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 Trading Card Game Tips from fans

 

June 2007

The art of the bluff.
 
As in every great card game, be it with a standard 52 Poker Card deck or customized trading card game, only half the battle lies in the actual cards you hold in your hand. This is more than just a battle of the decks... this is a war of the bluff.
Just like a great poker face can help conceal what cards you have in your hand, a great fake poker face can lure your opponent into traps, or help you stall while you look for the perfect card. Many times has a person had the opportunity to go in for the kill, only to leave their opponent's life points untouched for fear of a tide-turning face down card.
Here are some great ways to help yourself out in a situation where you are facing imminent doom:
 
1) Body Language
First and foremost, watch yourself. Bluff or not, the human body's ability to read cues just by the way you carry yourself is unsurpassed. If you play a bluff, don't shift your weight in your seat. It shows that you are uncomfortable or nervous. Likewise, don't say anything. Just play your move. If you narrate your actions, your opponent may be able to tell just by the quality of your voice (via trembling, change in tone, etc.) that you're doing nothing but trying to pass a weak attempt at a lie. Similar to the voice, the eyes are also a way for a person to read your thoughts. If you look at your opponent, don't dart your focus away... they'll know you're bluffing. Finally, don't cross your arms or bend your body forward after setting a bluff... this sends a signal for your opponent that you're being defensive, most likely due to a bluff.
The previous tips were for a sticky situation in which you need to bluff to survive. If you want to lure your opponent into attacking, just do the opposite. Shift uncomfortably, or don't look directly at your opponent. For experienced actors, try putting a little tremble or squeak in your voice... followed by a clearing of the throat and nervous giggle. You'd be surprised how many players surpass logic for a seemingly quick strike at your LP.
 
2) Spell/Trap Bluffs
Spell/Trap card bluffs are the easiest to pull off, because that's what they were designed for. If you find yourself without monsters and facing an imminent attack, always place a face down magic/trap card... even if you can't actually use it to defend yourself. Your opponent might think you placed down a Mirror Force, when in actuality you've got nothing more than an expendable Spell card on the field. It's not foolproof, but if you pull it off, you might buy yourself a turn or two.
If you really want to lay it on thick, let out a sigh of relief after your draw phase, and then set down a Spell/Trap card right away (if you didn't draw a Spell/Trap card, then shuffle your hand a bit so your opponent doesn't know). This sigh of relief will tell your opponent, "Hey bub, I just drew a card that'll somehow prevent your attack."
 
3) Set Monster Cards
Just like with Spell/Trap cards, set Monster cards present the following dilemma to duelists: Does it have a Flip effect? How do you make your opponent think you've got a Night Assailant or Morphing Jar #2 on the field? Easy... ask about Flip Effects. Something along the lines of, "Do Flip Effects occur before or after battle damage?" will plant a tiny seed of doubt in your opponent. It helps if you pretend to glance at the card you're about to set while you do it, too. Your opponent might hesitate to attack something as weak as one of the Ojama Trio!
 
4) Attack Position Monster Cards
If you feel really daring, you can pull off one of the handiest bluffs: The Two Card Kamikaze. This basically involves placing a monster in attack position with such ridiculous attack (or at least, an attack significantly lower than your opponent's monsters)... and then placing a Spell/Trap bluff. If your opponent's head doesn't explode from this illogic, then they'll thick you're brewing something and may decline to attack altogether. For example, placing something such as Spirit of the Breeze in attack position, then placing a face down Spell/Trap card, makes your opponent think that you must have some means to defend it. This way, if your opponent doesn't attack, you gain a turn and some LP too.
 
Now, mind you... these methods are not guaranteed to have a 100% success rate. And it takes some practice to have an air of confidence strong enough to pull off something against an experienced player. But if you are in a bind and you need just one more chance to draw the perfect card... or if you're simply trying to bait your opponent into a much larger plan of attack, the art of the bluff is an incredibly useful way to do it.
 
GambleDecker
jx_pop@hotmail.com

 

 

 


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