Unite States Nationals once had a reputation for being one of the more challenging tournaments of the competitive calendar; one where innovation was prized. The 2017 return of the US National Championship may not resemble the Nationals of old but was a drama filled tournament nonetheless. 600 players came out to battle for the honor of representing the United States alongside Team Captain Reid Duke at the World Magic Cup in December but in the end only two players would get the honor.

Gerry Thompson, the Pro Tour Amonkhet Champion, punched his ticket first. Using a Temur Energy deck in the same vein as the one William "Huey" Jensen used to win the World Championship last week, he found himself in a repeat of the champ's quarterfinal matchup. Thompson was joined in the finals by Oliver Tomajko who piloted his Blue-Black Control deck to the title of United States Champion. Both finalists brought some new technology to the tournaments. Thompson had Lifecrafter's Bestiary in his sideboard while Tomajko replaced Glimmer of Genius with Hieroglyphic Illumination and packed his sideboard full of cheap creatures to convert to an aggressive strategy.

Blue-Black Control ? Ixalan Standard | Oliver Tomajko, Winner, 2017 United States National Championship

• Creatures (5)
• 2 The Scarab God
• 3 Torrential Gearhulk

• Instants (26)
• 3 Essence Extraction
• 3 Vraska's Contempt
• 4 Censor
• 4 Essence Scatter
• 4 Disallow
• 4 Fatal Push
• 4 Hieroglyphic Illumination

• Enchantments (3)
• 3 Search for Azcanta

• Lands (26)
• 4 Island
• 7 Swamp
• 1 Submerged Boneyard
• 2 Evolving Wilds
• 2 Field of Ruin
• 2 Ipnu Rivulet
• 4 Drowned Catacomb
• 4 Fetid Pools

• Sideboard (15)
• 1 Essence Extraction
• 1 Negate
• 2 Jace's Defeat
• 3 Duress
• 4 Gifted Aetherborn
• 4 Glint-Sleeve Siphoner

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The United States National Team will have its work cut out for it in Nice, France later this year. Perennial powerhouse Japan is fielding a team with two Hall of Famers while Brazil's National team, set today, features Carlos Romao, Lucas Esper Berthoud, and Paulo Vitor Damo da Rosa.