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Coming in to this year's Vintage Championships at Gen Con, the community was positively abuzz about Wizards of the Coast's recent decision to restrict Gifts Ungiven and unrestrict Gush. The impact of that move could be seen early on at the Con as a preliminary tournament featured two Groatog decks in the Top 8, one played by world-renowned Vintage expert Steve Menendian. The actual Vintage Championships themselves felt the sting of the decision with a quarter of the Top 8 being Groatog. In fact, both decks met in the finals in an epic battle between two of the community's biggest stars: aforementioned Steve Menendian and Richard Shay.
Menendian, who many may recognize from his Vintage articles on Starcitygames and recent inclusion on the Magic Invitational's Storyteller ballot, is a rare breed of gamer. A Vintage player through and through, he is a combination of intensity, competitiveness, and politeness. Despite not having a Pro Tour circuit to showcase his skills to the world he has still managed to carve out quite a niche of followers within the Vintage community and his matches throughout the tournament were always surrounded by onlookers and well-wishers.
The second finals competitor Richard Shay is certainly no slouch either. Shay is well respected within the world of Vintage and has seen some minor success on the Pro Tour and Grand Prix circuits too. Like Menendian he is popular amongst his fellow old school players and gravitated towards Gush with the opportunity to play it as a 4-of thanks to the recent policy change at Wizards. The celebrity of both players within their community, long supported by a network of ardent fans, meant the finals would be played out under the watchful eyes of a large crowd.
Before starting, the two players each had a thought to add on what it meant to play for the title:
Shay: "I didn't come to win packs or a card in a fancy card frame. I came to be the Vintage Champion."
Menendian: "I came to play Rich Shay. Seriously, Vintage to me is about playing the best players."
2007 Vintage Champion Steve Menendian (left) and runner-up Richard Shay.
To prove both points home, the players held a meeting with the judges to discuss possible prize splits. Head Judge Shawn Doherty informed them there was no way they could split the top prize, a framed copy of an oversized alt artwork Mox Jet, because they could not apply a value to the reward. Menendian offered a counter solution, revealing how he manages to be so successful as an attorney. "Can we declare that we'll each own 50 percent of the card, without a value?" After conferring with fellow judges Doherty ruled the two players COULD declare themselves shared owners of the Jet, then simply play for the title. Satisfied, the two sat down to battle.
The event was in for a fairytale ending. After a grueling day of Vintage competition (including a quarterfinal round which stretched past the one-hour mark, hopefully putting to bed rumors the format is "all about turn-one kills") it was repeat Top 8er Menendian who FINALLY added the title he had been pursuing for years: "Vintage World Champion." Both players received the utmost respect from fans with a round of applause, then the finalists patiently made rounds around the tournament area to shake hands with each audience member. In a whirl of congratulations from friends, teammates, and onlookers Shay and Menendian kept the Mox Jet on display to allow fans to take photos, measure the scale, and generally offer up their oohs and aahs.
But should Gush return to the Restricted list? The Top 8 doesn't necessarily indicate that to be the case. While both finalists WERE playing decks which abused the card, there were at least six different archetypes present in the single-elimination rounds and late in the day even a Jagged Poppet of all things could be seen at the top tables during the Swiss. Menendian added that he felt being able to Merchant Scroll for Gush was more problematic than the actual Mercadian Masques common itself, and fingered that as a possible source of examination for Vintage's future.
Whether Wizards decides to return the card to a 1-of or not, the 2007 Vintage Championships are certainly one which will go down in the Vintage books. Congratulations to Steve and Rich as well as the rest of the Top 8. Now the only question is who gets to take that joint-custody Mox home...
Coming in to this year's Vintage Championships at Gen Con, the community was positively abuzz about Wizards of the Coast's recent decision to restrict Gifts Ungiven and unrestrict Gush. The impact of that move could be seen early on at the Con as a preliminary tournament featured two Groatog decks in the Top 8, one played by world-renowned Vintage expert Steve Menendian. The actual Vintage Championships themselves felt the sting of the decision with a quarter of the Top 8 being Groatog. In fact, both decks met in the finals in an epic battle between two of the community's biggest stars: aforementioned Steve Menendian and Richard Shay.
Menendian, who many may recognize from his Vintage articles on Starcitygames and recent inclusion on the Magic Invitational's Storyteller ballot, is a rare breed of gamer. A Vintage player through and through, he is a combination of intensity, competitiveness, and politeness. Despite not having a Pro Tour circuit to showcase his skills to the world he has still managed to carve out quite a niche of followers within the Vintage community and his matches throughout the tournament were always surrounded by onlookers and well-wishers.
The second finals competitor Richard Shay is certainly no slouch either. Shay is well respected within the world of Vintage and has seen some minor success on the Pro Tour and Grand Prix circuits too. Like Menendian he is popular amongst his fellow old school players and gravitated towards Gush with the opportunity to play it as a 4-of thanks to the recent policy change at Wizards. The celebrity of both players within their community, long supported by a network of ardent fans, meant the finals would be played out under the watchful eyes of a large crowd.
Before starting, the two players each had a thought to add on what it meant to play for the title:
Shay: "I didn't come to win packs or a card in a fancy card frame. I came to be the Vintage Champion."
Menendian: "I came to play Rich Shay. Seriously, Vintage to me is about playing the best players."
2007 Vintage Champion Steve Menendian (left) and runner-up Richard Shay.
To prove both points home, the players held a meeting with the judges to discuss possible prize splits. Head Judge Shawn Doherty informed them there was no way they could split the top prize, a framed copy of an oversized alt artwork Mox Jet, because they could not apply a value to the reward. Menendian offered a counter solution, revealing how he manages to be so successful as an attorney. "Can we declare that we'll each own 50 percent of the card, without a value?" After conferring with fellow judges Doherty ruled the two players COULD declare themselves shared owners of the Jet, then simply play for the title. Satisfied, the two sat down to battle.
The event was in for a fairytale ending. After a grueling day of Vintage competition (including a quarterfinal round which stretched past the one-hour mark, hopefully putting to bed rumors the format is "all about turn-one kills") it was repeat Top 8er Menendian who FINALLY added the title he had been pursuing for years: "Vintage World Champion." Both players received the utmost respect from fans with a round of applause, then the finalists patiently made rounds around the tournament area to shake hands with each audience member. In a whirl of congratulations from friends, teammates, and onlookers Shay and Menendian kept the Mox Jet on display to allow fans to take photos, measure the scale, and generally offer up their oohs and aahs.
But should Gush return to the Restricted list? The Top 8 doesn't necessarily indicate that to be the case. While both finalists WERE playing decks which abused the card, there were at least six different archetypes present in the single-elimination rounds and late in the day even a Jagged Poppet of all things could be seen at the top tables during the Swiss. Menendian added that he felt being able to Merchant Scroll for Gush was more problematic than the actual Mercadian Masques common itself, and fingered that as a possible source of examination for Vintage's future.
Whether Wizards decides to return the card to a 1-of or not, the 2007 Vintage Championships are certainly one which will go down in the Vintage books. Congratulations to Steve and Rich as well as the rest of the Top 8. Now the only question is who gets to take that joint-custody Mox home...
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