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NIcheCon

A Celebration of Fringe Old School Magic Formats: "A Festivus for the Rest of Us!"

NicheCon is a multi-day, in-person gathering dedicated to the celebration of fringe and “niche” Old School Magic the Gathering formats. Founded in September 2025 by a coalition of format leaders, this event offers a vibrant alternative to the mainstream Swedish (SWE) and Atlantic (ATL) formats, spotlighting the creativity and community spirit of the broader Old School ecosystem.

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​NicheCon Links

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Why NicheCon?

  • 🌟 Innovation: Explore formats like Four Horsemen, 7-Pt Singleton, Old Fashioned Type 2, Fallen Empires 40, Revised 40, Forgotten Realms, & ALICE

  • 🤝 Community & Camaraderie: Connect with fellow Old School Magic enthusiasts, niche format creators, leaders within the community, and collectors

  • 💖 Charity: Support meaningful causes through raffles, auctions, and donations

  • 🎨 Culture: Enjoy custom card showcases, artist panels, and lore deep-dives

 

Hosted as an Unofficial Side Event to MagicCon: Las Vegas 2026 While not affiliated with Wizards of the Coast, NicheCon runs in parallel with MagicCon, offering attendees a unique and immersive experience that complements the official festivities.

 

📅 Dates: April 30-May 3 & Schedule Overview

Thursday, April 30 – Sunday, May 3, 2026 🕰️ 4-day event with flexible attendance options, multiple tournaments:

  • Thursday (Apr 30): Arrival day with evening kickoff activities

  • Friday & Saturday (May 1–2): Full-day tournaments, panels, and community events

    • Friday May 1: 7-Point-Singleton Tournament in the morning, Eternal Central Tournament in the evening, NicheCon Mixer Party I afterwards with special performing guest artist Ishi!

    • Saturday May 2: X-Point Old School Tournament in the morning, Four Horsemen (4HM) Tournament in the evening, Awards & Prizes Ceremony, and NicheCon Mixer Party II afterwards with special performing guest artist Ishi!

  • Sunday (May 3): Morning “Hangover Brunch”, awards & prizes ceremony, charity raffle, wrap-up, and departure

​

NicheCon Hosts & Special Guests

 

NicheCon Special Guest Old School Magic Artists

  • Friday, May 1

    • Ken Meyer, Jr. (Confirmed if not attending MTGCON Vegas)

    • Drew Tucker (Tentative, Need Confirmation)

  • Saturday, May 1

    • Anson Maddocks (Tentative, Barry Nordendale is confirming)

    • Other Artist TBD​​

NicheCon Vegas Schedule

​

THU APRIL 30

- 3:00 PM - NicheCon SocialOpening Night, Mixer and Kick Off Ceremony with Opening Speeches:  

- KEYNOTE SPEAKER ADDRESS:  Brian Weissman, Topic TBD

- FEATURED GUEST SPEAKER: Tavis King
The History of the Magic The Gathering’s Four Horsemen Expansion Sets: Surprising Insider’s Stories and Amazing Facts of the testing, planning, printing, and distribution of Magic's Most Iconic Early Expansions

- FEATURED GUEST SPEAKER: John Ekleberry
"A Brief History of Four Horsemen Old School Magic & How the Format Evolved"

- 5:00 PM SPECIAL NICHECON EVENT - Four Horsemen (4HM) Block Draft, + Custom Made "Arabian Nights 2.0” Set Draft!

- 11:00 PM First Evening Close Out

- 12:00 AM Day 1 Wrap Up

 

FRI MAY 1

-   9:00 AM Venue Open, Casual Pickup Games Throughout the Day!

- 10:00 AM 7-Point-Singleton Tournament

-   4:00 PM Eternal Central Tournament

- 10:00 PM NicheCon Mixer Party I

- 12:00 AM  Day 2 Wrap Up
 

SAT MAY 2

-   9:00 AM Venue Open, Casual Pickup Games Throughout the Day!

