Standard Open Top 8 Profiles

Eric Hawkins

Age: 34

Hometown:
Saint Paul, MN

Archetype:
Azorius Aggro (13-1-1)

Why did you play the deck you played this weekend?
It performed well for me and my friends (Max, Jacob, Andrew) the past few weeks.

What is the best deck in Standard? How will the format shift next week?
Azorius Aggro. The deck has very few bad matchups. I would expect more mirrors and a more narrow field of decks.

Tannon Grace

Age: 34

Hometown:
Baton Rouge, LA

Archetype:
Mono-Blue Aggro (12-2-1)

Why did you play the deck you played this weekend?
I was pretty lost in Standard, but I like tempo decks. This one seemed goo for the weekend.

What is the best deck in Standard? How will the format shift next week?
As long as the white decks don't get super popular, I really like my deck.

Jody Keith

Age: 31

Hometown:
New Orleans, LA

Archetype:
Rakdos Midrange (12-2-1)

Why did you play the deck you played this weekend?
I tried every deck on stream this week (twitch.tv/Nolagold) and didn't like anything. I found a list that had The Eldest Reborn and Siege-Gang Commander and ran with it.

What is the best deck in Standard? How will the format shift next week?
I have no clue. I played a fun deck and Siege-Gang is great. I couldn't lose a game to Sultai Midrange so can't beat that.

Dylan Donegan

Age: 21

Hometown:
Cary, NC

Archetype:
Sultai Midrange (12-2-1)

Why did you play the deck you played this weekend?
It's Temur Energy. Why would I play anything else?

What is the best deck in Standard? How will the format shift next week?
Mono-Blue Aggro was likely the call for the weekend, but Sultai is still just the best deck pound-for-pound.

Juan Leyva

Age: 37

Hometown:
De Queen, AR

Archetype:
Azorius Aggro (12-3)

Why did you play the deck you played this weekend?
The slower metagame makes it easier for fast decks to get under them.

What is the best deck in Standard? How will the format shift next week?
Azorius Aggro. Cheaper board wipes will be the better answer to the fast aggro decks.

John Johnson

Age: 23

Hometown:
Brownwood, TX

Archetype:
Simic Nexus (12-3)

Why did you play the deck you played this weekend?
I enjoy playing things that attack traditional understanding of Magic and I felt the list matches up favorably against almost every deck in the metagame.

What is the best deck in Standard? How will the format shift next week?
Mono-Blue Aggro or Simic Nexus.

Robert Wagner-Krankel

Age: 24

Hometown:
Austin, TX

Archetype:
Mono-Blue Aggro (12-3)

Why did you play the deck you played this weekend?
Last second decision to play. Deck seemed very hyper and expected a decent amount of Esper Control and Sultai Midrange

What is the best deck in Standard? How will the format shift next week?
No idea. Everything seemed even.

Jonathon Hobbs

Age: 19

Hometown:
Marion, IN

Archetype:
Esper Control (12-3)

Why did you play the deck you played this weekend?
Deck I felt the most comfortable with. Control is my natural style.

What is the best deck in Standard? How will the format shift next week?
Probably Azorius Aggro, although there was a ton of Mono-Blue this weekend I think Mono-Red is in a good spot; it's great against either aggro deck and the Wilderness Reclamation archetypes.