History
The Grand Prix was introduced in 1997. In contrast to the Pro Tour, which requires the players to qualify before the event, GPs have always been open to all players. The first Grand Prix was held in Amsterdam and was also the first professional Magic tournament held outside the United States, although awarding comparatively small cash prizes — $10,000 in total compared to $150,000 at Pro Tour Paris a few weeks later. Grands Prix have since been held in such diverse places as Tokyo, Moscow, Rio de Janeiro, Toronto and Cape Town. Approximately 20–30 Grands Prix are held each year throughout the world. In 2010 GP Madrid marked the biggest Magic tournament ever held with 2228 players.
Read more about this topic: Grand Prix (Magic: The Gathering)
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