Chris Pikula
| Chris Pikula | |
|---|---|
| Demographics | |
| Nickname | Meddling Mage |
| Residence | Bryn Mawr, Pennsylvania, United States |
| Nationality |
 American |
| Professional Career | |
| Pro Tour debut | Pro Tour New York 1996 |
| Top Finishes | 3 (0 wins) |
| GP top 8s | 5 (0 wins) |
Christopher Pikula is an American former professional player. He was one of the game's early stars, debuting at the very first Pro Tour in New York; he reached the top eight of two Pro Tours in 1996, and a third at the 1998 World Championships.[1]
History
Pikula was known for his anti-cheating stance and has been given some of the credit for cleaning up the Pro Tour.[2][3] He retired from professional play in the early 2000s, but continued showing up for the occasional Pro Tour and Grand Prix. He won the 2000 Magic Invitational in Kuala Lumpur, resulting in the creation of Meddling Mage.
Since the introduction of the Hall of Fame, Pikula has been close to being voted in. In 2006, he received the sixth most votes, where the top five made it to the Hall of Fame.[4] In 2013, he received 38.4% of the votes, where 40% was the necessary threshold for Hall of Fame induction.[5] After 2013, the required Pro Points to be on the Hall of Fame ballot was increased to 150, meaning Pikula, with 135 points at the time,[6] was no longer eligible. Since then, Pikula has attended multiple Grand Prix events to reach 150 points and get back on the ballot; this was featured in the 2016 documentary "Enter the Battlefield".[7] He reached the 150 point threshold during the 2016–17 season and posted his first Premier Event top eight in 12 years when he finished fourth at Grand Prix Orlando 2017. Back on the Hall of Fame ballot for the 2017 voting, Pikula reached the previous threshold for induction, earning 41.1% of the votes; however, the threshold for induction into the hall had been raised before the 2017 voting, and so he did not make it.
Accomplishments
| Season | Event type | Location | Format | Date | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1996–97 | Pro Tour | Atlanta | Sealed Deck | 15–17 September 1996 | 7 |
| 1996–97 | Pro Tour | Dallas | Standard | 22–24 November 1996 | 4 |
| 1997–98 | Worlds | Seattle | Special | 12–16 August 1998 | 6 |
| 1998–99 | Grand Prix | Kansas City | Extended | 27–28 March 1999 | 2 |
| 1998–99 | Grand Prix | Washington, D.C. | Limited | 19–20 June 1999 | 2 |
| 2005 | Grand Prix | Chicago | Team Limited | 18–19 December 2004 | 3 |
| 2005 | Grand Prix | Philadelphia | Legacy | 12–13 November 2005 | 2 |
| 2016–17 | Grand Prix | Orlando | Limited | 25–26 March 2017 | 4 |
→ Source: Wizards.com
Pro Tour results
| Season | Pro Tour | Format | Finish | Winnings |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1996 | New York | Standard (New York Style) | 26 | |
| 1996 | Los Angeles | Booster Draft | 122 | |
| 1996 | Colombus | Block Constructed | 26 | $1,500 |
| 1996–97 | Atlanta | Sealed Deck | 5 | $5,500 |
| 1996–97 | Dallas | Standard | 3 | $9,000 |
| 1996–97 | Los Angeles | Rochester Draft | 208 | |
| 1996–97 | Paris | Block Constructed | 72 | |
| 1996–97 | New York | Booster Draft | 97 | |
| 1996–97 | Worlds (Seattle) | Special | 49 | $500 |
| 1997–98 | Chicago | Extended | 167 | |
| 1997–98 | Mainz | Rochester Draft | 81 | |
| 1997–98 | Los Angeles | Block Constructed | 20 | $2,050 |
| 1997–98 | New York | Booster Draft | 54 | $470 |
| 1997–98 | Worlds (Seattle) | Special | 6 | $5,500 |
| 1998–99 | Chicago | Booster Draft | 98 | |
| 1998–99 | Rome | Extended | 38 | $840 |
| 1998–99 | Los Angeles | Rochester Draft | 329 | |
| 1998–99 | New York | Block Constructed | 156 | |
| 1999–00 | Washington, D.C. | Team Limited | 80 | |
| 1999–00 | Chicago | Extended | 214 | |
| 1999–00 | Los Angeles | Booster Draft | 204 | |
| 2000–01 | New York | Team Limited | 64 | |
| 2000–01 | Chicago | Standard | 139 | |
| 2001–02 | New York | Team Limited | 51 | |
| 2001–02 | New Orleans | Extended | 32 | $1,250 |
| 2001–02 | San Diego | Rochester Draft | 278 | |
| 2002–03 | Boston | Team Limited | 117 | |
| 2003–04 | Seattle | Team Limited | 8 | $2,400 |
| 2005 | Atlanta | Team Limited | 84 | |
| 2011 | Philadelphia | Modern and Booster Draft | 312 | |
| 2013–14 | Theros in Dublin | Standard and Booster Draft | 33 | $1,500 |
| 2016–17 | Hour of Devastation in Kyoto | Standard and Booster Draft | 438 | |
| 2017–18 | 25th Anniversary in Minneapolis | Team Constructed | 42 | $2,000 |
→ Source: Wizards.com
External links
References
- ↑ Mark Rosewater (July 10, 2020). "Drive to Work #756 - Chris Pikula". Blogatog. Tumblr.
- ↑ Toby Wachter (2002-06-19). "Interview: Chris Pikula Part 1". Wizards of the Coast. Retrieved on 2016-05-13.
- ↑ Ted Knutson (2004-12-17). "The Magic University - Cheaters Always Prosper". Star City Games. Retrieved on 2016-05-13.
- ↑ 2006 Ballot. Wizards of the Coast.
- ↑ 2013 Ballot. Wizards of the Coast.
- ↑ Statistical Breakdown of 2013 Candidates. Wizards of the Coast.
- ↑ Enter the Battlefield - Life on the Magic: The Gathering Pro Tour. Wizards of the Coast (2016-04-26). Retrieved on 2016-05-13.