| Martin Jůza | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Demographics | |
| Nickname | Juzám |
| Born | June 8, 1987 |
| Residence | Plzeň, Czech Republic |
| Nationality |
 Czech |
| Professional Career | |
| Pro Tour debut | Pro Tour New Orleans 2003 |
| Top Finishes | 4 (0 wins) |
| GP top 8s | 32 (5 wins) |
| Awards | |
| Hall of Fame | |
Martin Jůza is a Czech professional player. He has four Pro Tour top eights, but has experienced the most success on the Grand Prix stage, winning five events in a total of 32 top eight appearances, making him the player with the most Grand Prix top eights in the history of the game, tied with Shuhei Nakamura. In 2017, he was voted into the Hall of Fame.[1]
Professional play
Jůza made his Pro Tour debut in 2003, at PT New Orleans, where he played a Psychatog deck to a 3–5 finish. He finished sixth at the Czech National Championships later that season, but since neither the fourth-place finisher nor the fifth-place finisher could go to Worlds, Jůza was invited, but he ultimately failed to finish in the money. He won Czech Nationals both the following year (2005) and in 2006, and made other occasional Pro Tour appearances, but good results kept eluding him. A fourth-place finish at 2007 Nationals earned him an invitation to his fourth consecutive World Championships. Jůza had considered retiring from professional play following the event, but a 34th-place finish, good enough for $1,100 and an invitation to the following season's Pro Tour Kuala Lumpur, kept him going.[2]
The 2008 season was Jůza's breakout year on the Pro Tour. After finishing tenth at Pro Tour Kuala Lumpur, he placed 19th at PT Hollywood, and at PT Berlin, he got his first top eight, losing to teammate Sebastian Thaler in the quarterfinals to finish sixth.[3] With another money finish at the 2008 World Championships, Jůza hit Level 7, the second highest level in the Pro Players Club.
His success continued during the following season. Jůza missed the top eight of Pro Tour Kyoto on tiebreakers,[4] and after narrowly missing the money at PT Honolulu, he made his second Pro Tour top eight in Austin, playing Domain Zoo in Extended. He lost 2–3 to Naoki Shimizu to finish seventh.[5] Additionally, Jůza had been taking to flying all over the world to play in Grand Prix events, finishing in the top eight of three, and after another money finish at the 2009 World Championships, he ended up third in the Player of the Year race and Level 8 in the Pro Players Club.
In the following years, Jůza kept traveling to Grand Prix events, and experienced tremendous success in these, winning events in Portland and Hiroshima, as well as two in Bochum. He also maintained his high level in the Pro Players Club, but failed to make additional Sunday appearances at the Pro Tour stage. In the 2013–14 season, Jůza needed a top 16 at the last Pro Tour of the year, PT Magic 2015, to keep his Platinum status; he did so by finishing eleventh.[6] However, after the 2014–15 season, after having enjoyed Platinum (or the equivalent) status in the Pro Players Club for six seasons in a row, Jůza had to settle for Gold level despite making it to the top eight of four Grand Prix events that season. He made two Grand Prix top eights in 2015–16, and once again finished with Gold level in the Pro Players Club.
The 2016-17 started out moderately for Jůza, with no Grand Prix top eights but a good 11-5 finish at Pro Tour Kaladesh. For the Pro Tour Team Series, Jůza joined team ChannelFireball Fire, and proved his worth in the premiere event at Pro Tour Aether Revolt, where he finished 8th. Jůza's finish allowed him to lock Platinum early in the final Grand Prix stretch of the season. Later that year, he was voted into the Hall of Fame, having received 66.4% of the votes. He also won the Draft Master title for 2016–17, earning himself an invitation to the 2017 World Championship.
2017-18 was also a very good year for Jůza, as he finished in the top eight of four Grand Prix events, bringing up his total to 30, and surpassing Shuhei Nakamura to become the player with the most Grand Prix top eights of all time. He also finished runner-up at Pro Tour 25th Anniversary with teammates Josh Utter-Leyton and Ben Stark, and qualified for the 2018 World Championship. At Grand Prix Las Vegas 2018, Jůza won a qualifier tournament for a triple Beta Rochester draft, where he opened a Time Walk and was ultimately defeated by Luis Scott-Vargas in the semifinals. In December 2018, it was announced that Jůza would be one of the 32 players joining the upcoming 2019 Magic Pro League. Because he finished in the Top 20, he could continue in the 2020 Season.
