Magic: The Gathering Pro Tour season 2015–16

The 2015–16 Pro Tour season was the twenty-first season of the Magic: The Gathering Pro Tour. It started on 8 August 2015 with Grand Prix San Diego and Hong Kong and ended on 7 August 2016 with the conclusion of Pro Tour Sydney. The season consisted of 49 Grand Prix and 4 Pro Tours, located in Milwaukee, Atlanta, Madrid, and Sydney.[1]

2015–16 Pro Tour season
Pro Player of the YearUnited States Owen Turtenwald
Rookie of the YearUnited States Oliver Tiu
World ChampionUnited States Seth Manfield
Pro Tours4
Grands Prix49
Hall of Fame inductionsUnited States Eric Froehlich
Japan Shouta Yasooka
Brazil Willy Edel
Start of season8 August 2015
End of season7 August 2016

Mode

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Four Pro Tours and forty-nine Grands Prix were held in the 2015–16 season. These in addition to the World Championship and the World Magic Cup are the events that awarded Pro Points, the points that were used to determine the Player of the Year Standings and Pro Club levels. Players were awarded Pro Levels for earning 18 (Silver level), 33 (Gold), and 50 points (Platinum), however only the six best Grand Prix results counted. Pro Club Levels come with certain benefits such as qualifications to subsequent Pro Tours, byes at Grand Prix, and airfare to Pro Tours. Based on the final standings of Pro Tours, Grand Prix, Worlds, and the World Magic Cup Pro Points are awarded as follows:

Rank Pro Points awarded at
Pro Tour Grand Prix
(individual)
Grand Prix
(teams)
World Magic Cup
1 30 8 6 8
2 26 6 5 7
3–4 22 5 4 6
5–8 18 4 5
9–16 4
17–32 3
33+ 2

For competitors finishing outside the final elimination stage of Grand Prix and Pro Tours points are awarded depending on their score after the final Swiss round. 16 Swiss rounds are played at Pro Tours, 15 at individual Grand Prix, and 14 at Team Grand Prix. Pro Points are then awarded as follows.

Points Pro Points awarded at
Pro Tour Grand Prix
(individual)
Grand Prix
(teams)
39+ 15 4 4
36–38 15 3 4
35 12 2 4
34 11 2 4
33 10 2 3
32 8 1 2
31 7 1 2
30 6 1 1
28–29 4
0–27 3

Finally players that participated in the World Championship earned one Pro Point per win in the Swiss Portion and two Pro Points per win in the single elimination stage.

Grand Prix

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Magic: The Gathering World Championship

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Seattle (27–30 August 2015)

Top 4 playoff

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Semifinals Finals
      
1 Seth Manfield 3
4 Sam Black 1
Seth Manfield 3
Owen Turtenwald 2
2 Owen Turtenwald 3
3 Paul Rietzl 1

Final standings

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The following twenty-four players received an invitation to the 2015 World Championship due to their performance in the 2014–15 season. They are ordered according to the final standings of the event.

# Player Prize Pro points Qualified due to
1   Seth Manfield $50,000 17 Most Pro Points of otherwise unqualified
2   Owen Turtenwald $20,000 11 4th most Pro Points of otherwise unqualified
3   Paul Rietzl $10,000 9 2nd most Pro Points of otherwise unqualified
4   Sam Black $10,000 9 3rd most Pro Points North America
5   Magnus Lantto $5,000 9 2014 Magic Online Champion
6   Martin Müller $5,000 8 2014 World Magic Cup winner
7   Shaun McLaren $5,000 8 3rd most Pro Points of otherwise unqualified
8   Thiago Saporito $5,000 8 2nd Most Pro Point Latin America
9   Ondřej Stráský $3,000 8 Most Pro Points Europe
10   Yuuya Watanabe $3,000 7 2nd Most Pro Points APAC region
11   Paulo Vitor Damo da Rosa $3,000 7 Most Pro Points Latin America
12   Jacob Wilson $3,000 7 6th most Pro Points of otherwise unqualified
13   Joel Larsson $3,000 7 Pro Tour Magic Origins winner
14   Alexander Hayne $3,000 7 2014–15 Grand Prix Player of the Year
15   Martin Dang $3,000 6 Pro Tour Dragons of Tarkir winner
16   Steve Rubin $3,000 6 5th most Pro Points of otherwise unqualified
17   Kentaro Yamamoto $2,000 6 3rd Most Pro Points APAC region
18   Mike Sigrist $2,000 6 2014–15 Player of the Year
19   Eric Froehlich $2,000 6 2nd Most Pro Points North America
20   Lee Shi Tian $2,000 6 Most Pro Points APAC region
21   Brad Nelson $2,000 5 4th most Pro Points North America
22   Antonio del Moral Leon $2,000 5 Pro Tour Fate Reforged winner
23   Shahar Shenhar $2,000 4 2014 World Champion
24   Ari Lax $2,000 2 Pro Tour Khans of Tarkir winner

