Magic: The Gathering Pro Tour season 1996–97
Encyclopedia
The 1996–97 Pro Tour season was the second season of the Magic: The Gathering Pro Tour. It began on 13 September 1996 with Pro Tour
Atlanta, and ended on 17 August 1997 with the conclusion of 1997 World Championship in Seattle. The season consisted of five Grand Prixs, and six Pro Tours, located in Atlanta, Dallas, Los Angeles, Paris, New York, and Seattle. At the end of the season Paul McCabe
from Canada was awarded the Pro Player of the year title. It was the first seasons to host Grand Prixs, major tournaments awarding cash prizes and Pro Points, but open to all players.
product was used, but Mirage had not been officially released yet.
Players: 192
Format: Sealed Deck (Mirage
)
won Pro Tour Dallas. The Canadian defeated Jason Zila from the USA in the final. Olle Råde
had his third Top 8 appearance while playing only his fourth Pro Tour.
Players: 242
Format: Standard
won Pro Tour Los Angeles, winning the final against David Mills. It was the only Pro Tour final ever to be decided by a disqualification. Mills was disqualified because he repeatedly tapped his lands after (rather than before) attempting to play a spell, which was not allowed at the time. Leading to an upset amongst the players it was eventually decided that Mills would be allowed to claim his prize, despite being originally disqualified without prize.
Los Angeles was also the first Pro Tour to use the so called Paris Mulligan. Previously players were allowed to take a mulligan if they had an all-land or no-land starting hand. Instead players could now mulligan whenever they wished to do so, but had to draw an opening hand with one card less. The name Paris Mulligan actually refers to the subsequent Pro Tour in Paris, which was the first Constructed Pro Tour to use this rule.
Players: 236
Format: Rochester Draft (Mirage-Visions
)
Head Judge: Tom Wylie
and Mark Justice
, met determine the champion. Actually both decks present in the final belonged to Long as he had previously loaned his deck to Justice. Eventually Long won the match, en route winning a game which his Combo deck was not capable of winning any more, but he convinced Justice to concede anyway.
Players: 223
Format: Mirage Block Constructed (Mirage, Visions)
Pro Tour (Magic: The Gathering)
The Pro Tour is the highest form of competitive play for the Magic: The Gathering collectible card game. It consists of a series of payout tournaments held throughout the world, each requiring an invitation to participate. Every PT awards a total of $230,000 in cash prizes, with $40,000 going to...
Atlanta, and ended on 17 August 1997 with the conclusion of 1997 World Championship in Seattle. The season consisted of five Grand Prixs, and six Pro Tours, located in Atlanta, Dallas, Los Angeles, Paris, New York, and Seattle. At the end of the season Paul McCabe
Paul McCabe (Magic: The Gathering player)
Paul McCabe is a Canadian Magic: The Gathering player. He is known for his success in the 1996-97 Pro Tour season. During this season, McCabe reached the top eight of two Pro Tours, and won the Player of the Year title...
from Canada was awarded the Pro Player of the year title. It was the first seasons to host Grand Prixs, major tournaments awarding cash prizes and Pro Points, but open to all players.
Pro Tour – Atlanta (13–15 September 1996)
German Frank Adler won Pro Tour Atlanta. It was the only Pro Tour ever to host an individual Sealed Deck competition as the main event. Actually the cards were all previously unknown to the players as MirageMirage (Magic: The Gathering)
Mirage was the fifteenth Magic: The Gathering set and ninth expert level set, released in October 1996. This expansion began the first official block set with one large expansion being followed by two smaller expansions all tied together through card mechanics and setting. This expansion also...
product was used, but Mirage had not been officially released yet.
Tournament data
Prize pool: $150,000Players: 192
Format: Sealed Deck (Mirage
Mirage
A mirage is a naturally occurring optical phenomenon in which light rays are bent to produce a displaced image of distant objects or the sky. The word comes to English via the French mirage, from the Latin mirare, meaning "to look at, to wonder at"...
