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Category:
MTG

Rakdos Midrange shines at Pro Tour March of the Machine top eight

Four players piloted Rakdos Midrange to the top eight.
Image of Danny Forster
Danny Forster
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Published: May 6, 2023 09:08 pm

A diverse Magic: The Gathering Standard Constructed meta and March of the Machine Draft led to an exciting day two as the Pro Tour top-eight were locked in at MagicCon Minneapolis on May 6.

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The second MTG Pro Tour of the 2022-2023 season began on May 5 with over 250 of the best players from around the globe. Top performing decks heading into the tournament were Rakdos Midrange, Grixis Midrange, and Esper Legends.

Day one of the Pro Tour closed out with Jim Davis as the only undefeated player heading into day two. Following the three MOM Draft rounds Davis had slipped to an 8-3 record while former World Champions Nathan Steuer and Javier Dominguez were sitting in the top eight after 11 total rounds.

Who made the top eight at Pro Tour MOM?

Dominguez was the first to lock up a top-eight slot, followed by teammates Karl Sarap and Simon Nielsen. All three MTG players piloted Rakdos Midrange throughout the Constructed Standard Swiss rounds at the Pro Tour. 

The final five Pro Tour top eight slots were determined through round 16, featuring five powerful matchups.

  • David Olsen (Five-Color Ramp) against Reid Duke (Rakdos Breach)
  • Daniel Goetschel (Rakdos Midrange) against Yiwen Chen (Azorius Soldiers)
  • Cain Rianhard (Rakdos Reanimator) against Yuuki Ichikawa (Grixis Reanimator)
  • André Judd (Esper Legends) against Autumn Burchett (Orzhov Midrange)
  • Nathan Steuer (Rakdos Midrange) against Brendon Johnson (Rakdos Midrange)

Five-Color Ramp, piloted by Olsen won out over Duke and his Rakdos Breach build.

The Pro Tour top eight continued to showcase some of the best MTG players in the world with Steuer beating Brendon Johnson, Burchett winning out over Judd, Chen taking out Goetschel, and Rianahrd defeating Ichikawa in the Grixis Reanimator mirror match.

Steuer’s win into the top eight at the Pro Tour increased the number of Rakdos Midrange decks to four. The other four slots contained one-of decks ranging from Five-Color Ramp to Azorius Soldiers. 

  • Javier Dominguez: Rakdos Midrange
  • Karl Sarap: Rakdos Midrange
  • Simon Nielsen: Rakdos Midrange
  • Nathan Steuer: Rakdos Midrange
  • David Olsen: Five-Color Ramp
  • Autumn Burchett: Orzhov Midrange
  • Yiwen Chen: Azorius Soldiers
  • Cain Rianhard: Rakdos Reanimator

Azorius Soldiers in the top eight was a surprise to many, despite the Standard deck putting up top finishes since the release of March of the Machine. Burchett’s Orzhov Midrange was another sleeper at the Pro Tour, as was Olsen’s Five-Color Ramp. 

Each of the top eight players earned an invite to the third MTG Pro Tour taking place in Barcelona from July 28 to 30, showcasing Lord of the Rings gameplay. They’ll also have a shot at becoming the March of the Machine Pro Tour Champion in the May 7 finals.

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Author
Image of Danny Forster
Danny Forster
Danny has been writing for Dot Esports for over five years, first as a freelancer and now as a staff writer. He is the lead beat writer for Magic: The Gathering and Teamfight Tactics. Danny is also a solid Monopoly GO player, having beaten every main event without spending a dime. When Danny isn't writing or gaming, he's chilling by the water in Spacecoast Florida with his family and friends. He's always got a tan, because touching grass is important, and loves playing strategic digital and tabletop games. Past outlets Danny has written for include TheGamer and ScreenRant.
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