Modern Open Top 8 Profiles

Vincenzo Balistreri

Age: 28

Hometown:
Milwaukee, WI

Archetype:
R/G Eldrazi

Why did you play the deck you played this weekend?
It's under the radar and makes 3 mana on Turn 2.

What was the most memorable moment of the tournament?
My Affinity opponent had a Vault Skirge with Cranial Plating for lethal. I had to play Ancient Stirrings, find a Mind Stone, crack Mind Stone, and find the removal to crack back for lethal.

Ian Jensen

Age: 22

Hometown:
St. Paul, MN

Archetype:
Affinity

Why did you play the deck you played this weekend?
Eric Hawkins says Robots is good.

What was the most memorable moment of the tournament?
Beating Hollow One on Turn 20 with the last Inkmoth Nexus.

Tyler Schmidt

Age: 29

Hometown:
Oshkosh, WI

Archetype:
Burn

Why did you play the deck you played this weekend?
Nothing is more fun than saying, "Bolt you for three."

What was the most memorable moment of the tournament?
I had a few nice topdecks to win matches.

Jacob Mackey

Age: 18

Hometown:
Menitowoc, WI

Archetype:
Jeskai Control

Why did you play the deck you played this weekend?
I like playing control.

What was the most memorable moment of the tournament?
Topdecking Supreme Verdict against G/R Eldrazi and going on to win.

Josh Turner

Age: 23

Hometown:
Roselle, IL

Archetype:
Humans

Why did you play the deck you played this weekend?
It seemed the most consistent deck, I had access to it, and I've been playing it all week.

What was the most memorable moment of the tournament?
Dying to Turn-3 Primeval Titan in Game 3 of Round 1, and then winning all of my matches from there on until round Round 13.

Jungje Choi

Age: 24

Hometown:
Chicago, IL

Archetype:
Blue Moon

Why did you play the deck you played this weekend?
Because it has a good Humans matchup.

What was the most memorable moment of the tournament?
I cast Entrancing Melody on an opponent's Hazoret the Fervent and killed them with it.

CJ Steele

Age: 26

Hometown:
Fort Wayne, IN

Archetype:
Scapeshift

Why did you play the deck you played this weekend?
It's the best version of Scapeshift available and it's an archetype I've been playing since 2010.

What was the most memorable moment of the tournament?
Repealing a Blood Moon with a Blood Moon on the stack, drawing a Cryptic Command to counter the other one, then drawing the lethal Bring to Light.

Kelsey Dixion

Age: 28

Hometown:
Ankeny, IA

Archetype:
Eldrazi Tron

Why did you play the deck you played this weekend?
Was too lazy to buy sleeves for a different deck.

What was the most memorable moment of the tournament?
Topdecking several Reality Smashers.