Grand Prix Lyon 2018

| Io Hughto

This weekend, GPs return to France and we have five new judges to Welcome to the Fold!

Arthur Araujo

  • Name: Arthur Araujo
  • Level: Level 2
  • Location: Macapa, Brazil
  • Region: Brazil
  • Approximate date/month/year you started playing Magic: 2003
  • L1 Certification Date: June 6, 2015
  • Favorite thing (e.g., card, deck, group of people) about Magic: Play with annoying decks like lantern or U/W Approach
  • Occupation: Government employee as software developer
  • Random fact about yourself: When I was one year old I broke my index finger, and it is still a little croocked
  • What excites you most about this event?: It’s my first really big MTG tournament and the first time I’m traveling abroad. I don’t know exactly what to expect I’m just really excited at all (and a little anxious)
  • What worries you most about this event?: The language issues. I hope this isn’t a big problem and everything goes well
  • What challenges have you faced or are you facing to become a better judge?: I live in a remote region of Brazi and there’s no others Level 2+ near me, so sometimes I miss to have someone close with whom learn and exchange experiences.
  • How have you worked to overcome those challenges?: I try stay in touch with the judges that I know with Facebook and the other brazilian judge channels. I also try to use the judge conferences and all other opportunities that I have, like the GP Lyon, to learn as much as I can.
  • What is your favorite Magic memory?: I think it’s my first competitive tournament, a PPTQ in Rio with Nicolau Maldonato and Thiago Perigolo. I was very nervous but everything ended fine. It was the first time I really felt as a Magic Judge.

Nicole Weber

  • Name: Nicole Weber
  • Level: Level 2
  • Location: Trier, Germany
  • Region: German-speaking countries

Julien Badie

  • Name: Julien Badie
  • Level: Level 2
  • Location: Nice, France
  • Region: France
  • Approximate date/month/year you started playing Magic: March 2009
  • L1 Certification Date: November 17, 2015
  • Favorite thing (e.g., card, deck, group of people) about Magic: Bringing the most unexpected decks during FNM.
  • Occupation: Computer science engineer
  • Random fact about yourself: I used to do origami at a high-level when I was a student. My teacher was the one who brought me into Magic.
  • Why did you become a judge?: I have always loved to see difficult interactions between cards and how the rules work. Also, when I joined the local community, we had no judge so we decided with other friends to get our certification. Later, I wanted to know more about the judging community and how large scale events work so I chose to become L2.
  • What excites you most about this event?: Everything! It will be my first GP and I have so much to learn. I will also try to discuss and share experience with as many judges as possible during this event.
  • What worries you most about this event?: Not knowing how things are organized and my lack of experience working with a team of judges.
  • Who are your mentors?: Gérard Trpin
  • What is the best part about your local Magic community?: We are a growing community and people are more and more motivated by the game. Some of them are even interested in judging! For this GP, we are at least 20 coming from Nice.
  • What is your favorite Magic memory?: Cubing with my friends.

Joachim Tibor Berger

  • Name: Joachim Tibor Berger
  • Level: Level 1
  • Location: Pressbaum, Austria
  • Region: German-speaking countries
  • Approximate date/month/year you started playing Magic: June 2015
  • L1 Certification Date: March 4, 2017
  • Favorite thing (e.g., card, deck, group of people) about Magic: Getting together to play a complex game with friends while having lots of fun
  • Occupation: Studying Computer Science and Mathematics
  • Random fact about yourself: My friends often tell me that it is easy to spot where I sat during a Party, as there is a higher concentration of chips crumbs in that area
  • Why did you become a judge?: I like the community of magic players and want to help it grow and support it with providing a nice atmosphere at sanctioned events
  • What excites you most about this event?: To be able to work with awesome judges from all around Europe and beyond
  • What worries you most about this event?: If I can fit everything I want to take with me into my hand luggage, as I will fly with hand luggage only
  • What are you hoping to learn at this event?: As I am assigned to do Customer Service, I am hoping to improve a in this area a lot
  • Who are your mentors?: René Oberweger, Simon Ahrens and Klaus Lassacher
  • What challenges have you faced or are you facing to become a better judge?: Plan ahead more during a event
  • How have you worked to overcome those challenges?: Judge more events and get feedback from other judges/players
  • What is the best part about your local Magic community?: It is a really big and expanding one. We have awesome game stores around that are all working to get more players into this awesome game. And we have regular Highlander and Pauper events
  • What is your favorite Magic memory?: I won a draft tournament (3 consecutive drafts) and winning vs different Gold Pros 3 Times in these 9 rounds

Jérémy GANIVET

  • Name: Jérémy GANIVET
  • Level: Level 1
  • Location: Vénissieux, France
  • Region: France
  • Approximate date/month/year you started playing Magic: July or June in 1996
  • L1 Certification Date: April 12, 2017
  • Favorite thing (e.g., card, deck, group of people) about Magic: A large part of my best friends have been met in my favorite Magic store. I do like playing black decks
  • Occupation: I work in a high school in Lyon.
  • Random fact about yourself: I almost lost my first cards during a fire in London. I’d like to judge a GP in Germany.
  • Why did you become a judge?: I become a judge in order to allow players to have the best experience when they play a Magic tournament!
  • What excites you most about this event?: It will be my first GP!!
  • What worries you most about this event?: It will be my first GP!! And my english level.
  • What are you hoping to learn at this event?: Everything I can. I will work as a staff member in the registration team so I hope to be the best I can in order to help the others members of the team.
  • Who are your mentors?: Gilles DEMARLE helped me to improve and let me get my level 1. He is not only a good judge but one of the best human beings I’ve ever mixed with. During the mentoring process I had the luck to work with Sophie PAGES and Michaël RABIE.
  • What challenges have you faced or are you facing to become a better judge?: I’ve always suffered from a huge lack of confidence in myself. I now have to improve my rules knowledge in order to access my level 2.
  • How have you worked to overcome those challenges?: I read a lot of the amazing sources that are available for the judges. For the lack of confidence, the first time you head-judge a tournament, you have to go and try to do the best you can, no choice. After head-judging twice with no major incidents, I think I’m a little more confident.
  • What is the best part about your local Magic community?: My local Magic community is awesome in his globality. TOs, players and judges are all great and allow the best experience for everyone. The other judges especially are great and we are a great team.
  • What is your favorite Magic memory?: A win-and-in for top8 during a game day! I lost this match but it was a good Magic moment against a player who became my mentor! I don’t think I ever played Magic so well.