Magic: The Gathering Pro Tour season 2001–02

The 2001–02 Pro Tour season was the seventh season of the Magic: The Gathering Pro Tour. On 18 August 2001 the season began with parallel Grand Prixs in Kobe and Denver. It ended on 18 August 2002 with the conclusion of the 2002 World Championship in Sydney. The season consisted of 33 Grand Prixs and 6 Pro Tours, held in New York, New Orleans, San Diego, Osaka, Nice, and Sydney. Also Master Series tournaments were held at four Pro Tours. At the end of the season Kai Budde was proclaimed Pro Player of the Year, winning the title by a record margin.

2001–02 Pro Tour season
Pro Player of the Year Kai Budde
Rookie of the Year Farid Meraghni
World Champion Carlos Romão
Pro Tours6
Grands Prix33
Masters4
Start of season18 August 2001
End of season18 August 2002

Grand Prixs – Kobe, Denver, Santiago, Singapore, London

Pro Tour – New York (7–9 September 2001)

New York was the third time Pro Tour was held in the Team Limited format. Car Acrobatic Team who had been amongst the Top 4 at the previous team Pro Tour returned for another Top 4. The event was won by team Phoenix Foundation consisting of Kai Budde, Dirk Baberowski, and Marco Blume. It was Baberowski's second win and Budde's fourth.[1] The final was also a repeat to the final of Grand Prix London a week before, where Budde had already won against Nassif. Eventually Kai's renewed success led to some memorable quotes. Asked about the favorite to win amongst the final 4 several pros exclaimed something to the extent of the words Gary Wise pronounced, "Kai doesn't lose on Sunday".[2] Randy Buehler's comment "if he wins New Orleans, I guess he is" on the discussion whether Kai is the best player in the history of the game also became a classic when Kai indeed won PT New Orleans.[1]

Tournament data

Prize pool: $202,200
Players: 426 (142 teams)
Format: Invasion Team Sealed (Invasion, Planeshift, Apocalypse) – first day, Invasion Team Rochester Draft (Invasion-Planeshift-Apocalypse) – final two days
Head Judge: Collin Jackson[3]

Top 4

Semi-finals Finals
      
1 Illuminati 1
4 Les Plus Class 2
Les Plus Class 1
Phoenix Foundation 2
2 Phoenix Foundation 2
3 Car Acrobatic Team 1

Final standings

Place Team Player Prize Pro Points Comment
1 Phoenix Foundation Marco Blume $60,000 24
Dirk Baberowski 24 3rd Final day, 2nd Pro Tour win
Kai Budde 24 4th Final day, 4th Pro Tour win
2 Les Plus Class Amiel Tenenbaum $30,000 18 Pro Tour debut
Gabriel Nassif 18
Nicolas Olivieri 18
3 Illuminati* Justin Gary $18,000 12 2nd Final day
Zvi Mowshowitz 12 4th Final day
Alex Shvartsman 12
4 Car Acrobatic Team Aaron Forsythe $15,000 12 2nd Final day
Andrew Cuneo 12 2nd Final day
Andrew Johnson 12 2nd Final day

* The team entered the tournament as "My Team Part 17", but decided they wanted to have more serious name as a Top4 team and changed it to "Illuminati".[4]

Pro Player of the year standings

Rank Player Pro Points
1 Kai Budde 30
2 Dirk Baberowski 24
Marco Blume 24
4 Gabriel Nassif 23
5 Nicholas Olivieri 18
Amiel Tenenbaum 18

Grand Prixs – Warsaw, Minneapolis, Oslo, Vienna, Cape Town, Shizuoka, Montreal, Brisbane

Pro Tour – New Orleans (2–4 November 2001)

After winning Pro Tour New York Kai Budde won New Orleans as well, making him the only player to win back to back Pro Tours. His fifth Pro Tour victory also made him the record money-earner and erased almost all doubt, that Budde is the best player in the history of the game.[5]

Tournament data

Prize pool: $200,130
Players: 355
Format: Extended
Head Judge: Mike Guptil[3]

