The F2F Tour Vancouver featured a Team Trios Super Qualifier on Saturday, where 34 teams (102 players) competed across Standard, Pioneer, and Modern formats.

Team David Bishop / Markus Thibeau / Andrew Kidston Triumphs

Emerging as the champions were David Bishop, Markus Thibeau, and Andrew Kidston, who have been teaming together consistently and improving with every event. Their win builds on a history of strong performances, including a 9th-place finish and a 2nd-place finish in prior events. The team’s continued collaboration paid off in Vancouver as they secured their first victory.

Markus Thibeau, in reflecting on his team’s success, compared Andrew Kidston to Nathan Steuer, a rising star with an illustrious early career. This high praise underscores Kidston’s rapid ascent in the competitive scene. David Bishop, a local standout known for his mastery of Merfolk decks, showcased his consistency in Modern, while Markus piloted a finely tuned Rakdos Midrange deck in Pioneer.

Winning Decks:

• Standard (Andrew Kidston): Andrew’s Esper Tempo deck featured a powerful suite of creatures like Optimistic Scavenger and Spiteful Hexmage, paired with potent removal and disruption spells. His use of Stormchaser Talent and Entity Tracker played a key role in securing critical wins.
• Pioneer (Markus Thibeau): Rakdos Midrange was Markus’s weapon of choice, leveraging the synergy of Bloodtithe Harvester and Fable of the Mirror-Breaker. Key inclusions like Sheoldred, the Apocalypse, supported a strong showing.
• Modern (David Bishop): David’s Merfolk deck, a mainstay archetype in his hands, utilized Aether Vial to deploy aggressive threats such as Lord of Atlantis and Master of the Pearl Trident. The deck’s resilience and tempo proved crucial to success.

Top 4 Teams:

1. Team David Bishop / Markus Thibeau / Andrew Kidston
2. Team Zak Turchansky / Robert Stach / Samson Rast
3. Team Warren Smith / James Solar / Paul Deblois
4. Team Daryl Gnann / Julien Abenhaim / Damien Furtado

A Community Story

Daryl Gnann shared a heartfelt story about how his team came together for this event. Daryl and Damien Furtado first connected in December 2020 when Damien raided Daryl’s Twitch stream. Since then, they’ve been part of the same community, often discussing Magic: The Gathering and tournament reports. Damien had always joked about returning to paper Magic and attending events together.

When the F2F Team Trios was announced alongside a Star Wars Unlimited Planetary Qualifier, it created the perfect opportunity. Daryl reached out to Damien, who agreed to join, and they convinced Julien Abenhaim, a frequent Star Wars Unlimited player, to round out the team. Julien and Daryl traveled from Montreal to Vancouver specifically to join Damien for this event, a testament to the camaraderie and shared passion that brought them together. The goal for the weekend was to secure an invite to the Montreal Regional Championship in May. While Daryl already had his invite, it was Damien’s only attempt to qualify after years away from paper Magic. Finishing in the Top 4 after starting 2-1-1 was a major highlight for all three players, marking a memorable weekend.

Sunday Champions

The Star Wars: Unlimited Planetary Qualifier brought together players piloting a variety of strategies and leaders, with Randy Green’s Sabine Wren, Galvanized Revolutionary deck proving to be the standout. Sabine’s ability to synergize with strong Ground units like K-2SO and Poe Dameron, combined with effective support from The Darksaber and Rebel Assault, allowed Randy to claim the championship. The Top 8 featured other notable leaders, including Han Solo, Jango Fett, and Yoda, showcasing the rich strategic diversity in the game’s early competitive meta.

On the same day, Brad Collicutt emerged victorious in the Canlander Champs with his Martyr Proc deck. When asked about his experience, Brad emphasized the importance of the community:

When asked about his experience, Brad emphasized the importance of the community:

“Had a lot of friends come into Vancouver from out of town for the trios, and they also played the Canlander Champs and had such a blast. Great magic weekend as well. Played really well, got rewarded. But it’s always about the people.”

He encouraged others to explore Canadian Highlander:

“Just that if people aren’t already playing Canadian Highlander, then they are missing out. It’s an exceptional format that allows for player skill, format knowledge, and deck construction to shine. My deck is a joke in theory, nobody understands why it wins, and that’s very funny to me.”

For those interested in Brad’s decklist and tournament breakdown, he shares insights on X at @PlichoW.

Brad closed with a heartfelt message:

“It isn’t about the game, it’s about the people you meet. ❤️”

As the F2F Tour continues, the next stop will be Toronto this weekend, January 11-12. It promises to be another exciting showcase of talent, featuring players from across the region vying for top honors. Don’t miss out on the action—secure your spot now at f2ftour.com.

Kar Yung Tom

Kar Yung Tom (KYT) is the Digital Content Manager for Face to Face Games. He oversees the F2FTour.com and Magic F2F websites. He is also the lead host of the First Strike podcast.