some soul searching I decided to scoop to ensure that he is qualified for all of next year's Pro Tours. He's a friend, I feel he really, really deserves it after working hard for a couple of years and I know how frustrating it is to be soooo close and not making it.
Thankfully karma seems to actually exist. Because I finished first in the swiss rounds, I'm officially fifth. Now it seems there's a good chance that one of the people in the top four isn't going, which would not only qualify me for Worlds in New York as part of the Belgian national team but would also ensure me a ticket. And there's more!
Because I scooped to Fried I was on time to play in the Pro Tour qualifier for Kuala Lumpur and won it, getting another plane ticket out of the deal. No splits here, no sir.
So now all of a sudden I'm (most likely) qualified for two Pro Tours and if I don't screw up too much at Worlds I'll also be qualified for the one after that.
The whole weekend's sorta surreal. I've been thinking about returning for a while now but I never really had the time or the resources to make it back on the Tour. I'd be lying if I said I wasn't secretly hoping this would happen, but I never expected it to. But it did. So now I'm back! I really hadn't realised how much I missed it :)