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Forty-eight players gathered at the F2F Tour Stop in Truro to battle through six rounds of Modern followed by a tightly contested Top 8. When the dust settled, it was Travis Benedict who stood tall once again—defeating his friend and testing partner Sam Somers in a Prowess mirror match to earn his third F2F Tour Stop victory.
Benedict is no stranger to the winner’s circle, having previously taken down Halifax in 2024 and earning his first win back in 2019. For Truro, he returned with a streamlined version of Izzet Prowess—a deck he’s been quietly putting up results with on MTGO.
Top 8 Results – F2F Truro Modern Super Qualifier
| Place | Player | Deck |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Travis Benedict | Izzet Aggro |
| 2 | Sam Somers | Izzet Burn |
| 3 | Adam Joyce | Colorless Eldrazi |
| 4 | Evan Mercer | Azorius Affinity |
| 5 | Marcus King | Golgari Combo (Yawgmoth) |
| 6 | Christopher Brennan | Esper Midrange |
| 7 | Matthew Bailey | Goryo’s Vengeance |
| 8 | Tim Foley | Boros Energy |
Izzet Aggro – Travis Benedict (1st Place)
Interview with Travis Benedict – Izzet Prowess Champion
Congrats on your second F2F Tour trophy! How does this one compare to your first—and did you actually bring your old trophy to Truro to “assert dominance,” like you joked on Twitter?
It may be my 2nd Trophy, but it’s actually my 3rd F2F Tour Stop win! The Giant Mana Crypt in my pic was the grand prize for Halifax last year 🙂
I didn’t bring it, but maybe now that I have 2 trophies I can fashion them into one of those double cup hats with straws so I can drink out of them both at the Fredericton stop 😎
Three wins is seriously impressive. What do you think has been working for you at these events? Is it more about picking the right deck or just playing clean, consistent Magic?
I think every time I’ve gotten a win, I hadn’t waffled at all on my deck choice (which I am very prone to do). 2019 and 2024 both happened to be with Monogreen Tron which I had locked in well in advance both for different reasons each time.
This time was Izzet Prowess which isn’t necessarily super prominent, nor does it have great online results. But I had done well in the last few MTGO challenges I had played, and been mostly 4-1ing Gold Leagues and felt like I had a plan against every deck. I was comfortable with it, so I decided to keep the train chugging along.
So I guess the answer is a little of both. Pick the right deck for you, try and play as tight as you can and you’ll see some success.
You and Sam tested the mirror the night before the event. What was your plan going into the finals, and what ended up mattering most?
Well, funny enough the finals were me and my good friend Sam Somers. We had actually just been both up until midnight using the LGS I work at (shoutout HFXGames) after hours to play some games and played hours of the mirror, so we kind of both knew what it was all about.
If you’re on the play, the onus is on you to apply pressure. Whoever is on the draw has to try and control the board and turn the corner. My opening hands were honestly both kind of risky with one land each.
The first game my hand had a lot of removal, but I was still getting overwhelmed. Sam had built quite the board, but had to tap out. I drew a Mishra’s Bauble which gave me delirium allowing me to get a kill from 16 life thanks to Slickshot Show-Off and Violent Urge.
Game 2 Sam had used a Lava Dart to get a Prowess creature out of his Cori-Steel Cutter on turn 2 but was unable to find another land for a while and by then I was able to take over the board with my own Cutter.
Any plays or card choices from the event that stood out for you?
I did feel really good about one play in a game I lost anyways 🤣
Round 2 vs Oops All Spells, my opponent plays turn 2 Pentad Prism. I could have just played a Cutter and a Bauble, attacked and hoped to get the turn back, but I decided the only hope I had of not dying or being able to stop it, was digging for Consign to Memory.
So I upkeep Lava Dart my opponent so I can Surveil off of my Dragon’s Rage Channeler. No Consign, go to the bin. Draw for turn. No Consign. Play Bauble and Surveil, no Consign, into the bin. Bauble myself with a fetch land. I find Consign!
I feel super proud of myself taking the line where I could actually find an out instead of just praying. If it’s Goblin Charbelcher or Balustrade Spy coming down, I get to maybe keep playing. My opponent casts Undercity Informer and instantly kills me 🙃 But I was still happy I played in a way that gave myself a chance instead of just hoping!
Also, none of my friends on Prowess believed in the sideboard Rough // Tumble, but it was nice to have once I finally encountered Boros Energy in the Quarterfinals!
Let’s wrap up—any shout-outs or plans for what’s next? Are we seeing you at Fredericton or RC Calgary?
Well, I already got my HFXGames shoutout in there, but I’m also gonna give one to the guy who I really think is the absolute best player around the East Coast, Adam Joyce. He’s always the guy I’m trying to beat (and rarely ever do). He makes everyone better, and he also basically singlehandedly supports our whole community lending out cards, advice, and his sweet Cube! Just the best dude ever and an awesome friend.
I’m definitely going to RC Calgary in November for sure. My East Coast RC results are super medium, but I’m 2 for 2 on Alberta ProTour invites so I’d love to see if I can make it 3 for 3.
As for Fredericton, well I’m looking forward to chatting with you again after that weekend 🙂
Next Stop: Toronto – July 19–20, 2025
The F2F Tour heads to Toronto next on July 19–20 at the Montecassino Hotel & Event Centre. This full weekend of Magic features Modern and Standard Super Qualifiers, on-demand Commander play, exclusive promos, and more. Whether you’re grinding for a Regional invite or just jamming games with friends, there’s something for everyone on Canada’s premier Magic tour.
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.
