Team Power 9 Pro is a team of competitive magic players located all across North America. The Power 9 Pro team writes articles on set reviews, deck analysis and mtg strategy at www.power9pro.com/blog, and posts videos. Look for us in the bright orange shirts, we are active in our communities at FNM, PTQs, Grand Prix and Regionals. Power 9 Pro is also recruiting new team members around the world, if you're a passionate and competitive Magic player and would like to represent a company focused on Magic players, drop us a line!
James began playing Magic: the Gathering when his friend and fellow teammate Joe visited him in Jena, Germany. It was love at first sight. Barely knowing the rules and mechanics of the game, James and Joe headed to an FNM draft (all cards in German) after a couple hours of play the evening before. "I remember just drafting the rares 1st and the uncommons 2nd, hoping whatever I got could be scrounged into a deck. I couldn't read the German and figure out what the heck the card did fast enough. What choice did I have!?" James formed Power 9 Pro and Team Power 9 Pro to give back to and become a bigger part of the Magic community.
He's a rookie on the competitive tournament scene but a fast learner, so the team is excited about his future contributions.
Joe began playing in 1994. He has been a casual competetive player, which is to say he's played competetively for a long time, but hasn't ever taken it very seriously. He's an FNM-and-pre-releases kind of guy. Joe gets as much satisfaction from theoretical and abstract contemplation of the art of magic as he does from high-level competition.
Joe is a collector of Rebecca Guay artwork. Joe's favorite card is little girl, of which he owns 1200+, 37 foils, 2 artist proofs, and the original... creepy! His favorite "real" card is serendib efreet revised edition error card...way cool.
Bryan's Magic career began in the Time Spiral block. Not knowing anything about magic he entered his first tournament and placed in the top 4. Since then he has learned to grow and adapt his playing styles and become versatile at many different aspects of the game. He has traveled all across the country to attend magic events and competed in the finals in States of '08. He currently has a radio show dedicated to magic strategy and deck construction.
Zak has been playing Magic since the Time Spiral expansion, and has progressed from slinging spells with frineds at junior high school to competing with the best of the best at PTQs. He has come to be known as "that guy who actually plays a Battle of Wits deck," among those who don't know him, and by those who do know him, "that guy who actually wins with a Battle of Wits deck." Zak's ambitions for Magic are limitless, and he would like to see himself at a Pro Tour or National Championship before he graduates from university. Zak can often be found playing at Wizard's Comics & Collectibles in Edmonton, Alberta.
Sean hails from Calgary, Alberta, Canada and began playing competitive Magic starting with Dissension in 2006. After getting some experience playing in FNMs, over the last couple of years he has been taking the game more seriously, earning scholarships from the JSS program and the title of Calgary City Champ in 2007. Sean's first love is Standard but that doesn't stop him from playing in Block, Extended and Limited formats. His strategy for Magic is simple, have fun, play the most annoying deck possible and never give up.
Dillon is a college student from New York, who started
playing magic during the Onslaught block after his history
teacher introduced him to the cards. Dillon loves Magic for the personalities, the strategy, the artwork, and
most of the all new opponents. It was the artwork that pulled him in,
and the near bottomless strategy that keeps him hooked.
Dillon usually plays a green/blue mix of aggro and control. He loves cards that allow the player's skill to shine
through such as Umezawa's Jitte, the ultimate tool in battle that only the
wise can wield correctly.
Pedro started playing Magic during school in Sixth Grade when he was twelve. From then he slowly started moving from casual play to the tournament scene. Then his first sanctioned tournament happened in Betrayers of Kamigawa. From then he has won three JSS/MSS events, 2 GPTs, a PTQ for Hollywood where made Day 2, Day 2ed in San Jose, and placed third at Puerto Rico Nationals. After a very disappointing Day 2 at Worlds he is now back in the PTQ trenches trying to requalify. Pedro's favorite card is Gifts Ungiven. His favorite color is blue because it makes him think more than any other color, and he likes to think.
Stan started playing Magic when his roommates dragged him to the Planar Chaos prerelease, where he was "that guy" that opened a foil Damnation and played without sleeves. Since then, Stan has striven to learn the most he can about Magic, culminating in his first qualification for the Pro Tour after finishing 14th place at Grand Prix: Seattle. Stan is also the co-host of Deckbuilder Radio with Bryan Greer.
Mike has been playing CCGs competitively since 1999 but only made the jump to Magic ten years later, just before the release for Alara Reborn. Since picking up the game he has a States top 8 and a PTQ top 8 under his belt. He currently lives in Worcester, MA and travels to most PTQs in and around New England. Mike routinely attends FNM and local drafts, and plays on MTGO a few nights per week under the nom de plume BobbySapphire. He also has a Master's Degree in Writing from the University of New Orleans.
Justin first discovered Magic during the Ice Age. Already a pen & paper gamer, the fantasy aspects of Magic soon had him hooked. He remembers dominating his kitchen table with his 87 card B/G deck that included the dreaded Thicket Basilisk/Lure combo. Justin played off and on for years finally getting serious during the Invasion block. Justin tends to play in smaller FNM type tournaments but has gone to some large events, his first being a PTQ at Gen Con in 2002. Currently Justin has fallen in love with EDH.
Rob was born and raised in Las Vegas, NV where he fell in love with Magic: The Gathering thanks to some buddies and some pocket money in 1997. Access to cards and players waxed and waned over the years, but the love of the game burned on. Fast-forward to Toledo, OH and a fierce return to the game ten years later with Lorwyn.
Rob is a Johnny/Spike, and a Philosophy grad leaving him constantly analyzing, reinventing and theorizing about the game, digging for the next awesome combo, obscure synergies, and game insight that will help propel him further along the winning path.
Ryan hails from Canada and will soon be returning to the land of his birth to join the Vancouver Magic community and continue his studies at UBC. He started playing in '94 but took a decade long hiatus when he couldn't find anyone to play with (not a great community in NC). Since reentering the tournament scene for Time Spiral block, he's worked his way up from FNMs to PTQs and GPs. He's got a soft spot for Draft, but isn't above mising up some Sealed and testing wits with a good Constructed game.
Roberto is 28 years old originally from Philadelphia but now living in Albuquerque, NM. Roberto has
qualified for 4 Pro Tours and 1 US Nationals. He has two NM State Championships (2HG and Constructed)
Roberto also has a secret love affair with islands.
