“I want to wake up in the city that never sleeps
To find I'm king of the hill, top of the heap.
These little town blues
Are melting away
I'll make a brand new start of it
In old New York.
If I can make it there
I'll make it anywhere.”

 

—Frank Sinatra, “New York, New York”

 

Truer words were never spoken.

 

For 309 of the greatest Vs. players in the world, this is the day. This morning, breakfast is not sitting easily (if it was eaten at all) and there are big-game butterflies tugging at every competitor. It’s Day 1 of Pro Circuit New York, the biggest tournament on the biggest stage of them all. The preparation is done. The anticipation is done. Now, life is at the numbered tables, and the rest is just waiting.

 

Each of the great minds in this cavernous venue is looking to make an indelible mark on the game and the industry, not to mention their respective bank accounts. Who will rocket out of the gate and who will stumble? Who will put hours and hours of playtesting to good use and who will be caught unprepared? If, like most Vs. fans, you are seeking an answer to these and other burning questions, you needn’t wait much longer. You need only tune in throughout the day as Metagame.com brings you the latest, up-to-date happenings from Pro Circuit New York.

 

Rob Leander, Adam Prosak, Adam Horvath, Antonino DeRosa, Ryan Jones, and Carl Perlas are just some of the top names that will be doing battle today, wading in a metagame that has myriad possibilities and no clear favorite. There is a safe choice in Curve Sentinels, but what works for the layman and the qualifier may not be the right choice for a Vs. prodigy who can turn a game with Fantastic Fun into a virtuoso performance. As always, Teen Titans and other old favorites are waiting in the wings to snatch the title, should the opportunity present itself and the cards fall the right way. It will take a record of 7-5 to make Day 2 and have a shot at the money.

 

The $250,000 prize pool may be the center of attention for many, but there is more than that going on here at the Pro Circuit at every level of play. Side events, cradled in the capable hands of the PES event staff, are running like clockwork, and some of the best artists in the industry are showcasing and autographing their wares. It’s a celebration of card gaming, culture, and competition, and no gamer is too young, too old, or too inexperienced to enjoy it.