)
Final standings
| Place | Player | Prize | Comment |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 |  Frank Adler |
$26,000 | 1st German to win a Pro Tour |
| 2 |  Darwin KastleDarwin Kastle - Other accomplishments :* 2005 Hall of Fame inductee* Last player to have played all Pro Tours after 48 appearances from 1996 PT New York to 2004 PT Kobe- References :... |
$16,000 | 2nd Final day |
| 3 | Aaron Muranaka |
$9,000 | |
| 4 | John Yoo |
$9,000 | |
| 5 |  Terry Borer |
$5,500 | |
| 6 | Mike Long Mike Long Michael Long is a former professional Magic: The Gathering card game player. He was a highly influential and controversial Pro Tour mainstay for a number of years in the late 1990s. Despite making four Pro Tour top eights and winning Pro Tour Paris in 1997, Long's legacy is the subject of much... |
$5,500 | |
| 7 | Chris Pikula |
$5,500 | |
| 8 | Matthew Vienneau |
$5,500 |
Pro Tour – Dallas (22–24 November 1996)
Eventual Pro Player of the year Paul McCabePaul McCabe (Magic: The Gathering player)
Paul McCabe is a Canadian Magic: The Gathering player. He is known for his success in the 1996-97 Pro Tour season. During this season, McCabe reached the top eight of two Pro Tours, and won the Player of the Year title...
won Pro Tour Dallas. The Canadian defeated Jason Zila from the USA in the final. Olle Råde
Olle Råde
Olle Råde is a professional Magic: The Gathering player from Sweden. He was inducted to the Magic: The Gathering Pro Tour Hall of Fame as part of the inaugural class in 2005. Olle was also the first player awarded with the coveted Player of the Year award and was the first non-American player to...
had his third Top 8 appearance while playing only his fourth Pro Tour.
Tournament data
Prize pool: $150,000Players: 242
Format: Standard
Final standings
| Place | Player | Prize | Comment |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Paul McCabe Paul McCabe (Magic: The Gathering player) Paul McCabe is a Canadian Magic: The Gathering player. He is known for his success in the 1996-97 Pro Tour season. During this season, McCabe reached the top eight of two Pro Tours, and won the Player of the Year title... |
$26,000 | 1st Canadian to win a Pro Tour |
| 2 | Jason Zila |
$16,000 | |
| 3 | Brian Hacker |
$9,000 | |
| 4 | Chris Pikula |
$9,000 | 2nd Final day |
| 5 | George Baxter |
$5,500 | 2nd Final day |
| 6 |  Olle RådeOlle Råde Olle Råde is a professional Magic: The Gathering player from Sweden. He was inducted to the Magic: The Gathering Pro Tour Hall of Fame as part of the inaugural class in 2005. Olle was also the first player awarded with the coveted Player of the Year award and was the first non-American player to... |
$5,500 | 3rd Final day |
| 7 | Robert Thornburg |
$5,500 | |
| 8 | Peer Kröger |
$5,500 |
Pro Tour – Los Angeles (28 February – 2 March 1997)
Tommi HoviTommi Hovi
Tommi Hovi is a former professional Magic: The Gathering player from Finland. He was inducted into the Magic: The Gathering Pro Tour Hall of Fame in the inaugural class in 2005...
won Pro Tour Los Angeles, winning the final against David Mills. It was the only Pro Tour final ever to be decided by a disqualification. Mills was disqualified because he repeatedly tapped his lands after (rather than before) attempting to play a spell, which was not allowed at the time. Leading to an upset amongst the players it was eventually decided that Mills would be allowed to claim his prize, despite being originally disqualified without prize.
Los Angeles was also the first Pro Tour to use the so called Paris Mulligan. Previously players were allowed to take a mulligan if they had an all-land or no-land starting hand. Instead players could now mulligan whenever they wished to do so, but had to draw an opening hand with one card less. The name Paris Mulligan actually refers to the subsequent Pro Tour in Paris, which was the first Constructed Pro Tour to use this rule.
Tournament data
Prize pool: $150,000Players: 236
Format: Rochester Draft (Mirage-Visions
Visions (Magic: The Gathering)
Visions was the sixteenth Magic: The Gathering set and tenth expert level set, released in February 1997. This expansion continued the Mirage block by using the same setting and mechanics introduced in Mirage. The expansion symbol for Visions is a V-shaped symbol, which is the "triangle of war"...
