Afters months of anticipation, Grand Prix Las Vegas is finally upon us this weekend. With over 7,300 players already registered, Grand Prix Vegas will be the largest Grand Prix in history; the Grand Prix is so large, in fact, that it will be split into two separate Grand Prix events each with its own prize pool.

Grand Prix Vegas transcends the Grand Prix event itself, and is much more powerful as the largest Magic networking and financial event in history. No event has ever garnered so much attention from players, because no tournament has offered so much. It’s a chance to play a Grand Prix at an exotic location synonymous with playing cards, and synonymous with spending, and hopefully making, money.

For the casual player, Grand Prix Las Vegas represents the ultimate hedonistic Magic vacation, the opportunity to buy anything from any dealer, to meet nearly any Pro player, to get things signed from a huge selection of artists, or simply to play any format against an endless sea of opponents. The Grand Prix showcases Modern Masters 2015, the most exciting set in years, and no one wants to miss out on the action.

I know more than one local player who is making the trip to Grand Prix Las Vegas for the experience, yet passes on events closer to home. I know that many European players are forgoing the more local Grand Prix Utrecht for the chance to experience Grand Prix Las Vegas.

For the competitive player, the Grand Prix offers the chance to play a highly skill-intensive format against what’s logically the softest Grand Prix field in history; while the event will certainly draw the best of the best to compete, the sheer size of the tournament dictates that a huge portion of the field will be around average skill level, and many will be worse.

It’s a great opportunity for someone looking to put together the 13-2 record needed to earn a qualification to Pro Tour Origins this summer in Vancouver. The three Grand Prix this weekend, Las Vegas, Utrecht, and Chiba, are the last opportunities to qualify for this upcoming Pro Tour, so Grand Prix Las Vegas is sure to draw out plenty of players looking to qualify.

Surviving Market Fluctuations

With so many players at the event, Grand Prix Las Vegas is the ultimate opportunity for the financially-minded. There will be more dealers at Grand Prix Las Vegas than any event in history, and they will have more cash than ever.

While they will certainly be peddling their wares, collectively these dealers will have millions upon millions of dollars to spend on cards, especially new Modern Masters 2015 cards, with the aim of acquiring every Tarmogoyf and such in the room. Most of this money will end up in the hands of the players, who will end up using much of it to buy cards from other dealers.

The sheer amount of Magic economy that will occur at the Grand Prix is staggering, and it will have a very tangible impact on the global Magic financial landscape.

I expect the price of rotating Theros block and M15 Standard staples, which have been on a downturn, to see a specifically harsh decline after the Grand Prix, where there is likely to be a massive sell-off to dealers at lower prices. In the aftermath of the Grand Prix, I expect online buylist prices will fall all across the board. I would strongly suggest moving these positions before the Grand Prix begins, and if you're planning to sell at the Grand Prix, sell as early as possible, and certainly not on Sunday afternoon.

After Grand Prix Richmond in 2013, the price of dual lands skyrocketed as players turned their Modern fetchlands into Legacy staples. After Legacy Grand Prix New Jersey last fall, the price of Power 9 rose to new heights as players turned their Legacy staples into Vintage staples.

It’s possible that Grand Prix Las Vegas will also significantly increase the price of Power 9, but I expect we’ll see prices rise across the board on staples further down the totem pole, cards like Moat, The Tabernacle at Pendrell Vale, and others that are in the same pantheon of Eternal staple or casual bling cards, but are not as high-profile nor expensive. It’s possible dual lands themselves will be positively affected. I expect that any large store of value that’s on the Reserved List is likely to be a winner this weekend.

The price of Modern Masters 2015 cards will likely fall next week, given the massive new supply from the Grand Prix entering online stores, but I expect we will see an increase in Modern staples that were not reprinted.

Dealers will be aggressively targeting these cards in binders and longboxes all weekend, and they will relist them next week at higher prices. New players entering Modern after being exposed to Modern Masters 2015 will need to acquire other Modern cards, and this will also increase the price of these non-reprinted cards.

Surviving Crime

It goes without saying that anywhere there is a lot of money at hand, there is opportunity for opportunistic criminals. There is never a large event that passes without someone having something stolen. I can’t say anything about the crime rate in Nevada, nor do I want to scare anyone into thinking Grand Prix are dangerous places, but large events are always magnets for Magic-related crime. I expect that Grand Prix Las Vegas will be filled with those looking to make a dollar the easy way.

