Disney Lorcana may still be relatively new, but it has one of the mightiest groups of dedicated players of any trading card game (TCG). I was privileged to attend the 2025 Disney Lorcana TCG North American Championship at the Disneyland Hotel, where one victor was crowned – Edmond Chiu. Ed’s road to Anaheim started by competing in qualifying regional Disney Lorcana events, placing 96th in Atlanta last May, 20th in Chicago in June, and taking the top spot in Fort Worth in July. He came into the North American Championship a winner, but victory was never a sure thing. Moments after receiving his trophy, I got to chat with Ed about his winning strategy, how he got into Disney Lorcana, and which character might make a meaningful meet-and-greet when he competes at the Disney Lorcana World Championship.
Alex: Congratulations on becoming the North American Disney Lorcana Champion! That final match was neck-and-neck. You came into this competition knowing you’re skilled at Disney Lorcana, but when did it become clear to you that this was yours?
Edmond Chiu: Honestly? Never. It all comes down to the matchups. In round one, I was playing against Blurple [Blue/Purple, aka Saphire/Amethyst], which is historically a tough matchup. I feel like it’s the king of the Amethyst decks. Fortunately, I was on the play, and there’s a huge play-draw discrepancy in Disney Lorcana right now. Being on the play is very advantageous because you get to quest first and be the proactive player. That really helped me in that matchup.
In the top eight, I had built my deck to counter Ruby/Sapphire, and I went up against “S4ilor” [ Pierre-Marc Duguay]. People probably consider him the best Ruby/Sapphire player—he essentially invented the deck. I was on the play again and felt confident because I’d tailored my deck to remove bad cards for that matchup and include good ones. I was fortunate to win there.
The semifinal was a battle of the Titans with Zan [Syed]. I hope people enjoyed that match because it felt like a culmination of both our Disney Lorcana careers. I first met him in March during a large tournament where he beat me in the finals, even though I was on the play. Since then, we’ve both improved, and it was nice to go deep into this tournament with so much on the line. In game three, I happened to draw better, which secured my win. Even though Zan had a bad opening hand, he played it the best he could. It was incredibly close despite that.
In the finals, I felt confident. I’d built my deck to beat Ruby/Sapphire, and winning game one is always a good start. I think my opponent won game two when he was on the play. He adapted well, realizing he needed to be the more aggressive player. After that, I re-centered myself, stuck to the game plan I’d devised on Friday, and executed it. Winning game three gave me confidence, and game four was pivotal. By turn five, things weren’t looking great for Ruby/Amethyst, but I’d prepared for that scenario and locked up the game. That win felt amazing—I knew it was the game that would seal the championship.
Alex: Did you come into Disney Lorcana purely as a Disney fan, as a trading card game fan, or was it a mix of both?
Edmond Chiu: I’ve played other trading card games, and that mindset translates well to Disney Lorcana. I stumbled upon it at a hobby store where they had The First Chapter boxes for sale. I thought, “Oh, a Disney card game—cool!” I like card games, and Disney is a big IP. I bought a couple of boxes, played with friends and family, and really enjoyed it. It’s been great growing with the community. In the beginning, no one knew how to play, so we were all learning together. I was fortunate to attend many tournaments and challenges, meeting great people along the way. That’s what keeps me coming back.
Alex: This road brought you to Disneyland and will now take you to Walt Disney World. Has Disney Lorcana given you a newfound appreciation for anything Disney-related, be it a character, theme park environment, or something else?
Edmond Chiu: My favorite card in Disney Lorcana is Lady Tremaine. I’ve played her since Rise of the Floodborn. She’s underappreciated because you don’t get to choose which card to banish, but you can set up situations where you get the banish you want. I haven’t watched Cinderella in years—probably since I was a kid—but maybe I should revisit it with a new appreciation for her character.
Alex: Lady Tremaine and the stepsisters often roam Fantasyland at Magic Kingdom, so hopefully, you can find her and snap a victory photo!
Edmond Chiu: That would be awesome!
Alex: Well, thank you very much, and congratulations again!
Ed will go on to play at the Disney Lorcana World Championship, being held later this year at the Walt Disney World Resort (dates to be announced) where he will not only face off against the European champion but also the Top 8 players from the North America and European championships.
Disney Lorcana live-streamed the North American Championship. Visit the videos section of the Disney Lorcana Twitch account to watch or rewatch the epic finale.