Pro Player of the year standings

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Rank Player Pro Points
1   Seth Manfield 21
2   Owen Turtenwald 16
  Jacob Wilson
4   Paul Rietzl 13
5   Ondřej Stráský 12

Grand Prix

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Pro Tour Battle for Zendikar

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Milwaukee[12] (16–18 October 2015)
  • Prize pool: $250,000
  • Format: Standard, Booster Draft (Battle for Zendikar-Battle for Zendikar-Battle for Zendikar)

Top 8

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Quarter-finals Semi-finals Finals
         
1 Owen Turtenwald 0
8 Paul Dean 2
Paul Dean 0
Kazuyuki Takimura 2
4 Martin Müller 0
5 Kazuyuki Takimura 2
Kaziyuki Takimura 3
Ryoichi Tamada 2
3 Paulo Vitor Damo da Rosa 0
6 Jon Finkel 2
Jon Finkel 1
Ryoichi Tamada 2
2 Ricky Chin 1
7 Ryoichi Tamada 2

Final standings

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Place Player Prize Pro Points Comment
1   Kaziyuki Takimura $40,000 30
2   Ryoichi Tamada $20,000 26
3   Jon Finkel $12,500 22 15th final day
4   Paul Dean $12,500 22
5   Owen Turtenwald $10,000 18 3rd final day
6   Ricky Chin $10,000 18 Pro Tour debut
7   Paulo Vitor Damo da Rosa $10,000 18 10th final day
8   Martin Müller $10,000 18

Pro Player of the year standings

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Rank Player Pro Points
1   Owen Turtenwald 39
2   Seth Manfield 32
3   Kazuyuki Takimura 30
  Paul Rietzl
5   Paulo Vitor Damo da Rosa 29
Source:[13]

Grand Prix

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World Magic Cup

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Barcelona[24] (11–13 December 2015)

Top 8

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Quarter-finals Semi-finals Finals
         
1 France 2
8 Japan 0
France 1
Thailand 2
4 Denmark 1
5 Thailand 2
Thailand 0
Italy 2
3 Austria 2
6 Guatemala 0
Austria 1
Italy 2
2 Italy 2
7 Scotland 1

Final standings

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Grand Prix

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Pro Tour Oath of the Gatewatch

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Atlanta (5–7 February 2016)

Top 8

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Quarter-finals Semi-finals Finals
         
1 Shuhei Nakamura 1
8 Jiachen Tao 3
Jiachen Tao 3
Luis Scott-Vargas 2
4 Luis Scott-Vargas 3
5 Pascal Maynard 2
Jiachen Tao 3
Ivan Floch 1
3 Andrew Brown 0
6 Patrick Dickmann 3
Patrick Dickmann 1
Ivan Floch 3
2 Ivan Floch 3
7 Frank Lepore 2

Final standings

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Place Player Prize Pro Points Comment
1   Jiachen Tao $40,000 30
2   Ivan Floch $20,000 26 3rd final day
3   Luis Scott-Vargas $12,500 22 6th final day
4   Patrick Dickmann $12,500 22 2nd final day
5   Shuhei Nakamura $10,000 18 6th final day
6   Andrew Brown $10,000 18
7   Pascal Maynard $10,000 18
8   Frank Lepore $10,000 18 Pro Tour debut

Pro Player of the year standings

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At the end of this event, the top ranking player in Pro Points, Owen Turtenwald, was awarded the "Mid-season master" title, which will yield him an invitation to the 2016 World Championship.

Rank Player Pro Points
1   Owen Turtenwald 57
2   Martin Müller 46
  Paulo Vitor Damo da Rosa
4   Seth Manfield 45
5   Reid Duke 43
  Fabrizio Anteri

Grand Prix

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Pro Tour Shadows over Innistrad

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Pro Tour Shadows over Innistrad was the 100th Magic: The Gathering Pro Tour. For the Top 8 single elimination stage the mode was modified from previous Pro Tours. Previously only the first game was played unsideboarded with players having access to their sideboard for all subsequent games in a match. From PT Shadows over Innistrad on, players only have access to their sideboard beginning with the third game of a Top 8 match. The Pro Tour's Top 8 included some of the most successful Magic players of all time, including Hall of Famers Jon Finkel, Luis Scott-Vargas, and Shouta Yasooka.

