August 2007

 

     I'm banking no duelist who has played over 100 games has gone undefeated. Even a starter may beat the best once in a while just because of something unexpected. Kenny So was a no name but went far because burn wasn't sided against. Anyone can win, but no one can "not lose."
    So I come here to teach. As an accomplished no name duelist, I know what goes on in many heads. When you build your deck, whether the night before the tournament, a week, or whatever, you expect to gather wins but still lose some. Of course I'm referring to games, not matches. But how can you feel like you're going to go undefeated? What's the secret to confidence? How does Fili Luna make Top 8 every time? Most duelists say practice, which is a key component but there are many other factors to going undefeated.
    Practice of course being one of the big ones. It's not like practicing to get better, anyone can do that. It's practicing to know the game better. Many people use the reference of giving a beginner a great deck, but without skill or practice, he/she won't win. That is true so to fix that, you practice. Whether it be versus your friends, random folks, your pet gerbil, or even yourself, it is a necessity to know things in this game.
    Decision making, deck building, and play style all fall into practice. you learn to make better choices as your knowledge of the game increases through practice. In short time, you'll know whether to flip that Mirror Force on an attack of 1 big monster or an assault of 3 tiny-medium monsters. Deck building comes out of practice also. When you practice a lot, you learn to play your own way. If you're used to going agressive, you build an agressive deck with spell/trap removal and strong monsters. Play style causes your deck building style. Agressive, conservative, win effect, combo. When you find the perfect style for you, you improve in ways Goku improved when he went SSJ.
    Knowledge of the game is just as important as practice, maybe more. When you know what cards do what, you have a good advantage. You know not to fill up your backfield with 5 cards unless Heavy Storm or other full wipeouts are gone. You know not to have 5 monsters on the field unles you have a counter for Mirror Force or Torrential Tribute.
    Skill being another key factor determines a lot of duels. It ties in with Knowledge and Decision Making. A skillful player knows which card to should MST when facing a Lockdown Burn Deck with 3 cards in the back.
    Confiedence is the biggest when playing in a big match. When you play with great confidence, your focus level is off the charts and you feel like nothing will stop you...except Exodia. Your opponent might look in your face and seem scared when he sees a Peyton Manning Super Bowl face imprinted there.
    Finally, believe. If you want to think that Heart of the Cards is real, go right ahead. No one will stop you from believing in yourself. Confidence and Hope crushers are only there because you create them. If you ignore them, your play will be as good as anyone in the world.
    And there are the pieces you need to gather before you go 100%.
   
    On another note, I am holding a tournament consisting of 16 players. If you would like a copy of the feature matches, I'd be happy to send you them. Learn from what they do well and from what mistakes they make. The Top 16 feature matches are Zombies vs Crystal Beasts and Six Samurai vs Gravekeepers. The tournament should be done in a day's worth of time so if you would like the Quarterfinals, Semifinals, 3-4 Match, Finals, Top 4 decklists, or the bracket, feel free to ask.

    E-mail me at bamoon518@yahoo.com and Until Next Time.