Pokémon card game, interview with the Italian number one at the London championships

Participation in the European International Championships (EUIC) in London represented a tactical challenge of primary importance for Conti, who approached the event with a less conservative approach than in past seasons. “London is certainly one of the most important stages of the circuit and for this reason the choice of deck is the most complex of the season”, explains the player, motivating the transition from consolidated strategies to a more daring choice. “In the past I have always preferred a ‘safe’ choice, a deck that I have had the opportunity to play in other tournaments in order to get the most out of it, but this year I went towards a slightly riskier choice”, continues Conti, referring to the use of Grimmsnarl. The daily preparation started in December allowed us to refine the management of the deck, leading it to conclude the competition with a placement in the Top 64.

Despite the satisfaction with the result, the analysis of the London weekend highlights a constant search for technical perfection through the study of one’s mistakes. “I always like to do an analysis of each tournament at the end of the weekend, to understand what went well and what didn’t”, comments the Italian number one, admitting that he underestimated a specific matchup which caused two defeats which he defines as avoidable. However, psychological resilience remains a pillar of his playing method, oriented more towards constant growth than immediate results. “From this international I return home really satisfied, because the hard work of the last month and a half was important during the event”, concludes Conti, reiterating the philosophy that guides every performance: “The important thing is not to win, but to understand where you went wrong”.