The first weekend of March saw the eighth iteration of the MTG China Open, China's Regional Championship. Over 300 players from across the region gathered to compete in one of the season's flagship events.

It was the culmination of months of qualifying events, and eight invitations to the Pro Tour, one invitation to the World Championship this fall, and the title of China's Regional Champion were all on the line. After nine rounds of Modern followed by a Top 8 playoff, Wang Kunrui claimed the title and the trophy with his deck of choice, Temur Breach.

Congratulations to Wang Kunrui, winner of the MTG China Open!

Kunrui defeated Haochen Zhou—another Temur Breach pilot—in the finals. Kunrui's teammates on Team GXS chose Temur Breach for the event, a popular pick for the weekend. Kunrui's win qualified him for the Pro Tour at MagicCon: Las Vegas this summer, which will be his first Pro Tour appearance.

Wang Kunrui and Haochen Zhou play in the finals.

Congratulations to the Top 8

At the end of nine Swiss rounds of Modern, eight players advanced to the Top 8. Those eight earned their invites to this event largely through RCQs at local game stores. One stood out, as the runner-up, Haochen Zhou, qualified through making the Top 8 in the previous Regional Championship.

Temur Breach, also known as Grinding Breach, was the most played deck of the tournament, and also the most represented deck in the Top 8. It wasn't a surprise to see the deck succeed in China, as it has done the same at this season's earlier Regional Championships. You can see the decklists of the eight Pro Tour qualifying players here.

A New Modern Format

The end of 2024 saw a significant shakeup in Modern, with The One Ring; Amped Raptor; and Jegantha, the Wellspring joining the Modern ban list. At the same time, Mox Opal, Green Sun's Zenith, Faithless Looting, and Splinter Twin rejoined the format in a monumental unbanning. While Boros Energy, who lost Amped Raptor in the bannings, was the second most played deck, it failed to crack the Top 8.

Mox Opal was the only one of the unbanned cards to make a significant splash in the MTG China Open, as it played a pivotal role in many of the Temur Breach decks. The Chinese RC was another stunning show for the Breach decks, which have excelled in this new, post-The One Ring Modern format.

Congratulations again to this weekend's players on a great tournament of terrific and hard-fought matches and excellent competition. Be sure to catch the next MTG China Open during the next Regional Championship cycle!

Find out more about how you can qualify for the Regional Championship and the Pro Tour right here on Magic.gg or by contacting your regional organizer!