New York City’s Premier Premodern Tournament Series

  • Info & Registration

    When: July 25, 2026. Doors open at 10:30AM ET with a start time of 11:00AM ET

    Where: Hex & Company West (2911 Broadway, New York, NY 10025)

    Player Capacity: 128

    Entry Fee: $65

    Registration: Fill out this form

    Cancellation: Full refund for cancellations made a week in advance of the event. Your slot can be transferable if within a week before the event.

  • Tournament Structure

    Format: Premodern

    Rounds: 7 rounds; Swiss pairings followed by Top 8. 50-minute timed rounds.

    Side Event: A side event of Premodern will start after the third round and will be free to participate in.

    Rules Enforcement: Hybrid Comp/Regular

    Card Legality: Reprints, World Championship/Gold-Bordered, and CE/IE cards are allowed. Proxies and playtest cards are not allowed at this event.

    Deck Lists & Photos: You must submit your deck list before the event begins. Deck photos can be submitted via a Google Form (optional, but encouraged).

  • Prizing

    Prizing: $5,000 cash guaranteed minimum (subject to scale upwards). Prizing breakdown:
    1st: $2,000, custom deck list card plaque, and Order of the Sacred Torch card
    2nd: $1,000
    3rd/4th: $500 each
    5th-8th: $250 each

    Participation Prizes: Commemorative stamped Mogg Fanatic (1) and exclusive Goblin tokens (4)

    Additional Stamped/Altered Prizing:
    - Winner (Goblin King)
    - 2nd-8th (Goblin Warchief)
    - 9th Place (Raging Goblin)
    - 10th-16th (Skirk Prospector)
    - Best Brew (Goblin Tinkerer)
    - Highest Placing Player Traveling >50 Miles (Goblin Piledriver)
    - Highest Placing Player with a Swamp (Festering Goblin)
    - Side Event Winners (Stamped/Altered Squee, Goblin Nabob)

    Charity: Raffle benefitting TBD

Meet the Organizers

The Sacred Torch Showdown is made possible through the combined efforts of the entire New York City Premodern community. In particular, the team below (listed alphabetically) have taken lead roles:

  • Andy L. — Lodestone Bauble lobbyist, and Top 8 finisher at the 2024 North American Premodern Championships

  • Roland C. — Community organizer, vendor, Japanese foil collector, and simultaneous Vintage and Legacy Champion

  • Dave K. — Community organizer, MTG coach, 2025 Sacred Torch Showdown winner, and finalist at the 2025 North American Vintage Championships

  • Dave L. — Gathering enthusiast

  • Lanny H. — Co-host of the Spike Colony podcast, winner of the Premodern Showdown Series (S5), and Top 4 finisher at the 2023 North American Premodern Championships

  • Phil N. — Brewer, Spice Paradise organizer, and writer of the BANDING email newsletter