Top 8

Quarter-finals Semi-finals Finals
         
1 Tomi Walamies 3
8 Benedikt Klauser 2
Tomi Walamies 3
Jelger Wiegersma 0
5 Raphael Gennari 1
4 Jelger Wiegersma 3
Tomi Walamies 2
Kai Budde 3
3 Anton Jonsson 2
6 Dave Humpherys 3
Dave Humpherys 0
Kai Budde 3
7 Kai Budde 3
2 Darwin Kastle 0

Final standings

Place Player Prize Pro Points Comment
1 Kai Budde $30,000 32 5th Final day, 5th Pro Tour win
2 Tomi Walamies $20,000 24
3 Jelger Wiegersma $15,000 16
4 Dave Humpherys $13,000 16 3rd Final day
5 Anton Jonsson $9,500 12
6 Raphaël Gennary $8,500 12 1st Swiss Player in a Top 8
7 Darwin Kastle $7,500 12 6th Final day
8 Benedikt Klauser $6,500 12 4th Final day

Masters – Booster Draft

Round of 32 Round of 16 Quarter-finals Semi-finals Finals
               
1 Ben Rubin
32 Gabriel Tsang 2
Gabriel Tsang
Johan Sadeghpour 2
16 Justin Gary
17 Johan Sadeghpour 2
Johan Sadeghpour
Noah Boeken 2
8 Dan Clegg
25 Noah Boeken 2
Noah Boeken 2
Alex Shvartsman
9 Brock Parker
24 Alex Shvartsman 2
Noah Boeken
Michael Pustilnik 2
4 Zvi Mowshowitz 2
29 Alan Comer
Zvi Mowshowitz 2
Brian Hegstad
13 Rob Dougherty
20 Brian Hegstad 2
Zvi Mowshowitz
Michael Pustilnik 2
5 Michael Pustilnik 2
28 Matt Vienneau
Michael Pustilnik 2
Antoine Ruel
12 Antoine Ruel 2
21 Itaru Ishida
Michael Pustilnik 2
Chris Benafel
2 Kai Budde 2
31 Sol Malka
Kai Budde
Bob Maher, Jr. 2
15 Tom Van de Logt
18 Bob Maher, Jr. 2
Bob Maher, Jr. 2
Ryan Fuller
7 Ryan Fuller 2
26 Scott Johns
Ryan Fuller 2
Jon Finkel
10 Jon Finkel 2
23 Neil Reeves
Bob Maher, Jr.
Chris Benafel 2
3 Kamiel Cornelissen 2
30 Franck Canu
Kamiel Cornelissen
Nicholas Olivieri 2
14 Benedikt Klauser
19 Nicholas Olivieri 2
Nicholas Olivieri
Chris Benafel 2
6 Chris Benafel 2
27 Bram Snepvangers
Chris Benafel 2
Michael Gurney
11 Tsuyoshi Fujita
22 Michael Gurney 2

Pro Player of the year standings

Rank Player Pro Points
1 Kai Budde 62
2 Tomi Walamies 35
3 Marco Blume 32
4 Gabriel Nassif 28
5 Dave Humpherys 26

Grand Prixs – Hong Kong, Atlanta, Biarritz, Curitiba, Las Vegas, Sendai, Houston

Pro Tour – San Diego (11–13 January 2002)

The 2002 was won by the French Farid Meraghni. It was the first time a French player won a major tournament after several French players coming in second at Worlds and Pro Tours.[1] Also the tournament is known for Magic veteran Eric Taylor literally eating his hat due to losing a bet about Kai Budde winning Pro Tour New Orleans.[6] Canadian player Ryan Fuller won the Masters.[7]

Tournament data

Players: 348
Prize Pool: $200,130
Format: Odyssey Rochester Draft (Odyssey)
Head Judge: Mike Donais[3]

Top 8

Quarter-finals Semi-finals Finals
         
1 Jeff Cunningham 0
8 Andrew Wolf 3
Andrew Wolf 0
Jens Thorén 3
5 Eric Froehlich 2
4 Jens Thorén 3
Jens Thorén 2
Farid Meraghni 3
3 Neil Reeves 1
6 Farid Meraghni 3
Farid Meragni 3
Donnie Gallitz 0
7 Frederico Bastos 2
2 Donnie Gallitz 3