Accomplishments
| Season | Event type | Location | Format | Date | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2005 | Nationals | Czech Republic | Standard and Booster Draft | 2005 | 6 |
| 2005 | Nationals | Czech Republic | Standard and Booster Draft | 2005 | 1 |
| 2006 | Nationals | Czech Republic | Standard and Booster Draft | 2006 | 1 |
| 2007 | Nationals | Czech Republic | Standard and Booster Draft | 2007 | 4 |
| 2008 | Pro Tour | Berlin | Extended | 31 October–2 November 2008 | 6 |
| 2009 | Grand Prix | Brighton | Limited | 8–9 August 2009 | 2 |
| 2009 | Grand Prix | Bangkok | Limited | 22–23 August 2009 | 2 |
| 2009 | Pro Tour | Austin | Extended and Booster Draft | 16–18 October 2009 | 7 |
| 2009 | Grand Prix | Tampa Bay | Limited | 24–25 October 2009 | 8 |
| 2010 | Grand Prix | Portland | Limited | 11–12 September 2010 | 1 |
| 2010 | Grand Prix | Bochum | Limited | 30–31 October 2010 | 1 |
| 2010 | Grand Prix | Nashville | Limited | 20–21 November 2010 | 7 |
| 2011 | Grand Prix | Denver | Limited | 19–20 February 2011 | 2 |
| 2011 | Grand Prix | Kobe | Extended | 23–24 April 2011 | 7 |
| 2011 | Grand Prix | Santiago | Limited | 22–23 October 2011 | 5 |
| 2011 | Grand Prix | Hiroshima | Standard | 29–30 October 2011 | 1 |
| 2012 | Grand Prix | Madrid | Limited | 25–26 February 2012 | 8 |
| 2012–13 | Grand Prix | Manila | Standard | 16–17 June 2012 | 6 |
| 2012–13 | Grand Prix | Philadelphia | Limited | 27–28 October 2012 | 3 |
| 2012–13 | Grand Prix | Bochum | Standard | 17–18 November 2012 | 1 |
| 2012–13 | Grand Prix | Sydney | Limited | 19–20 January 2013 | 6 |
| 2013–14 | Grand Prix | Providence | Team Limited | 8–9 June 2013 | 4 |
| 2013–14 | Grand Prix | Prague | Limited | 31 August–1 September 2013 | 5 |
| 2013–14 | Grand Prix | Hong Kong | Limited | 19–20 October 2013 | 2 |
| 2014–15 | Grand Prix | Strasbourg | Limited | 29–30 November 2014 | 3 |
| 2014–15 | Grand Prix | Manila | Standard | 3–4 January 2015 | 7 |
| 2014–15 | Grand Prix | Mexico City | Limited | 31 January–1 February 2015 | 7 |
| 2014–15 | Grand Prix | Seville | Standard | 14–15 February 2015 | 5 |
| 2015–16 | Grand Prix | London | Standard | 15–16 August 2015 | 7 |
| 2015–16 | Grand Prix | Paris | Standard | 19–20 March 2016 | 4 |
| 2016–17 | Pro Tour | Dublin | Standard and Booster Draft | 3–5 February 2017 | 8 |
| 2016–17 | Grand Prix | Bologna | Limited | 6–7 May 2017 | 2 |
| 2016–17 | Grand Prix | Cleveland | Team Limited | 24–25 June 2017 | 2 |
| 2017–18 | Grand Prix | Metz | Limited | 26–27 August 2017 | 2 |
| 2017–18 | Grand Prix | Providence | Team Limited | 30 September–1 October 2017 | 1 |
| 2017–18 | Grand Prix | Birmingham | Standard | 12–13 May 2018 | 4 |
| 2017–18 | Grand Prix | Las Vegas | Modern | 15–16 June 2018 | 3 |
| 2017–18 | Pro Tour | Minneapolis | Team Constructed | 3–5 August 2018 | 2 |
| 2018–19 | Grand Prix | Mexico City | Limited | 6–7 October 2018 | 6 |
| 2018–19 | Grand Prix | Atlanta | Modern | 3–4 November 2018 | 5 |
→ Source: Wizards.com
Pro Tour results
| Season | Pro Tour | Format | Finish | Winnings |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2003–04 | New Orleans | Extended | 194 | |
| 2003–04 | Worlds (San Francisco) | Special | 163 | |
| 2005 | Philadelphia | Block Constructed | 280 | |
| 2005 | Worlds (Yokohama) | Special | 70 | |
| 2006 | Kobe | Booster Draft | 170 | |
| 2006 | Worlds (Paris) | Special | 133 | |
| 2007 | Valencia | Extended | 232 | |
| 2007 | Worlds (New York) | Special | 34 | $1,100 |
| 2008 | Kuala Lumpur | Booster Draft | 10 | $6,500 |
| 2008 | Hollywood | Standard | 19 | $3,000 |
| 2008 | Berlin | Extended | 6 | $10,500 |
| 2008 | Worlds (Memphis) | Special | 50 | $660 |
| 2009 | Kyoto | Standard and Booster Draft | 11 | $6,000 |
