Magic: The Gathering Pro Tour season 2005

2005 Pro Tour season
Pro Player of the Year Kenji Tsumura
Rookie of the Year Pierre Canali
World Champion Katsuhiro Mori
Pro Tours7
Grands Prix31
Hall of Fame inductionsJon Finkel
Darwin Kastle
Alan Comer
Tommi Hovi
Olle Råde
Start of season10 September 2004
End of season4 December 2005
← 2003–04 2006 →

The 2005 Pro Tour season was the tenth season of the Magic: The Gathering Pro Tour. On 10 September 2004 the season began with Grand Prix Rimini. It ended on 4 December 2005 with the conclusion of the 2005 World Championship in Yokohama and was thus the longest Pro Tour season ever. The season consisted of 31 Grand Prixs and 7 Pro Tours, held in Columbus, Nagoya, Atlanta, Philadelphia, London, Los Angeles, and Yokohama. At the end of the season Kenji Tsumura was proclaimed Pro Player of the year as the first Japanese player. Also the first class of the Hall of Fame was inducted. The inductees were Jon Finkel, Darwin Kastle, Tommi Hovi, Alan Comer, and Olle Råde.

Grand Prixs – Rimini, Vienna, Austin

Pro Tour – Columbus (29–31 October 2004)

Pierre Canali from France won the inaugural Pro Tour of the season, which was also the first Pro Tour he attended. His deck was an aggressive all-artifact deck called "Affinity". For the first time Japan had three players amongst the final eight while the USA had in the Top 8 for the first time in three Pro Tours.

Tournament data

Prize pool: $200,130
Players: 286
Format: Extended
Head Judge: Jaap Brouwer

Top 8

Quarter-finals Semi-finals Finals
         
1 Pierre Canali 3
8 Geoffrey Siron 1
Pierre Canali 3
Olivier Ruel 2
4 Masashi Oiso 0
5 Olivier Ruel 3
Pierre Canali 3
Shuhei Nakamura 0
2 Nicholas West 3
7 Ryuichi Arita 0
Nicholas West 0
Shuhei Nakamura 3
3 Gadiel Szleifer 1
6 Shuhei Nakamura 3

Final standings

Place Player Prize Pro Points Comment
1 Pierre Canali $30,000 25 Pro Tour debut
2 Shuhei Nakamura $20,000 20
3 Nicholas West $15,000 16 Pro Tour debut
4 Olivier Ruel $13,000 16 3rd Final day
5 Gadiel Szleifer $9,000 12
6 Masashi Oiso $8,500 12 4th Final day
7 Ryuichi Arita $8,000 12 2nd Final day
8 Geoffrey Siron $7,500 12

Pro Player of the year standings

Rank Player Pro Points
1 Pierre Canali 25
2 Shuhei Nakamura 20
3 Olivier Ruel 18
4 Nicholas West 16
5 Ryuichi Arita 12
Masashi Oiso 12
Geoffrey Siron 12
Gadiel Szleifer 12

Grand Prixs – Helsinki, Brisbane, Yokohama, Porto Alegre, Paris, Chicago, Osaka

Pro Tour – Nagoya (28–30 January 2005)

Pro Tour Nagoya was the last Pro Tour employing the Rochester Draft format. Shu Komuro from Japan defeated Anton Jonsson in the finals to win the tournament.

Tournament data

Prize pool: $200,130
Players: 236
Format: Rochester Draft (Champions of Kamigawa)
Head Judge: Collin Jackson

Top 8

Quarter-finals Semi-finals Finals
         
1 Masashiro Kuroda 1
8 Anton Jonsson 3
Anton Jonsson 3
Terry Soh 1
4 Frank Karsten 1
5 Terry Soh 3
Anton Jonsson 1
Shu Komuro 3
2 Jarno Harkonen 1
7 Murray Evans 3
Murray Evans 1
Shu Komuro 3
3 Vasilis Fatouros 1
6 Shu Komuro 3

