Brad Nelson (Magic: The Gathering player)
Encyclopedia
Brad Nelson is an American Magic: The Gathering
player. Also known by his Magic: The Gathering Online
name, FFfreaK, he has two Pro Tour top eights, and four Grand Prix
top eights, including a win. In the quarter finals of Pro Tour Amsterdam
2010, he became one of only three players to have beaten Kai Budde
in the elimination rounds of a Pro Tour. Nelson became the first non-Japanese player since Gabriel Nassif
in 2004 and the first American player since Bob Maher
in 2000 to earn the Player of the Year title. However, Nelson did not receive his title for Player of the Year 2010 until February, 2011 after a first-ever Player of the Year Tie playoff match with Guillaume Matignon
of France
.
in high school, when his best friend William Lies introduced the game to him. Nelson first came to prominence on Magic: The Gathering Online
under the screen name
FFfreak, a name inspired by his love for the Final Fantasy series of videogames. Whilst Brad was attempting to make it on to the Pro Tour he developed a friendship with 2005 Player of the Year Kenji Tsumura
, who would send him his decks to help Brad win a Pro Tour Qualifier. Brad considers Kenji to be his favorite player of all time.
Brad made his Pro Tour debut at Pro Tour Honolulu in 2009, managing to come in 9th place. Brad would then go on to further success on the Pro Tour in the 2010 season
. After taking second place at Pro Tour Amsterdam, Brad would become the front-runner in the Player of the Year standings. Brad had a 15-point lead going into the final event of the year, the 2010 World Championship. However, Nelson would come in 135th place at Worlds only adding 3 additional points to his overall total. This allowed the 2010 World Champion Guillaume Matignon
to earn enough points with his victory to equal Brad's total for an unprecedented Player of the Year tie. The Pro Player of the Year title was decided in a special Player of the Match between Nelson and Matignon at Pro Tour Paris 2011. Nelson won the match 4-2 to claim the 2010 Player of the Year title, becoming the first American to win the title in ten years.
In the 2011 season
, Brad had a disappointing year failing to Top 8 any major events. Discussing his year in an interview with Tristan Shaun Gregson, Brad blamed a loss of confidence for his poor performance.
employee Richard Hagon wrote a biographical book entitled Grinder: The Brad Nelson Story about Nelson's road to becoming the Pro Player of the Year.
player and three-time North Dakota State Champion.
Magic: The Gathering
Magic: The Gathering , also known as Magic, is the first collectible trading card game created by mathematics professor Richard Garfield and introduced in 1993 by Wizards of the Coast. Magic continues to thrive, with approximately twelve million players as of 2011...
player. Also known by his Magic: The Gathering Online
Magic: The Gathering Online
Magic: The Gathering Online or Magic Online is a direct video game adaptation of Magic: The Gathering, utilizing the concept of a virtual economy in order to preserve the collectible aspect of the card game. It is played through an Internet service operated by Wizards of the Coast, which went...
name, FFfreaK, he has two Pro Tour top eights, and four Grand Prix
Grand Prix (Magic: The Gathering)
Grands Prix are professional Magic: The Gathering tournaments, awarding cash prizes, Pro Points and invitations to Pro Tours. They are open to all players and are usually the biggest Magic tournaments. The first Grand Prix was held on 22–23 March 1997 in Amsterdam...
top eights, including a win. In the quarter finals of Pro Tour Amsterdam
Amsterdam
Amsterdam is the largest city and the capital of the Netherlands. The current position of Amsterdam as capital city of the Kingdom of the Netherlands is governed by the constitution of August 24, 1815 and its successors. Amsterdam has a population of 783,364 within city limits, an urban population...
2010, he became one of only three players to have beaten Kai Budde
Kai Budde
Kai Budde , is a professional Magic: The Gathering player, who holds the records for earnings, Pro Tour victories and lifetime Pro Points. His performances earned him the nicknames "The Juggernaut" and "King of the Grand Prix"...
in the elimination rounds of a Pro Tour. Nelson became the first non-Japanese player since Gabriel Nassif
Gabriel Nassif
Gabriel Nassif is a French professional card player. He is known for his continuous success on the Magic: The Gathering Pro Tour and was the 2004 Pro Tour Player of the Year. He also enjoys playing poker, having moderate success at the World Series of Poker in recent years...
in 2004 and the first American player since Bob Maher
Bob Maher
Robert Maher, Jr. , is a former professional Magic: The Gathering player. He picked up the Magic game after sustaining a football injury in high school, and has gone on to become one of the most celebrated players in the game's history, earning the nickname "The Great One".-Magic: The...
in 2000 to earn the Player of the Year title. However, Nelson did not receive his title for Player of the Year 2010 until February, 2011 after a first-ever Player of the Year Tie playoff match with Guillaume Matignon
Guillaume Matignon
Guillaume Matignon is a professional trading card game player from Bordeaux, France. He has earned numerous accolades during his career including the World of Warcraft TCG 2007 World Championship and the Magic: The Gathering 2010 World Championship....
of France
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
.
