Magic: The Gathering Pro Tour season 1997–98
Encyclopedia
The 1997–98 Pro Tour season was the third season of the Magic: The Gathering Pro Tour. It began on 30 August 1997 with Grand Prix
Toronto, and ended on 16 August 1998 with the conclusion of 1998 World Championship in Seattle. The season consisted of thirteen Grand Prix, and five Pro Tours, located in Chicago, Mainz
, Los Angeles, New York, and Seattle. At the end of the season Jon Finkel
from the United States was awarded the Pro Player of the Year title.
GP Copenhagen (6–7 September)
defeated David Mills in the finals to win the inaugural Pro Tour of the 1997–98 season. Olle Råde
's final eight appearance made him the first player to reach the Top 8 four times.
Players: 324
Format: Extended
had his third Top 8 appearance while playing only his fourth Pro Tour.
Players: 291
Format: Rochester Draft (Tempest
)
GP Lyon (7–8 February)
GP Madrid (24–25 January)
GP Melbourne (14–15 February)
GP Rio de Janeiro (31 January – 1 February)
Players: 342
Format: Block Constructed (Tempest)
won his first Pro Tour. Mark Justice
reached his fourth and as yet last final eight.
Format: Booster Draft (Tempest-Stronghold
)
GP Indianapolis (27–28 June)
GP Antwerp (25–26 April)
GP Zurich (30–31 May)
.
The US national team, consisting of Matt Linde, Mike Long
, Bryce Currence, and Jon Finkel
won its third team title. Long thus won his third team title, too, as he had been precisely on those teams which had won the title.
Format: Standard, Rochester Draft (Mirage-Visions-Weatherlight), Extended
Individual formats: Booster Draft (Tempest-Stronghold-Exodus
), Standard, Tempest Block Constructed (Tempest, Stronghold, Exodus)
Team formats: 4-Person Team Sealed (4 5th Edition
Starter + 4 5th Edition Booster) – Swiss; Constructed (2x Tempest Block Constructed + 2x Standard) – Finals
was awarded the Pro Player of the year title.
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...
Toronto, and ended on 16 August 1998 with the conclusion of 1998 World Championship in Seattle. The season consisted of thirteen Grand Prix, and five Pro Tours, located in Chicago, Mainz
Mainz
Mainz under the Holy Roman Empire, and previously was a Roman fort city which commanded the west bank of the Rhine and formed part of the northernmost frontier of the Roman Empire...
, Los Angeles, New York, and Seattle. At the end of the season Jon Finkel
Jon Finkel
Jon Finkel is an American Magic: The Gathering and poker player. In the year 2000, he became the world champion of Magic, as well as being on the team that became the team world champion.-Career:...
from the United States was awarded the Pro Player of the Year title.
Grand Prix – Toronto, Copenhagen
GP Toronto (30–31 August)-
Brian KiblerBrian KiblerBrian M. Kibler is an American game designer currently working with Gamer Entertainment, a gaming consultancy. In 2010 Kibler designed Ascension: Chronicle of the Godslayer with Justin Gary, Rob Dougherty, and John Fiorillo. Previously he worked on Chaotic and was the lead designer of the World of... - Erik Lauer
-
Tony Tsai - Matt Place
- Dan Silberman
- Steven O'Mahoney-SchwartzSteven O'Mahoney-SchwartzSteven O'Mahoney-Schwartz is an American Magic: The Gathering player. At the height of his career in the late 1990s, he was considered one of the best players. He is well known as a friend and teammate to Jon Finkel.-Career:...
- Mike TurianMike TurianMichael Turian is a successful professional player of Magic: The Gathering. He won Pro Tour New York with Team Potato Nation. Turian also won two Grand Prixs. In 2008 Mike Turian was voted in the Hall of Fame. He was inducted during the World championship in Memphis.- Career :Mike Turian qualified...
- Bruce Cowley
GP Copenhagen (6–7 September)
-
Karsten Hoppe -
Sigurd Eskeland -
David Linder - Thomas Lindohf
- Kristian Hellman
- Jesper Thrane
- Martin Jordö
- Frederik Thorstensson
Pro Tour – Chicago (10–12 October 1997)
Attending a Pro Tour for the first time, Randy BuehlerRandy Buehler
Randolph E. Buehler, Jr. was the Vice President of Digital Gaming at Wizards of the Coast, Inc., a subsidiary of Hasbro, Inc., as well as the commentator for the Magic Pro Tour...
defeated David Mills in the finals to win the inaugural Pro Tour of the 1997–98 season. 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...
's final eight appearance made him the first player to reach the Top 8 four times.
