Karthik Manohar, Winner of the MTG Regional Championship Qualifiers in Fort Worth, TX
Fresh off his victory in the MTG Regional Championship Qualifiers, I caught up with Karthik Manohar to get some of his thoughts on the game, his competitors, and to learn more about him overall.
About Karthik Manohar
Karthik has been playing competitively, on and off, for 8 years. Originally, he was cajoled into playing by a close friend. Though he generally preferred to stick to his comfort zone when it came to games, he eventually gave in and found that he rather enjoyed MTG.
Karthik’s favorite set is the original Innistrad. As described by lead Designer Mark Rosewater, “The number-one role of this set’s design was capturing the feel of the horror genre.” Several new mechanics were introduced during the original run of this set, such as Curse, Fight, Morbid, and Transform.
One of Karthik’s favorite cards is Abyssal Persecutor. Besides the art and flavor text, Karthik says the thing he likes most about the card is the “balance between power and drawback”. A card with strong stats that prevents its owner from winning does provide both players with quite a lot to consider.
Feelings About the Meta in the Current MTG Regional Championship Competition
While it might feel bad to lose to certain decks (such as Eldrazi, for example), the meta overall is actually quite healthy as far as Karthik is concerned. The numbers seem to indicate a level of fairness overall. Based on his love of Abyssal Persecutor, it’s fair to say that Karthik has a great appreciation for fairness.
Advice for New Players
“First, prioritize having fun.” A sentiment that all players, regardless of skill level or experience, should remember. At the end of the day, this is a game, and the point of a game is to have fun. So, if you are forcing yourself to do something that you don’t enjoy, stop.
That being said, if you are looking to improve, Karthik suggests that you talk to your opponent. There is a lot that can be learned from someone who beats. He points out, however, that you need to ask specific questions.
Vague queries such as “What can I do better?” will only net vague answers. The more specific your question is, the more specific the answers will be, and the more you will learn.
Final Words
For all those wondering, Karthik said that he will probably be going to the Houston Regional Championship event in October. So, if you are interested in a chance to take him on, you know where to go.
In closing, Karthik thanks Evolution Games for hosting the event, William Barlen for judging, and his fellow participants for their friendly attitudes and all the fun games.
