All,

Well, September soon rolls around doesn’t it? Schools and Universities
settle into a new year and so too does Magic the Gathering. Get ready
for the first set of the new block in the curriculum; Zendikar. As we
are hurtling towards the Zendikar Pre-Releases, and the Zendikar
Launch Party event at the start of October is hot on their heels. For
now here are the full details for both Pre-Release events.

Zendikar Boosters, Boxes, Fat Pack and Intro Pack orders

Please remember that you can contact me to order sealed products like
booster boxes and Fat Packs for collection at the Launch Party event
at Stafford. This saves you any postage costs and also entitles you to
a £2 discount to the entrance fee of the Launch Party main event PER
booster box ordered on top of any other discounts. If you intend to do
this, please make sure that I have received your order by e-mail or in
person at the Pre-Release weekend at the latest.

www.magicgeek.co.uk

Now, lets move on to the full details for the Pre-Release events.

Birmingham and Stafford Zendikar Pre-Release Weekend.

Event notes

[1] As I have had so many enquiries about the forthcoming Zendikar Pre-
Release tournaments, this e-mail includes all relevant information for
both the Stafford and the Birmingham tournaments. Pick and choose the
information that you need.

[2] We will be continuing to use deck pool registration at all pre-
release events.

[3] Price for admission is £20.00 for two reasons. Firstly, it falls
in line with Wizards of the Coast pricing guidelines and secondly
because the product given to each player to use on the day is six [6]
Zendikar boosters.

[4] To encourage players to attend both events, I will be continuing
with the £2.00 deduction in the cost of entry to any player enrolling
in the Stafford Pre-Release who played in the Birmingham Pre-Release
the previous day. I realise that this isn’t an enormous saving, but I
received positive feedback for this at previous Pre-Release weekends
so I’m happy to continue to offer this discount.

[5] As usual I’ll be filling the traditional Grab Bag with the
contents of some Zendikar boosters as additional prizes.

[6] Again as usual, I have had winner’s trophies engraved. The
trophies are a popular part of the Pre-Release events and everybody
wants to win one!

[7] The Birmingham event will be limited to 60 players; the Stafford
event will also be limited to 60 players. As we had such amazing
attendance for the Magic 2010 Core Set events in July, please pre-
register early to ensure that you can guarantee your place in the
event.

Here are the usual event details:

BIRMINGHAM ZENDIKAR PRE-RELEASE SATURDAY 26th OF SEPTEMBER 2009

VENUE: Quality Hotel Birmingham, 166 Hagley Road, Birmingham, West
Midlands, England B16 9NZ

The venue is probably only about 15 minutes from the city centre
easily accessible from New Street Station. Road links are very good
from the M6 and the M5 as you will see on the map.
If you are travelling by car, there is parking for over a hundred cars
but most of the spaces are at the back of the hotel. Drive towards the
red barrier at the right hand side of the venue and it will
automatically open. All you need to do when leaving is pick up a
parking token from the hotel reception. Parking is free if you have
used the hotel facilities, so there will be no parking charge for
players attending the event.

PUBLIC TRANSPORT: According to locals, as far as trains are concerned,
it's quicker to go to Five Ways station if possible, walk to the Five
Ways shopping centre and then just walk down Hagley Road. From New
Street Station the 128 and the 129 buses from Corporation Street (1
min walk from New Street) go down the Hagley Road (and I'm sure there
must be others too). If you are travelling by train and you are
running late I'd suggest just getting a taxi to the venue. I suspect
that it is less than a 10 minute drive from New Street Station.

Website: http://www.quality-hotels-birmingham.com/

Directions: These are available from the Hotel's website:

http://www.quality-hotels-birmingham.com/details/GB605%20large%20map.jpg

START TIME: Enrolment from 9:30am till 10:30am. Deck construction will
start at about 11:00am.

FORMAT: The format for each Pre-release tournament is DCITM-sanctioned
Zendikar TM Sealed Deck.

Rules Enforcement Level: Regular

ENTRY FEE: £20.00 for main event

Cost of entry includes six (6) Zendikar TM boosters.

PRIZES: As per Wizards of the Coast premier event prize structure.

