This past weekend, 1,071 of the finest Magic: The Gathering players from across Europe, the Middle East, and Africa gathered in a high-stakes showdown for the latest Regional Championship of the 2024–25 season. With over $125,000 in prizes, two coveted World Championship invitations, and 36 Pro Tour invitations on the line, the competition was fierce. After fourteen intense rounds of Standard, followed by a thrilling Top 8, Jelco Bodewes claimed victory with Izzet Prowess!

Congratulations to Jelco Bodewes, the new Regional Champion!

Jelco Bodewes, a 31-year-old player from Utrecht, is no newcomer to high-level Magic. From 2016 to 2019, he played in seven different Pro Tours, earning a 13th place at Pro Tour Ixalan. Yet a trophy had always eluded him.

Recently, his passion for competitive Magic burned bright again. After qualifying via an RCQ at Spellenhoorn, he dominated the Regional Championship this weekend in Bologna, solidifying himself as one of the strongest players from Europe. He blazed through the field, finishing the Swiss as the top seed. This gave him the ability to play first throughout the Top 8, which gave him a valuable advantage in the playoff matches. "It still feels unreal," he said in his winner's interview.

Jelco Bodewes plays in the finals of the Ultimate Guard European Magic Series – Regional Championship Bologna.

Bodewes's weapon of choice was Izzet Prowess, an archetype that leverages Tarkir: Dragonstorm's Cori-Steel Cutter—a formidable token engine. With a suite of one-mana spells, card draw effects, and a plotted Slickshot Show-Off, triggering flurry turn after turn becomes trival. Bodewes summed up the deck's power concisely: "Modern power level in a Standard deck."

But it wasn't all about fast wins—Bodewes also chose to play Izzet Prowess because he liked casting cantrips and Stock Up, allowing him to sculpt his hand with the perfect cards for any situation. With a solid long game complementing the deck's blazingly fast starts, Izzet Prowess was the most-played archetype in the field, and it had the highest win percentage out of all major archetypes.

In the finals, Jelco Bodewes faced off in an Izzet Prowess mirror against Ivan Lausevic, who qualified for this event via RCQ at Ravnica in Belgrade, Serbia. Lausevic had settled on Izzet Prowess for good reasons, saying he "felt like Cori-Steel Cutter, Stormchaser's Talent, and Stock Up are the strongest cards in Standard. Also, I am a Phoenix player!"

Ivan Lausevic plays in the finals of the Ultimate Guard European Magic Series – Regional Championship Bologna.

Lausevic's list was slightly more controlling than Bodewes's, using fewer copies of Monastery Swiftspear and Monstrous Rage in favor of removal and card advantage in the form of Torch the Tower and Wrenn's Resolve. Despite these minor differences, both players aimed to overwhelm each other with a flurry of Monk tokens.

Ivan Lausevic extends his hand in defeat, congratulating Jelco Bodewes on his victory.

After a hard-fought finals, which went the full three games, it was Jelco Bodewes who emerged victorious, claiming the trophy, title, and $20,000 1st-place prize. Both finalists earned invitations to Magic World Championship 31, set for December 5–7, 2025.

Top 36 Players Qualified for the Pro Tour

Congratulations to the Top 8 players! Top row, left to right: Jelco Bodewes, Šarūnas Liobikas, Luis Martin, Michele Aliazzo. Bottom row, left to right: Albert Cordobés, Marc Gargallo, Ivan Lausevic, and Adam Bubar.

While the Top 8 competitors battled for the big prizes, the Top 36 eligible players who were not yet qualified for Pro Tour Edge of Eternities earned their invitation to that tournament. It will take place on September 26–28, 2025, at MagicCon: Atlanta. We look forward to seeing all qualified players there!

The Top 8 decks featured three Izzet Prowess decks, two Mono-Red Aggro decks, two Dimir Midrange decks, and one Domain Overlords decks. While Burst Lightning was extremely prominent across the Top 8—even more so than Monstrous Rage, which many Izzet Prowess decks had shaved or cut—the wider metagame was more varied.

The Top 36 decklists featured eight Jeskai Oculus decks, which boasted a favorable matchup against Izzet Prowess over the weekend. The diversity of the Pro Tour-qualifying decks continued with Jeskai Control, Azorius Omniscience, Jeskai Convoke, Azorius Artifacts, Boros Monument, Selesnya Cage, Golgari Midrange, and Gruul Mice, showing that there is a competitive option for any playstyle in Standard.

Tarkir: Dragonstorm Soared Ahead at a Memorable Event

The Standard metagame at the Ultimate Guard Regional Championship in Bologna was largely driven by new cards from Tarkir: Dragonstorm. Cori-Steel Cutter propelled Izzet Prowess into a top-tier contender, while other archetypes with substantial additions also claimed sizable metagame shares. For example, Jeskai Oculus made good use of Glacial Dragonstorm and Tersa Lightshatter, while Shiko, Paragon of the Way and Dispelling Exhale made Jeskai Control a force to be reckoned with. Standard's evolution was on full display this weekend.

A crowd of 1,071 players converged upon the BolognaFiere to test their mettle in the Ultimate Guard European Magic Series – Regional Championship.

Fanfinity organized an outstanding weekend brimming with high-level competition. Live coverage of both Day One and Day Two aired on Fanfinity's streaming channels, allowing fans to follow the action closely. While the Regional Championship spotlighted the remarkable talent of players across Europe, the event hall was bustling with hundreds of additional players in Last Chance Qualifiers, the $20,000 Standard Open, and various side events. It was a memorable weekend of camaraderie and fierce competition, and we eagerly anticipate the next Ultimate Guard Regional Championship in Antwerp on November 21–23, 2025!

The three 8-0 undefeated players overnight—Adrian Perdyan, Adriano Moscato, and Tobia Nappi—all managed to clinch a Pro Tour invite with a Top 36 finish.

As the Swiss rounds progressed, only 150 players advanced to Day Two, where the battle for supremacy at the top tables grew increasingly intense.

The live stream brought the excitement of the tournament to viewers at home, as the casters called every thrilling moment of high-level competition.

A viewing area allowed the audience to watch the live stream at the venue, drawing an enthusiastic crowd during the Top 8.

Cori-Steel Cutter (906 copies total) and Sunpearl Kirin (588 copies) were the most-played new-to-Standard cards from Tarkir: Dragonstorm.

Be part of the next cycle of Regional Championships by participating in a qualifying event near you! Explore upcoming events through the Store & Event Locator, or visit your regional organizer's website for more details.