- 10:00 AM X-Point Old School Tournament

-   4:00 PM Four Horsemen (4HM) Tournament

- 10:00 PM Awards & Prizes Ceremony!
- 11:00 PM NicheCon Mixer Party II - Special Guest Performing Artist "ISHI"

- 12:00 AM Day 3 Wrap Up

 

SUN MAY 3

- 10:00 AM Hangover Brunch & Gathering (Brunch Location TBD)

-   2:00 PM Day 4 Wrap Up, Closing Ceremony & Speeches

-   3:00 PM People depart and catch flights back home

​​

NicheCon Awards & Prizes

TBD

​

Overview of Thursday Night Special NicheCon Event

THU APRIL 30 @ 5:00 PM - Four Horsemen (4HM) Block Draft + Custom Player-Made "Arabian Nights 2.0” Set with the Draft!

 

Playing in this tournament will give you the Experience of what it was like to play Magic in a Draft format in 1994!  This will be an and Old School Magic Swiss Tournament using proxies as a cube draft. We have a printer lined up who will print special card backs with the Four Horsemen Logo and will print cards easily identified as proxies from the 93/94 expansions sets of Magic the Gathering including: Arabian Nights, Antiquities, Legends & The Dark, plus special basic lands and Duals Lands will be designed to look like Arabian Nights Lands. 

Rumor has it that Richard Garfield allegedly privately confessed there is an unreleased "Arabian Nights 2.0" expansion set of cards which did not make it into the original Arabian Nights release in 1993.  This set is composed of 88 unique, new and amazingly flavorful Old School Magic cards from the 1992 period of Araian Nights development!  Dr. Garfield recently unearthed this brilliantly spicy and dynamic set, which we will be spronkling into the Four Horsemen Expansion Sets Block draft!

To wet your whistle, here are a sample of just a few of these amazing "Arabian Nights 2.0" unreleased expansion set of cards!​

NicheCon Costs

NicheCon offers multiple days of fun-filled cardboard slinging and a flexible schedule where the participants chose their own activities and which events, formats, and tournaments they wish to participate in, with three options for passes. 

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  1. Free Thursday: Thursday April 30 is free for all, no pass required.
     

  2. 4-Day All Event Access Pass: $85 gets you entry into any and all NicheCon Tournaments, events, and parties, plus a NicheCon bag of swag! 
     

  3. Friday Pass: $50 Gets you access to all the Friday NicheCon tournaments and activities, parties, plus a NicheCon bag of swag!
     

  4. Saturday Pass: $50 Gets you access to all the Saturday NicheCon tournaments and activities, parties, plus a NicheCon bag of swag!
     

  5. Free Sunday: FREE Gets you access to all the Sunday NicheCon activities, Hangover Brunch & Gathering, Day 4 Wrap Up, Closing Ceremony & Speeches

​

We will provide custom collectible NicheCon Patches, badges and participant lanyards to be worn by participants each day for entry. Replacements will cost a $25 donation to our charity fund!


Refund Policy:  All purchases are Non-refundable. However, if you are unable to attend after registering we'll happily transfer your entry to a designated person of your choice. Please give adequate notification to make changes to the player registry.

Special Guest Performing Artist “ISHI”
NicheCon 2026 Features Two Evening Parties with Special Guest Performing Artist Ishi Live!

 

Ishi is an electronic act from Dallas, TX, known for fusing their influences of soulful dialect, housey beats, & folk ballads. They thrive on creating a positive atmosphere that allows their audience to let loose & express themselves.

​

Ishi was born as an experiment between friends in Dallas, TX. In 2007, JT Mudd & Brad Dale set out to create a sound that would redefine their own voice in modern-day music. The success of the first album "Through The Trees" and second album "Digital Wounds" put Ishi on the tour circuit. The band opened up for the legendary UK band New Order in the Fall of 2012, They went on to support acts including but not limited too: Jungle, Chromeo, Neon Indian, Toro y Moi, and Ghostland Observatory.

