Bob Maher, Jr.

Robert Maher
Nicknames The Great One[1]
Born 10 July 1978
Residence Madison, Wisconsin, USA
Nationality American
Pro Tour debut Pro Tour New York 1996 (junior)
1997 Pro Tour Los Angeles (senior)
Winnings US$ 157,902[2]
Pro Tour wins (Top 8) 1 (4)[3]
Grand Prix wins (Top 8) 3 (10)[4]
Lifetime Pro Points 267[5]
Highest Constructed Rating 2215[2]
Highest Limited Rating 2213[2]
Matches played 1660[2]
Planeswalker Level 47 (Archmage)

Robert Maher, Jr. (born July 10, 1978[2] in Wisconsin), is a former professional Magic: The Gathering player. He picked up the Magic game after sustaining a football injury in high school, and has gone on to become one of the most celebrated players in the game's history, earning the nickname "The Great One".

Magic: The Gathering

Maher played in the junior division of the very first Pro Tour in 1996.[6] His first senior Pro Tour would be in Los Angeles in 1997.[6] The 1999–2000 Pro Tour season would be Maher's most successful season. He would win Pro Tour Chicago and Grand Prix Seattle, make the Top 8 of Grand Prix Nagoya and take second place at the 2000 World Championship. Maher's success throughout the season earned him the Pro Player of the Year title.

In 2002, Maher was suspended from the DCI for 6 months for committing tournament fraud. He used the rating points gained in the tournaments to qualify for the World Championships.[7]

Maher won the Masters Series in Yokohama in 2003 and the 2004 Magic Invitational, thus becoming the third player to win a Pro Tour, a Grand Prix, a Masters, and an Invitational. Dark Confidant, the card-design he submitted for winning the Invitational, appeared in the Ravnica set, bearing his likeness. The card has been well received and has seen considerable play in nearly every sanctioned format it has been legal in. In 2010, ChannelFireball.com ranked Dark Confidant as the best Invitational card.[8] In 2006, Maher was inducted into the Magic: The Gathering Hall of Fame as the vote leader in the Class of 2006.[6]

Accomplishments

Season Event type Location Format Date Rank
1998–99 Grand Prix Kansas City Extended 27–28 March 1999 3
1999–00 Pro Tour Chicago Extended 3–5 December 1999 1
1999–00 Grand Prix Seattle Extended 15–16 January 2000 1
1999–00 Grand Prix Nagoya Team Limited 22–23 April 2000 3
1999–00 Worlds Brussels Special 2–6 August 2000 2
2000–01 Masters New York City Extended 29 September–1 October 2000 5
2000–01 Grand Prix Detroit Block Constructed 31 March–1 April 2001 3
2001–02 Grand Prix Montreal Limited 13–14 October 2001 6
2001–02 Masters New Orleans Limited 1–4 November 2001 3
2001–02 Grand Prix Houston Extended 5–6 January 2002 5
2002–03 Pro Tour Boston Team Limited 27–29 September 2002 3
2002–03 Grand Prix Copenhagen Limited 12–13 October 2002 1
2002–03 Pro Tour Houston Extended 8–10 November 2002 7
2002–03 Grand Prix Los Angeles Limited 23–24 November 2002 2
2002–03 Masters Venice Team Limited 21–23 March 2003 3
2002–03 Masters Yokohama Extended 9–11 May 2003 1
2002–03 Grand Prix Detroit Block Constructed 12–13 July 2003 1
2003–04 Invitational Los Angeles Special 11–13 May 2004 1
2005 Invitational Los Angeles Special 17–20 May 2005 8
2006 Grand Prix Madison Team Constructed 25–26 March 2006 3

Last updated: 20 April 2009
Source: Wizards.com

Other accomplishments:

References

Preceded by
Kai Budde
Pro Player of the Year
1999–2000
Succeeded by
Kai Budde
Preceded by
Jens Thorén
Magic Invitational Champion
2004
Succeeded by
Terry Soh