MTG Regional Championship Qualifiers Held at Evolution Games in Fort Worth, Tx
The time has come again for Magic: The Gathering (MTG) players to dust off their decks, pack up their tokens, and prepare themselves for competition. The time for casual tournaments is over. Today, April 26, 2025, 9 participants gather at Evolution Games for the Regional Championship Qualifiers (RCQ) for a chance to qualify for the Regional Championship (RC) to be held later this year.
The Qualifiers consisted of 5 rounds, with the top 4 players cut. Each match is first to 2, meaning they play until one of them reaches two wins. The preliminary rounds were timed, but the semi-finals and finals were not. This is the second RCQ cycle for this year, and the format of play is Modern.
Results
The players and their decks for this RCQ were Nora Milson (BW Blink), Isaac Winslett (Samwise), Andrew Wolff (Domain), James Carrizosa (Temur Cutter), Tyler Kelly (E-Ramp), Daniel Getreu (WB Blink), Karthik Manohar (UB Murktide), Jessie Morton (V/W Control), and the 9th player chose not to be named.
Andrew Wolff came in 4th place, Isaac Winslett 3rd place, Daniel Getreu 2nd place, and Karthik Manohar was the overall winner. 1st place received an invitation to the Regional Championships and 40% of the cash prize pool. 2 received 27% of the pool, while 3rd and 4th split the rest of the cash.
All participants also received a Fauna Shaman promo, with Karthik receiving a foil version. Due to an expected delay, the promos were not delivered on time. As such, the participants will receive them at a later date, at the expense of Evolution Games if necessary. As compensation for this, the store provided the players with extra free promotional items.
Current MTG Meta
As stated by RCQ judge William Barlen, the current meta can be described as, “Everyone gets heat checked by energy. If you are slower than energy, you have to interact with it. If you are faster, you have to beat their interaction.” This creates a highly interactive, skill-expressive experience for players, where victory is achieved through their ability to react to or manipulate their opponents.
This meta differentiates itself from previous metas by providing a wider variety of deck builds. For example, Fatal Push, once a staple in almost every deck, is now only played in 2. Furthermore, Arid Mesa, once considered a less desirable card because of its high cost, is now one of the most valuable, demonstrating the power of Red/White decks and just how format-defining energy is compared to previous metas.
How the MTG Competitive Play Works
This RCQ is one of several being held across the country, all leading to 1 of 2 Regional Championships. The first will be held in Houston in October, the second in Vegas in November. Winning an RCQ permits you to attend either RC, but not both.
Meaning that if you elect to attend the Championship in Houston, you cannot attend the one held in Vegas. If, however, you were to win another RCQ, then you could go to both. As of now, Karthik has said that he is most likely to attend the Championship in Houston
After the RC, the top 64 move on to the Pro Tour, and the top 2 move on to the World Championship, both of which are too far into the future to discuss here. For any who are curious, I know I was, if someone were to win BOTH Regional Championships (which is beyond unlikely), then the top 3 players will move on to Worlds.
Evolution Games
Located at 3132 SE Loop 820, Fort Worth, TX, Evolution Games has been servicing the community from the same location for 7 years. Besides the expected fare of trading cards (MTG, One Piece, Pokémon, Yu-Gi-Oh, and more), board games, miniatures, dice, and basic supplies and accessories, Evolution Games also offers several other unique features.
Firstly, for general convenience, they have a kiosk system that allows customers to see all the cards they have in stock at any given time, as well as what other products they may have available. This list can be accessed both at an in-game terminal and through the store website.
Secondly, they provide an open atmosphere for various gaming communities. Besides hosting several types of MTG (Modern, Standard, Commander, and RCQ), DnD, Pathfinder, and Warhammer 40K events, they also boast one of the largest One Piece TCG communities in the Metroplex and are in the process of growing a War Machine community.
Thirdly, they charge no fee for individuals to free play within the store, a service that is uncommon among most card/game shops. They also feature several large cards and plushies, which most customers find intriguing. Unfortunately, they are not for sale, so don’t ask.
