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 Trading Card Game Tips from fans

From: Shadow Master
Subject: New Spin on Card Advantage - Master of Shadows



Hello, Pojoers! Master of Shadows here. I haven't written in a while, so let's make up for it with another tired article on Card Advantage.



If you don't know the basics of Card Advantage, then skip this article.



Let's use a common example to start. You just used [Smashing Ground / Fissure / Hammer Shot] on your opponent's Zaborg the Thunder Monarch. Your opponent summoned him last turn, destroyed a monster of yours with its effect and then destroyed something in battle. At face value, the Smashing Ground / Fissure / Hammer Shot was a 1 for 1, a +0 Card Advantage.



Here's my spin on it. That was a preventative -1 Card Advantage, that Smashing Ground / Fissure / Hammer Shot. How? Look at it like this.



How much did it cost the opponent to play Zaborg? 1 for the sacrifice, 1 for the monster. Okay. That's +2 for you. What advantage did the opponent gain? 1 for the destroyed monster at summoning, 1 for the monster destroyed in battle. That's -2 for you. How much did it cost for you to get rid of him? 1 for Smashing Ground / whatever you used (will be Smashing Ground for the rest of the article). That's -1 for that, -1 for the whole situation.



Now wait a minute. Before, I said a PREVENTATIVE -1. Why was it preventative? If allowed to stay on the field, that Zaborg probably would've destroyed another monster, a +1 in your opponent's favor. Then when you play Smashing Ground, it would be a +0 at face value, -2 below the surface. Then you must consider this: Did that Smashing Ground give you a clear shot at their Life Points or other monsters? Consider that.



Let's spend a moment on preventative losses in advantage. Yes, we never want to lose advantage, but we never want to lose the duel. Let's consider this: You know your opponent has a level 4- monster in hand. They have a monster on the field you know is stronger than whatever's in their hand. You have no monsters and Lightning Vortex plus at least one other card (but no summonable monsters). Your Life Points are lower than that monster on the field's attack but higher than the monster in their hand's attack. (Don't ask; you played the Common Sense card as far as determining all this.) You have 2 choices. You can avoid the -1 and lose the duel or you can take the -1, play Lightning Vortex, and hope they don't summon something to end the duel. The wise choice: take the preventative -1.



I could go on and on about all this, but I hate dueling by numbers and thinking about Card Advantage while I duel. Whenever I do, regardless of how much of an advantage I may or may not have, I usually lose, and not because the opponent cares for Card Advantage. The opponent usually takes those preventative -1's and -2's. I do it, too.



Chew on this, but don't choke. Don't read too much into this or you'll be here until Christmas rolls around again.



All messages can be sent to darkdestructionv30@yahoo.com



Until next time...

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