The final weekend of the current cycle of Regional Championships concluded last weekend with a handful of events including the MTG SEA Championship final. There were 144 players registered for the San Juan event that served as the Regional Championship for the area, and after eight rounds and a Top 8 playoff it was Richie Ong and his trusty Golgari Midrange deck that took down the title.

Leaning on old classics like Liliana of the Veil and new classics like Sheoldred, Whispering One, Ong had tools to play any kind of game, especially with card advantage coming in the form of Caustic Bronco. With a tight decklist and tighter play, Ong defeated Sukhum Kiwanont in the finals to earn the title of Regional Champion as well as an invite to Magic World Championship 30 later this year.

Congratulations to Richie Ong, the winner of the MTG SEA Championship!

There were six invitations to the Pro Tour available as well, making the tournament a high-stakes affair all the way through, with a World Championship invite on the line in the finals. Ong was dominant from start to finish, taking his only loss in the second round but then going another nine without a loss to take the title with Golgari Midrange featuring a heavy does of Caustic Bronco. Alongside Preacher of the Schism, the Bronco provides the card advantage to go along with the removal Golgari has in droves.

Kiwanont, Ong's opponent in the finals, qualified for Amsterdam with a midrange deck similar in theory and with some overlap in execution: his Dimir Midrange list started early with Spyglass Siren, disrupted with Deep-Cavern Bat and Tishana's Tidebinder, and finished with any combination of flying creatures or world champions (Faerie Mastermind) left over.

The Top 8 at the Regional Championship was incredibly diverse, with seven different decks making the playoff rounds, capping off an exciting event that showcased the many strategies Standard has to offer. Here's what made it to the Top 8:

• 1 Golgari Midrange
• 1 Dimir Midrange
• 1 Boros Convoke
• 2 Azorius Control
• 1 Dimir Control
• 1 Bant Toxic
• 1 Five-Color Legends

With so many viable gameplans at the moment, success at the Regional Championship level more than ever is about mastering a deck inside and out and learning its strengths, weaknesses, and matchups; it's a lot better than trying to find a flavor of the week in a format defied such definition this Regional Championship cycle.

As always, the tournament brought together the best Magic players in the region, and a huge part of the greater tournament community in the area.

There were more than 140 competitors in attendance at the Regional Championship, and plenty more cheering from the sidelines.

Find out more about how you can qualify for the Regional Championship and the Pro Tour by visiting here and finding out more from your regional organizer!