Final standings

Place Player Prize Pro Points Comment
1 Farid Meraghni $30,000 32 1st Frenchmen to win a Pro Tour
2 Jens Thorén $20,000 24
3 Donnie Gallitz $15,000 16
4 Andrew Wolf $13,000 16 2nd Final day
5 Jeff Cunningham $9,000 12
6 Frederico Bastos $8,500 12 2nd Final day
7 Neil Reeves $8,000 12
8 Eric Froehlich $7,500 12

Masters – Standard

Round of 32 Round of 16 Quarter-finals Semi-finals Finals
               
1 Ben Rubin
32 Rob Dougherty 2
Rob Dougherty 2
Alan Comer
16 Joost Vollebregt
17 Alan Comer 2
Rob Dougherty 1
Tomi Walamies 2
8 Dan Clegg
25 Olivier Ruel 2
Olivier Ruel
Tomi Walamies 2
9 Jon Finkel
24 Tomi Walamies 2
Tomi Walamies 1
Dave Humpherys 2
4 Kamiel Cornelissen 2
29 Tom Guevin
Kamiel Cornelissen
Dave Humpherys 2
13 Anton Jonsson
20 Dave Humpherys 2
Dave Humpherys 2
Tsuyoshi Fujita 0
5 Tsuyoshi Fujita 2
28 David Jafari
Tsuyoshi Fujita 2
Jelger Wiegersma
12 Jelger Wiegersma 2
21 Chris Benafel
Dave Humpherys 0
Ryan Fuller 2
2 Zvi Mowshowitz
31 Darwin Kastle 2
Darwin Kastle 2
Benedikt Klauser
15 Markus Bell
18 Benedikt Klauser 2
Darwin Kastle 1
Brian Hegstad 2
7 Brock Parker 2
26 Alex Shvartsman
Brock Parker
Brian Hegstad 2
10 Brian Hegstad 2
23 Michael Pustilnik
Brian Hegstad 1
Ryan Fuller 2
3 Ryan Fuller 2
30 Roger Sorino
Ryan Fuller 2
Franck Canu
14 Franck Canu 2
19 Antoine Ruel
Ryan Fuller 2
Steve O'Mahoney-Schwartz 0
6 Tom Van de Logt
27 Steven O'Mahoney-Schwartz 2
Steven O'Mahoney-Schwartz 2
Patrick Mello
11 Patrick Mello 2
22 Kai Budde

Pro Player of the year standings

Rank Player Pro Points
1 Kai Budde 80
2 Jens Thorén 40
3 Farid Meraghni 38
4 Tomi Walamies 34
5 Marco Blume 33

Grand Prixs – Lisbon, Heidelberg, Fukuoka, Tampa, Antwerp

Pro Tour – Osaka (15–17 March 2002)

Tournament data

Players: 277
Prize Pool: $200,130
Format: Odyssey Block Constructed (Odyssey, Torment)
Head Judge: Collin Jackson[3]

Top 8

Quarter-finals Semi-finals Finals
         
1 Rob Dougherty 3
8 Christophe Haim 1
Rob Dougherty 0
Olivier Ruel 3
5 Nicholas Olivieri 2
4 Olivier Ruel 3
Olivier Ruel 2
Ken Ho 3
3 Sylvain Lauriol 2
6 Ken Ho 3
Ken Ho 3
Jens Thorén 1
7 Jens Thorén 3
2 Osyp Lebedowicz 2

Final standings

Place Player Prize Pro Points Comment
1 Ken Ho $30,000 32
2 Olivier Ruel $20,000 24
3 Rob Dougherty $15,000 16 4th Final day
4 Jens Thorén $13,000 16 2nd Final day
5 Sylvain Lauriol $9,000 12
6 Nicholas Olivieri $8,500 12 2nd Final day
7 Osyp Lebedowicz $8,000 12
8 Christophe Haim $7,500 12