 

Ishi's 3rd album was released in 2021 under Swedish Indie label Icons Creating Evil Art, the home of Flora Cash, titled “Sweet Gold” containing hit singles “Not My Girl” and “Lo-Fi Love Affair”.  In 2023, Ishi hit the world stage being featured on Maceo Plex's record '93 on track "Moon Sky". JT of Ishi, states: " Maceo hit me up during covid and with things in disarray in the world this was a huge blessing to able to be creative with a producer I looked up to. The melody and the lyrics of the verses were fluid and without effort. That's when you know you have tapped into something special".  Ishi is currently working on his 4th record and scheduled to be released in 2025 on the label ICEA based out of Sweden.

​

NicheCon Charitable Charter

At NicheCon, we believe that the joy we find in Old School Magic: The Gathering is a gift—and with that gift comes the responsibility to give back. Many of us are fortunate to enjoy fulfilling careers and the privilege of participating in this unique and passionate community. Through NicheCon, we channel that gratitude into action.​

​

Our Mission: To invest in our communities, build goodwill, and grow friendships through the shared love of Magic and the generosity of its players. Each year, NicheCon selects a charitable cause to support, raising funds through raffles, auctions, and community-driven initiatives.​

​

Charity Raffle

We will also include a Charity Raffle to raise money for our Nichecon charity as well.  If you have items you'd like to donate for the Charity Raffle, please let us know netdeveloping@gmail.com and we will provide an address to ship the prize donations to if you are not bringing it in person.​

​

Our Inaugural Charity: Children’s Medical Center of Dallas

For our first NicheCon, we are honored to support  Children's Medical Center of Dallas, a world-class pediatric hospital that saved the life of one of our community members' daughters who was born with severe birth defects. Every day, this institution delivers hope, healing, and life-saving care to children and families across Texas and beyond.​  Together, we play not just for fun—but for purpose. NicheCon is more than a gathering. It’s a movement of kindness, camaraderie, and community impact.

 

Children's Medical Center of Dallas

1935 Medical District Drive

Dallas, Texas 75235

https://utswmed.org/locations/childrens-dallas/childrens-health/

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​​​​NicheCon Featured Tournament Formats

For NicheCon 1.0, it is important that attendees have time for casual pick up games, camaraderie, drinks, and mingling.  NicheCon’s schedule is intended to provide a good mixture of organized Niche Old School Magic Format tournaments, but to also allow for the important casual social aspects of this event.  Primarily Drinks and Camaraderie!

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Depending on how many attendees register for NicheCon and how many RSVP’s we receive for each tournament on Friday and Saturday, we may end up hosting only one tournament that day. Players have multiple options to participate in the Niche Old School Magic format tournaments of their choice each day!  Attendees have the option to attend one or all days of this 4-day event.   No tourneys on Thursday and Sunday, which are half day travel days. 

 

We will focus on the following Niche Old School Magic Formats for the tournaments, which will be held on Friday May 1 and Saturday May 2:

 

NicheCon Featured Pickup Games Focus Formats:

For NicheCon 1.0, we will also have “Pickup Games Focus Formats” on the following Niche fringe Old School Magic Formats so that players can brew their decks ahead of time and come prepared with pickup game decks with the other niche formats that they want to play.  We cannot expect that players will be able to bring their full collections to the event, as this would be cumbersome. Players can bring a backpack full of Pick Up Game decks and play what they wish on the side of the main tournaments.  We have highlighted “Pickup Games Focus Formats” so that players can brew these decks specifically well in advance of the event, as follows:

Event Venue & Location:  Club Wyndham Grand Desert


Resort Venue Web Site:

 

Location Address:  

265 E Harmon Ave, Las Vegas, NV 89169


We have reserved a private hall at Club Wyndham for the extended NicheCon weekend. Club Wyndham is located near the Strip, near MagicCon Las Vegas Convention Center, and near the airport. The hall is spacious to allow for comfortable seating, tables, and amenities for gaming.