Magic: The Gathering
Brad Nelson starting playing Magic: The GatheringMagic: The Gathering
Magic: The Gathering , also known as Magic, is the first collectible trading card game created by mathematics professor Richard Garfield and introduced in 1993 by Wizards of the Coast. Magic continues to thrive, with approximately twelve million players as of 2011...
in high school, when his best friend William Lies introduced the game to him. Nelson first came to prominence on Magic: The Gathering Online
Magic: The Gathering Online
Magic: The Gathering Online or Magic Online is a direct video game adaptation of Magic: The Gathering, utilizing the concept of a virtual economy in order to preserve the collectible aspect of the card game. It is played through an Internet service operated by Wizards of the Coast, which went...
under the screen name
User (computing)
A user is an agent, either a human agent or software agent, who uses a computer or network service. A user often has a user account and is identified by a username , screen name , nickname , or handle, which is derived from the identical Citizen's Band radio term.Users are...
FFfreak, a name inspired by his love for the Final Fantasy series of videogames. Whilst Brad was attempting to make it on to the Pro Tour he developed a friendship with 2005 Player of the Year Kenji Tsumura
Kenji Tsumura
is a professional Magic: The Gathering player from Japan. He is one of only seven players to have reached the top eight of a Pro Tour more than five times.-Career:...
, who would send him his decks to help Brad win a Pro Tour Qualifier. Brad considers Kenji to be his favorite player of all time.
Brad made his Pro Tour debut at Pro Tour Honolulu in 2009, managing to come in 9th place. Brad would then go on to further success on the Pro Tour in the 2010 season
Magic: The Gathering Pro Tour season 2010
The 2010 Pro Tour season was the fifteenth season of the Magic: The Gathering Pro Tour. It began on 13 February 2010 with Grand Prix Oakland, and ended on 12 December 2010 with the conclusion of the 2010 World Championship in Chiba, Japan. The season consisted of eighteen Grand Prixs, and four Pro...
. After taking second place at Pro Tour Amsterdam, Brad would become the front-runner in the Player of the Year standings. Brad had a 15-point lead going into the final event of the year, the 2010 World Championship. However, Nelson would come in 135th place at Worlds only adding 3 additional points to his overall total. This allowed the 2010 World Champion Guillaume Matignon
Guillaume Matignon
Guillaume Matignon is a professional trading card game player from Bordeaux, France. He has earned numerous accolades during his career including the World of Warcraft TCG 2007 World Championship and the Magic: The Gathering 2010 World Championship....
to earn enough points with his victory to equal Brad's total for an unprecedented Player of the Year tie. The Pro Player of the Year title was decided in a special Player of the Match between Nelson and Matignon at Pro Tour Paris 2011. Nelson won the match 4-2 to claim the 2010 Player of the Year title, becoming the first American to win the title in ten years.
In the 2011 season
Magic: The Gathering Pro Tour season 2011
The 2011 Pro Tour season was the sixteenth season of the Magic: The Gathering Pro Tour. It began on 22 January 2011 with Grand Prix Atlanta, and ended on 20 November 2011 with the conclusion of the 2011 World Championship in San Francisco...
, Brad had a disappointing year failing to Top 8 any major events. Discussing his year in an interview with Tristan Shaun Gregson, Brad blamed a loss of confidence for his poor performance.
Achievements
Other accomplishments- Pro Tour Player of the Year 2010
- Brad was one of twelve players to be invited to play in the 2010 Magic Online World Championship. Brad finished in fourth place overall.
- Brad represented the Magic Online Community in the 2010 Magic Online Community Cup.
Media
After winning the Pro Player of the Year title, Wizards of the CoastWizards of the Coast
Wizards of the Coast is an American publisher of games, primarily based on fantasy and science fiction themes, and formerly an operator of retail stores for games...
employee Richard Hagon wrote a biographical book entitled Grinder: The Brad Nelson Story about Nelson's road to becoming the Pro Player of the Year.
Personal Life
Brad Nelson's father is Jeff Nelson and Brad is also the half-brother of Corey Baumeister, a fellow Magic: The GatheringMagic: The Gathering
Magic: The Gathering , also known as Magic, is the first collectible trading card game created by mathematics professor Richard Garfield and introduced in 1993 by Wizards of the Coast. Magic continues to thrive, with approximately twelve million players as of 2011...
player and three-time North Dakota State Champion.