Final standings

Place Player Prize Pro Points Comment
1 Shu Komuro $30,000 25
2 Anton Jonsson $20,000 20 5th Final day
3 Terry Soh $15,000 16 2nd Final day
4 Murray Evans $13,000 16 2nd Final day
5 Masashiro Kuroda $9,500 12 2nd Final day
6 Frank Karsten $8,500 12
7 Jarno Harkonen $7,500 12
8 Vasilis Fatouros $6,500 12 1st Greek in a Top 8

Pro Player of the year standings

Rank Player Pro Points
1 Shu Komuro 31
2 Shuhei Nakamura 30
3 Pierre Canali 28
4 Olivier Ruel 27
5 Anton Jonsson 23

Grand Prixs – Boston, Eindhoven, Seattle

Pro Tour – Atlanta (11–13 March 2005)

The Canadian French cooperation team "Nova" won Pro Tour Atlanta, defeating the American team "We Add" in the final. "Nova" consisted of Gabriel Tsang, David Rood, and Gabriel Nassif. For Nassif it was the first Pro Tour victory after five previous final day appearances including three second places. Atlanta was the last Pro Tour using the three-person team Limited format, although it was still used for the team competition at the World Championship that year and the next.

Tournament data

Players: 357 (119 teams)
Prize Pool: $200,100
Format: Team Kamigawa Block Sealed (Champions of Kamigawa, Betrayers of Kamigawa) – first day, Team Kamigawa Block Rochester Draft (Champions of Kamigawa-Betrayers of Kamigawa) – final two days
Head Judge: Sheldon Menery

Top 4

Semifinals Semi-finals
      
1 Les baltringues de Ludipia 0
4 We Add 2
We add 0
Nova 2
3 One Spin 1
2 Nova 2

Final standings

Place Team Player Prize Pro Points Comment
1 Nova Gabriel Tsang $60,000 20 3rd Final day
David Rood 20 2nd Final day
Gabriel Nassif 20 6th Final day
2 We Add Don Smith $30,000 16 Pro Tour debut
Andrew Pacifico 16
Adam Chambers 16
3 Les baltringues de Ludipia Benjamin Caumes $18,000 12 2nd Final day
Nicolas Bornarel 12
Camille Fenet 12
4 One Spin Tomohiro Kaji $15,000 12
Kenji Tsumura 12
Tomoharu Saitou 12

Pro Player of the year standings

Rank Player Pro Points
1 Shu Komuro 39
2 Shuhei Nakamura 32
3 Pierre Canali 31
Olivier Ruel 31
5 Masashi Oiso 29

Grand Prixs – Singapore, Leipzig, Lisbon, Detroit

Pro Tour – Philadelphia (6–8 May 2005)

Pro Tour Philadelphia featured a tournament system different from those of other Pro Tours. While Swiss system was still used all players with three or more losses and/or draws were automatically dropped from the tournament. Prizes were given out not in relation to the final standings, but for the individual matches won, where matches in later rounds of the tournament were worth more than those in the earlier rounds. It was also announced in the week prior to Pro Tour Philadelphia, that the end of the year payout based on Pro Points would be dropped after the season in favor of the Pro Club. Under the new system a player would receive special benefits based on the total number of Pro Points he had acquired in a season.

16-year-old Gadiel Szleifer defeated 18-year-old Kenji Tsumura in the final to win the tournament. Szleifer played a control deck built around Gifts Ungiven. Former Pro Player of the year Kai Budde received a lot of attention for being undefeated after day one, but was eliminated after he picked up three losses in the first three rounds of day two.

Tournament data

Players: 311
Prize Pool: $194,898
Format: Kamigawa Block Constructed (Champions of Kamigawa, Betrayers of Kamigawa)
Head Judge: Mike Guptil

Top 8

Quarter-finals Semi-finals Finals
         
1 Steven Wolfman 3
8 André Müller 2
Steven Wolfman 0
Gadiel Szleifer 3
4 Jeff Novekoff 1
5 Gadiel Szleifer 3
Gadiel Szleifer 3
Kenji Tsumura 2
2 Ryan Cimera 2
7 Kenji Tsumura 3
Kenji Tsumura 3
Olivier Ruel 0
3 Olivier Ruel 3
6 Mark Herberholz 1