The main crime to protect yourself from is card theft, which most often occurs when someone opportunistically takes advantage of someone who absent-mindedly left a deckbox, binder, or bookbag behind on a table and walked away. More daring criminals will snatch things right under the nose of their victims, when they look away or are distracted by a friend or game. It’s all but certain that dedicated criminals will be scouring the tournament hall for opportunities all weekend.

This sort of crime requires constant vigilance to prevent, but it’s not as hard as it sounds. I recommend being a minimalist at events, carrying as little as possible. If you are staying nearby, bring only the necessities, and plan on making many trips.

Having a trade binder with you while you are playing Day One of the Grand Prix is asking for disaster. If you must carry a load, to prevent bag-snatchers simply secure it to your chair while you sit down to play, and make sure it’s not sitting in the aisle. If you have multiple trade binders, I recommend having only one on a trade table at any given time.

I’d strongly recommend keeping constructed decks in your pants pocket, if not a fanny pack of some sort. Carrying cards in a well-protected coat or hoodie pocket is also fine, if not ideal. One can normally be more lax with limited decks, but many Modern Masters sealed pools will be expensive, and from a competitive standpoint it could potentially be very difficult to replace a lost sealed pool in a timely manner--keeping a deck safe will avoid any potential penalties.

It’s possible that more brazen criminals will extend their crimes beyond the tournament hall and target those leaving the event at night, but it’s unlikely and not a concern for the average player. Dealers, who will be carrying lots of cash and cards, are the most likely targets of this sort of pre-meditation.

If you are carrying a lot of cards and/or cash, the best defense is anonymity; don’t broadcast it to the world if it’s not necessary for business. Beyond that, travelling with a group is safety, and with so many players in attendance, it should not be hard to find a friend or make a new one.

The other crime to be aware of this weekend is counterfeit cards. This topic could be an article in itself, and is not a subject I am very familiar with, but beware that there will certainly be fake cards at Grand Prix Las Vegas, and plenty of people will fly home with goods that are, unbeknownst to them, counterfeit.

I would be extremely careful about acquiring high-end cards, specifically in trades or cash deals with other people on the floor, rather than dealers. There are many ways to protect oneself. A jeweler’s loupe is a good tool, as is comparing any card to a genuine copy, either one’s own or that of a friend or dealer. It’s also perfectly reasonable, and in my recommendation a requirement, to politely ask a large dealer or three to check out the authenticity of a high-value card before finalizing any deal. If they are not busy, they will likely gladly help.

I’d also like to point out that the quality of counterfeit cards in increasing, and their scope is increasing from only the most valuable cards to those newer and less valuable, perhaps even Modern Masters 2015 cards themselves. In summary, keep your wits about you, and if a deal is too good to be true, it likely is.

Also, consider that the flow of counterfeit cards in local shops may increase after Grand Prix Las Vegas--maliciously or not--so be aware.

Physical Survival

Las Vegas is an arid desert, so my number one piece of advice is to stay hydrated. Bringing water with you is ideal, but it’s likely that there will be access to water fountains or a water station at the Grand Prix. The best way to take advantage of these is with a high-quality reusable water bottle of your own, which can be refilled and taken to the table. Spare yourself long walks and long lines in the enormous tournament hall, and bring a bottle.

I’d also recommend bringing a modest supply of food for the day. It’s hard to get away from the tournament to eat between rounds, and those there for financial action will not want to miss a minute on the trading floor or dealer wall. Food on-site is likely to be unhealthy and expensive, or simply too slow. Bring some of your own.

Las Vegas will be hot, but it’s a crapshoot whether the tournament hall will be overly hot from the crowd or air conditioned into sub-zero temperatures. I expect the reality is somewhere in between, so I’d recommend dressing lightly, but to have access to an extra layer of clothing in your travel bag just in case.

Finally, be sure to get some sleep. It’s very easy to stay up as late as you want in Las Vegas, and while that’s excellent in its own right, and a very reasonable way to spend the trip if that aligns with your goals, it’s not the ideal strategy if you want to be at your peak at the tournament hall when playing games or wheeling and dealing.

I’d like to hear everyone’s opinion on the potential financial impacts of Grand Prix Las Vegas, and I am always open to hear any practical tournament-survival advice. As always, please turn to the comments with any questions.

Cheers, and I hope to meet some new faces at the Grand Prix this weekend!

-Adam