Making his first Top Finish, Minghyang Chen did it by playing within his comfort zone—with his own unique tech. Chen's Lotus Field Combo deck contained cards that literally no one else in the field played, helping him find his way into the Top 8 when only one other Lotus Field player did so.
It's the biggest accomplishment of Chen's burgeoning career, coming on the heels of a 10-6 performance at his last Pro Tour and a Top 8 at China's Regional Championship. Now he'll try to add an exclamation point to a statement performance.
Jean-Emmanuel Depraz
The reigning Magic World Champion is fresh off his sixth Top Finish by winning that title, and wasted no time adding a seventh to his career. After a rough start to Draft on Day One, Jean-Emmanuel Depraz rattled off a string of wins to not only put himself into Day Two but turn in a perfect Pioneer performance that locked his Top 8 appearance early. Now, he'll put his Pioneer to the test on Sunday to see if he can keep the streak going all the way to the trophy.
Adam Edelson
A Limited specialist, Adam Edelson's path to the Pro Tour highlighted how diverse the path can be: he earned his ticket to Chicago via a Qualifier Weekend on MTG Arena, where he consistently ranks up to Mythic. And draft skills transfer, making it one one of the most important aspects of the tournament.
Edelson went undefeated in the draft rounds to set himself up for success. He paid it off with a strong Izzet Phoenix performance, which he'll now take into the elimination rounds with a chance to show that his run is far from over.
Alex Friedrichsen
The other Lotus Field Combo player to advance to the Top 8, Alex Friedrichsen's tournament started in the worst way possible: with a Round 1 loss. But, with strong Limited play—he qualified via the $75,000 Limited event in Barcelona— he righted the ship and went full speed ahead into the Top 8.
Friedrichsen dropped only one more match the rest of the way, locking up his Top 8 spot early. It's the American's first Top Finish, and it gives the Limited enthusiast a chance to etch his name into the Magic record books.
Christoffer Larsen
Longtime player Christoffer Larsen has been a mainstay of the competitive Magic circuit for decades, and he cashes in this weekend with a third Top Finish to add to his lengthy list of accomplishments. Most recently, Larsen has been spotted in back-to-back Regional Championship Top 8s.
Those came with Rakdos Sacrifice, but Larsen's deck of choice this weekend was the powerful Amalia combo. Team Handshake brought a key new innovation to the deck for Chicago, adding Fauna Shaman and a toolbox to the deck. The creativity paid off for Larsen, who will look to advance past the quarterfinals for the first time.
Seth Manfield
2015 World Champion and Hall of Famer Seth Manfield is no stranger to the Sunday stage. With 10 career Top Finishes already, you may be forgiven for thinking he slid into "retirement" after his last Top Finish in 2021 at the Strixhaven Championship. While his 2023 season was quiet, his consistent finishes maintained his qualification throughout all three Pro Tours, and he finished just outside the Top 16 at Magic World Championship XXIX. (Literally. He finished 17th.) Manfield was never far from another Top 8, and now he's equipped with the deck of the tournament (like fellow Top 8 competitor Sam Pardee): Rakdos Vampires.
Simon Nielsen
Like the reigning Magic World Champion Depraz, the reigning Player of the Year Simon Nielsen was just here. His run is simply unparalleled, literally—Pro Tour Murders at Karlov Manor marks the fourth Top Finish he's made in a row.
It's a claim unmatched in Magic history. And now he'll seek to add another win and title to the mix, as the lone representative of Boros Heroic entering the Top 8. It appears the 2023 Player of the Year has his sights set on 2024 as well.
Sam Pardee
Sam Pardee is a perennial Pro Tour player, maintaining consistency among the game's greats, which is how we stayed qualified for the showdown here in Chicago. He's had four career Top Finishes, including claiming the trophy at the Strixhaven Championship. Testing with a cadre of Pro Tour veterans, Pardee was the first to claim a spot in the Top 8 thanks to his great performance in Draft and powerful new Rakdos Vampire deck in Pioneer. With a deck poised to run the tables, the Top 8 playoff is where we'll find out if he can claim his second Sunday win.