Interview: Chalice - Winner of Asia Open Singapore
- rubentruong
- Jul 28
- 6 min read
Player: Fabien Cheng aka Chalice
Favorite Leader: RG Law
Favorite Character (in manga): Law (Devil fruit: Newgate)
What Character needs a leader: Loki or Mihawk
Best One Piece Alt-Art: OP01 Law (5c)
Socials:
Twitter - @ELV_Chalice
Who am I?
Hi! I’m Fabien — some of you might know me as Chalice from X. I'm a competitive One Piece Card Game player based in Singapore, although I spend more time traveling for tournaments than actually being at home 🫠
I'm also one of the co-founders and main content creators at Elevate TCG. I focus on producing educational content designed to elevate your gameplay.
Currently, I'm the No.1 ranked One Piece Card Game player in Singapore based on the “SEA Gǒu Jiào Leaderboard” curated by @nuewbii. I'm now setting my sights on climbing the Limitless Leaderboards by competing in English events — aiming to further elevate my 狗叫 (Gǒu jiào) game (because apparently, that's what the OPTCG content grind is about... and my grandma didn’t raise a loser).
Without further delay, here’s a rundown of the achievements I’ve recorded during my One Piece Card Game journey!
My Achievements
2022 Season 1 (OP01)
None
2022 Season 2 (OP02)
Asia Championship Preliminary 1on1 (Malaysia) - Top 16 (R/G Law)
2022 Season 3 (OP02)
None
2023-24 Season 1 (OP03 - OP04)
Asia Championship Preliminary 1on1 (Malaysia) - Top 8 (Red Whitebeard)
Asia Championship Preliminary 3on3 (Malaysia) - Top 8 (Red Whitebeard)
2023-24 Season 2 (OP05 - OP06)
Asia Championship Preliminary 1on1 (Singapore) - Top 4 (R/G Law)
Asia Championship Preliminary 3on3 (Indonesia) - Champion (R/G Law)
Asia Championship Preliminary 3on3 (Malaysia) - Champion (R/G Law)
Asia Championship Area Finals (Singapore) - 2nd Place (U/B Sakazuki)
Asia Championship Finals - Participant (Black Moria)
2024-25 Season 1 (OP07 - OP08)
Asia Championship Preliminary 3on3 (Singapore) - Champion (R/P Law)
Asia Championship Preliminary 1on1 (Philippines) - 2nd Place (R/P Law)
Asia Championship Preliminary 3on3 (Philippines) - 2nd Place (Black CP0 Lucci)
Grand Asia Open (Malaysia) - 2nd Place (R/P Law)
Asia Championship Preliminary 3on3 (Malaysia) - Top 8 (R/P Law)
Asia Championship Area Finals 1st Round (Singapore) - Top 8 (R/P Law)
2024-25 Season 2 (OP08 - OP10)
Oceania Offline Regionals (Adelaide) - Top 8 (B/Y Luffy)
Bandai Card Fest (Singapore) - Top 8 (Blue Doflamingo)
Asia Championship Preliminary 1on1 (Indonesia) - Top 16 (Purple Luffy)
Asia Championship Preliminary 3on3 (Indonesia) - Champion (Blue Doflamingo)
Asia Championship Area Finals (Singapore) - Top 4 (Blue Doflamingo)
2025-26 Season 1 (OP10 - OP12)
Europe Offline Regionals (London) - Top 8 (Black Blackbeard)
Oceania Offline Regionals (Perth) - 2nd Place (Black Blackbeard)
Asia Championship Preliminary 3on3 (Hong Kong) - Top 16 (Green Zoro)
Oceania Offline Regionals (Sydney) - Top 16 (U/P Luffy)
Grand Asia Open (Singapore) - Champion (U/P Luffy)
First off, congratulations on your victory at Grand Asia Open Singapore! Let’s get into it—why did you choose U/P Luffy for OP12?
It’s the definitive BDIF (Best Deck in Format). The matchup spread is insanely strong and it’s a deck that rewards tight, optimal piloting. Every game is navigable if you understand how to play it well.
How many steps are left before you’re officially headed to Worlds?
Right now, I’m qualified for GAO Finals, where the top 16 players will compete for a single Worlds invite. 1st goes straight to Worlds, 2nd goes to Asia Finals. So technically… one more step.