Tournament data

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  • Location: Madrid (22–24 April 2016)
  • Prize pool: $250,000
  • Format: Standard, Booster Draft (Shadows over Innistrad)

Top 8

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Quarter-finals Semi-finals Finals
         
1 Jon Finkel 1
8 Andrea Mengucci 3
Andrea Mengucci 3
Shouta Yasooka 2
4 Luis Scott-Vargas 1
5 Shouta Yasooka 3
Andrea Mengucci 1
Steve Rubin 3
3 Brad Nelson 0
6 Steve Rubin 3
Steve Rubin 3
Seth Manfield 2
2 Seth Manfield 3
7 Luis Salvatto 0

Final standings

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Place Player Prize Pro Points Comment
1   Steve Rubin $40,000 30
2   Andrea Mengucci $20,000 26 2nd final day
3   Seth Manfield $12,500 22 2nd final day
4   Shouta Yasooka $12,500 22 3rd final day
5   Jon Finkel $10,000 18 16th final day
6   Brad Nelson $10,000 18 3rd final day
7   Luis Scott-Vargas $10,000 18 7th final day
8   Luis Salvatto $10,000 18

Pro Player of the year standings

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Rank Player Pro Points
1   Seth Manfield 71
2   Owen Turtenwald 70
3   Fabrizio Anteri 57
4   Steve Rubin 56
  Martin Müller

Grand Prix

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Pro Tour Eldritch Moon

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Sydney (5–7 August 2016)
  • Prize pool: $250,000
  • Format: Standard, Booster Draft

Top 8

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Quarter-finals Semi-finals Finals
         
1 Samuel Pardee 3
8 Andrew Brown 1
Samuel Pardee 0
Lukas Blohon 3
4 Lukas Blohon 3
5 Ken Yukuhiro 2
Lukas Blohon 3
Owen Turtenwald 0
3 Yuuta Takahashi 1
6 Owen Turtenwald 3
Owen Turtenwald 3
Luis Scott-Vargas 2
2 Luis Scott-Vargas 3
7 Reid Duke 0

Final standings

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Place Player Prize Pro Points Comment
1   Lukas Blohon $40,000 30 2nd final day
2   Owen Turtenwald $20,000 26 4th final day
3   Samuel Pardee $12,500 22
4   Luis Scott-Vargas $12,500 22 8th final day
5   Yuuta Takahashi $10,000 18 2nd final day
6   Ken Yukuhiro $10,000 18 2nd final day
7   Reid Duke $10,000 18 2nd final day
8   Andrew Brown $10,000 18 2nd final day

Pro Player of the Year final standings

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The 2015–16 Pro Tour season ended after Pro Tour Eldritch Moon. These are the final standings of the Player of the Year race, including every player who at the end of the season reached Platinum, the highest Pro Club Level.[54]

Place Player Pro Points Place Player Pro Points Place Player Pro Points
1   Owen Turtenwald 98 12   Brad Nelson 58 23   Michael Majors 53
2   Seth Manfield 88   Paulo Vitor Damo da Rosa   Andrew Brown
3   Lukas Blohon 81   Alexander Hayne 27   Yuuta Takahashi 52
4   Luis Scott-Vargas 79   Andrea Mengucci   Jiachen Tao
5   Reid Duke 69   Oliver Tiu 29   William Jensen 51
6   Martin Müller 68 18   Sam Black 57   Pascal Maynard
7   Steve Rubin 67   Yuuya Watanabe 31   Kazuyuki Takimura 50
8   Joel Larsson 63 20   Jon Finkel 56   Thiago Saporito
  Samuel Pardee   Ryoichi Tamada   Lee Shi Tian
10   Ondřej Stráský 62 22   Paul Rietzl 55   Jacob Wilson
11   Shouta Yasooka 60 23   Oliver Polak-Rottmann 53   Petr Sochůrek
12   Mike Sigrist 58   Ivan Floch   Paul Dean

Invitees to the 2016 World Championship

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The following twenty-four players received an invitation to the 2016 World Championship due to their performance in the 2015–16 season.[55]

Player Qualified due to
  Owen Turtenwald 2015–16 Player of the Year
  Brian Braun-Duin 2015–16 Grand Prix Player of the Year
  Seth Manfield 2015 World Champion
  Niels Noorlander 2015 Magic Online Champion
  Kazuyuki Takimura Pro Tour Battle for Zendikar winner
  Jiachen Tao Pro Tour Oath of the Gatewatch winner
  Steve Rubin Pro Tour Shadows over Innistrad winner
  Lukas Blohon Pro Tour Eldritch Moon winner
  Oliver Tiu Constructed Master
  Marcio Carvalho Draft Master
  Luis Scott-Vargas Outstanding Hall of Famer
  Reid Duke 4th Most Pro Points North America
  Martin Müller 2nd Most Pro Points Europe
  Joel Larsson 3rd Most Pro Points Europe
  Shouta Yasooka Most Pro Points Asia-Pacific
  Yuuya Watanabe 2nd Most Pro Points Asia-Pacific
  Ryoichi Tamada 3rd Most Pro Points Asia-Pacific
  Paulo Vitor Damo da Rosa Most Pro Points Latin America
  Thiago Saporito 2nd Most Pro Points Latin America
  Samuel Pardee Most Pro Points of otherwise unqualified
  Ondřej Stráský 2nd Most Pro Points of otherwise unqualified
  Andrea Mengucci 3rd Most Pro Points of otherwise unqualified
  Brad Nelson 4th Most Pro Points of otherwise unqualified
  Mike Sigrist 5th Most Pro Points of otherwise unqualified

References

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