SPONSOR SPOTLIGHT SERIES: Darkhound Studios

SPONSOR SPOTLIGHT SERIES: Darkhound Studios

All of us on the HBMO staff are pleased to announced our sponsor spotlight series. Each week we will bring light to one or more of the incredible sponsors that helps make our event so successful. These companies have graciously donated money, products, time, and advertising to our event and to the cause of spreading awareness for suicide prevention.

Black Border Outline Banner Darkhound Studios LLC

This spotlight goes to Darkhound Studios who for the second year in a row will be supplying a custom top eight playmat for the Modern Format main event. In addition, Darkhound has made the custom fifth anniversary playmat that is for sale in our web store as well as being a part of our VIP pre-registration package.

Darkhound Studios LLC is a company based in Arlington, Texas that specializes in custom card game supplies. Their products include foil tokens, playmats, dicebags, and much more. Owned and operated by Jamie Gary and William Strzelecki, both avid Magic the Gathering  players, the duo travels across the United States to set up and promote at MtG events. Competitive Magic players may also recognize their items from several Star City Games Open events they have attended as a vendor.

The Hunter Burton Memorial staff would like to thank Darkhound Studios for their continued contribution to our annual event and assisting in spreading awareness for the prevention of suicide. You can visit their website at the link below or stop by their booth at the 2018 Hunter Burton Memorial Open to check out all the products they have to offer.

DARKHOUND STUDIOS WEBSITE: CLICK HERE

Hunter Burton 5th Anniversary Logo Black OutlineWolf Token

HB Playmat
HB Playmat

 

2018 Pre-Registration Contest

Want to win a FREE sealed booster display of Unstable? All you have to do is pre-register for any of the four large events happening at this year’s Hunter Burton Memorial Open to be entered into the drawing!

All players who Pre-register through February 16th, 2018 will be entered. Prizes will be awarded as follows:

Grand Prize:   1 Sealed Booster Display of Unstable, 1 EXTREMELY limited custom foil Huntmaster token

Runner-Up:  Two lucky winners will receive 1 EXTREMELY limited custom foil Huntmaster token each.

This is one of the only ways to obtain these Huntmaster tokens outside of the VIP Registration Package and with less than 150 made they are sure to be sought after!

We will announce a winner on Monday, February 19th so make sure you are subscribed to our blog (located on the front page) to get notified when the announcement goes live. If you haven’t already pre-registered but want to enter the drawing, click the link below so you can get in on the action!

Pre-Register HERE

We look forward to seeing you at the 5th annual Hunter Burton Memorial Open on February 25th, 2018 in Hurst!

The 2018 HBMO Will Be Streamed LIVE!

We have a major announcement! This year for the first time ever, the 2018 Hunter Burton Memorial Open will be streamed LIVE! Thanks to our sponsor Wilkinson Rhodes Events, we will have live coverage all day of the Modern Main Event with additional coverage of the Standard PPTQ $1k and Legacy tournament!

Coverage will include Jeff Zandi and Brian “Motumbo” Augustine on commentary with additional sideline reporting from Kaesi Corne. There will be interviews with world renown players like Gerry Thompson as well as event staff and members of the Burton family.

Spread the word, the 2018 HBMO can be watched from anywhere in the world! Subscribe to our Twitch channel now to make sure you are notified about new videos and when our live coverage begins!

Sunday, February 25th  – Live Coverage Begins @ 10:30am CST

HUNTER BURTON MEMORIAL OPEN TWITCH CHANNEL: HERE

SPONSOR SPOTLIGHT SERIES: Haus Of Magic YouTube Channel

2018 SPONSOR SPOTLIGHT SERIES: Haus of Magic

All of us on the HBMO staff are pleased to announced our sponsor spotlight series. Each week we will bring light to one or more of the incredible sponsors that helps make our event so successful. These companies have graciously donated money, products, time, and advertising to our event and to the cause of spreading awareness for suicide prevention.

Today we highlight Haus of Magic!

