The F2F Tour Montreal delivered another thrilling weekend of Magic: The Gathering competition, drawing 37 teams and 111 players to its Team Trios event. After a day of intense matches across Standard, Pioneer, and Modern formats, Team Patrick Wu emerged victorious.

Patrick Wu led his team to victory piloting Simic Tempo in Standard. After the tournament, Wu shared his experience on social media:

In a notable departure from his usual style, Wu, typically known for playing UWx Control, found success with a different archetype. The team’s only loss came from an intentional concession in the final round to help secure their friends’ position in the top 4.

Top 4 Teams

The top 4 teams showcased their mastery of Magic’s diverse formats:

• 1st Place: Team Patrick Wu (Patrick Wu, Noah Michaud, William Michel)
  • Standard: Simic Tempo
  • Pioneer: Jund Sacrifice
  • Modern: Amulet Titan
• 2nd Place: Team Dalia Morin (Dalia Morin, Peisheng Han, Mathew Stein)
  • Standard: Jeskai Convoke
  • Pioneer: Rakdos Demons
  • Modern: Jeskai Scam
• 3rd Place: Team Steven McGrath (Max Dore, Alexandre Masson, Steven McGrath)
  • Standard: RG Aggro
  • Pioneer: UR Phoenix
  • Modern: UB Murktide
• 4th Place: Team Daniel Goetschel (Anthony Lee, Theo Jaques-Griffin, Daniel Goetschel)
  • Standard: Dimir Midrange
  • Pioneer: Dimir Midrange
  • Modern: Mardu Energy

Interview with Dalia Morin

I had the chance to sit down with Dalia Morin, who made the Top 4 for the second time in recent Team Trios events. Dalia’s insights into the tournament provided a glimpse into the dynamics of team play and preparation.

KYT: You had a different team this time. Can you introduce your teammates and share how you decided on the formats?

Dalia: This time, I teamed up with Peisheng Han and Mathew Stein, two veterans of the F2F circuit. Peisheng won a Toronto Tour Stop main event earlier this year piloting Murktide, and Mathew has more Top8s than I can count. They are also friends I was very excited to play with for this trios since I love to try different team compositions. This creates a very unique experience each time.

Early on, we determined that Mathew was our best bet for Modern as he was the only one who had played the format in recent weeks. The whole team was also a fan of the Jeskai Scam deck which made it even easier. Although Peisheng had a lot of experience in Pioneer, and although the latter is my least favorite format, I figured my recent experiences at the Calgary RC put me in the best position to succeed in that format between the two of us. Peisheng was excited for Standard as the format is very engaging right now. However, we twisted his arm a bit so that he’d pilot Jeskai Convoke instead of his pet deck. He was a very good sport about it, and that contributed to our success.

KYT: How did the change in team dynamics influence your preparation and performance compared to previous events?

Dalia: Personally, most of my prep involved making sure we each knew what we were playing and why. We discussed certain card choices here and there, which was the main difference compared to last time, where I previously didn’t discuss specific lists with teammates much. Ironically, my list was the least refined. I spent 10 minutes looking at lists online and settled on a boring build of Rakdos Demons, which I played on 0 reps. I was banking on my format and metagame knowledge leading up to the event to do the legwork for me piloting the best fair deck.

KYT: What was the most challenging match or moment for your team during the tournament, and how did you overcome it?

Dalia: I think it was during round 4. We had narrowly lost round 1 and could not afford to lose a second time. After quickly winning game 1, I proceeded to lose both post-board games in the mirror and had to sit and wait for my teammates to finish. Peisheng eventually won his match, but Mathew was playing against Amulet in what turned out to be a very long match. We knew it was a bad matchup, and all we could do was just sit there and pray. At the very end of the round, during a game 2 where the opponent was up a game, Mat managed to close with a game win after his opponent punted during his combo turn. This allowed us to secure a draw in a match that felt somewhat hopeless. This small miracle gave us a new wind, and we skillfully avoided another loss until the very end, where we lost to the same team we had lost to in the first round.

KYT: What lessons from your past Team Trios experience helped you succeed again this time?

Dalia: The biggest thing I would say is being extra conscious of how distracting Trios can be. Making sure to stay focused on our own matches and playing at a good pace is truly key. Last time we talked about Trios, I mentioned that I felt better about my matches if I avoided letting myself get distracted by what was happening next to me, and applying that notion worked out well. I just found it that much more difficult in the middle seat.

KYT: What’s the most rewarding part of competing with a new team and making Top 4?

Dalia: I think it’s knowing that having such a talented pool of friends where everyone respects each other’s skill level allows us to just sign up for events with peace of mind knowing we’ll have a lot of fun and likely prize as long as we pick a reasonable deck. I really didn’t expect to make it all the way to the finals, but I’m certainly happy that just making a new team for science just worked out so well. Besides, seeing how proud we all are of each other in the end is just wholesome.

More Highlights from the Weekend

This event wasn’t just about Team Trios. We hosted a variety of other exciting events throughout the weekend, including the CEDH Provincial Championship, Qualifier+ tournaments in both Standard and Modern formats, and several card game battle events featuring Lorcana, Star Wars: Unlimited, and One Piece.

Looking Ahead to F2F Tour Vancouver

The F2F Tour rolls on, and the next stop is Vancouver on January 4-5, 2025. This highly anticipated event will feature an array of exciting formats, including Modern, Chaos Sealed, and more. Beyond Magic: The Gathering, players can look forward to Lorcana, Star Wars: Unlimited, and One Piece tournaments.

Casual players will love the Commander Package, which includes exclusive promos, event vouchers, and access to the Command Zone. Whether you’re aiming for competitive glory or just looking to enjoy a weekend of great games, F2F Tour Vancouver has something for everyone. Don’t miss your chance to be part of this fantastic event—for more details and pre-registration, visit the official event page.

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.