Masters – Team Rochester Draft

Quarter-finals Semi-finals Finals
         
1 Phoenix Foundation 2
8 Outland
Phoenix Foundation 2
Les Plus Class
5 Les Plus Class 2
4 Slay-Pillage-Massacre
Phoenix Foundation 2
Panzer Hunter 1
3 Your Move Games ?
6 Panzer Hunter 2
Panzer Hunter 2
www.star-maker.nl/lap
7 www.star-maker.nl/lap 2
2 Metagames ?
Team Player Team Player
Les Plus Class Amiel Tenenbaum Phoenix Foundation Dirk Baberowski
Gabriel Nassif Kai Budde
Nicolas Olivieri Marco Blume
Metagames Wilfried Ranque Slay-Pillage-Massacre Scott McCord
Raphaël Lévy Jon Sonne
Franck Canu Eric Ziegler
Outland Bjørn Jocumsen www.star-maker.nl/lap Victor Van der Broek
Eivind Nitter Frank Karsten
Nicolai Herzog Jelger Wiegersma
Panzer Hunter Itaru Ishida Your Move Games Dave Humpherys
Kazuyaki Momose Rob Dougherty
Reiji Andou Darwin Kastle

Pro Player of the year standings

Rank Player Pro Points
1 Kai Budde 90
2 Jens Thorén 58
3 Alex Shvartsman 48
4 Olivier Ruel 45
5 Gabriel Nassif 42

Grand Prixs – Barcelona, Kuala Lumpur, Naples

Pro Tour – Nice (3–5 May 2002)

In Nice Kai Budde lost his first match on a Pro Tour Sunday, after winning his previous five Top 8.[1] His third final day appearance and ensuing 36-point-lead virtually secured him the Pro Player of the Year title, though. The Pro Tour was won by Norwegian Eivind Nitter, while the Masters Series title went to Alexander Witt from the Netherlands.

Tournament data

Players: 332
Prize Pool: $200,130
Format: Odyssey Block Booster Draft (Odyssey-Torment)
Head Judge: Cyril Grillon[3]

Top 8

Quarter-finals Semi-finals Finals
         
1 Svend Geertsen 3
8 Benjamin Niedrig 1
Svend Geertsen 2
Eivind Nitter 3
5 Gary Talim 1
4 Eivind Nitter 3
Eivind Nitter 3
Bram Snepvangers 0
3 Anton Jonsson 2
6 Brian Davis 3
Brian Davis 2
Bram Snepvangers 3
7 Kai Budde 0
2 Bram Snepvangers 3

Final standings

Place Player Prize Pro Points Comment
1 Eivind Nitter $30,000 32
2 Bram Snepvangers $20,000 24
3 Svend Geertsen $15,000 16 4th Final day
4 Brian Davis $13,000 16 2nd Final day
5 Kai Budde $9,000 12 6th Final day
6 Anton Jonsson $8,500 12 2nd Final day
7 Gary Talim $8,000 12
8 Benjamin Niedrig $7,500 12

Masters – Extended

Round of 32 Round of 16 Quarter-final Semi-finals Finals
               
1 William Jensen
32 bye
William Jensen
Tomi Walamies 2
16 Kamiel Cornelissen
17 Tomi Walamies 2
Tomi Walamies
Justin Gary 2
8 Ken Ho 2
25 Franck Canu
Ken Ho
Justin Gary 2
9 Rob Dougherty
24 Justin Gary 2
Justin Gary 2
Antoine Ruel
4 Olivier Ruel 2
29 Brock Parker
Olivier Ruel
Antoine Ruel 2
13 Antoine Ruel 2
20 Ben Rubin
Antoine Ruel 2
Nicholas Olivieri
5 Dan Clegg
28 Nicholas Olivieri 2
Nicholas Olivieri 2
Jin Okamoto
12 Jelger Wiegersma
21 Jin Okamoto 2
Justin Gary
Alexander Witt 2
2 Kai Budde 2
31 Geoffrey Siron
Kai Budde 2
Gabriel Nassif
15 David Humpherys
18 Gabriel Nassif 2
Kai Budde 2
Patrick Mello
7 Alex Shvartsman 2
26 Alex Borteh
Alex Shvartsman
Patrick Mello 2
10 Patrick Mello 2
23 Brian Hegstad
Kai Budde
Alexander Witt 2
3 Jens Thorén 2
30 Osyb Lebedowicz
Jens Thorén 2
Chris Benafel
14 Chris Benafel 2
19 Gary Wise
Jens Thorén
Alexander Witt 2
6 Tom Van de Logt
27 Gerard Fabiano 2
Gerard Fabiano
Alexander Witt 2
11 Alan Comer
22 Alexander Witt 2