| 2009 | Honolulu | Block Constructed and Booster Draft | 83 | |
| 2009 | Austin | Extended and Booster Draft | 7 | $10,000 |
| 2009 | Worlds (Rome) | Special | 41 | $900 |
| 2010 | San Diego | Standard and Booster Draft | 30 | $1,450 |
| 2010 | San Juan | Block Constructed and Booster Draft | 107 | |
| 2010 | Amsterdam | Extended and Booster Draft | 115 | |
| 2010 | Worlds (Chiba) | Special | 40 | $950 |
| 2011 | Paris | Standard and Booster Draft | 160 | |
| 2011 | Nagoya | Block Constructed and Booster Draft | 19 | $3,000 |
| 2011 | Philadelphia | Modern and Booster Draft | 181 | |
| 2011 | Worlds (San Francisco) | Special | 90 | |
| 2012 | Dark Ascension in Honolulu | Standard and Booster Draft | 85 | |
| 2012 | Avacyn Restored in Barcelona | Block Constructed and Booster Draft | 274 | |
| 2012–13 | Return to Ravnica in Seattle | Modern and Booster Draft | 89 | |
| 2012–13 | Gatecrash in Montreal | Standard and Booster Draft | 249 | |
| 2012–13 | Dragon's Maze in San Diego | Block Constructed and Booster Draft | 34 | $1,500 |
| 2013–14 | Theros in Dublin | Standard and Booster Draft | 105 | |
| 2013–14 | Born of the Gods in Valencia | Modern and Booster Draft | 181 | |
| 2013–14 | Journey into Nyx in Atlanta | Block Constructed and Booster Draft | 231 | |
| 2013–14 | Magic 2015 in Portland | Standard and Booster Draft | 11 | $5,000 |
| 2014–15 | Khans of Tarkir in Honolulu | Standard and Booster Draft | 212 | |
| 2014–15 | Fate Reforged in Washington, D.C. | Modern and Booster Draft | 36 | $1,500 |
| 2014–15 | Dragons of Tarkir in Brussels | Standard and Booster Draft | 190 | |
| 2014–15 | Magic Origins in Vancouver | Standard and Booster Draft | 122 | |
| 2015–16 | Battle for Zendikar in Milwaukee | Standard and Booster Draft | 39 | $1,500 |
| 2015–16 | Oath of the Gatewatch in Atlanta | Modern and Booster Draft | 112 | |
| 2015–16 | Shadows over Innistrad in Madrid | Standard and Booster Draft | 174 | |
| 2015–16 | Eldritch Moon in Sydney | Standard and Booster Draft | 46 | $1,500 |
| 2016–17 | Kaladesh in Honolulu | Standard and Booster Draft | 36 | $1,500 |
| 2016–17 | Aether Revolt in Dublin | Standard and Booster Draft | 8 | $5,000 |
| 2016–17 | Amonkhet in Nashville | Standard and Booster Draft | 60 | $1,000 |
| 2016–17 | Hour of Devastation in Kyoto | Standard and Booster Draft | 35 | $1,500 |
| 2017–18 | Ixalan in Albuquerque | Standard and Booster Draft | 115 | |
| 2017–18 | Rivals of Ixalan in Bilbao | Modern and Booster Draft | 81 | |
| 2017–18 | Dominaria in Richmond | Standard and Booster Draft | 318 | |
| 2017–18 | 25th Anniversary in Minneapolis | Team Constructed | 2 | $24,000 |
| 2018–19 | Guilds of Ravnica in Atlanta | Standard and Booster Draft | 378 | |
| 2018–19 | Mythic Championship Cleveland 2019 | Standard and Booster Draft | 38 | $1,500 |
→ Source: Wizards.com
External links
- Lifetime Top Finishes
- Lifetime Grand Prix Top 8s
- Top 200 All-Time Money Leaders
- Martin Jůza's Twitch channel
References
- ↑ Brian David-Marshall (July 28, 2017) "Introducing the 2017 Class of the Pro Tour Hall of Fame", magicthegathering.com, Wizards of the Coast
- ↑ Jarda Bilek (2010-04-04). "Pro Player Profile: Martin Juza". BlackBorder. Retrieved on 2016-05-04.
- ↑ Dave Guskin (2008-11-02). "PRO TOUR–BERLIN QUARTERFINALS: THE BIGGEST DRAGON THAT EVER WAS". Wizards of the Coast. Retrieved on 2016-05-04.
- ↑ 2009 PRO TOUR–KYOTO: ROUND 14 STANDINGS. Wizards of the Coast (2009-02-27). Retrieved on 2016-05-04.
- ↑ Marc Calderaro (2009-10-18). "PRO TOUR–AUSTIN QUARTERFINALS: MARCH OF THE CRABS". Wizards of the Coast. Retrieved on 2016-05-04.
- ↑ Martin Jůza (2014-08-04). "2Czech Mate – Locking up Platinum in Portland". ChannelFireball. Retrieved on 2016-05-04.