Final standings

Place Player Prize Pro Points Comment
1 Gadiel Szleifer $21,725 25 2nd Final day
2 Kenji Tsumura $12,275 20 2nd Final day
3 Steven Wolfman $7,475 16 2nd Final day
4 Olivier Ruel $6,950 16 4th Final day
5 Ryan Cimera $2,825 12 Pro Tour debut
6 Jeff Novekoff $4,750 12 Pro Tour debut
7 Mark Herberholz $3,175 12 2nd Final day
8 André Müller $2,075 12

Pro Player of the year standings

Rank Player Pro Points
1 Olivier Ruel 49
2 Gadiel Szleifer 47
3 Shu Komuro 45
4 Kenji Tsumura 44
5 Shuhei Nakamura 40

Grand Prixs – Matsuyama, Bologna

Pro Tour – London (8–10 July 2005)

Geoffrey Siron from Belgium won Pro Tour London, defeating Tsuyoshi Fujita in the finals. In the Top 8 Siron did not lose a single game.

Tournament data

Players: 314
Prize Pool: $200,130
Format: Booster Draft (Champions of Kamigawa-Betrayers of Kamigawa-Saviors of Kamigawa)
Head Judge: Jaap Brouwer

Top 8

Quarter-finals Semi-finals Finals
         
1 Antti Malin 3
8 Tomi Walamies 1
Antti Malin 1
Tsuyoshi Fujita 3
4 Arnost Zidek 2
5 Tsuyoshi Fujita 3
Tsuyoshi Fujita 0
Geoffrey Siron 3
2 David Larsson 1
7 Johan Sadeghpour 3
Johan Sadeghpour 0
Geoffrey Siron 3
3 Masashi Oiso 0
6 Geoffrey Siron 3

Final standings

Place Player Prize Pro Points Comment
1 Geoffrey Siron $30,000 25 2nd Final day, 1st Belgian to win a Pro Tour
2 Tsuyoshi Fujita $20,000 20 2nd Final day
3 Johan Sadeghpour $15,000 16
4 Antti Malin $13,000 16
5 Masashi Oiso $9,000 12 5th Final day
6 Tomi Walamies $8,500 12 3rd Final day
7 Arnost Zidek $8,000 12
8 David Larsson $7,500 12

Pro Player of the year standings

Rank Player Pro Points
1 Olivier Ruel 59
2 Gadiel Szleifer 50
3 Shu Komuro 49
4 Shuhei Nakamura 47
Masashi Oiso 47
Kenji Tsumura 47

Grand Prixs – Minneapolis, Niigata, Taipei, Salt Lake City, Mexico City, Nottingham

Pro Tour – Los Angeles (28–30 October 2005)

Antoine Ruel defeated Billy Moreno in the finals to become champion of Pro Tour Los Angeles. He played a blue-black control deck, built around Psychatog.

Tournament data

Players: 340
Prize Pool: $200,130
Format: Extended
Head Judge: Gijsbert Hoogendijk

Top 8

Quarter-finals Semi-finals Finals
         
1 Kenji Tsumura 3
8 Ryuichi Arita 1
Kenji Tsumura 0
Antoine Ruel 3
4 Antoine Ruel 3
5 Tsuyoshi Fujita 1
Antoine Ruel 3
Billy Moreno 0
2 Billy Moreno 3
7 Ervin Tormos 2
Billy Moreno 3
Chris McDaniel 2
3 Chris McDaniel 3
6 Chih-Hsian Chang 1

Final standings

Place Player Prize Pro Points Comment
1 Antoine Ruel $30,000 25 3rd Final day
2 Billy Moreno $20,000 20
3 Kenji Tsumura $15,000 16 3rd Final day
4 Chris McDaniel $13,000 16
5 Tsuyoshi Fujita $9,000 12 3rd Final day
6 Chih-Hsiang Chang $8,500 12 1st Taiwanese Player in a Top 8
7 Ervin Tormos $8,000 12 Pro Tour debut
8 Ryuichi Arita $7,500 12 3rd Final day

Pro Player of the year standings

Rank Player Pro Points
1 Kenji Tsumura 72
2 Olivier Ruel 67
3 Masashi Oiso 62
4 Gadiel Szleifer 58
5 Shu Komuro 55

