The NRG Series is back for more tabletop Magic in 2024! Read our 2024 announcement here.
Venue Information
NRG Series $15,000 Chicagoland Showdown Weekend
Date: February 17-18, 2024
Location: Waterford Banquets and Clarion Inn Hotel, 933 S. Riverside Drive
Elmhurst, IL 60126
Saturday Event: $10,000 Pioneer Showdown (Winner recevies an invite to 2024 NRG Champs)
Sunday Event: $5,000 Standard Showdown (Winner recevies an invite to 2024 NRG Champs)
Pre-register for both events through MTG Melee. Limited on-site registration is available. This event caps at 300 players. On-site registration will be available as space permits, and will cost $5 more than the preregistration rate.
Hotel Room Block Information
Clarion Inn Elmhurt - Oakbrook
933 S Riverside Dr
Elmhurst, IL 60126
Book with our Room Block today!
Vendors & Special Guests
To be announced
Need singles? The NRG sales booth will be stocked with a wide array of Magic singles, sealed product, and accessories. Buyers will be available all day to purchase your collection for cash or store credit. You can order singles through NerdRageGaming.com by 4PM CT on the Thursday before the event. Be sure to select “Event Pickup" as your shipping option at check out.
Main Event Information
Sunday’s main event is the $5,000 Standard Showdown. To enroll in this event, register on MTG Melee. On-site registration will be available as space permits, and will cost $5 more than the base entry fee. This event will be run at Competitive REL and decklists for are required to be submitted through MTG Melee. More information about this event's rules, schedule, and prizes can be found on subsequent tabs.
Side Event Information
For a full list of side events, and to register, check out bit.ly/NRGSides
COVID-19 Policies
This event will be run in accordance with any COVID-19 health and safety protocols as directed by the venue, municipality, state, and country.
While within the NRG play space, masks are optional for all staff and attendees.
Do not attend if you or a member of your household is exhibiting symptoms of COVID-19. The NRG Series reserves the right to modify our policies as we see fit up to the day of the event. We also reserve the right to cancel this event at any time.
Should this event become canceled due to COVID-19, all entry fees will be automatically refunded. However, Nerd Rage Gaming Ltd. is not responsible for covering any outside costs incurred by event attendees, such as hotel, travel accommodations, or other purchases. We urge attendees to only book travel that is 100% refundable.
For paper printouts generated for this tournament, participants' names will be displayed using their full real names, irrespective of their profile's name display settings. This specification applies solely to printed materials.
To unenroll after you must contact the organizer.
Main Event Rules
This event will be run by judges and in accordance with the Magic Comprehensive Rules, Infraction Procedure Guide and Tournament Rules.
This event will be run at Competitive Rules Enforcement Level (Comp REL).
Players are required to submit their decklists via MTG Melee prior to the beginning of the tournament. Decklists will not be public during the Swiss rounds of the event. Decklists will become public for the Top 8 rounds.
This event will have a variable number of Swiss rounds based on attendance followed by a cut to Top 8. If we have 228 or more players in Saturday's main event, all rounds except the finals will be completed on Saturday, with the finals played on Sunday morning at 8am. All rounds of Sunday's tournament will be completed on Sunday, regardless of number of rounds.
Weekend Schedule
NRG Series Chicagoland Trial Weekend (all times are local time)
Pre-Event
- Thu, 02/15, 4:00 PM: Deadline for NerdRageGaming.com online orders to be placed with Event Pick-up option.
Saturday
- Sat, 02/17, 8:00 AM: Venue Opens
- Sat, 02/17, 8:50 AM: Pioneer Showdown Registration Closes
- Sat, 02/17, 9:00 AM: Pioneer Showdown Player Meeting & Round 1 Start
[number of Swiss rounds based on attendance, see "Rules" section]
Sunday
- Sun, 02/18, 7:45 AM: Venue Opens
- Sun, 02/18, 8:00 AM Conclusion of Pioneer Showdown (if applicable)
- Sun, 02/18, 8:50 AM: Standard Showdown Registration Closes
- Sun, 02/18, 9:00 AM: Standard Showdown Player Meeting & Round 1 Start
The organizer has agreed to pay out prizes in 30 days or less.
NRG Series $5,000 Showdown Prize Payout
- 1st – $1,200 & 30 NRG Series Points + NRG Championship Invite + Regional Champtionships Invite
- 2nd – $600 & 25 NRG Series Points
- 3rd-4th – $400 & 20 NRG Series Points
- 5th–8th – $200 & 15 NRG Series Points
- 9th–16th – $100 & 10 NRG Series Points
- 17th–32nd – $50 & 5 NRG Series Points
- 33rd–64th – 3 NRG Series Points
- 65th-128th - 2 NRG Series Point
- 129+ - 1 NRG Series Point
NRG Series points are used towards at-large invites to the $35,000 invite-only 2024 Championship.
Prizes are to be paid out within 30 days of the their Docusign form on the above distribution. Our default payment method is via Store Credit (10% Bonus), but players may also elect to receive their payment in MTGO Tix (at current market rate) or in Paypal.
/nrgseries