Grand Prix Minneapolis 2018

| Io Hughto

This weekend in Minneapolis, we have five new judges to Welcome to the Fold!

Liberator L.

  • Name: Liberator L.
  • Level: Level 1
  • Location: Minneapolis, Minnesota, United States of America
  • Region: USA – North
  • Approximate date/month/year you started playing Magic: November 2014
  • L1 Certification Date: June 1, 2017
  • Favorite thing (e.g., card, deck, group of people) about Magic: Boggles in modern!
  • Occupation: Security Officer
  • Random fact about yourself: I have a valkyrie tattoo starting on my knee, extending down to my ankle.
  • Why did you become a judge?: I loved joking around with the players at my local FNM and just wanted more of all of it!
  • What excites you most about this event?: Being able to learn more about competitive REL! Also being able to take judge calls on a big important event!
  • What worries you most about this event?: Never ran On Demands before so I’m a little worried about that aspect.
  • What are you hoping to learn at this event?: More about issuing penalties and how to fix problems!
  • Who are your mentors?: Jacob Milicic, Will Israel
  • What challenges have you faced or are you facing to become a better judge?: Just after I got my L1, I was sent to Basic Combat Training for the Army. I was gone for 7 months training. It was very difficult to get back and pick up where I left off with the mtg community and the extensive rules and IPG.
  • How have you worked to overcome those challenges?: I’ve been going to as many Competitive events as possible to sharpen my skills. Asking so many questions to judges to learn and gain back the skills.

Tommy Lee

  • Name: Tommy Lee
  • Level: Level 1
  • Location: Alexandria, Minnesota, United States of America
  • Region: USA – North
  • Approximate date/month/year you started playing Magic: 1993-98 looooong break then 2014
  • L1 Certification Date: April 6, 2018
  • Favorite thing (e.g., card, deck, group of people) about Magic: I love Prison decks..yeah I am that guy (cough) Lantern (cough)
  • Occupation: Radio Personality & professional Magician
  • Random fact about yourself: I was once interrogated by the FBI
  • Why did you become a judge?: To help new players and make the game fun for players. Learning the rules is important, but knowing how communicate and enhance the game for players is just important. I am going to be taking my L2 soon and in time hope to be an L3
  • What excites you most about this event?: Meeting judges/players from all over the world.
  • What worries you most about this event?: I have judged a good amount of comp, but I worry because I am still new and will be facing new challenges and I hate to fail….but one must fail to learn. ( that was very yoda like)
  • What are you hoping to learn at this event?: As much as I can, I want to learn all facets of judging to better improve myself.
  • Who are your mentors?: Every Judge I run into. Mike Combs, Rob McKenzie and Joshua Marin
  • What challenges have you faced or are you facing to become a better judge?: I live in a small town, so access to Judges is not easy face to face.
  • How have you worked to overcome those challenges?: I am very active on the North Judges Slack and have learned a lot.
  • What is the best part about your local Magic community?: The players I get to interact with. our LGS Elemental Games is one of the most competitive in the Area. I also have to put Dom sucks 2018 ( inside joke to the players)
  • What is your favorite Magic memory?: selling my Alpha/Beta etc: cards including a black lotus for $500 as a kid………it bring me joy…..

Tim Speier

  • Name: Tim Speier
  • Level: Level 1
  • Location: Albany, Minnesota, United States of America
  • Region: USA – North
  • Approximate date/month/year you started playing Magic: 2014
  • L1 Certification Date: April 15, 2018
  • Favorite thing (e.g., card, deck, group of people) about Magic: Merfolk
  • Occupation: Mechanic
  • Random fact about yourself: We Can’t Stop Here, This is Bat Country!
  • Why did you become a judge?: to play the game better
  • What excites you most about this event?: having fun
  • What worries you most about this event?: Lunch
  • What are you hoping to learn at this event?: not sure
  • What challenges have you faced or are you facing to become a better judge?: knowing that i will not always be correct
  • How have you worked to overcome those challenges?: one step at a time
  • What is the best part about your local Magic community?: diverse
  • What is your favorite Magic memory?: the old monday night modern crew

John Stock

  • Name: John Stock
  • Level: Level 1
  • Location: Marquette, Michigan, United States of America
  • Region: USA – Great Lakes

Dorian Zaharia

  • Name: Dorian Zaharia
  • Level: Level 1
  • Location: Winnipeg, Canada
  • Region: Canada