​About Club Wyndham Grand Desert

Just one mile from the Las Vegas Strip, Club Wyndham Grand Desert offers spacious one- and two-bedroom suites with full kitchens or kitchenettes, in-unit laundry, and living areas with sofa beds. The resort features stunning views of the desert mountains, city skyline, and a palm-lined courtyard with three outdoor pools and four hot tubs. Guests can unwind with massage services, enjoy billiards and karaoke in the activities center, or take advantage of the free shuttle to explore top casinos, shopping, and shows nearby. Wi-Fi is complimentary, and an on-site concierge, tour desk, and gift shop help complete the experience. For outdoor adventures, head to Red Rock Canyon, Lake Mead, or the Hoover Dam—all just a short drive away. Whether you're drawn by Vegas nightlife or desert scenery, this family-friendly resort offers everything you need for a memorable stay.
 

Access:

We will provide custom collectible NichCon Patches, badges and participant lanyards to be worn by participants each day for entry. Replacements will cost a $25 donation to our charity fund!  This event caps out at 200 attendees.  We will have a wait list if the event caps 200. This is a private event.  Only registered attendees will be permitted entry!

​

Security:

All NicheCon attendees will rest assured of safety and security throughout the event.  Given the many recent thefts and issues surrounding stolen collections, decks and related property, NicheCon will have private, dedicated, full-time security for the duration of the event.  Monitoring will be in place for security.  We also have multiple US Military Service Veterans attending and supporting the event, keeping a watchful eye.  If someone steals or commits a crime at this event, they will be caught and criminally charged. If this is you, don’t come to this event or you will regret it.

Overview of Thursday Night, April 30 Special Event: Four Horsemen Old School Magic Block Draft

@ 5:00 PM - Four Horsemen (4HM) Block Draft + Custom Player-Made "Arabian Nights 2.0” Set with the Draft

 

Playing in the Four Horsemen Block Draft special tournament will give you the Experience of what it was like to play Magic in a Draft format in 1994!  This will be an and Old School Magic Tournament using proxies as a cube draft. We have a printer lined up who will print special card backs with the Four Horsemen Logo and will print cards easily identified as proxies from the 93/94 expansions sets of Magic the Gathering including: Arabian Nights, Antiquities, Legends & The Dark, plus special basic lands and Duals Lands will be designed to look like Arabian Nights Lands.

 

Rumor has it that Richard Garfield allegedly privately confessed there is an unreleased "Arabian Nights 2.0" expansion set of cards which did not make it into the original Arabian Nights Expansion, composed of 88 unique, new and amazingly flavorful Old School Magic cards from the 1992 period of Arabian Nights development!  Dr. Garfield recently unearthed this brilliantly spicy and dynamic set, which we will be sprinkling into the Four Horsemen Expansion Sets Block draft!

 

To wet your whistle, here are a sample of just a few of these amazing "Arabian Nights 2.0" unreleased expansion set of cards!

NIcheCon

NicheCon Currently Supports the Following Niche Old School Magic Formats:

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© 2025 by Chadster & The Four Horsemen
 

FOUR HORSEMEN IS NOT AFFILIATED WITH WIZARDS OF THE COAST.  MAGIC: THE GATHERING IS © WIZARDS OF THE COAST. THIS SITE IS NOT AFFILIATED NOR PRODUCED NOR ENDORSED BY WIZARDS OF THE COAST. ALL CARD IMAGES, MANA SYMBOLS, EXPANSIONS AND ART RELATED TO MAGIC THE GATHERING ARE THE PROPERTY OF WIZARDS OF THE COAST/HASBRO.   This site contains content permitted under the Fan Content Policy and is not affiliated with, endorsed, sponsored, or specifically approved by Wizards of the Coast LLC.  Portions of the materials used are property of Wizards of the Coast/Hasbro

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