Tournament data
Prize pool: $151,635Players: 324
Format: Extended
Final standings
| Place | Player | Prize | Comment |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Randy Buehler Randy Buehler Randolph E. Buehler, Jr. was the Vice President of Digital Gaming at Wizards of the Coast, Inc., a subsidiary of Hasbro, Inc., as well as the commentator for the Magic Pro Tour... |
$25,000 | Pro Tour debut |
| 2 | David Mills |
$15,000 | 2nd Final day |
| 3 | Jon Finkel Jon Finkel Jon Finkel is an American Magic: The Gathering and poker player. In the year 2000, he became the world champion of Magic, as well as being on the team that became the team world champion.-Career:... |
$10,000 | |
| 4 | Max Suver |
$8,000 | |
| 5 | Adrian Sayers |
$6,500 | |
| 6 | Justin Schneider |
$5,500 | |
| 7 | Kyle Rose |
$4,800 | |
| 8 | 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... |
$4,300 | 4th Final day |
Grand Prix – Como
GP Como (8–9 November)-
Michaël Debard -
Lukas Ladra -
Roger Leu - Michael Suwald
-
Luca Chiera -
David Kearney - Pierre Vandercamere
- Gilles Martinau
Pro Tour – Mainz (5–7 December 1997)
Eventual Pro Player of the year Paul McCabe won Pro Tour Dallas. The Canadian defeated Jason Zila from the USA in the final. 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...
had his third Top 8 appearance while playing only his fourth Pro Tour.
Tournament data
Prize pool: $151,635Players: 291
Format: Rochester Draft (Tempest
Tempest (Magic: The Gathering)
Tempest was the 20th Magic: The Gathering set and twelfth expert level set, and the first set in the Rath Block, released in October 1997. The release of Tempest represented a large jump in the power level of the card set, compared to the previous Mirage block. Many cards from Tempest instantly...
)
Final standings
| Place | Player | Prize | Comment |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Matt Place |
$25,000 | 2nd Final day |
| 2 | Steven O'Mahoney-Schwartz Steven O'Mahoney-Schwartz Steven O'Mahoney-Schwartz is an American Magic: The Gathering player. At the height of his career in the late 1990s, he was considered one of the best players. He is well known as a friend and teammate to Jon Finkel.-Career:... |
$15,000 | |
| 3 |  Peer Kröger |
$10,000 | 2nd Final day |
| 4 | Kurt Burgner |
$8,000 | |
| 5 |  John Ormerod |
$6,500 | 1st English in a Top 8 |
| 6 | Chris Bishop |
$5,500 | |
| 7 | Mark Le Pine |
$4,800 | |
| 8 | Gabriele Pisicchio |
$4,300 | 1st Italian in a Top 8 |
Grand Prix – San Francisco, Madrid, Rio de Janeiro, Lyon, Melbourne
GP San Francisco (6–7 December)- Richard Van Cleave
- Mark Schick
- John Yoo
- Alan ComerAlan ComerAlan 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...
- Mike Craig
- Shawn Keller
- Hashim Bello
- Shawn Roush
GP Lyon (7–8 February)
- Raphaël LévyRaphaël LévyRaphaël Lévy is a professional Magic: The Gathering player. He was inducted to the Magic: The Gathering Pro Tour Hall of Fame in November 2006. He is the first player to have been inducted while active on the Pro Tour. He is one of only four players to have won Grand Prix on three different...
Kurt Foket- Manuel Bevand
- Michaël Debard
- Emmanuel Beltrando
- Loïc Degrou
- Nicolas Lacorne
- Laurent Laclaverie
GP Madrid (24–25 January)
- Steven O'Mahoney-SchwartzSteven O'Mahoney-SchwartzSteven O'Mahoney-Schwartz is an American Magic: The Gathering player. At the height of his career in the late 1990s, he was considered one of the best players. He is well known as a friend and teammate to Jon Finkel.-Career:...
- Michael Debard
- Jérémie Lagarde
- Herve Drevillon
Christian Celades- Omar Saqol
- Gabriele Pisicchio
- Marc Iglesias
GP Melbourne (14–15 February)
Philip Davey- Matt Goodall
- Lenny Collins
- Craig Sheppard
- Daniel Turner
- Adam Kemp
- Kevin Cheng
- Andrew Corney
GP Rio de Janeiro (31 January – 1 February)
- Jon FinkelJon FinkelJon Finkel is an American Magic: The Gathering and poker player. In the year 2000, he became the world champion of Magic, as well as being on the team that became the team world champion.-Career:...
- Steven O'Mahoney-SchwartzSteven O'Mahoney-SchwartzSteven O'Mahoney-Schwartz is an American Magic: The Gathering player. At the height of his career in the late 1990s, he was considered one of the best players. He is well known as a friend and teammate to Jon Finkel.-Career:...
