MTG

One of the first decks I ever played competitively was an artifact/red deck during Urza's block constructed that I had seen from him. He of course won the 1999 WC with a better busted version of it too, which I also built for casual play. I loved that deck and still do, some of the most fun I ever had was ramping into Wildfires and Temporal Apertures! I will always think of him when I think of those days.

I didn't realize just how much he was the GOAT too. 5 Pro Tour titles and *a World Championship. Absolutely amazing career and a truly amazing guy.

Damn, sad to hear. Everything anyone's ever said about the guy has been nothing but compliments, and to be taken so young... Fuck cancer.

I accompanied my friend to a random LGS in Germany sometime last year. In there, the owner told me it was the LGS Kai Budde frequents and usually played in all the prereleases at. He also showed me his signature on a poster on the wall ("If you're actually as into MTG as your friend claims, you should recognize this signature." is how the conversation started. I did.) That's also where I learned of his battle with cancer and that the prognosis was dire. Despite not really being very enfranchised in MTG over the last few years, I've thought back to that interaction and to Kai Budde quite a few times since then.

I'm not entirely sure where I was going with that. Just sharing what popped into my mind.

Rest in peace to an absolutely amazing player and person.

Truly GOAT. Fuck cancer.