A total of 223 Magic: The Gathering players from around the globe competed for 19 direct invites to the World Championship and a prize pool of $450,000.
Taking place over the course of three days, May 20 to 22, the New Capenna Championship featured Magic: The Gathering gameplay in Constructed Standard and Historic formats via MTG Arena. The tournament was the final Championship of the 2021-2022 season, providing a total of 19 invites to the Magic World Championship later this year.
Players who finished in the top six at the New Capenna Championship, along with five Magic Pro League (MPL) and six Challenger players that finished with the highest overall point standings for the season, all earned a direct invite to Worlds.
Earning an invite to MTG Worlds, however, required players to finish at the top of the standings by competing in two different formats. Both days one and two of the New Capenna Championship featured gameplay in Standard and Historic, while the playoffs on day three only showcased the Standard format. Four match wins advanced players to the second day and a total of 12 match wins advanced players to the top eight double-elimination bracket playoffs.
May 22 New Capenna Championship standings
A total of eight players battled for six MTG Worlds invites via a double-elimination bracket within the Constructed Standard format at the New Capenna Championship. Jan Merkel cruised his way to the final match playing Jeskai Hinata. All players had a second chance in the lower bracket and awaiting them was Simon Nielsen on Esper Midrange.
Hishamichi Yoshigoe dominated the lower bracket with his unique Naya Midrange deck but was stopped by Nielsen for a chance to compete in the title match. Facing off once again, Merkel and Nielsen battled it out with Merkel and his Esper Midrange deck winning the New Capenna Championship.
May 21 New Capenna Championship standings
Only a total of eight players advanced to the final day of the New Capenna Championship after eight rounds played on May 21, for a total of 15 Swiss rounds between both days. The first rounds were in the Standard format, with David Inglis remaining undefeated after a total of nine rounds between days one and two. Elsewhere, Tristan Wylde-LaRue locked a Magic Worlds invite in the Challenger race.
Heading into the Historic Swiss rounds during day two, Shota Yasooka secured a Worlds invite in the League race while sitting atop the leaderboard with David Inglis at 10-1, while Nathan Steuer locked in a Worlds seat in the Challenger race.
Four rounds of Historic at the New Capenna Championship wrapped up the Swiss rounds, determining the top eight, League invites to Worlds, and Challenger invites to the Magic World Championship.
Earning invites to MTG Worlds in the Challengers race were Simon Nielsen, Tristan Wylde-LaRue, Greg Orange, Yuma Koizumi, Nathan Steuer, Julian Wellman, Jim Davis, and Drew Baker. Invites to Worlds for the League race went to David Inglis, Shota Yasooka, Reid Duke, Logan Nettles, and Matti Kuisma.
David Inglis, Hisamichi Yoshigoe, Zachary Kiihne, Shota Yasooka, Simon Nielsen, Karl Sarap, and Jan Merkel advanced to the top eight New Capenna Championship double-elimination bracket playoffs.
May 20 New Capenna Championship standings
A total of seven Swiss rounds were played during the first day of the MTG Arena New Capenna Championship, featuring Standard in rounds one to three and Historic in rounds four to seven. Players advanced with four or more match wins to the second day, and all records are carried over into day two.
Following three rounds of Standard, a total of 28 MTG players had 3-0 records at the New Capenna Championship heading into the Historic rounds. Remaining undefeated after four rounds of Historic and seven rounds total were teammates Stefan Schütz and David Inglis. Close behind them were a total of 12 players with 6-1 records.
No MTG Worlds slots were clinched via the MPL players by the end of day one. But Greg Orange, Yuma Koizumi, and Simon Nielsen were able to lock up an invite to the Magic World Championship in the Challenger race.
Standings at the New Capenna Championship will get updated following the completion of all rounds during each day of the competition.
