Sweet Tweets: #71Countries1Cup
The first annual World Magic Cup (#MTGWMC) took place at @Gen_Con last weekend and it took the Magic community and the Twitterverse by storm! An astounding 71 teams from countries across the globe showed up at the three-day event battling in Innistrad Block Standard Modern and Team Sealed for the chance to be crowned champions of the world. The days were long the opposition was tough and the cards were as always unpredictable. What a long strange trip it was.
For some the trip was literally longer and stranger than for others. What do I mean? Well if you weren't paying close attention to social media you might have missed the fact that Team Japan took a cab to the event. Tim Willoughby (@timswheelbarrow) wrote a nice little piece here on the ordeal but allow me to summarize: the four members of Team Japan and another Hall of Famer along for the ride Shuhei Nakamura (@Nakashu_) were set to fly into Indianapolis on Thursday but a delay in Tokyo and a hold up at customs saw them miss their connecting flight in Washington DC. And while Shuhei was quickly on the next flight (his world traveler status helped out there I imagine) the members of his country's national team were still in dire straits.
So they booked a cab. A thirteen-hour $1400 cab. From Washington DC to Indianapolis Indiana. Wow.
I was glued to my TweetDeck to keep abreast of the developing story. Here are a few highlights from #TeamJapan's Excellent Adventure:
How can get indianapolise from D.C?without airplane 67%seriously
— shuhei nakamura (@Nakashu_) August 16 2012
— Frank Karsten (@karsten_frank) August 16 2012
@nakashu_ Take a 1000 dollar taxi? :(
Japaneseteam member(watanabeTakahashinakaitanaka) missed and got cab like Ben RubinI Hope they will arrive until the game begins
— shuhei nakamura (@Nakashu_) August 17 2012
Holy crap! Japanese National team is cabbing from Washington DC to Indy to make it to
— Brian David-Marshall (@Top8Games) August 17 2012#WMC in time.
— Dan Barrett (@dangerawesome) August 17 2012
#mtg If you like a bit of drama the Japanese#mtgwmc team have missed a connection and cutting it very fine on arriving in time for event!
Todays evening news - japanese team doesnt make it to idny shuhei replaces the team plays alone makes the t32 cut anyway.
— Martin Juza (@Juzam_) August 17 2012#mtgwmc
Is there an update on Japanese team?
— Ross (@BoltTheBird) August 17 2012#mtgwmc
Look who just stumbled into hotel lobby out of a DC cab to pick up badges.
— Brian David-Marshall (@Top8Games) August 17 2012#WMC twitter.com/Top8Games/stat…
Japan makes it with 45 minutes to spare!
— Luis Scott-Vargas (@lsv) August 17 2012#WMC
The story of the Japanese team getting to the World Magic Cup is amazing. They took a $1400 cab ride from DC to Indy to make it. So awesome.
— Lee Sharpe (@Lee_Sharpe) August 17 2012
Come on Japan. You can do this. I know it's possible to win events on small sleep.
— Kenyon Colloran (@Azcz) August 17 2012
That is just so freaking awesome I can't even begin to describe it. I want Team USA to win but Japan is now my #2 pick.
— Andrea Jen. Shubert (@andrea2s1) August 17 2012#MTG
Unfortunately for the Japanese squad the harrowing journey took its toll and they failed to make it past Day 1.
With one of the giants of the game out of the running things looked good for the remaining 'super teams' like @bmkibler's USA @PVDDR's Brazil and the Slovak Republic. Only the veteran-laden Slovaks including @RobertJurkovic made it to the elimination rounds where they fell to the eventual champions. So which heavyweight of #MTG was crowned the first ever winners of the World Magic Cup? And which powerhouse team made the finals to create a showdown of massive proportions setting the bar that all future finals will be based on?
It turned out to be Chinese Taipei which defeated Puerto Rico.
Not exactly what most were expecting.
But the pair of plucky underdogs was nonetheless dominant. The most impressive single player finish was turned in by Chinese Taipei's captain and the Asia Pacific region's Tzu-Ching Kuo (@tztyt) who went undefeated over the weekend in matches played and paved the way for the small Asian island's incredible victory. The social networks were all atwitter in the lead-up to the finals and exploded when the final handshake was completed. Here are a few choice cuts from the Top 8:
We are just minutes away from Team Puerto Rico attempting to climb all the way uphill against Team Chinese Taipei live
— Brian David-Marshall (@Top8Games) August 19 2012#mtgwmc
Taipei/Taiwan wins the semis and will face Puerto Rico in the finals of the World Magic Cup. Tzu-Ching Kuo definitely in "the zone".