Haus of Magic

Haus of Magic is the creation of married Magic the Gathering couple Cassie and Erik Hauschildt. Literally speaking this couple is a “Magic the Gathering Couple” with Erik even having proposed during a game of Magic the Gathering!

The Haus of Magic YouTube channel was started in October of 2017 after Cassie and Erik found multiple people at Magic events mentioning how they wish their significant other would play games with them. The question quickly became “Why not?” Erik and Cassie now on a mission, want to share their philosophy that “Couples who Game Together Stay Together.”

With a strong focus on Magic the Gathering, the channel features a diverse variety of videos. From cracking packs, coverage of general Magic the Gathering news, and videos aimed at informing new players (and a few videos of random nerdiness thrown in) their channel has something for everyone. No matter what the theme or the audience of a video, Cassie and Erik always leave viewers laughing and strive to give everyone a passion to try Magic, at least once.

Since starting the channel, they have successfully introduced numerous couples to the game of Magic and have created quite a few new fans of the popular trading card game. Cassie’s personal goal is to be a role model and friend to young girls who are beginning their journey through the planes. Erik is an amazing supporter of this initiative, having started by teaching Cassie’s 8 year-old niece how to play.

Players of any level are encouraged to reach out to Cassie and Erik via twitter, email, or any other platform for sharing interest in Magic the Gathering, general friendship, or even just to talk.

The Hunter Burton Memorial Open is an important event for Cassie as the cause of suicide prevention and awareness hits close to home for her personally. The HBMO team is very thankful to have the Haus of Magic channel on board as a sponsor for the 2018 event and look forward to making a difference together!

You can check out their channel:

CLICK HERE FOR HAUS OF MAGIC ON YOUTUBE

T-Shirt & Playmat: Get Yours Today!

For the first time ever we are showing the full design of the 2018 Hunter Burton Memorial Open T-shirt, available now in our web store!

2018 T-shirt

Thanks to the T-shirt Guys in Grapevine, Texas for helping us produce our charity event shirts for the last 5 years!

Also available in our web store is the 2018 HBMO 5th Anniversary Playmat! This is the first time ever we have had a custom playmat available to purchase. This unique playmat has a center focus on an artist render of Hunter playing Magic the Gathering. On the left is art done by comic book artist and painter Vo Nguyen. To the right is the memorable image painted on Hunter’s father’s custom Harley Davidson motorcycle depicting Hunter’s favorite Magic card, Eternal Witness.

HB Playmat
HB Playmat

Thank you to Dark Hound Studios for this beautiful playmat and their contribution to the 2018 Hunter Burton memorial Open!

These two items can be acquired in one of two ways… First, each is available in our webstore for sale individually. Second, the VIP Registration package offers both of these items with additional perks including a custom Huntmaster token, 5 years of HBMO poker chips (1 from each year to date) and discounted entry into the main event of the 2018 HBMO!

You can purchase these items and/or your registration package here:

Hunter Burton Memorial Open
WEB STORE

 

Remember, the event is on Sunday February 25th at the Hurst Conference Center in Hurst, Texas! Doors open at 8:00am to the public!

2018 SPONSOR SPOTLIGHT SERIES: Doc’s Comics & Games

2018 SPONSOR SPOTLIGHT SERIES: Doc’s Comics & Games

All of us on the HBMO staff are pleased to announced our sponsor spotlight series. Each week we will bring light to one or more of the incredible sponsors that helps make our event so successful. These companies have graciously donated money, products, time, and advertising to our event and to the cause of spreading awareness for suicide prevention.

Docs Comics and Games

This week we highlight Doc’s Comics & Games in Frisco, TX. Since opening in 2015, Doc’s Comics and Games has strived to foster a tight knit & growing gaming community for Frisco and it’s surrounding cities. Offering unique events every day of the week, Doc’s wants to guarantee there will be something for everyone no matter what format they enjoy!

