Top Deck’s Aetherdrift Store Championship just concluded, which saw players coming in from different parts of Mindanao to compete for the prizes. After a grueling 5-round tournament with a top 8 cut, the dust settled to crown our champion: Ale Quijano. One of the newer faces in the store, she battled through both veterans and her contemporaries until she emerged victorious. We got to sit down with her and do a short interview:
TD: Congratulations on your win, Ale! This is your first Store Championship win, yes?
A: Yup, this is also my first ever Store Championship.
TD: And you won on your first try, that’s impressive. How long have you been playing MTG now?
A: I’ve been playing for about one year and five months now.
TD: It’s good to see that you’re already reaping some results after a relatively short time in the hobby. If I’m not mistaken, you’re also the first female to win the title at Top Deck. How are you feeling right now?
A: I’m happy that I won, and also proud that everything you guys taught me didn’t go to waste. It also gave me a big confidence boost.
TD: How did you prepare for this tournament?
A: Lots of playtesting with my friends in the store. We also spent time theorycrafting and preparing strategies for the possible matchups.
TD: What deck did you end bring to the tournament?
A: The deck is called Dimir Withdrawal, because of the inclusion of Push/Pull in the deck. It’s basically a slightly tweaked version of Dimir Demons.
TD: Can you explain how your deck works?
A: It’s more of a control/midrange deck with Unholy Annex and demons serving as both card draw and finishers.
TD: What are your good and bad matchups?
A: The deck favors midrange and control matchups since we can outvalue them in the long game. Aggro decks are a problem, that’s why we have additional board wipes and removal in the sideboard.
TD: Any memorable games during the tournament?
A: The game I had on stream versus Doc Paulo. I was nervous because it was streamed, and I was up against one of the faster top tier decks in Esper Pixie. Thankfully I won after 3 games.
TD: It’s refreshing to see a new face on the podium this time. Any message for aspiring MTG players?
A: Magic has taught me so much. It's more than just a game; it's a mental workout and a chance to grow. Playing magic has brought me out of my shell. I’ve met amazing and passionate people who love the game as much as I do. As you start your journey, embrace the challenges and celebrate your progress. Don’t be discouraged when you lose the game, you’ll get better as you keep playing and you might surprise yourself with what you learn and achieve. I wish you all the best on your Magic adventure.