— Nathan Holt (@WalkThePlanes) August 19 2012#mtgwmc
If Puerto Rico wins
— Ross (@BoltTheBird) August 19 2012#mtgwmc then I say we finally make them a state- tired of them not paying federal taxes. >:(
I'm loving how Chinese Taipei's flag has the Olympics logo replaced with the Magic logo on this feed
— Joshua J. (@JoshJMTG) August 19 2012
In all seriousness awesome performances by both Puerto Rico and Taiwan.The
— Brian Kibler (@bmkibler) August 19 2012#wmc is a great chance for small countries to shine.
I cert'd Captain of Puerto Rico Jorge Iramain to L1 and we share the same birthday!
— Daniel Schoenbach (@MagicShoebox) August 19 2012#wmc#mtgwmc
Of the top 8
— Shawn Main (@ShawnPlaysMagic) August 19 2012#wmc teams how many have cards printed in a local language?
Exciting action still going on in the Puerto Rico/Taipei match. What a barn-burner!
— Sheldon Menery (@SheldonMenery) August 19 2012#wmc
Finals in progress
— Corbin Hosler (@Chosler88) August 19 2012#GENCON#mtgwmc twitter.com/Chosler88/stat…
Puerto Rico gets trolled by its own deck. Gut Shot a turn earlier...
— Chris Lansdell (@lansdellicious) August 19 2012#mtgwmc
Congrats Chinese-Taipei! Your World Magic Cup winners!
— Neale (@wrongwaygoback) August 19 2012
Chinese Taipei are victorious and are crowned the first winners of the World Magic Cup
— Magic Pro Tour (@magicprotour) August 19 2012#mtgwmc
Also an amazing run by Puerto Rico getting all the way to the finals despite not getting to play first in any game 1s.
— Lee Sharpe (@Lee_Sharpe) August 19 2012#mtgwmc
Congrats to Chinese Taipei for winning the inaugural WMC. Kuo is a master. Looking forward to seeing him again at the Players Championship.
— Aaron Forsythe (@mtgaaron) August 19 2012
Things not required to win the
— Chris Mascioli (@dieplstks) August 19 2012#wmc:sovereignty
Big congrats to taiwan and tzu ching now people will finally recognize who he is.
— Martin Juza (@Juzam_) August 19 2012
Being able to watch the
— glasswalker (@glasswalker) August 19 2012#mtgwmc made me feel like watching the Olympics and now I have a "that's what I'm gonna train for" attitude
Gen Con and the World Magic Cup weren't the only things to make a big splash in the world of Magic last weekend. Wizards of the Coast (@wizards_magic) also announced what's in their latest From the Vault premium box set #FTVRealms. Fifteen of Magic's most iconic lands featuring some beautiful new artwork new templating and the first foil copies of some of the cards are included in the box and of course Twitter had something to say about the collection. Here are some opinions from Twitter because as they say it's good to have land:
We finally know the full contents of
— GatheringMagic.com (@GatheringMagic) August 17 2012#FTVRealms and August 31st just can't come soon enough! mtg.mn/4kH
I would kill someone in front of their own mother for a
— Sean Thielman (@MemoryLapseGuy) August 17 2012#FTVRealms
I would rate this FTV tied with Relics for best ever. This should have even more value long term. Foil Maze will start ~$30 by itself.
— Chas Andres (@chasandres) August 17 2012
FTV Realms just spoiled looks sweet now to get a playset of that seems expensive.
— Shong Lo (@bigifonlyone) August 17 2012#mtg
Good thing I preordered a FTV realms from a store that sells at MSRP
— Pat Buckley (@Capinahab) August 17 2012
Maze of Ith is in FTV Realms.Sounds like the set is going to be nutty.
— Vivek Soi (@luckymartyr1) August 17 2012
Lame sauce is lame
— Josh Oerther (@josh_oerther) August 17 2012#FTVRealms
No Wasteland. Boo!
— JoshJP (@JoshJP) August 17 2012
Shivan Gorge Desert and Glacial Chasm. MAYBE THERE WAS A REASON THESE WERE LEFT IN A VAULT?
— Derek Hamilton (@ricketyoldshack) August 17 2012#MTG
that foil vesuva looks totally sweet btw
— TCGBuddy (@TCGBuddy) August 17 2012
So is my Maze of Ith worth much less now? Also I just bought a Tomb of Yawgmoth.