With everything you need for hours of exciting reading and table top fun, a wide selection, and knowledgeable friendly staff, Doc’s is your go to shop for all things nerdy! Looking for a place to play?  Doc’s HUGE game room is open to the public.

Mention Doc’s involvement with the Hunter Burton Memorial Open and save 10% Off your MTG singles purchase through Feb 24th!

The staff of the Hunter Burton Memorial Open would like to thank Murdock Belt (owner of Doc’s) for his tremendous contributions to the 2018 event! In addition, Doc’s will be one of the four vendors at this year’s tournament so we encourage everyone to stop by their booth and say thank you for helping make this event possible!

Check out Doc’s on Facebook:  HERE

Visit their website: www.docsgames.com

Doc’s Comics & Games
2787 Preston Road #1120
Frisco, TX 75034
P: 214-494-4443

Why the Watch?! – The History of the Champion’s Watch

THE HISTORY OF THE CHAMPION’S WATCH

Each year the Hunter Burton Memorial Open awards the main event winner with a luxury wrist watch valued around $1,000. In previous years this was but a footnote to the big money cash prizes also being awarded. This being our fifth anniversary and being that the watch is one of the most sentimental aspects of our event, we decided to make sure it was a highlighted point for the 2018 tournament.

“Every year I get asked why would someone give out a watch at a Magic tournament… Just give out more cash. Every year I explain that without the watch, there is no event.”
– Erin Giddings (HBMO Event Coordinator)

To understand the history of the watch would mean we have to go back to well before there was a Hunter Burton Memorial Open. In fact, we would need to go back to looking at Hunter and his sister Casey several years before Hunter’s tragic passing. There is no better way to do that then a quick video from Dona Burton (Hunter’s mother) as to where the importance of the watch started:

 

Now before we talk about the 2018 watch, let’s take a look back at the previous HBMO tournaments and the watches of the champions!

2014 – Year 1
In 2014, the Hunter Burton Memorial Open was born and with it the first luxury wrist watch to be given away to the top competitor of the day. Hand picked by Hunter’s sister Casey, the year one watch was a true swiss masterpiece. This legendary Tissot watch was valued over $2000 and embodied excellence!
Year 1 Watch

2015 – Year 2
In 2015, the Burton family out did themselves by once again choosing an elegant and stylish watch to award the champion. In this case the watch was one of Hunter’s preferred brands, Movado. This second year watch was something to treasure! While it didn’t stand out as excessive, this watch absolutely made a statement.
Year 2 Watch

2016 – Year 3 / 2017 – Year 4
In 2016, the trend continued with a Movado, offering a sleek black Movado Bold series watch to that year’s champion. In fact, the Bold design was so popular that it would be the watch of choice for two years straight. Our 2017 event bolstered a Black Movado Bold series with blue accents.
2016: Year 3 Watch
2017: Year 4 Watch

 

2018 – Year 5
The 2018 watch is a truly special watch. This year’s watch was chosen by the Burton family and members of the HBMO staff to celebrate the event’s fifth anniversary. Sticking with one of Hunter’s favorite brands, the 2018 watch is one of Movado’s finest. It has a unique elegant design that differs from your typical luxury wrist watch. In addition, the 2018 fifth anniversary watch is valued at nearly $2,500! This is a watch the winner can be proud to flaunt!

 

drumroll please…………………….

The 2018 Hunter Burton Memorial Open 1st Place Champion’s Watch:
Year 5 watch

(Movado Red Label, Alligator Leather w/ Black Dial)

“We are so excited about the fifth anniversary event and this watch embodies the style of luxury we try to bring forward at the Hunter Burton Memorial Open. This would have been a watch Hunter was proud to wear!” – Dona Burton (Hunter’s mother)

Join us on February 25th, 2018 at the Hurst Conference Center in Hurst, Texas for our fifth anniversary Hunter Burton Memorial Open! Check out the ‘Event Details’ page for more information or you an pre-register by clicking the link below.