We noticed your decklist didn’t include any OP12 cards. Is it essentially the same as the OP11 list?
Pretty much. I went with a super streamlined build—no gimmicks, minimal techs. I value consistency. I also didn’t bother to respect the Blackbeard matchup; there’s only one Blackbeard player I actually fear. The rest? Not worth adjusting my deck for.
You could run the exact list for OP11. Maybe I’d add another Gravity Blade because Belo Betty has more traction, but that’s about it.
Would you recommend U/P Luffy to Western players preparing for Finals?
Absolutely. If you put the reps in, you’ll realize U/P Luffy is the strongest deck in the OP11/12 metagame. In fact, it’s even better in OP11. The G/P Luffy matchup is much easier there compared to OP12.
People might be scared of Belo Betty, but I honestly find that matchup manageable—even if unfavored. It’s nothing compared to the danger of a truly skilled Blackbeard player, and let’s be real—those are rare.
What’s the best way to prepare with this deck for a major event like Finals?
Master the nuances. U/P Luffy isn’t a deck you can autopilot (outside of the mirror, which is kind of brain-dead). You need matchup knowledge and deep understanding of your card economy.
Learn how to:
Min-max your resources with Giant
Order your stack correctly
Ramp (or delay ramping) with Katakuri
Do proper trigger math with 9-cost Big Mom
That’s just the surface. Practice is mandatory if you want to pilot this deck at the highest level.
Do you have a guide for U/P Luffy?
Yes—check out my full guide on Metafy:https://metafy.gg/guides/view/op11-the-u-slash-p-luffy-guide-jLQAuhmW17d?contextGroupId=20a71584-1902-41fb-9dd3-3f7c9a0428de
Is it relevant for Western players too?
Definitely. I tailor all my content for the western audience. I’m based in SEA but actively compete in Western events and have the results to back it up.
Who is the guide best for—new players or veterans?
It’s best suited for players who already understand the fundamentals of the One Piece Card Game. If you’re looking to level up your U/P Luffy game or go deep into advanced concepts, it’s for you.
What’s the hardest part about learning U/P Luffy, and do you cover it in the guide?
Understanding the deeper mechanics—ramp timing, resource efficiency, stack management. Yes, I cover all that in detail.
Plus, I’m always open to questions! If you’re ever stuck or feel the content is insufficient, drop me a DM on Discord.
Do you offer coaching or deck reviews?
Yes! I’ve been coaching since the game launched—not just for U/P Luffy but for the One Piece Card Game as a whole. My Metafy is a one-stop for competitive One Piece Card Game content.
What’s your vision for the global simultaneous release?
Honestly, I just want to shut down the East vs. West debate. I’ve competed in both regions. It’s not that deep—good players win. End of story.
Do you think the strongest region will finally be clear?
I'm not too concerned with figuring out which region is the strongest — I’m more focused on proving that I am the strongest.
Would you recommend U/P Luffy for ChinoizeCup or even Finals/LCQ?
Absolutely. In OP11, U/P Luffy and Belo Betty are the two strongest picks. I personally prefer Luffy for its more consistent spreads with skilled piloting.
Belo Betty is dominant in the West—how do you feel about that matchup?
Covered this earlier, but again: it’s unfavored, but not scary. If you can stabilize by Turn 4, it’s smooth sailing.
Which two decks do you think will qualify for Worlds from the West in OP11?
Belo Betty is a strong contender—most Western players haven’t adapted to the deck, and it has favorable matchups across the board.
The second might be G/P Luffy, because U/P Luffy’s performance hasn’t been great out West. Honestly, I think it’s a skill issue.
If GGG gets hit, is U/P Luffy still viable? And what other deck would you pivot to?
If Giant gets hit, Purple Straw Hat decks might become unplayable. But with recent reprints, I don’t think that’ll happen.
If anything, I expect a hit to 9-cost Big Mom or the U/P Luffy leader itself.
As for what deck I’ll pivot to, I might just put on a helmet and play Green Zoro.
Fun one to end on—if you could ban and unban one card, what would you choose?
Ban: U/P Luffy Leader, so I can finally stop playing it and move on with my life.
Unban: R/P Law. Let all hell break loose. 16 Pot of Greeds. LFG!
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