Carlos Jeucken de Almeida- Adam Katz
- Leandro Buck
- Romario Tavora Britto
- Rodrigo Cesar Barbosa
- Julio Cesar Conceicao
Pro Tour – Los Angeles (6–8 March 1998)
David Price won Pro Tour Los Angeles. In the finals he defeated Ben Rubin, who thus made it to the second place at his first Pro Tour attendance.Tournament data
Prize pool: $151,635Players: 342
Format: Block Constructed (Tempest)
Final standings
| Place | Player | Prize | Comment |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | David Price |
$25,000 | |
| 2 | Ben Rubin |
$15,000 | First Pro Tour Attendance |
| 3 | David Bachmann |
$10,000 | |
| 4 | Adam Katz |
$8,000 | |
| 5 | Kyle Rose |
$6,500 | 2nd Final day |
| 6 | Jakub Slemr |
$5,500 | 2nd Final day |
| 7 | Svend Geertsen |
$4,800 | 2nd Final day |
| 8 | Andrew Wolf |
$4,300 |
Grand Prix – Stockholm
GP Stockholm (21–22 March)- Olle RådeOlle RådeOlle 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...
Tuomo Nieminen- Johan Franzen
- Jan Pieter Groenhof
- Manuel Bevand
- Viktor Forsman
- Ole Bergesen
- Sigurd Eskeland
Pro Tour – New York (17–19 April 1998)
In an all-American Top 8 Jon FinkelJon Finkel
Jon Finkel is an American Magic: The Gathering and poker player. In the year 2000, he became the world champion of Magic, as well as being on the team that became the team world champion.-Career:...
won his first Pro Tour. 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...
reached his fourth and as yet last final eight.
Tournament data
Prize pool: $151,635Format: Booster Draft (Tempest-Stronghold
Stronghold (Magic: The Gathering)
Stronghold was the 21st Magic: The Gathering set and thirteenth expert level set, and the second set in the Rath Block, released in March 1998. The block includes Tempest and Exodus. Stronghold contains 143 cards...
)
Top 8
Final standings
| Place | Player | Prize | Comment |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Jon Finkel Jon Finkel Jon Finkel is an American Magic: The Gathering and poker player. In the year 2000, he became the world champion of Magic, as well as being on the team that became the team world champion.-Career:... |
$25,000 | 2nd Final day |
| 2 | Dominic Crapuchettes |
$15,000 | |
| 3 | John Chinnock |
$10,000 | 3rd Final day |
| 4 | David Bachmann |
$8,000 | 2nd Final day |
| 5 | Truc Bui |
$6,500 | 2nd Final day |
| 6 | Nate Clark |
$5,500 | 2nd Final day |
| 7 | 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... |
$4,800 | 4th Final day |
| 8 | Casey McCarrel |
$4,300 |
Grand Prix – Atlanta, Antwerp, Zurich, Indianapolis
GP Atlanta (27–28 March)- Randy BuehlerRandy BuehlerRandolph E. Buehler, Jr. was the Vice President of Digital Gaming at Wizards of the Coast, Inc., a subsidiary of Hasbro, Inc., as well as the commentator for the Magic Pro Tour...
- Bob Coonce
- David Mills
- Derek Rank
- Patrick Callahan
- Ray Deguzman
- Nate Clark
- Chris Donahue
GP Indianapolis (27–28 June)
- Eric Jordan
- Koby Kennison
- Michael Chiumento
- Worth Wollpert
- Randy BuehlerRandy BuehlerRandolph E. Buehler, Jr. was the Vice President of Digital Gaming at Wizards of the Coast, Inc., a subsidiary of Hasbro, Inc., as well as the commentator for the Magic Pro Tour...
- Michael Katz
- Ryan Joe
- 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 :...
GP Antwerp (25–26 April)
- Stephan Valkyser
- Lukas Ladra
- Brian Hacker
- Michael Sochon
- Randy BuehlerRandy BuehlerRandolph E. Buehler, Jr. was the Vice President of Digital Gaming at Wizards of the Coast, Inc., a subsidiary of Hasbro, Inc., as well as the commentator for the Magic Pro Tour...
- Timo Meimberg
- Peer Kröger
- Michaël Debard
GP Zurich (30–31 May)
- Steven O'Mahoney-SchwartzSteven O'Mahoney-SchwartzSteven O'Mahoney-Schwartz is an American Magic: The Gathering player. At the height of his career in the late 1990s, he was considered one of the best players. He is well known as a friend and teammate to Jon Finkel.-Career:...
- Rudy Edwards
- Michaël Debard
- Alexander Blumke
- Janosch Kühn
- Jon FinkelJon FinkelJon Finkel is an American Magic: The Gathering and poker player. In the year 2000, he became the world champion of Magic, as well as being on the team that became the team world champion.-Career:...
