Hey Pauper community!
I wanted to share the results of our 2026 Extra Life Pauper Tournament and hopefully get some of you excited about what we're planning for next year!
This past Saturday, we hosted our annual charity Pauper tournament in Joplin, Missouri, benefiting Children's Miracle Network at Freeman Health System.
The results blew us away!
- 64 registered players, completely filling our venue!
- $12,109 raised for Children's Miracle Network!
- Over $20,000 raised through our Extra Life events to date!
- Six rounds of Swiss followed by a Top 8 playoff.
- Prizes for the Top 16, raffles, silent auctions, giveaways, and tons of donated MTG products and artwork.
We also received official support from Wizards of the Coast for the first time this year, along with donations from some incredible MTG artists, manufacturers, game stores, and community members.
I've been playing and teaching Magic for over 20 years, and seeing this community come together for a great cause has been an incredible experience.
Now, let's talk about 2027!
We've officially outgrown our current venue, and we're already working with The Card Wizards to turn next year's event into something much bigger.
Our preliminary plans include:
- A 100+ player Pauper main event with a larger venue and expanded prize support.
- Additional MTG side events and opportunities for casual play.
- Vendors, artists, giveaways, and more activities throughout the day.
- More opportunities to raise money for Children's Miracle Network.
We're looking at making this a regional Magic event worth traveling to, not just another local tournament. We're located in Joplin, Missouri, making us accessible to players from Missouri, Kansas, Oklahoma, and Arkansas.
We're still early in the planning process, but after seeing what 64 Pauper players accomplished this year, I'm excited to see what we can do with 100 or more!
I'll be sharing details as things come together at MTGForKids.Org.
So here's my question for the Pauper community:
Would you travel to Joplin, Missouri, for a large charity Pauper tournament in 2027? And what would make an event like this worth the trip for you?
I'd love to hear your thoughts, especially from players who regularly attend larger Pauper events.
Thanks again to everyone who helped make this year's tournament such a success. Let's make 2027 even bigger!
Daniel Crabtree
MTGForKids.Org