Shuhei Nakamura Explained

Shuhei Nakamura
中村 修平
Birth Date:3 November 1981
Birth Place:Osaka, Japan
Residence:Hirakata-Shi (Japan)
Nationality: Japanese
Debut:2002 Pro Tour San Diego[1]
Winnings:$397,400[2]
Gt Top 8:7 (27)[3]
Pt Top 8:0 (6)[4]
Lifetime Pro Points:595
Pw Level:50 (Archmage)
Matches Played:4,356

is one of the most successful professional players. He has reached the Top 8 of six Pro Tours and won seven Grands Prix, as well as being the 2008 Pro Player of the Year. In 2011, he was inducted into the .

Career

Nakamura's first success came in a second place at Grand Prix Kobe in 2001. This qualified him for Pro Tour New Orleans. However, he chose not to attend. In January 2002 he played his first Pro Tour in San Diego.

Managing several Top 8 at Japanese Grand Prix, a Top 8 appearance at Pro Tour Columbus in 2005 was his first major showing on the Pro Tour.[5] He followed this finish with another Top 8 at the World Championship the same season.[6] Ultimately, Nakamura would finish fourth in the Player of the Year standings with 66 Pro Points.

In 2006 Nakamura achieved several high finishes at Limited events, including third places at PT Prague[7] and GP Toulouse. Eventually he also won his first major tournament, Grand Prix St. Louis 2006, immediately backing up the victory by winning the next Grand Prix event in Hiroshima four weeks later. As both of his Grand Prix wins were in the Coldsnap limited format, Shuhei earned the nickname 'Snowmaster'.[8] Nakamura gained 56 Pro Points throughout the season placing him second in the 2006 Player of the Year Race, only four points behind winner Shouta Yasooka.[9]

The 2007 season was not quite as successful for Nakamura, however, he did manage to make his fourth Pro Tour Top 8 appearance at PT Valencia.[10]

The 2008 season started off perfect with a victory in the first professional tournament of the season, Grand Prix Stuttgart. This victory made him only the third player to have won a Grand Prix in Europe, Asia, and North America. Nakamura proceeded to manage Top 4 finishes at Pro Tour Hollywood,[11] Grand Prix Copenhagen, and Grand Prix Rimini. He finished the season with 70 Pro Points to become Pro Player of the Year.[12] Nakamura was the fourth of five Japanese players to win the Player of the Year title in a row, preceded by Kenji Tsumura, Shouta Yasooka, Tomoharu Saito and followed by Yuuya Watanabe. Nakamura has personally referred to this period as a 'golden age' for Magic in Japan.[13]

In 2009 Nakamura finished third at Grand Prix Rotterdam in February, but achieved no further final eight appearances until his victory at the Japanese Nationals in July.[14]

On 19 August 2011 it was announced that Nakamura will be inducted into the along with Steven O'Mahoney-Schwartz and Anton Jonsson.[15] The ceremony took place on 17 November at the 2011 Magic: The Gathering World Championship.

In the 2012 season, Shuhei placed tenth in the Pro Players Club Standings at the end of the season with 51 Pro Points.[16] This performance earned Nakamura an invite to the inaugural 2012 Magic Players Championship. Shuhei would take fifth place at the inaugural event, narrowly missing the cut to Top 4.

Accomplishments

Other accomplishments

Notes and References

  1. Shuhei Nakamura 2007 Pro Player card (from the Magic: The Gathering Time Spiral expansion)
  2. Web site: Top 200 All-Time Money Leaders. Wizards of the Coast. 2015-07-27. 13 September 2014. https://web.archive.org/web/20140913003521/http://magic.wizards.com/en/events/coverage/alltime. dead.
  3. Web site: Lifetime Grand Prix Top 8s. Wizards of the Coast. 2015-07-27. 8 August 2014. https://web.archive.org/web/20140808050545/http://magic.wizards.com/en/protour/standings/gptop8byplayer. dead.
  4. Web site: Lifetime Pro Tour Top 8s. Wizards of the Coast. 2015-07-27. 16 April 2016. https://web.archive.org/web/20160416180813/http://magic.wizards.com/en/protour/standings/top8byplayer. dead.
  5. Web site: Canali Crushes Columbus. 2004-10-31. 2009-11-12. Wizards of the Coast. https://web.archive.org/web/20081011012954/http://www.wizards.com/Magic/Magazine/Events.aspx?x=mtgevent/ptcol05/welcome. dead. 11 October 2008.
  6. Web site: Worlds 2005: Japan's Crowning Achievement. 2005-12-04. 2009-11-12. Wizards of the Coast. https://web.archive.org/web/20081009153312/http://www.wizards.com/Magic/Magazine/Events.aspx?x=mtgevent/worlds05/welcome. dead. 9 October 2008.
  7. Web site: Osawa's Wurms Flog Prague. 2006-05-07. 2009-11-12. Wizards of the Coast. https://wayback.archive-it.org/all/20090601230107/https://www.wizards.com/Magic/Magazine/Events.aspx?x=mtgevent/ptpra06/welcome. dead. 1 June 2009.
  8. Web site: Pro Tour Hall of Fame 2011: Shuhei Nakamura. https://ghostarchive.org/varchive/youtube/20211215/UoaKVm_Pf9U . 2021-12-15 . live. Wizards of the Coast. 1 June 2012. Video.
  9. Web site: 2006 Player of the Year Race. https://web.archive.org/web/20090602041005/https://www.wizards.com/Magic/Magazine/Article.aspx?x=protour/standings/poy06. dead. 2 June 2009. Wizards of the Coast. 1 June 2012.
  10. Web site: Fortier Reigns in Spain. 2007-10-14. 2009-11-12. Wizards of the Coast. https://web.archive.org/web/20081002011051/http://www.wizards.com/Magic/Magazine/Events.aspx?x=mtgevent/ptval07/welcome. dead. 2 October 2008.
  11. Web site: Gindy Puts Name in Lights. 2008-05-28. 2009-11-12. Wizards of the Coast. https://web.archive.org/web/20080828225135/http://www.wizards.com/Magic/Magazine/Events.aspx?x=mtgevent/pthol08/welcome. dead. 28 August 2008.
  12. Web site: 2008 Pro Tour Player of the Year. 2008-12-22. 2009-11-12. Wizards of the Coast. https://web.archive.org/web/20080827082637/http://www.wizards.com/Magic/Magazine/Events.aspx?x=protour/standings/poy08. dead. 27 August 2008.
  13. Web site: Nakamura. Shuhei. Shuhei Nakamura. Feature Article – Shouta Yasooka – English. ChannelFireball.com. 1 June 2012. 29 September 2011.
  14. Web site: Shuuhei Rocks Japan! . . 20 July 2009 . 2009-07-20 . https://web.archive.org/web/20090722002052/http://www.wizards.com/Magic/Magazine/Article.aspx?x=mtg/daily/eventcoverage/jpnat09/welcome. dead. 22 July 2009.
  15. Web site: Introducing the 2011 Hall of Fame Class. 2011-08-19. 2011-08-19. Wizards of the Coast. https://web.archive.org/web/20110912012201/http://www.wizards.com/Magic/Magazine/Article.aspx?x=mtg/daily/twtw/156. dead. 12 September 2011.
  16. Web site: 2012 Pro Players Club Standings. https://web.archive.org/web/20120108181757/http://www.wizards.com/Magic/Magazine/Events.aspx?x=protour/standings/ppc201213. dead. 8 January 2012. Wizards of the Coast. 1 June 2012.

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