The 2026 Alpha Clash Organized Play circuit touched down stateside this weekend, drawing Contenders from every corner of the country to Des Moines, IA for the Progenitor's Gambit: USA, one of the standout events of the season.

With World Championship qualification, cash prizes, bounty rewards, exclusive promos, XP, and national championship prestige all on the line, the room was buzzing from round one. The weekend was filled with fun competition, innovative deckbuilding, and an amazing community gathering.

A Wide-Open Field

Diversity was the story from the opening bell. A remarkable 17 different Contenders showed up across the field, a clear sign of just how deep and healthy the Contender options are currently.

Beyond the diverse pool of Contenders, we continued to see players innovate and bring new decks never seen before in competition. Some Contenders may have been thought non-competitive viable, but they made deep runs in the tournament, highlighting the creativity of the players and just how under-explored some Contenders still might be.

Into the Top 8

After the Swiss rounds, the field narrowed to the Top 8, and all eight players advanced on a different Contender - a first in Alpha Clash history. Eight pilots, eight completely different game plans.

Ryan Acosta, War, Legion Commander
Eric Bond, Clarity, Ready for Trials
Tim Bunn, Shadowlight, Bright Beacon/Dark Absence
Zach Bunn, Torque, the Diabolical
Michael Hamilton, Cadavros, Prophet of Despair
Matt Kohls, Shadowblade, Agent of the Dark
Mike Toy, Absence, Voice of the Void
Nathan Trudell, Valen Solariel, Healer of Eldralore

Championship Sunday

The playoff bracket lived up to the weekend. When the dust settled it was Michael Hamilton hoisting the championship belt, piloting Cadavros, Prophet of Despair all the way through the field.

It was the first tournament victory for Cadavros, and for Hamilton, it was his seventh Alpha Clash major title, further cementing his place among the world’s premier trading card game players.

Nathan Trudell made a deep run of his own to finish runner-up with Valen Solariel, Healer of Eldralore, while Eric Bond and Zach Bunn rounded out the top four.

Final Standings

Michael Hamilton, Cadavros, Prophet of Despair (Deck List)
Nathan Trudell, Valen Solariel, Healer of Eldralore (Deck List)
Eric Bond, Clarity, Ready for Trials (Deck List)
Zach Bunn, Torque, the Diabolical (Deck List)
Matt Kohls, Shadowblade, Agent of the Dark (Deck List)
Tim Bunn, Shadowlight, Bright Beacon/Dark Absence (Deck List)
Ryan Acosta, War, Legion Commander (Deck List)
Mike Toy, Absence, Voice of the Void (Deck List)

Bounty Winners

The Bounty system did what we hoped it would do - encourage players to discover and enjoy more of the card and Contender pool in competition. The depth of the field showed here too as all six bounty winners finished inside the Top 10.