Grand Prix Brussels 2018

| Io Hughto

In Brussels this weekend, we have six new judges to Welcome to the Fold!

Per Bodå

  • Name: Per Bodå
  • Level: Level 1
  • Location: Uppsala, Sweden
  • Region: Europe – North

Anouk Burny

  • Name: Anouk Burny
  • Level: Level 1
  • Location: Gent, Belgium
  • Region: BeNeLux
  • Approximate date/month/year you started playing Magic: 2014-2015
  • L1 Certification Date: April 5, 2016
  • Favorite thing (e.g., card, deck, group of people) about Magic: Elves!
  • Occupation: Administrative assistant
  • Random fact about yourself: I make wine disappear, what’s your superpower?
  • Why did you become a judge?: I wanted to help my community be awesome, also because I’m running the Belgian Lady Planeswalker chapter and I wanted to be able to judge events for this group.
  • What excites you most about this event?: Meeting all the new people
  • What worries you most about this event?: Since it’s my first GP I just really hope I will perform well and add some value to the event.
  • What is the best part about your local Magic community?: We have a budget-standard format called Gentry, you can only play 4 unique rares/mythics, and maximum 15 uncommons in your deck, which makes Magic affordable. Also everyone is really nice and welcoming towards new players.

Nick Kalfas

  • Name: Nick Kalfas
  • Level: Level 1
  • Location: London, United Kingdom
  • Region: United Kingdom, Ireland, and South Africa
  • Approximate date/month/year you started playing Magic: September 2013
  • Favorite thing (e.g., card, deck, group of people) about Magic: Competitive Modern, Abzan Company
  • Occupation: LGS in London
  • Random fact about yourself: Studing web-developing
  • Why did you become a judge?: To test my self and provide the same help to players that I got in my starting days.
  • What excites you most about this event?: The fact that it’s my first Grand Prix.
  • What worries you most about this event?: The fact that it’s my first Grand Prix.
  • What are you hoping to learn at this event?: How to be more confident as a Judge, and around other Judges.
  • Who are your mentors?: Danny Sparks Simmard
  • What challenges have you faced or are you facing to become a better judge?: I work in my LGS, so I judge everyday in our events, Regular and Competitive REL
  • How have you worked to overcome those challenges?: Studing and learning from my mistakes
  • What is the best part about your local Magic community?: I have recently moved in London so I wouldn’t really know yet.
  • What is your favorite Magic memory?: Every good finish in competitive events and playtesting with friends in preparation of these events.

Emilyen Laffineur

  • Name: Emilyen Laffineur
  • Level: Level 1
  • Location: Tellin, Belgium
  • Region: BeNeLux
  • Approximate date/month/year you started playing Magic: February 15, 2016
  • L1 Certification Date: October 18, 2017
  • Favorite thing (e.g., card, deck, group of people) about Magic: Community / Commander
  • Occupation: IT Student
  • Random fact about yourself: I really like Red Hot Chili Peppers
  • Why did you become a judge?: I wanted to learn people to play
  • What excites you most about this event?: It’s my first big event!
  • What is the best part about your local Magic community?: The people. We really have a good community!
  • What is your favorite Magic memory?: My very first game with a friend in our LGS

Antoine Oria

  • Name: Antoine Oria
  • Level: Level 1
  • Location: Amay, Belgium
  • Region: BeNeLux

Marianna Trnikova

  • Name: Marianna Trnikova
  • Level: Level 1
  • Location: Bratislava, Slovakia
  • Region: Europe – Central
  • Approximate date/month/year you started playing Magic: 5. October 2013 – Theros Prerelease!
  • L1 Certification Date: September 7, 2017
  • Favorite thing (e.g., card, deck, group of people) about Magic: Terese Nielsen, Selesnya and Enchantments
  • Random fact about yourself: I went to high school in Japan, studied the language in University and still use it every day.
  • Why did you become a judge?: I always enjoyed the atmosphere of our gamestore and being part of our community more than competitive playing. To become a judge and support our community was thus an easy decision for me!
  • What excites you most about this event?: The expectations of going to your first GP. Will I swimm or will I drown? Will I know what to do on my own? Am I going to fit in?
  • What worries you most about this event?: Getting lost in the venue
  • What are you hoping to learn at this event?: How to deliver good customer service towards players, visitors and staff at a large scale event
  • Who are your mentors?: Patrik Surab and Martina Eva Tonkovic
  • What challenges have you faced or are you facing to become a better judge?: Making sure my word has its weight for the players
  • How have you worked to overcome those challenges?: Trying to find the correct approach and through clear communication. Knowing your local players personally is a big plus as well. They see you as a person they can trust and relay on. Being pushed into running timed drafts also helped a lot.
  • What is the best part about your local Magic community?: The friendship. We’re a small community so we know each other personally and that makes the game even better for all of us
  • What is your favorite Magic memory?: My first big tournament. MKM Hamburg. I knew no one at the event and was a little bit scared, not knowing what to expect. But it turned out to be one of my fondest memories. I love the judges with whom I had the opportunity to work. I felt just like at home with the events, as we are usually only two for most of our events and thus, I believe I thrive in a little chaos.