8 Year Olds

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We are firm believers that one can never be too old or too young to get into Magic the Gathering. We ourselves picked up this awesome game way back in '98 with Urza's Saga and (unfortunately) left the game to build 3 brand new magic players. We are now way past 40 and have returned with a big bang to pick it up starting with Lorywn.

Now . . . talk about young - How about an 8-year old placing top 100 at the Grand Prix Kuala Lumpur ?!? This came to our attention via ManaNation's most excellent web comic XMTG (HERE) which was by-the-way rather funny 'n' witty and always a good read.

Here is a republish of this interesting match for your convenience from Wizards :

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Saturday, March 13: 7:59p.m. – A Quick Glimpse at Round 8: Jamie San Juan vs Kurt Porter

by Ray "blisterguy" Walkinshaw

8 year-old Kurt Porter gradually became the talk of the tournament today. Son of James Porter: Grand Prix Manila Champion 2006, Kurt started the day without byes, but promptly got off to a 3-0 start anyway. From there he dropped two rounds, but battled back to be 5-2 going into the last round. With little else in the way of feature matches, I figured I’d give the little beater some time in the spot light.

Kurt Porter knows no fear. I don’t think they’ve covered that one in school just yet.

Porter lost Game 1 in the Jund mirror against Jamie San Juan, also of the Philippines, eliciting a rowdy but good natured booing from the huge crowd assembled around the feature match table. Game 2, Porter drew a great opening hand with both Blightning and Goblin RuinblasterBlightning. Porter binned a seemingly crucial Terminate to the Blightning, keeping Garruk Wildspeaker and Broodmate Dragon. Two turns later, the Dragons hit the table, and Porter rode them to victory and day two. The cheering was so loud, you’d think the 8 year-old had just won the whole event, and who knows? He may yet do just that.

The crowd watch on with bated breath.

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Not official but here is what we beleive the deck list was from the event . . .

creature [18]
4 Bloodbraid Elf, 3 Broodmate Dragon, 4 Putrid Leech, 3 Siege-Gang Commander, 4 Sprouting Thrinax
instant [4] 4 Lightning Bolt
sorcery [9] 4 Blightning, 2 Explore, 3 Maelstrom Pulse
land [27] 2 Dragonskull Summit, 4 Forest, 2 Lavaclaw Reaches, 3 Mountain, 4 Raging Ravine, 1 Rootbound Crag, 4 Savage Lands, 3 Swamp, 4 Verdant Catacombs
planeswalker [2] 2 Garruk Wildspeaker
60 cards
Sideboard: 4 Goblin Ruinblaster, 2 Terminate, 3 Duress, 4 Duress, 1 Maelstrom Pulse
14 cards

So very kewl - Congrats Kurt !

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