)
Head Judge: Tom Wylie
Final standings
| Place | Player | Prize | Comment |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 |  Tommi HoviTommi Hovi Tommi Hovi is a former professional Magic: The Gathering player from Finland. He was inducted into the Magic: The Gathering Pro Tour Hall of Fame in the inaugural class in 2005... |
$26,000 | 2nd Final day, 1st Finn to win a Pro Tour |
| 2 | David Mills |
$16,000 | Disqualified |
| 3 | Alan Comer Alan Comer Alan Comer is a former professional Magic: The Gathering player. He was elected to the Magic Hall of Fame as part of the inaugural class in 2005. He was the only member of the class never to have won a Pro Tour... |
$9,000 | |
| 4 | John Yoo |
$9,000 | 2nd Final day |
| 5 | Truc Bui |
$5,500 | 2nd Final day |
| 6 | John Immordino |
$5,500 | 2nd Final day |
| 7 | Brian Weissman |
$5,500 | 2nd Final day |
| 8 |  Ben Possemiers |
$5,500 | 1st Belgian in a Top 8 |
Grand Prix – Amsterdam
GP Amsterdam (22–23 March)-
Emmanuel Vernay - David Nott
-
Wessel Oomens - Sven Dijt
- Roeland Van der Hoevenen
- Matt Henstra
- Michael Huth
- Dominique Coene
Pro Tour – Paris (11–13 April 1997)
Paris was the first Pro Tour held outside the United States. In the finals the biggest names of Magic at that time, Mike LongMike Long
Michael Long is a former professional Magic: The Gathering card game player. He was a highly influential and controversial Pro Tour mainstay for a number of years in the late 1990s. Despite making four Pro Tour top eights and winning Pro Tour Paris in 1997, Long's legacy is the subject of much...
and Mark Justice
Mark Justice
Mark Justice is a former Magic: The Gathering pro player. He is by many considered the best player of the game in his time. Justice was the first Magic: The Gathering US National Champion in 1995...
, met determine the champion. Actually both decks present in the final belonged to Long as he had previously loaned his deck to Justice. Eventually Long won the match, en route winning a game which his Combo deck was not capable of winning any more, but he convinced Justice to concede anyway.
Tournament data
Prize pool: $150,000Players: 223
Format: Mirage Block Constructed (Mirage, Visions)
Final standings
| Place | Player | Prize | Comment |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Mike Long Mike Long Michael Long is a former professional Magic: The Gathering card game player. He was a highly influential and controversial Pro Tour mainstay for a number of years in the late 1990s. Despite making four Pro Tour top eights and winning Pro Tour Paris in 1997, Long's legacy is the subject of much... |
$26,000 | 2nd Final day |
| 2 | Mark Justice Mark Justice Mark Justice is a former Magic: The Gathering pro player. He is by many considered the best player of the game in his time. Justice was the first Magic: The Gathering US National Champion in 1995... |
$16,000 | 3rd Final day |
| 3 | Darwin Kastle Darwin Kastle - Other accomplishments :* 2005 Hall of Fame inductee* Last player to have played all Pro Tours after 48 appearances from 1996 PT New York to 2004 PT Kobe- References :... |
$9,000 | 3rd Final day |
| 4 | Henning Rimkus |
$9,000 | |
| 5 |  Sturla Bingen |
$5,500 | 1st Norwegian in a Top 8 |
| 6 | Paul Ferker |
$5,500 | |
| 7 | Jason Gordon |
$5,500 | 2nd Final day |
| 8 | Jason Zila |
$5,500 | 2nd Final day |
Grand Prix – Washington D.C., Tokyo, Barcelona
GP Washington D.C. (26–27 April)- Mike LongMike LongMichael Long is a former professional Magic: The Gathering card game player. He was a highly influential and controversial Pro Tour mainstay for a number of years in the late 1990s. Despite making four Pro Tour top eights and winning Pro Tour Paris in 1997, Long's legacy is the subject of much...
