Event summary

On 6 September 2025, Tampere hosted 90 players for seven Swiss rounds into a Top 8. I went 5-1, then intentionally drew the last Swiss round while leading the 15-point bracket. I won quarters and semis. I then faced the same opponent who had beaten me in the Swiss and lost 0-2 again. Consistency counts.

Notable opponents

In the quarters, Marvin Karis piloted Contamination with real fluency. In the final, Jouni Sovela played Blue-White Landstill with Parallax Tide, Seal of Cleansing, Stifle, and Chain of Vapor in the main deck, and he played it very well. That matchup is one of my worst.

Thanks and community

This run would not have happened without Danny de Rooij. I played Parallax Replenish, the list I copied from him last year, and I have been pestering him with questions ever since. Thanks also to my compatriots from Tecnoliga, slightly more enthusiastic and expressive than I am, whose support mattered all day. Congratulations to Nacho on a well-deserved Top 8. He is a tremendous player, even if he sometimes looks like he is not taking the game seriously.

A personal highlight was seeing my friend Víctor after ten years. He came from Tallinn and went 5-2 playing Premodern for the first time, after many years away from Magic. I also appreciated the online support, especially from the Portuguese community, which is tight-knit and growing. I was happy to play the event on a Premodern Portugal playmat. Coming from Lisbon, I believe I was the player who travelled the farthest.

Operations and coverage

Team Kettu ran the tournament smoothly with no issues that I am aware of. On-site food kept things efficient. Coverage was on WakWak, as is customary for the Championship; it would not feel the same without Gordon and Anton on commentary. I took my time to publish this because I wanted to watch the entire broadcast first. I hope nobody was scared by my blunders; I am happy to hear what I did wrong so I can improve. I saw an especially big error in the last game by not using Parallax Tide to exile a Plains before morphing Exalted Angel.

Two proposals for future editions

Try the Top 7.2 playoff structure

The player who finishes first after the Swiss gets a bye in the playoffs only if they win both of the final two Swiss rounds. The key effect is in Table 1 in those rounds. With a standard Top 8, Table 1 always ends in an intentional draw, so the most relevant match is not played. With Top 7.2, Table 1 is incentivised to play for the bye rather than draw. This is especially important in streamed events because it keeps the top table live for coverage in the last two Swiss rounds. You may also see fewer draws around Tables 3 to 4, but the main gain is at Table 1. Organisers in Spain and Portugal who have used Top 7.2 indicate it has worked well.

Was Helsinki the better call?

I liked going to Tampere. I spent four nights there and even extended one to see more of the city. Participation was lower than in the previous three editions, with only about one-third of players coming from outside Finland. That hints that some travellers who would fly into Helsinki did not want to or could not add the extra leg to Tampere. The leg adds connections and waiting, tighter coordination with flight times, and sometimes an additional night, which can make the trip unworkable for tight calendars and budgets. A 30 to 40 euro higher entry fee could cover a higher cost venue and the organisers’ expenses in the best-connected city.

One more idea: a World Championship

Premodern needs a World Championship. A Trios event, normal Premodern not Unified, with three players per country, qualified via Nationals and limited to citizens or residents, would give Nationals real stakes and give everyone a team to rally behind. I know the European Premodern Masters has been announced, but I am sceptical that another individual event is what the scene needs or that people will feel excited to qualify, travel to it, and follow it. That series would be perfect if one of its days were a Trios event instead of a qualifier that obviously only local players will attend. I would also prefer it not to be limited to Europe. As a prize, the winning team could choose next year’s host country from among the candidates that volunteer.

Closing

My good results as a player are scarce. I am used to collecting cards, not trophies. So a result like this is special to me. I am not fooled by randomness. I know perfectly well this was simply a very lucky day. I did play a good deck I had some practice with, and I entered with no expectations, which I think helped me stay calm.

Thanks to everyone who played, organised, judged, streamed, and cheered, on site and online.