The 2019 Magic Online Championship caters to the best of the pros in the CCG. The three-day event concluded with Michael Jacob facing Logan Nettles in a best-of-three finals series, where the former trumped over his opponent. Jacob proved that he is the best mage of the weekend competition.
The champion’s road was no cake as he ventured through Vintage Cube, Pioneer, and Modern within the two days of placement games to secure his top-four spot. Afterward, the margin for error is slimmer than before, as the top four players face single-elimination best-of-three matches in Modern and Pioneer. Bringing Selesnya Heliod Company into Modern while his Pioneer’s choice is Mono-Green Planeswalkers, Jacob earned a finalists’ spot.
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The 36-year old veteran will be pocketing $50,000 following his victory in the finals series, 2-1, against Nettles. The two high-quality players played versus each other in nine grueling games with close-call sets. “HE DID IT!” the Magic Esports Twitter account writes. “@Darkest_MAJ is your #mtgochamps winner! Congratulations!” they continued. On his social media, Jacob was equally static with another belt under his name, and of course, the prize money. He writes, “I got first place in the MOCS! $50000!”
On their semifinals games, Jacob did quick work on his opponent, Matti Kuisma, after a 2-0 series. Nettles faced Oliver Tiu on their semis match and found out the deserving grand finals player. The championship is named one of the closest and most exciting games in all of Magic eSports games this year. The series did not only go all the way to the full length, but the players have three 2-1 games in a row.
On their first game of the championship, Jacob brought out his Selesnya Heliod Company deck. Nettles visibly struggled to keep the pressure off with threats such as Scavenging Ooze. Game 1 went to Jacob, 2-1, but Nettles had more fight left in him. In the second game, analysts and viewers struggle to find hope for Nettles following his lackluster game one. With an almost checkmate board with Sultai Midrange, Jacob found lethal to start game 2 strong. Nettles decisively won games two and three. Jacob’s slow start plus Nettles’ controlling board pushed the series to its third and final match.
For the first game of game three, Jacob set up aggressively with Who Shakes the World, Nissa, and Voracious Hydra to take the first game. In the second game, Nettles took over and punished Jacob for his draws. In the third game, the two veterans were going back and forth. Jacob’s Grafdigger’s Cage bought him time to find Gargaroth and set lethal, and win the 2019 Magic Online Championship.