Pro Player of the year standings

Rank Player Pro Points
1 Kai Budde 96
2 Jens Thorén 61
3 Alex Shvartsman 56
4 Olivier Ruel 55
5 Gabriel Nassif 47

Grand Prixs – Nagoya, Milwaukee, New Jersey, Sao Paulo, Taipei

2002 World Championships – Sydney (14–18 August 2002)

As Jens Thorén had not scored any points since Nice and he was not on his national team the Pro Tour Player of the Year going to Kai Budde was already a sure thing before the tournament. While Carlos Romão from Brazil became World Champion by defeating Mark Ziegner from Germany in the final, the German team also starring Mark Ziegner won the team competition.[8]

Tournament data

Prize pool: $210,200 (individual) + $162,000 (national teams)
Players: 245
Formats: Standard, Odyssey Booster Draft (Odyssey-Torment-Judgment), Odyssey Block Constructed (Odyssey, Torment, Judgment)
Head Judge: Collin Jackson[3]

Top 8

Quarter-finals Semi-finals Finals
         
1 Diego Ostrovich 3
8 Ken Krouner 1
Diego Ostrovich 2
Carlos Romão 3
5 Tuomas Kotiranta 0
4 Carlos Romão 3
Carlos Romão 3
Mark Ziegner 2
2 Sim Han How 0
7 Mark Ziegner 3
Mark Ziegner 3
Dave Humpherys 1
3 John Larkin 1
6 Dave Humpherys 3

Final standings

Place Player Prize Pro Points Comment
1 Carlos Romão $35,000 32 1st Brazilian to win a Pro Tour
2 Mark Ziegner $23,000 24
3 Diego Ostrovich $15,000 16 1st Argentinian in a Top 8
4 Dave Humpherys $13,000 16 4th Final day
5 Sim Han How $9,000 12 1st Malaysian in a Top 8
6 John Larkin $8,500 12 2nd Final day
7 Tuomas Kotiranta $8,000 12
8 Ken Krouner $7,500 12

National team competition

  1. Germany (Mark Ziegner, Kai Budde, Felix Schneiders)
  2. United States (Andrew Ranks, Eugene Harvey, Eric Franz)

Pro Player of the year final standings

After the World Championship Kai Budde was awarded the Pro Player of the year title. He thus became the only player to win the title more than once. Budde's 117 Pro Points in this season to date is still the only time that a player garnered more than 100 Pro Points in a season, and his lead of 42 Pro Points over the second place is still the greatest ever achieved at the end of a season.

Rank Player Pro Points
1 Kai Budde 117
2 Jens Thorén 75
3 Alex Shvartsman 62
4 Olivier Ruel 58
5 Dave Humpherys 52
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References

  1. Rosewater, Mark (9 August 2004). "On Tour, Part 2". Wizards of the Coast. Retrieved 1 December 2008.
  2. "2001 Pro Tour New York Coverage". Wizards of the Coast. 9 September 2001. Retrieved 17 March 2009.
  3. "Head Judges of Pro Tours and World Championships". XS4ALL. 30 October 2009. Retrieved 16 November 2009.
  4. Wachter, Toby (9 September 2001). "Illuminati". Wizards of the Coast. Retrieved 16 March 2009.
  5. "2001 Pro Tour New Orleans Coverage". Wizards of the Coast. 4 January 2002. Retrieved 17 March 2009.
  6. Bleiweiss, Ben (11 February 2002). "Eric Taylor eats his hat!". Wizards of the Coast. Retrieved 18 March 2009.
  7. "2002 Masters Series San Diego Coverage". 13 February 2002. Retrieved 18 March 2009.
  8. "2002 World Championships Coverage". Wizards of the Coast. 18 August 2002. Retrieved 19 March 2009.
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