Grand Prix Sydney 2018 - Welcome to the Fold

This weekend is one of the exciting Grand Prix in Australia! We have six new judges to Welcome to the Fold!

Denby Adams

Name: Denby Adams
Level: Level 1
Location: Perth, Australia
Region: Australia and New Zealand
Approximate date/month/year you started playing Magic: 2014
L1 Certification Date: September 2, 2016
Favorite thing (e.g., card, deck, group of people) about Magic: Miracles in Legacy, RIP Top
Occupation: Engineer
Why did you become a judge?: I like to continually challenge myself and am a very detailed orientated person. Judging felt like a very suitable fit.
What excites you most about this event?: The opportunity to develop past running smaller local events to being part of the large, intricate machine that is the GP staff.
What worries you most about this event?: I will be testing for L2, like most people I don’t find exams to be the most enjoyable thing out there.
Who are your mentors?: Woody and Donald Sutherland
What is your favorite Magic memory?: Winning the Good Games State Championship and being able to go to PAX to play!

Barnet Mersky

Name: Barnet Mersky
Level: Level 1
Location: Brisbane, Australia
Region: Australia and New Zealand
Approximate date/month/year you started playing Magic: 10/05/2012
Favorite thing (e.g., card, deck, group of people) about Magic: My LGS and it’s players
Occupation: Driver
Random fact about yourself: I used to be a professional Halo player
Why did you become a judge?: I wanted to better myself as a player and improve my community
Who are your mentors?: Chris Worrell and John Tong
What challenges have you faced or are you facing to become a better judge?: Lack of experience in high pressure situations, such as GPs
How have you worked to overcome those challenges?: Judging in as many Comp REL events as much as I can, while studying as much as I can
What is the best part about your local Magic community?: The feeling of camaraderie that is expressed throughout every store and play group
What is your favorite Magic memory?: My first GP in Brisbane 2013. Will never forget that feeling of excitement at being surrounded by those who were just as passionate, if not more, about the game that I love

Callum McFadyen

Name: Callum McFadyen
Level: Level 1
Location: Coffs Harbour, Australia
Region: Australia and New Zealand
Approximate date/month/year you started playing Magic: 2012
L1 Certification Date: November 11, 2016
Favorite thing (e.g., card, deck, group of people) about Magic: Cascading twice thanks to Maelstrom Wanderer, and having friends who will stick around while I do so.
Occupation: High School Teacher
Random fact about yourself: I am a reformed YuGiOh player, and Red/Green Colourblind.
Why did you become a judge?: I am a teacher, and love delving into the rules and interactions of the game, while passing that on to others, so judging seemed like the right place for me.
What excites you most about this event?: Being able to experience a large scale event for the first time, and working with a fantastic team of staff and judges.
What challenges have you faced or are you facing to become a better judge?: As a rural judge, I did not have a mentor, but rather relied on the judge channels and website for advice and help.
What is the best part about your local Magic community?: They are always welcoming of new players, and always tend to include helpful lessons when playing against players with less experience, which benefits everyone.
What is your favorite Magic memory?: The feeling I got when the judge core and staff team of GP Sydney congratulated me on reaching Level 2. This is truly an amazing community, and I am glad to be a part of it.

Rhianna Milton

Name: Rhianna Milton
Level: Level 1
Location: Homebush West, Australia
Region: Australia and New Zealand
Approximate date/month/year you started playing Magic: December 2014
L1 Certification Date: February 10, 2018
Favorite thing (e.g., card, deck, group of people) about Magic: Grinding PPTQS on the weekends
Occupation: NA
Random fact about yourself: I’ve logged 1,792 hours on steam playing Left 4 Dead and I used to play competitively
Why did you become a judge?: To increase my understanding of the game, its rules and interactions and become a better player for it
What excites you most about this event?: To see my friends compete and hopefully achieve personal bests/qualify for the Pro Tour and to be a part of the team that makes the event possible
What worries you most about this event?: The long hours
What are you hoping to learn at this event?: The inner workings of a large scale event
Who are your mentors?: Fry
What challenges have you faced or are you facing to become a better judge?: Having confidence in myself and my abilities
How have you worked to overcome those challenges?: Keep myself as informed as possible to be secure in the answers I give to player’s questions
What is the best part about your local Magic community?: It’s friendly, supportive and welcoming
What is your favorite Magic memory?: GP Los Angeles 2016, it was my first time travelling alone, I made new friends some of whom I’m still in contact with, everyone I met was extremely friendly and made me feel comfortable and safe. I got foils of my then favourite magic card signed by the artist and a metal print of the artwork (Relentless Rats). I had people I barely knew cheering me on and supporting me through Day 1 and celebrating with me when I made Day 2 for the first time.

Tyrone Phillips

Name: Tyrone Phillips
Level: Level 1
Location: Toowoomba, Australia
Region: Australia and New Zealand
Approximate date/month/year you started playing Magic: June 2013
L1 Certification Date: October 14, 2017
Favorite thing (e.g., card, deck, group of people) about Magic: Card: Soldevi Sentry. Deck: Modern affinity. People: Those who don’t ask me about banding.
Occupation: Student and fire twirler
Random fact about yourself: I keep my trades in a Space Jam Tazo folder
Why did you become a judge?: There were four or five stores around me with no judges at all. I wanted to increase that number by at least one.
What excites you most about this event?: It’s my first big event! I’m excited to meet other judges and see some old friends from out of town.
What worries you most about this event?: Taking calls in the main event. I don’t know the IPG nearly well enough.
What are you hoping to learn at this event?: The ins and outs of how larger events are structured and what roles need to be filled within them.
Who are your mentors?: John Tong
What challenges have you faced or are you facing to become a better judge?: I’m not skeptical enough. If I’m unsure about something and someone tells it to me confidently enough, I’ll believe it. This has let to some incorrect calls in the past.
How have you worked to overcome those challenges?: I’ve been running Ask A Judge threads to try and work through as many problems as possible while not under a time pressure.
What is the best part about your local Magic community?: It’s got a great balance of casual and competitive and a really supportive store.
What is your favorite Magic memory?: Pulling a foil Arlinn Kord at the SOI prerelease and 4-0ing the event. It was like winning twice!

Elizabeth Wallace

Name: Elizabeth Wallace
Level: Level 2
Location: Melbourne, Australia
Region: Australia and New Zealand
Approximate date/month/year you started playing Magic: 2011
Favorite thing (e.g., card, deck, group of people) about Magic: Fetch, shock, thoughtseize
Occupation: Medical Admin
Random fact about yourself: Aspiring pastry chef
Why did you become a judge?: My partner was getting more into the competitive side of magic which didn’t suit me. This meant that we could continue to share Magic as a big part of our lives.
What excites you most about this event?: Meeting so many new judges
What worries you most about this event?: Lots of new systems I’ve not used before
What is your favorite Magic memory?: Top 8ing a PPTQ in Adelaide and forcing my friends to delay a very late night drive back to Melbourne.