Common Ground: NRG and RIW Team Up for Pauper in the Heartland

Players in the NRG Series know that Midwest Magic is something special.

Your mark on Magic: The Gather transcends tournament grinding by exemplary sporting behavior, skilled rivals, and lifeline friendships forged on distant drives and full hotel rooms. This summer there’s even more memories on the menu. Please join us in celebrating a new collaboration true to those values, built on the magic of the Pauper Format.

That’s right — Pauper is coming to the NRG Series, and playing and winning can get you an invite to the Pauper Championship Series brought to life by the vision and dedicated team of RIW Hobbies.

With a format made up of commons, you get…

A Tournament Series Built on Shared Values

This team-up means that players competing in select NRG Series events will now earn points toward the RIW Pauper Championship Invitational, happening December 6th at RIW Hobbies in Livonia, Michigan. And, visa versa, key winner and finishers in RIW Hobbies’ other Pauper events will earn invitations to NRG Series events.  This means, as a grinder you can cash in your metagame knowledge, as well as, a prefect onramp for newer player looking to develop skills with solid upside. No matter how you come to it, Pauper is a low-barrier, high-reward way to play.

Here are the NRG Series events where you can rack up points:

🟢 June 29 – NRG Indianapolis (IN): Pauper $2K
🟢 August 23 – NRG Lansing (MI): Pauper $2K
🟢 August 24 – NRG Lansing (MI): Team Trios $10K
(That’s right — you may play Pauper as one of the formats in a Trios 10K!)

Each of these events will award points toward RIW’s leaderboard:

🥇 1st: 10 Points
🥈 2nd: 8 Points
🥉 3rd–4th: 4 Points
💪 5th–8th: 2 Points
🎖️ 9th–16th: 1 Point

If you’re already planning your NRG circuit stops, this is a great chance to double-dip on invitational championship events.

Why Pauper? Why Now?

Pauper is a format where your know-how matters more than your bankroll. It’s where a good curve, a sharp mind, and a few well-loved Lightning Bolts can take you far. And just like our Midwest Magic community, it’s built to last.

RIW Hobbies has been championing Pauper for years, running high-quality events that prove great Magic doesn’t have to cost a fortune. We’re thrilled to join forces with Pam and her crew — some of the most passionate folks we know — to bring that energy to even more players.

Mark Your Calendars and Grab Your Ghitu Lavarunners

Whether you’re a die-hard Pauper pilot or you’ve found yourself a little Pauper-curious of late, this is your chance to join something special. Come battle for points, glory, and a shot at the RIW Invitational — all while supporting two of the Midwest’s most dedicated tournament organizers.

We’ll see you in Indy. And Lansing. And beyond.
Because in the Midwest, even the commons are legendary.

🧡
–The NRG Team