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Pro Tour The Lord of the Rings: Tales of Middle-earth
Date July 28-30, 2023
Location {ESP} Barcelona, Spain
Attendance 266
Format Modern and Booster draft
Prize pool $500,000
Winner {USA} Jake Beardsley
Previous Pro Tour:
Pro Tour Phyrexia
Next Pro Tour:
2023 World Championship

Pro Tour the Lord of the Rings was the final Pro Tour of the 2022–23 season. It took place on July 28-30, 2023 in Barcelona, Spain. It followed the release of the straight-to-Modern set The Lord of the Rings: Tales of Middle-earth, and the first Modern Pro Tour after the return of the Pro Tour Label. Additionally, it was the final Pro Tour before 2023 World Championship, so it was the final chance to earn AMP and lock up a slot.

Modern[ | ]

With most of Constructed Magic being relegated to MTG Arena from 2020 to 2023, Modern had been upended multiple times as to be basically unrecognizable from Mythic Championship IV Barcelona, especially with the release of Modern Horizons 2.

The One Ring and Orcish Bowmasters, released in The Lord of the Rings: Tales of Middle-earth, were expected to make waves in the now turbulent format, by upgrading Tron and Rakdos decks, respectively. Additionally, the land-cycling spells introduced in The Lord of the Rings: Tales of Middle-earth were additions to the Living End and Crashing Footfalls decks. Delighted Halfling and Samwise Gamgee made appearances in select decks as a mana-dork and combo piece, respectively.

Day One[ | ]

Featured drafters: Nathan Steuer

The top eight players after day one:

Rank Player Points
1 {DNK} Simon Nielsen 24
2 {USA} Gregory Orange 22
3 {ESP} Martin Dominguez 21
4 {USA} Zachary Kiihne 21
5 {USA} Christian Calcano 21
6 {USA} Jake Beardsley 21
7 {DEU} Kai Budde 21
8 {JPN} Kosaka Kazune 21

Day Two[ | ]

Featured drafters: Kai Budde

Top 8[ | ]

Quarterfinals Semifinals Finals
                         
1  Javier Dominguez 1  
8  Dominic Harvey 3  
  8  Dominic Harvey 1  
  4  Jake Beardsley 3  
4  Jake Beardsley 3
5  Marco Del Pivo 1  
    4  Jake Beardsley 3
  2  Christian Calcano 2
3  Christian Calcano 3  
6  Kai Budde 0  
  6  Christian Calcano 3
  7  Simon Nielsen 2  
2  Simon Nielsen 3
7  Stefano Vinci 1  

Javier Dominguez and Simon Nielsen make it back-to-back Pro Tour Top 8's, joined by two Italian players in Marco Del Pivo and Stefano Vinci. Additionally, Kai Budde would reach his tenth career top eight. Sadly, on this Sunday, the promise "Kai does not lose" would be broken, as Christian Calcano would beat him in the quarterfinals, en route to the finals, piloting a Mono-Green Tron deck. There he would face Jake Beardsley, who in his first Pro Tour, cheered on by commentators and fans, would win the day with a Rakdos Evoke Deck.

Place Player Prize Pro Points Decks Comments
1 {USA} Jake Beardsley $50,000 40 Rakdos Evoke First Pro Tour
2 {USA} Christian Calcano $30,000 40 Mono-Green Tron Second Pro Tour Top 8
3 {DNK} Simon Nielsen $15,000 40 Mono-Green Tron Back-to-Back Top 8s
4 {CAN} Dominic Harvey $15,000 39 Amulet Titan
5 {ESP} Javier Dominguez $10,000 45 Mono-Green Tron Back-to-Back Top 8s, Third in Total
6 {ITA} Marco Del Pivo $10,000 39 Temur Rhinos
7 {USA} Stefano Vinci $10,000 39 Temur Rhinos
8 {FRA} Kai Budde $10,000 39 Temur Rhinos Tenth Pro Tour Top 8
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