Grand Prixs – Melbourne, Copenhagen, Kitakyuushuu, Philadelphia, Bilbao, Beijing

2005 World Championships – Yokohama (30 November – 4 December 2005)

Main article: Magic: The Gathering World Championship § 2005 World Championship

The tournament began with the first Hall of Fame induction ceremony. Jon Finkel, Darwin Kastle, Tommi Hovi, Alan Comer and Olle Råde were honored for their accomplishments and their determination to the game. In the final of the 2005 World Championship Katsuhiro Mori defeated Frank Karsten, thus completing an all-Japanese Worlds in Yokohama. The Top 4 also included Japanese players Akira Asahara and Tomohiro Kaji, shortly before Japan had won the team competition, and even the Pro Player of the year went to Japanese Kenji Tsumura.

Tournament data

Prize pool: $208,130 (individual) + $195,000 (national teams)
Players: 287
Formats: Standard, Booster Draft (Ravnica), Extended
Head Judge: Collin Jackson, Sheldon Menery

Top 8

Quarter-finals Semi-finals Finals
         
1 Marcio Carvalho 1
8 Akira Asahara 3
Akira Asahara 2
Frank Karsten 3
4 Ding Leong 2
5 Frank Karsten 3
Frank Karsten 1
Katsuhiro Mori 3
2 Tomohiro Kaji 3
7 André Coimbra 1
Tomohiro Kaji 1
Katsuhiro Mori 3
3 Katsuhiro Mori 3
6 Shuhei Nakamura 0

Final standings

Place Player Prize Pro Points Comment
1 Katsuhiro Mori $35,000 32
2 Frank Karsten $23,000 24 2nd Final day
3 Tomohiro Kaji $15,000 16 2nd Final day
4 Akira Asahara $13,000 16
5 Marcio Carvalho $9,500 12
6 Ding Leong $8,500 12
7 Shuhei Nakamura $7,500 12 2nd Final day
8 André Coimbra $6,500 12

National team competition

  1. Japan (Ichiro Shimura, Takuma Morifuji, Masashi Oiso)
  2. United States (Jonathan Sonne, Antonino De Rosa, Neil Reeves)

Pro Player of the year final standings

After the World Championship Kenji Tsumura was awarded the Pro Player of the year title as the first Japanese player.

Rank Player Pro Points Prize
1 Kenji Tsumura 84 $12,000
2 Olivier Ruel 83 $11,800
3 Masashi Oiso 80 $11,600
4 Shuhei Nakamura 66 $11,400
5 Gadiel Szleifer 62 $11,200

References

  1. ^ "Canali Crushes Columbus". Wizards of the Coast. 31 October 2004. Archived from the original on 11 October 2008.
  2. ^ a b c d e f g "Head Judges of Pro Tours and World Championships". XS4ALL. 30 October 2009.
  3. ^ "Komuro Finishes the Rochester". Wizards of the Coast. 30 January 2005. Archived from the original on 11 October 2008.
  4. ^ "Nova Burns Brightest in Atlanta". Wizards of the Coast. 13 March 2005. Archived from the original on 11 October 2008.
  5. ^ "2005 Pro Tour-Philadelphia". Wizards of the Coast. 2005. Archived from the original on 2 June 2009.
  6. ^ Buehler, Randy (2 May 2005). "Welcome to the Pro Players Club". Wizards of the Coast. Archived from the original on 16 September 2008.
  7. ^ "Szleifer Seizes Sunday". Wizards of the Coast. 8 May 2004. Archived from the original on 11 October 2008.
  8. ^ David-Marshall, Brian (7 May 2005). "Feature: Kai Budde in Black and White". Wizards of the Coast. Archived from the original on 2 June 2009.
  9. ^ "Siron Sweeps to Victory". Wizards of the Coast. 10 July 2005. Archived from the original on 11 October 2008.
  10. ^ "A Starring Role for Antoine Ruel". Wizards of the Coast. 30 October 2005. Archived from the original on 3 October 2008.
  11. ^ "Worlds 2005: Japan's Crowning Achievement". Wizards of the Coast. 4 December 2005. Archived from the original on 9 October 2008.