- Marcel Baran
- Michael Huth
1998 World Championships – Seattle (12–16 August 1998)
Brian Selden defeated fellow American Ben Rubin to become the 1998 World Champion. He played a Control-Combo deck revolving around . The Top 8 was one of the most star-studded final eights ever, with all players making at least one other Top 8 appearance, and four of them later becoming Hall of FamersMagic: The Gathering Hall of Fame
The Magic: The Gathering Pro Tour Hall of Fame was started in 2005 to honor the most successful Magic: The Gathering Pro Tour players. The first inductions came on the tenth anniversary of the first Pro Tour event, and new Hall of Famers will be determined annually...
.
The US national team, consisting of Matt Linde, 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...
, Bryce Currence, and Jon Finkel
Jon Finkel
Jon Finkel is an American Magic: The Gathering and poker player. In the year 2000, he became the world champion of Magic, as well as being on the team that became the team world champion.-Career:...
won its third team title. Long thus won his third team title, too, as he had been precisely on those teams which had won the title.
Tournament data
Players: 203Format: Standard, Rochester Draft (Mirage-Visions-Weatherlight), Extended
Individual formats: Booster Draft (Tempest-Stronghold-Exodus
Exodus (Magic: The Gathering)
Exodus was the 22nd Magic: The Gathering set, fourteenth expert level set, and the third and final set in the Rath Block, released on 15 June 1998. Its expansion symbol is a bridge...
), Standard, Tempest Block Constructed (Tempest, Stronghold, Exodus)
Team formats: 4-Person Team Sealed (4 5th Edition
5th 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...
Starter + 4 5th Edition Booster) – Swiss; Constructed (2x Tempest Block Constructed + 2x Standard) – Finals
Top 8
Final standings
| Place | Player | Prize | Comment |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Brian Selden Brian Selden Brian Selden was the winner of the 1998 Magic: The Gathering World Championship.His strategy in the tournament was to use two cards, called Survival of the Fittest and Recurring Nightmare repeatedly... |
$34,000 | Pro Tour debut |
| 2 | Ben Rubin |
$22,000 | 2nd Final day |
| 3 | Jon Finkel Jon Finkel Jon Finkel is an American Magic: The Gathering and poker player. In the year 2000, he became the world champion of Magic, as well as being on the team that became the team world champion.-Career:... |
$16,000 | 3rd Final day |
| 4 | Raphaël Lévy Raphaël Lévy Raphaël Lévy is a professional Magic: The Gathering player. He was inducted to the Magic: The Gathering Pro Tour Hall of Fame in November 2006. He is the first player to have been inducted while active on the Pro Tour. He is one of only four players to have won Grand Prix on three different... |
$13,000 | |
| 5 | Scott Johns Scott Johns Scott Johns is the former editor of , and a former Magic: The Gathering Pro player. During his playing career he reached the top eight of a Pro Tour five times including his very first Pro Tour, and won Pro Tour New York 2000 with Gary Wise and Mike Turian as a part of Potato... |
$11,000 | 4th Final day |
| 6 | Chris Pikula |
$9,500 | 3rd Final day |
| 7 | Brian Hacker |
$8,250 | 2nd Final day |
| 8 | 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... |
$7,250 | 2nd Final day |
National team competition
- United States (Matt Linde, 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...
, Bryce Currence, Jon FinkelJon FinkelJon Finkel is an American Magic: The Gathering and poker player. In the year 2000, he became the world champion of Magic, as well as being on the team that became the team world champion.-Career:...
) - France (Pierre Malherbaud, Manuel Bevand, Marc Hernandez, Fabien Demazeau)
Pro Player of the year final standings
After the World Championship Jon FinkelJon Finkel
Jon Finkel is an American Magic: The Gathering and poker player. In the year 2000, he became the world champion of Magic, as well as being on the team that became the team world champion.-Career:...
was awarded the Pro Player of the year title.
| Rank | Player | Pro Points |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Jon Finkel Jon Finkel Jon Finkel is an American Magic: The Gathering and poker player. In the year 2000, he became the world champion of Magic, as well as being on the team that became the team world champion.-Career:... |
87 |
| 2 | Randy Buehler Randy Buehler Randolph E. Buehler, Jr. was the Vice President of Digital Gaming at Wizards of the Coast, Inc., a subsidiary of Hasbro, Inc., as well as the commentator for the Magic Pro Tour... |
70 |
| 3 | Steven O'Mahoney-Schwartz Steven O'Mahoney-Schwartz Steven O'Mahoney-Schwartz is an American Magic: The Gathering player. At the height of his career in the late 1990s, he was considered one of the best players. He is well known as a friend and teammate to Jon Finkel.-Career:... |
57 |
| 4 | David Price |
55 |
| 5 | Matt Place |
53 |