PRE-REGISTER HERE

2018 SPONSOR SPOTLIGHT SERIES: Generation X Comics and Games

2018 Sponsor Spotlight Series: Generation X Comics and Games

All of us on the HBMO staff are pleased to announced our sponsor spotlight series. Each week we will bring light to one or more of the incredible sponsors that helps make our event so successful. These companies have graciously donated money, products, time, and advertising to our event and to the cause of spreading awareness for suicide prevention.

 

Generation X

 

This Sponsor Spotlight goes to Generation X Comics and Games in Bedford, Texas. For nearly 25 years the store has been filing the comic and gaming needs of the North Texas area. In that time, Generation X has grown to become one of the largest comic/gaming stores in the Dallas / Fort Worth metroplex offering wide ranges of products across the pop culture market. Known for fostering a friendly and caring community, donating to schools and veterans programs, and creating a safe-space for every type of person, Generation X has been a mainstay to gamers and hobby enthusiasts of all kinds for many years.

Generation X is routinely giving back to the community by running charitable events and this year they have stepped up to be a major sponsor of the Hunter Burton Memorial Open. For our 2018 event they have kindly donated the proceeds and prizing from the Standard PPTQ $1k tournament to aiding the non-profit in spreading awareness of and need for suicide prevention in the gaming community!

If that isn’t enough, Generation X is offering an in-store promotion for all players of the Hunter Burton Memorial! If you mention this article in store, you can receive the following discount:

Purchase $100 in Magic the Gathering singles, get 15% off non-foil cards and 25% off foil cards.
(Offer valid in store only. Must mention Sponsor Spotlight Series article and Hunter Burton Memorial Open. Valid until February 28th, 2018.)

All of us on the HBMO team would like to say THANK YOU to Wayne and Tabitha (owners of Generation X Comics and Games) for being a sponsor of the 2018 Hunter Burton Memorial Open! Their contribution helps make our event possible.

Please visit them and show your thanks and support!
Find them online HERE

Visit their store:
Generation X Comics and Games
3504 Harwood Rd, Ste 304
Bedford, Texas 76021
P: (817) 540-5556

2018 SPONSOR SPOTLIGHT SERIES: Retro 1951

2018 SPONSOR SPOTLIGHT SERIES: Retro 1951

All of us on the HBMO staff are pleased to announced our sponsor spotlight series. Each week we will bring light to one or more of the incredible sponsors that helps make our event so successful. These companies have graciously donated money, products, time, and advertising to our event and to the cause of spreading awareness for suicide prevention.

Our first spotlight goes to Retro 1951 based in Richardson, Texas. For our 2018 event, Retro 51 donated their top selling style of fine writing pen to the top eight players of the Modern Main Event, The Tornado. This sleek and unique design models fine writing, elegance and style while being one of the coolest writing pens on the market.

Each player in the top eight will receive one Stealth Black Tornado pen.
StealthRB_lifestyle

Retro 51 makes quality products and we hope that you will show them your thanks for being a 2018 Hunter Burton Memorial Open sponsor by visiting their website. Once you write with a Retro 51 pen, you won’t want to write with anything else!

www.Retro1951.com

Retro Logo

2018 HBMO Pre-registration

It’s been a long year of waiting, but the time is finally here! Pre-registration for the 2018 Hunter Burton Memorial Open is now live!

The general pre-registration is available, offering a discount on your entry fee.

As a new addition, 2018 has an added VIP registration. This package loads up the attendee with cool swag as well as an exclusive VIP item. Our VIP registration is limited to the first 100 attendees, so get yours early before they sell out.

This fifth anniversary event also has several new side events to take advantage of. Based on feedback from last year, we have made the three main side events open for pre-registration. The Standard PPTQ $1k, Legacy Constructed Cash, and Theros Block Pre-release Sealed events offer discounted entry fees upon preregistration.

You can purchase pre-registration or pre-order 2018 HBMO items here:
HBMO Pre-registration

2018 Hunter Burton Memorial Open Playmat
HB Playmat

2018 Hunter Burton Memorial Open T-Shirt (Blue w/White)
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