More than 15 contestants attended the store to battle it out for a place in the card game’s international tour.  

Winner, Katoomba local Luke Symonds, will be heading to Sydney for the second stage of the competition. A win in Sydney could mean his next stop is Minneapolis for the game’s international tour.

Symonds’ brother Ben finished second in the contest and Nick Brady of Penrith came in third. 

Owner of Game On Tony Fisk said Lithgow locals also did well, with some making the top eight. 

To be eligible to host the qualifier, Game On had to prove it had an active community of players involved in regular Magic events at the store.

“Every Friday night we have a competition and on Sundays we have a casual play,” Mr Fisk said. 

Due to Saturday’s success the store will be hosting a second qualifier on June 30 for Magic’s ‘Dominaria’ pro tour in Atlanta. 

“The judge was really pleased with the way things went,” Mr Fisk said. 

Brad Williams, who works at Game On and competed in Saturday’s tournament, said Magic, which is celebrating its 25^th birthday, has remained a popular card game for a reason. 

“The game relies a lot on strategic skills like chess, you have to read the cards like in poker and it also relies on the luck of the draw,” he said.

“It’s an escape from reality, you can play cards that are elves, demons, angels, everything. It’s a way of expressing how you feel in the way you play and follow your instincts.”

Those interested in learning how to play Magic: The Gathering can attend Game On’s weekly Friday night tournaments.