- David Price
- Nate Clark
- Chad Solo
- Scott Seville
- Michael PustilnikMichael Pustilnik-References:...
- Terry Borer
- Dennis Bentley
GP Tokyo (4–5 May)
Kenichi Fujita- Toshiki Tsukamoto
- Yoshiyuki Tsuruta
- Yoshikazu Ishii
- Goro Matsuo
- Masami Ibamoto
- Satoshi Nakamura
- Takashi Niwa
GP Barcelona (4–5 May)- Pierre Fayard
- Alain Fernandez
-
Ivan Garcia - Santiago Rodriguez
- Mathieu Poujade
- Nicholas Olivieri
- Joaquim Casa
- Michel Debard
Pro Tour – New York (30 May – 1 June 1997)
Canadian Terry Borer won Pro Tour New York, defeating Ivan Stanoev in the finals.
Tournament data
Prize pool: $150,000
Players: 259
Format: Booster Draft (5th Edition5th Edition (Magic: The Gathering)The Fifth Edition was the seventeenth Magic: The Gathering set and fifth core set, a revision of the base set released in March 1997. It contained 449 cards, counting multiple illustrations of basic lands, making it the largest card set in the game's history...
-Visions)
Final standings
Place Player Prize Comment 1 Terry Borer$26,000 2nd Final day 2 
Ivan Stanoev$16,000 1st Czech in a Top 8 3 Gabriel Tsang$9,000 4 Jeroen Weyden$9,000 1st Dutch Player in a Top 8 5 Mark Chalice$5,500 6 John Chinnock$5,500 7 Michael PustilnikMichael Pustilnik-References:...$5,500 8 Patrick Chapin$5,500
Grand Prix – London
GP London (12–13 July)- Michel Sochon
- Cyrille DeFoucaud
-
Ollie Schneider -
Graham Thomson - Ben Possemiers
- Daniel Brickwell
- Robin McCandless
- Frederic Bannach
1997 World Championships – Seattle (13–17 August 1997)
Jakub Slemr from the Czech Republic won the World Championship. He defeated Janosch Kühn from Germany in the final, playing a mainly black aggro-deck, dipping into all other colours for utility. Canada won the team competition in a final against Sweden.
Tournament data
Prize pool: $200,000 (individual) + $50,000 (national teams)
Players: 153
Format: Standard, Rochester Draft (Mirage-Visions-Weatherlight), Extended
Final standings
Place Player Prize Comment 1 Jakub Slemr$34,000 1st Czech to win a Pro Tour 2 Janosch Kühn$22,000 Pro Tour debut 3 Paul McCabePaul McCabe (Magic: The Gathering player)Paul McCabe is a Canadian Magic: The Gathering player. He is known for his success in the 1996-97 Pro Tour season. During this season, McCabe reached the top eight of two Pro Tours, and won the Player of the Year title...$12,000 2nd Final day 4 
Svend Geertsen$12,000 1st Dane in a Top 8 5 Gabriel Tsang$8,000 2nd Final day 6 Nikolai Weibull$8,000 7 Nate Clark$8,000 8 John Chinnock$8,000 2nd Final day
National team competition
- Canada (Gary Krakower, Michael Donais, Ed Ito, Gabriel Tsang)
- Sweden (Nikolai Weibull, Mattias Jorstedt, Marcus Angelin, Johan Cedercrantz)
Pro Player of the year final standings
After the World Championship Paul McCabePaul McCabe (Magic: The Gathering player)Paul McCabe is a Canadian Magic: The Gathering player. He is known for his success in the 1996-97 Pro Tour season. During this season, McCabe reached the top eight of two Pro Tours, and won the Player of the Year title...
was awarded the Pro Player of the year title.
Rank Player 1 Paul McCabePaul McCabe (Magic: The Gathering player)Paul McCabe is a Canadian Magic: The Gathering player. He is known for his success in the 1996-97 Pro Tour season. During this season, McCabe reached the top eight of two Pro Tours, and won the Player of the Year title...2 (tie) Terry Borer2 (tie) John Yoo