YORKTON - It was back in around 1994, I went to Minot with a bus tour to attend a soil conservation tour.
It was a few months earlier I had seen a brief article in Dragon magazine about a new card game coming out which would pit two wizards against one another in a battle of spells. The game was Magic: The Gathering, and I was intrigued.
There was no store in Yorkton carrying MtG at that time, but I found a deck in Minot and eagerly purchased it, bringing it home not realizing a second deck was needed for an opponent, but I still had one, which I surmise had to be one of the first decks in Yorkton.
I tell this story only as background for my long held interest in a game that easily makes my top-10 games off all time even though I haven’t played in far too long.
The game originated in 1993 and has seen multiple expansions every year since creating a vast array of cards and a game that has remained active, with major tournaments still happening in cities the world over.
One such event was recently held in Calgary with Winnipeg’s Joseph Karani coming out of the fray in top spot.
While I played in some local events which were very informal affairs years ago – we really need to see one tried again – I never took MtG quite that serious so I was curious about Karani’s road to being a champion in a big event,
Via email Karani explained, “after playing Yugioh, (another collectable card game), my good friend Kevin Brown got me to come with him to a few FNMs, (Friday Night Magic events) and play draft. I got hooked from there and wanted to start playing more competitively as I had done in Yugioh.”
So, what is it about MtG that has held Karani’s attention?
“The game's mechanics are cool and well-designed,” he said. “The mana system, (the method to play cards), makes for a solid turn-by-turn card game.
“The main thing that held my attention with Magic was the competitive scene at the time and community of people around it. Some of my friends came from Yugioh with me into Magic, but I also made friends along the way and now have a great community surrounding me.”
Of course loving a game doesn’t mean you become competitive, but for Karani it was a natural step to take.
“I have always been a competitive person,” he said. “When I was younger I played football, basketball, soccer, Starcraft, and Yugioh. With these games and sports I always had the drive to improve and get better along the way.
“Magic’s Pro Tour System at the time looked extremely attractive and I wanted to prove to myself and friends I was good enough to get on it.”
Once Karani headed down the tourney trail was there a secret to being a good player?
“Preparation and a fundamental understanding of the format you’re playing,” he replied. “I think a lot of people can do well in this game if they have the right preparation and dedication to the game.
“There’s a lot of gifted players out there but hard work and dedication will help you push through.
“Also keeping a good mental space and not letting the ups and downs of long tournaments get to you. You can’t get too excited or tilted because it will drain your energy and make you lose focus.”
Karani’s first major event was SCG Minneapolis a few years back.
“I was so nervous and didn’t fully understand the game. I had a very medium record and didn’t make day two,” he recalled.
Now he is on the tourney trail as a near regular.
“I attend as many events as my work allows me to and friends want to go to,” said Karani. “I do all the local scene events, but will travel to bigger tournaments once every one and a half months or so. I love playing the game with my friends and these travels with them make it all worth it.”
Of course between events is when much of the work toward success takes place.
“I do a lot of theory and learn through watching others play, see what works for them and what doesn’t,” offered Karani. “When I have an actual tournament to prepare for I will spend about 10-15 hours of practical practice into it. I have gotten to the point where my fundamental understanding of the game is good, I just need to see what the format provides and how to sequence decks within it.”
With MtG being based around five colours of magic with spells within each, it was natural to ask if Karani has a favourite?
“I prefer blue as my favourite colour,” he said. “I really like interactive game play and believe that if I have more choices in a game I will be able to win more often than not. Cantrips are a great way to have more choices alongside interaction spells.
“Also who doesn't like saying no to opponents with counterspells?”
Which brings us to Karani’s big win in Calgary near the end of 2022.
“Calgary was my biggest win,” he said, noting it came with “an invite to Worlds which is amazing and I can’t believe I was able to get it. My goal was to get onto the Pro Tour again but never imagined I would play in the Worlds.
“I have won a Grand Prix and Face to Face Open before but those don’t compare to the stakes of getting a Worlds invite.”
Karani said in Calgary the cards were rolling out of his deck well.
“The deck was just smooth, my sideboard and plans for each match-up felt really well-tuned and I was extremely happy with the choices I made,” he said.
Now with the Worlds on the horizon what does the opportunity to attend mean to Karani?
“It’s honestly hard to describe what it means,” he said. “I feel validated for the amount of work and time I have put into the game. I feel happy that I get the opportunity to play against the best players in the world.
“But overall I am in shock and still don’t fully grasp the moment that is being presented for me.”
Will his winning deck from Calgary be going with him?
“If I were playing in a tournament next weekend, yes this list felt great and I was happy with it,” said Karani. “I don’t see there being a big change in the meta any time soon.
“For the Pro Tour another set will be released so I have to see how it changes the meta.
“But the overall deck felt amazing and I was happy with all the card choices I had for it.”
The Worlds are set for Las Vegas in September.
