Way back on Thanksgiving weekend of 2005, the NYC Meta held our first ever "Black Friday" tournament, played on the day after Thanksgiving. We have continued that tradition ever since, and this year will reach our 10th consecutive Thanksgiving weekend tournament. To my knowledge, this is the longest running continuous tournament in the history of the game (at least in the US). To celebrate, we'll have some excellent and truly unique prizes, some of which will feature the custom art partially spoiled below.
For now, let's get some details out there:

What: Black Friday (Red Saturday) Joust Tournament
When: Saturday, November 29, 2014. Registration will be at 10:00, play at 10:30.
Where: The Compleat Strategist, 11 East 33rd Street (between 5th Avenue and Madison Avenue), New York City
Cost: $15

If you're on Facebook, you can RSVP here: https://www.facebook.com/events/999800720046640/

If you can't make it to Worlds and want go send off the 2014 season with a bang, come to NYC. If you are going to Worlds and want one more hurrah, come to NYC. Our Meta will also do our best to host traveling players who need a place to stay - just ask.

And finally, here's a sneak peek at that art! As we get closer to the tournament, I'll uncover more and more of this beauty!

I'm happy to announce the prize support for Red Saturday:

Participation prize: NYC Alt Art Valar Morghulis, using our commissioned art.

Best performance in each house after Swiss: custom wooden house card, courtesy of Seth Booth.

King of Swiss: one-of-a-kind power tokens by Draculas Tokens.

Top 8: Game night kit prizes (playmats/deck boxes).

Top 4: Custom Red Saturday playmats, featuring our commissioned art.

Winner: Custom Red Saturday engraved wooden deck box, courtesy of Seth Booth.

And of course, we'll have plenty of swag for the raffle as well!

If you were previously on the fence, this is your cue to commit.

The playmats have arrived, and they are GORGEOUS! I revealed more of the art - check out the OP!

I've been getting a bunch of questions about whether Red Saturday is a "T2" tournament or what kind of decks players are "allowed" to play. Let me set the record straight here and clear up any misconceptions that may be floating about.

First, let me be crystal clear: you may play whatever you want. Let me repeat that: you may play whatever you want.

Over the past few years, since Worlds moved to November, we've developed an unwritten "rule" -- well, more a guideline than an actual rule -- that players should be encouraged to play something other than their Worlds decks at Red Saturday. It's not mandatory (see the above mantra: you may play whatever you want), but avoiding your Worlds deck promotes a dynamic environment rather than a repeat of what we all saw three weeks prior (or one week prior at Stahleck). Along that same lines, and for the same reason, players are encouraged to avoid playing other people's prominent Worlds/Stahleck decks.

At the same time, everyone will be playing to win. If you show up with HoD House of Black and White (looking at you Seth Low), you'll get steamrolled. Now, if you've always wanted to try HoD House of Black and White, be my guest; I'll applaud your ingenuity and courage. I'll even buy you a beer afterwards at Rattle and Hum. But many players, myself included, will choose to play something strong. So don't be shy about bringing a strong deck. But if you can bring a strong deck without brining either your own Worlds deck or a prominent Worlds/Stahleck deck made famous by another player, you are encouraged to do so. Moreover, some players take this tournament as an opportunity to challenge themselves; to play a fun deck and try to compete in a competitive field with something a little out of the ordinary. For instance, last year dcdennis showed up with a Night's Watch deck, and it was pretty sweet. But that's not to say that anyone is expected or required to bring a "T2" deck.

Alt art cards have arrived and are gorgeous! Art update in the OP!

We're creeping closer and closer to 30, sitting around 27-28 now. Let's hit the big 3-0!

My current count is at 34! Dare we strive for 40!?

Alright folks - Stahleck is in the rear view mirror, which means Red Saturday is less than a week away! If we can convert a few more Maybe's to Yes's, we have a shot at 40! Let's get there!

If you're interested in drafting after the tournament/during the cut: the store has packs, but will not have Westeros Starters. If you want to draft, please plan to bring your own Westeros Starter. We may have a few extras, but only a few.

Happy Thanksgiving all. The art is now fully revealed in the OP; who's gonna win that on a playmat?! If you're still on the fence, I hope that'll tip the balance. This is shaping up to be a great event with 30-40 players. I can't wait for Saturday!