A special commemorative Zendikar card is available for each tournament
participant, while supplies last.

SIDE EVENTS: Booster Draft side events available all day long.

ENTRY FEE:  £10.00 for Booster Drafts (12 Boosters as prizes split
5/3/2/2)


STAFFORD ZENDIKAR PRE-RELEASE SUNDAY 27th OF SEPTEMBER 2009

VENUE: Oddfellows Hall, Greengate Street, Stafford, ST16 2HP.

Please contact me for more directions if you haven’t been to this
venue before.

START TIME: Enrolment from 9:30am till 10:30am. Deck construction will
start at about 11:00am.

FORMAT: The format for each Pre-release tournament is DCITM-sanctioned
Zendikar TM Sealed Deck.

Rules Enforcement Level: Regular

ENTRY FEE: £20.00 for main event

Cost of entry includes six (6) Zendikar TM boosters.

PRIZES: As per Wizards of the Coast premier event prize structure.

A special commemorative Zendikar card is available for each tournament
participant, while supplies last.

SIDE EVENTS: Booster Draft side events available all day long.

ENTRY FEE:  £10.00 for Booster Drafts (12 Boosters as prizes split
5/3/2/2)

TO PRE-REGISTER FOR AN EVENT:

Send an e-mail to this address: stephen DOT avann AT ntlworld DOT com
with your FULL NAME and DCI NUMBER (If you have one) BEFORE 5:30PM on
the FRIDAY NIGHT before the events, as this is the last time that I
will check my e-mail before the tournament. Alternatively I can be
contacted on my mobile from 6:30pm until 10pm on the following number:
07989201808. Please don't try to phone me before 6:30pm as I will be
busy.

Hope to see you at the events over the weekend,

Steve

Future Events 2009

September – Saturday 26th – Birmingham – Zendikar Pre Release
September – Sunday 27th – Stafford – Zendikar Pre Release

Zendikar Pre-Releases are scheduled for the end of September. Full
details above.

October – Sunday 4th – Stafford – Zendikar Launch Party

The Zendikar Launch Party event will happen the following weekend at
Stafford. This is the first chance to buy Zendikar singles, boosters,
boxes, intro packs and fat packs.

October – Friday 16th – Sunday 18th – Manchester – Game ‘09

After a really enjoyable event in Manchester in 2008, I’ll be back in
Manchester for the Game ’09 Convention. With one PTQ slot for San
Diego and teo Grand Prix events this is sure to be an enjoyable
weekend for Magic players. See the website for more details:
http://gamecon.game-host.org/apex/f?p=101:1:1176383412868801

November – Sunday 2nd – Stafford – Big Bag Draft 2009

The Big Bag Draft is the usual way to end the year of events at
Stafford. Again this year in response to player feedback I have moved
this iconic event into November so that players can manage to fit it
in around the demands of the festive season. This year the places will
be limited to probably about 40 players so when registration opens for
the event make sure you get your name down as soon as possible.

NOTE: I have a set of From the Vault: Exiled to give away as part of
the prize fund for this event!

November – Saturday 14th – Birmingham – Pro Tour Qualifier: San Diego

I have been awarded a PTQ slot for the San Diego qualifier season.
More details to follow.

November – Saturday 28th – London – Dragonmeet 2009

Dragonmeet is a wonderful one day event that I had the pleasure of
attending last year. I’ll be back again in 2009 and I recommend this
event to anyone who loves any sort of card games, board games or RPG.
See the website for more details: http://www.dragonmeet.co.uk/

December – Saturday 5th – Birmingham – Event to be confirmed.


Future Events 2010

January – Saturday 30th – Birmingham – Worldwake Pre Release
January – Sunday 31st – Stafford – Worldwake Pre Release

The first events of 2010 are the Pre-Releases for the second set in
the Zendikar block, called Worldwake. It may seem a long way away but
try to get these events in your diaries now! More details as they
appear.

February – Sunday 7th – Stafford – Worldwake Launch Party

The Worldwake Launch Party event will happen the following weekend at
Stafford. This is the first chance to buy Worldwake singles, boosters,
boxes, intro packs and fat packs.