A Beginner's Guide to Pro Magic Coverage

There's a big difference between watching Little League and the Majors. It's the same difference between our local FNMs and the professional Magic scene.

Pro Magic players are the best in the world. They play fast, they make few mistakes, and they do it for a living. Though they all started at FNM, the best pro players are in a class of their own. (And just to be clear, we still love FNM—and Little League, for that matter.)

For casual Magic fans, pro Magic might seem confusing, if not downright intimidating. But if you're not keeping an eye on the pro scene, you're missing out on tight play, amazing moments, and some genuinely interesting people. Allow me to be your guide.

Can Magic really be a full-time job?

In the spirit of Ixalan, I'm going to answer this question like a pirate: "Aye, Captain." Prize payouts at Magic tournaments are substantial. In fact, winners of the year's biggest tournaments can earn as much as $100,000! Not bad for a card game.

Okay, it's not quite as simple as that. Aside from a handful of the best finishers, most tournament attendees actually walk away with nothing. If you've played Magic long enough, you know it's a high-variance game. So tournament winnings actually aren't a great way to earn a steady income.

Therefore, most pro Magic players are also prolific content creators. They write articles, make videos, and host podcasts in order to supplement their income. This combined with occasional tournament winnings is enough for many pros.

What's this Pro Tour everyone's talking about?

The Pro Tour is a tournament held four times a year, always coinciding with the release of a new Magic set. Aside from the World Championship, the Pro Tour is the biggest stage for professional Magic.

Pro Tours are three-day tournaments. Players begin day one (Friday) with a Booster Draft using the new set. They play three rounds with their Draft decks, then break for lunch. Afterward, the players return for five rounds of Constructed. The Constructed format is usually Standard, though in some cases (our most recent Pro Tour, for example), the format might instead be Modern.

Day two (Saturday) kicks off with another Booster Draft. Since the Pro Tour has Swiss pairings (meaning the players with the best records are paired against each other every round), the day two Draft table is always stacked with the eight players who did best on day one. They play three more rounds of Booster Draft before returning once again to the Constructed format du jour. Another five rounds there, and then we cut to our Top 8.

Earning a Pro Tour Top 8 is a huge honor—it's often the criteria by which players are most heavily evaluated when being considered for the Hall of Fame (more on that later). Just like it sounds, these are the eight players who had the best records on Friday and Saturday. Depending on tournament attendance, a record with three match losses is usually good enough to make the cut. Players with four losses sometimes sneak into the Top 8, but it's rarer than a mythic. (Yes, it's a bit odd that we pay attention to losses rather than wins, but it is what it is.)

The Top 8 players return for day three of the tournament (Sunday), where they have a bracketed playoff to determine the winner. The Top 8 format is always the same constructed format which has been played all weekend. One key difference: matches in the first 16 rounds are best of three, while Top 8 matches are best of five. Players get to make sideboard swaps only after game two. The goal here is to reduce variance as much as possible.

Finally, one player is crowned Pro Tour Champion. It's a big deal. They get an automatic invitation to the next Pro Tour, as well as the World Championship. And a $50,000 check isn't bad, either.

What about Grand Prix tournaments?

A Grand Prix is a lower-stakes—though still highly competitive—Magic tournament. They're held almost every weekend in multiple countries. Unlike Pro Tours, Grand Prix tournaments are open invitation—anyone who pays the entry fee may compete.

Grand Prix tournaments have a similar structure to Pro Tours, with a few slight deviations. Players play fifteen rather than sixteen rounds. Grand Prix tournaments also cover a wider range of formats than Pro Tours; In addition to Standard, Modern, and Booster Draft, you'll also find Legacy, Sealed Deck, and team events. And though the prize payout isn't as lucrative as it is at the Pro Tour or World Championship, it's still pretty darn good. First place finishers earn a cool $10,000.

How does the World Championship work?

Last but not least, the World Championship is a yearly tournament featuring the 24 best players in the world. The structure is similar to a Pro Tour, though with unexpected wildness thrown in. For example, one year players drafted Vintage Masters. And in 2012, they even did a Cube Draft!

Who are some of the most famous pro players?

In no particular order, here are some pro players you should know:

• Jon Finkel - Finkel is widely considered the greatest Magic player of all time. To continue with our baseball metaphor, he's the Babe Ruth of MTG. Finkel holds the record for highest earnings and most Top 8 appearances. He still plays well at Pro Tours even today, with a Top 8 appearance at Pro Tour Shadows Over Innistrad just two years ago.
• Kai Budde - Often ranked right up there with Finkel, the German Juggernaut holds the record for most Pro Tour wins with a whopping seven (that's two times more than anyone else, ever). Budde doesn't attend pro level events anymore, though we can always hope for a dramatic return.
• Luis Scott-Vargas - One of the most beloved Magic players of all time, Scott-Vargas is the only player in Magic history to go 16-0 at a Pro Tour. He's also a Pro Tour champion, has 8 Pro Tour Top 8s, and is a prolific Magic content creator. Fun fact: he's often chided for his love of the card Hexplate Golem.
• Paulo Vitor Damo Da Rosa - He's second all time in Top 8 appearances with 12, and he's only 30 years old. This means he's got a real chance at Finkel's record, which would be an amazing feat if he were to break it. His most recent Pro Tour win came last year at Pro Tour Hour of Devastation.
• Yuuya Watanabe - Watanabe became a Hall of Famer in 2016, and it was a well-earned achievement. His four Pro Tour Top 8s are certainly excellent, but it's at the Grand Prix level where he's truly dominated. He's Top 8ed 28 (tied for second all time) and won seven (tied for first all time). From all reports, he's also just a nice dude.
• Seth Manfield - Manfield is the current No. 1 ranked Magic player in the world, and for good reason. He won Pro Tour Ixalan last year and became a World Champion in 2015. Though he's not yet in the Hall of Fame, he likely will be soon enough.
• Owen Turtenwald - Perhaps the best modern Magic player, Turtenwald is known for his intensity and devotion to the game. He's also already made the Hall of Fame, even though he hasn't yet hit thirty.
• Melissa DeTora - Though she no longer plays pro Magic, DeTora is the first (and so far as I know, only) female player to Top 8 a Pro Tour. She now works as a member of Magic's Play Design Team.

How does the Hall of Fame work?

As with any other Hall of Fame, Magic's is meant to recognize the greatest players of all time. When considering inductees, most Hall of Fame voters look for four or more career Pro Tour Top 8 appearances. In addition, players are often recognized for contributions to the game, general skill, and tournament dominance.

Unlike other Hall of Fames, players often continue playing long after induction. In fact, Magic Hall of Famers actually receive automatic invitations and airfare compensation for all Pro Tours. Pretty cool!

Where can I watch pro Magic?

Check out Magic's Twitch channel. In my opinion, Pro Tours are the best viewing experience for Magic, but Grand Prixs are also awesome. Check out their events schedule page for further updates.

What if I want to go pro?

Go for it! We know you can do it. Becoming a professional Magic player takes time, dedication, and raw passion for the game. If you've got what it takes, give it your all.

Of course, as mentioned before, the pros all start at FNM. So if you're in the area, come on down and visit us later today. We'll be able to say that we knew you before you were famous.

Kyle Massa is a writer and avid Magic player living in upstate New York with his fiancée and their two cats. When he's not writing, you'll find him down at the East Greenbush Flipside store jamming booster drafts. For more of Kyle's work, visit www.kyleamassa.com or follow him on Twitter @mindofkyleam.