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Cloudstrife 189 on Yugioh
The secret to dueling: The Kaiba Complex
December 7, 2009

In my last article, I presented a question. That question was: What does it take to top at a YGO SJC tournament. After doing some soul searching and reading through all of you guys’ many comments, post, pm’s, emails and IM’s, I think that I’m finally ready to complete my revelation.

Welcome to the secret to dueling: The Kaiba Complex.

I decided to call this article The Kaiba Complex after receiving a very insightful email from a devoted fan. He informed me that my situation seemed very much like what Kaiba had against Yugi. In the first episode, Kaiba had the ultimate and perfect strategy and yet Yugi still managed to topdeck into Exodia and come out the victor. However, it was their battle city duel that seems to capture what I experience the most at SJCs. Their duel went back and forth with each player managing to bring out big combos, swaying the tides of the duel back and forth until Yugi managed to finally come out on top.

Now, in that duel, I don’t think Yugi won purely due to luck. I will also go as far to say that he didn’t even “outplay” Kaiba. I don’t think that Kaiba did anything wrong in any plays leading up to his final move. The duel was bound to come to an end, and Yugi just happened to be victorious.
After the duel, Kaiba felt how I felt. He questioned all his moves that he did and thought that there must be some mistake. Yugi then told him that Kaiba learned nothing from their duel and that until he does, Kaiba can never defeat him (or at least, that is how I understood it).

Now, I hope not to start a huge debate by saying this, but I truly feel that Kaiba was/is the superior duelist. Yes, I understand that Yugi DID indeed win the duel, but logically, Kaiba did have a more sound and effective strategy. Yugi left a lot of his duels up to chance and the heart of the cards (aka, the “luck” factor), while Kaiba spent a lot of times trying to improve his own deck and abilities, which in return would raise his odds at winning. So according to this TV show,

Luck > Odds

But from what I have found out about life,

Odds > Luck

However, I do now understand something that Kaiba didn’t seem to understand nor accept. There is luck in this game and you have to be prepared to handle it. Kaiba thought that sound calculations would do it all which indeed, they did do a lot. However, he didn’t calculate the “X-factor”, which would lead to his downfall. Sometimes, you have to expect the unexpected. This is indeed a game. Each draw is suppose to be “randomized” and you place cards in your deck hoping that you draw them at the right moment. Obviously, sometimes you do, and sometimes you don’t. We choose to build decks that maximize our potential at drawing stuff at the proper moments, but we can only do so much. No matter how many calculations you execute, you can never get rid of the luck aspect unless you cheat or have Yugi’s millennium puzzle.

So now I understand that:

Luck + Odds > Odds or Luck

This leads me to my revelation. By admitting that there is a luck aspect, I no longer need to get upset after losing a duel. I need to remember that it is a game and that because there IS luck that is part of what makes it fun. I will try my best to manipulate luck in my favor (by having strong deck synergy, executing my strategy flawless, etc). However, I must try to remember to have fun. As much as I hate to admit it, I won’t get rich off this game. I won’t get fame off this game. In fact, what do I really hope to get out of this game? What do I really intend to get out of ANY game? And the truth is, you play a game to have fun. If I was trying to make more money by playing cards, I should invest in Pro Poker or something. But because I don’t, I am stuck playing a “children’s card game.” I will always continue to practice and try and get better, so when luck isn’t on my side, I have something to fall back on. However, I will also try to enjoy it more and remember to smile more and have a little more fun. I’m not trying to turn this whole article into the sappy ole “just have fun” message, but think about it. What more can you really expect out of a GAME!!! When you aren’t aiming for the fun factor anymore, then you are no longer playing a game and it becomes something much more than that. That isn’t always bad, but you have to ask yourself if you really want this Yugioh TCG to be “more than just a game” in your life.

For me, I don’t think I do anymore. I want this game to remain a game, and I want to start having more fun again. If I want to make more money, I will get a better job. If I want to prove to people that I am smart and clever, I will focus more in school. Kaiba wanted this game to satisfy all of his needs and prove his wealth, fame and power to grant him respect. I will not expect YGO to do the same for me anymore. It be may be a slow transition, but a transition none-the-less. This is my revelation.

So to get back to my question:

What does it take to top at an SJC?

I’m still not too sure. But with my newly found revelation, I'll have fun througout the discovery.

-Cloudstrife 189