It’s been a while…

It’s been a while…

Hi everyone! It’s been ages since I last posted in this BLOG. Been very busy lately and since I just got married, I have even less time to spend for Yugioh. I was not able to join any major events lately as I had to attend some really important meetings and family matters during weekends.

Today I’m not going to talk about any tournament reports not only because I wasn’t able to join any LOL, but more importantly, I want to impart a few tips to beginners and intermediate players who want to improve their game and up their chances of winning. Please note that I am in no way claiming to be some guru, I just want to share what I know mostly for the benefit of people new to the game and encourage them to play competitively. Here in the Philippines, there are a lot of casual players who choose not to join tournaments. Part of the reason for not playing competitively is the mindset of losing to “pro” or experienced players. Hopefully, including a short “Points to Ponder” section every time I post on this BLOG will help new and aspiring players improve their game and may be able to convince people that even the best pros can lose to new players as long as they got their basics right. For the past years, I have witnessed the power level of newly printed cards grow exponentially that nowadays, the so called “pros” can lose just as easily as the next guy against lesser opponents who drew better. I am not saying skill isn’t a factor anymore, I am just stating that nowadays, luck is as much a factor as skill.

Points to Ponder

Before I begin, I would like to say that this section is primarily intended to give players who are quite new to the game some insights which could possibly help them succeed in the competitive scene. Most experienced players already know everything about what I have to say, so please don’t bash me and say, “we already know this. You suck. Blah, blah, blah.”

Deckbuilding. Being competitive means not only being skilled in playing the game. Equally important is the deck you choose to play and the effectiveness and efficiency of the build. There have been times where I have heard people get complimented for not using X card and still winning. Example: “Wow, he won using a standard Inzecter deck without Duality. Talk about skill. He must be really pro.” If you are saying this to make the guy feel good, then there is nothing wrong with it. But if you truly believe that winning using a deck with a sub-optimal build is all about skill, then you are mistaken. If anything, luck played a bigger factor because using a deck that lacks some essential components will make it a bit harder for you to win no matter how skilled you are and you will need luck on your side to pull through.

So, what exactly is my point here? I am saying that your deck will further lose consistency and power without certain essential cards which add to its efficiency and effectiveness (e.g. Duality in Inzecter/Heroes, Tour Guide in Wind-up/Dino Rabbit). These have either been statistically proven, determined by common sense, or the cards are just plain broken and are therefore “too good not to play.” As long as you are able to afford those cards with no problems, you will have a bigger chance of success in a tournament if you have them in your deck. Please note that I am in no way implying it is impossible to win without these “power” cards. I am just stating that they increase your chances of winning due to the added consistency and power that they give your deck.

As the saying goes, “Don’t bring a knife to a gun fight.” Your deck is your “weapon” of choice and if your weapon is inferior, then you’re in deep trouble if you are facing someone skilled who has a superior weapon.