MTG Pro Tour player disqualified for game-changing Nethergoyf misplay at Amsterdam

A huge misplay by Bart Van Etten at the Modern Horizons 3 Pro Tour in Amsterdam has cost him a chance to play at the Magic: The Gathering World Championship, allowing Javier Dominguez to advance into the top eight. 

The Modern format in MTG contains wild decks that can end games by turn three. Between all the various combinations builds can pull off, it’s easy to cheat or make a mistake. Round 13 of the MH3 Pro Tour in Amsterdam showcased such a mishap in what could have been a mistake or cheating. Bart Van Etten of the Netherlands was disqualified for a misplay that neither player caught during the match, advancing former World Champion Javier Dominguez to round 14—which he won to make the top eight.

Events went down during game two between Bart and Dominguez. Bart, playing Mono-Black Grief, was beating down Dominguez’s life totals with Nethergoyf. Playing Jesaki Control, Dominguez played Phlage, Titan of Fire’s Fury with the intent to kill off the Nethergoyf that had a toughness of three.

Bart plays a Not Dead After All (Not Dead Yet) to save the Nethergoyf, increasing the creature’s toughness to four as the Instant was added to cards in the graveyard. But in what was a misplay or blatant cheating, Bart asks for a Wicked Role token and places it on the Nethergoyf. The Aura never should have been placed on the Nethergoyf, though, as it never technically died. 

It seemed like Dominguez knew something was off, but neither player asked for a judge. The match continued and Bart won thanks to the Nethergoyf misplay. The loss potentially put Dominguez short of reaching the top eight. We’re not sure what took place behind the scenes, but Dominguez entered his next match with an 11-4 record instead of 10-5. 

Dominguez was matched with Sodomirski, playing Living End, who he defeated to advance to the top eight at the MH3 Pro Tour in Amsterdam. Day three action at Pro Tour Amsterdam resumes on June 30, featuring the top eight players and possible future world champions. 

Update June 29 at 3:45pm CT: Wizards of the Coast released an official response to the round 13 match between Dominguez and Etten. “The determination of this investigation was Van Etten had intentionally committed a Game Rule Violation,” said WotC. “As a result, he was disqualified from the event. The result of the Round 13 match was reversed as part of this ruling.”