Magic: The Gathering, one of the most popular trading card games (TCG), has created a community at Mercy University.
Freshman Marcelle Morgan is one of the regulars who enjoys playing card games and uses his passion for playing them to spend time with friends.
“It’s a space where people I’m friends with and I can hang around and play card games,” he said. For Morgan, it’s about being able to unwind with people who share his hobby.
According to Tribunal.net, over 21,000 active players participate worldwide, showing how widespread the game has become. At Mercy, students gather regularly to play, compete, and connect through their shared interest in card games.
Junior Li Almanzar, who recently transferred to Mercy, noticed an opportunity to organize meetups and get people involved. “I thought, ‘Hey, we should start this,’” he recalled.
Almanzar was surprised by how many students showed up to the first meetups. “Usually, there’s only 10 people, but we get loud as if there’s 50 of us,” he adds.
While Magic: The Gathering is the main game, Yu-Gi-Oh! is also occasionally played. The mix of games keeps the group engaged and adds variety to the meetups.
Almanzar describes the group as ideal for those who identify as “introvert-extroverts,” a term he uses for people who like socializing but also appreciate their space.
“It’s a way to be social without too much pressure,” Li explains, noting that the group’s casual environment makes it easier for everyone to relax and enjoy the game.
Regulars like Andres Sanz and Manny Lacon have been playing for years. Sanz started Magic in middle school. “I’ve been playing for years,” he says. Lacon, who first played in high school, took a break from the game but returned years later.
“I took a hiatus but started back in 2018.”
Despite their experience, no one in the group considers themselves a professional. “We’re not trying to act like pros,” Almanzar said. “It’s about having fun and enjoying the game.”
For them, it’s less about competition and more about creating a space where everyone can join in, whether they’re beginners or seasoned players.
The group usually plays Commander, a popular style of play in Magic: The Gathering. In Commander, players use 99-card decks. Each player starts with seven cards, using lands and creatures to attack. Terms like “tapping” and “attacking” are important to the game.
Magic The Gathering was created in 1993 by Richard Garfield and was distributed by Wizards of the Coast, a sci-fi and fantasy publisher who once published Pokemon cards and acquired Dungeons and Dragons in 1997. According to their website, http://magic.wizards.com/, players represent wizards that are referred to as Planeswalkers. Players draw from a deck to cast magical spells for various plays such as combat damage while factoring a budget known as mana.
The group meets every Friday from 3 p.m. to 6 p.m. for their sessions.
For those interested in trading card games (TCG), reach out to [email protected].