— Chris Pikula (@meddlingmage) August 17 2012#trgp
Not overly shocked that all the unspoiled cards weren't that exciting. (High Market is cool though)
— Greg (@uselessend) August 17 2012
— TomReeve (@TomReeve) August 17 2012
@misterorange Lol @ Gorge. "Hey remember that cycle with FOUR AWESOME LANDS?! Well... here's THE OTHER ONE!"
I'm so glad they went with Desert instead of a card that anyone might want to play ever.
— The Booze Cube (@TheBoozeCube) August 17 2012#ftvrealms
Did I just read that FTV Realms has... Desert? Just... no. Wrong.
— Dave (@Avatar_of_Bro) August 17 2012#MTG
I can't think of a defensible reason for putting Desert and Shivan Gorge in anything that isn't a paper shredder.
— Derek Hamilton (@ricketyoldshack) August 17 2012#MTG
Given Griselbrand's presence in Legacy I'm sad
— Jesse Onland (@comboranger) August 17 2012#FTVRealms has no Karakas. Maze is nice for those building Maverick and Ancient Tomb is OK.
Listen guys they can't just give us all 30+ dollar cards in a FTV set it ain't happening. There are going to be some cards that are lame
— Thomas (@HobbesQ) August 17 2012
From the vaults realms gets a resounding meh from me.
— Burritoman Mike (@burritoman88) August 17 2012#mtg#FTVRealms
And finally during the coverage of the WMC at Gen Con the folks at Magic (@dailymtg) announced fourteen new dates for the Grand Prix schedule for the end of 2012 and the first quarter of 2013. Reaction was instantaneous and for the most part positive for the announced cities. Some people even took to Twitter to discuss their feelings:
Check out the Grand Prix locations for the first quarter of 2013! fb.me/1z9zkGoMu
— Magic Judges (@MagicJudges) August 19 2012
GP Atlantic City huh? Sounds good to me.
— Bryce Mnard (@BryceMenard) August 19 2012
THERE'S A GP IN ATLANTIC CITY!!!!!!! Yeahhhhh Buddy!
— Osyp Lebedowicz (@OsypL) August 19 2012
Might have to apply for GP Atlantic City. Right after my birthday though.
— Matt B (@astormbrewing) August 19 2012
So who's doing GP atlantic city!I intend on losing a ton of money yet again at a "magic event"
— Shaheen Soorani (@shaheenmtg) August 20 2012
Good lord GPAC and GP London on my birthday?
— Chris Pikula (@meddlingmage) August 19 2012
GP London yeah!
— Jojo de Leon (@mtgjunkie) August 19 2012#mtg About time.
— Dan Barrett (@dangerawesome) August 19 2012
#mtgwmc I will see you all at GP London Feb 2013! Did they mention the format yet? Can@deterer repeat his win?#GPLon
woo! Denver GP next year hope everyone enjoys the snow
— Austin Yost (@Y0stwiththeM0st) August 19 2012
GP Denver in the height of winter? Estimated players missing start due to travel issues: 225
— Dave Meeson (@davemassive) August 19 2012
OMG GP QUEBEC CITY !!! Thank you
— Pascal Maynard (@PascalMaynard) August 19 2012@helenebergeot I know you we're behind that :P
Well then. The Quebec City GP is the weekend after the Pro Tour but it's the same weekened as GP Charlotte. Attendeance estimate: 600
— Chris Lansdell (@lansdellicious) August 19 2012
Wizards finally does me a solid! GP indy during my Christmas vacay back home then we all get to crash with
— USS Beatdown (@CapnTopDeck) August 19 2012@y0stwiththem0st? Sweet!
Ooooh GP SD...
— zack levine (@metaknightmare) August 19 2012@torerotutor@hobbesq
OMG GP RIO IN MARCH 2013 <3 I'LL BE THERE!
— carol tavares (@robotouef) August 19 2012
Just saw the gp schedule looks like im spending christmas in the US.
— Martin Juza (@Juzam_) August 19 2012@scottlarabee@helenebergeot
—Ben Swartz (@The_BenSw) August 19 2012
@juzam_ play the game see north America :)
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Coverage Coordinator and Twitter Admiral for StarCityGames.com
Listen to the @InContention podcast! It's the official podcast of the StarCityGames.com Open Series with @kstube @affinityforblue and me. Listen in at InContentionMagic.com. Our most recent episode No Country For Cup Win can be found here.
About Reuben Bresler
Reuben Bresler is a Coverage Coordinator for SCGLive who lives in Roanoke, VA. When he's not doing coverage, he works on various video projects for StarCityGames.com, like The Newsening.