The secret to dueling: REVELATION pt. 1

[Cloudstrife 189]

This article today presents a question; a question that I have asked many times and one that I cannot ever seem to answer. That question is:

What does it take to win an SJC?

While I still haven’t quite found the “correct” answer, I believe that I’m a little bit closer to finally discovering it.

Welcome to my next article, The secret to dueling: REVELATION pt.1

First, let me fill you guys in on some of my background information before I continue. I’ve been playing the game since the beginning. I have been playing competitively the ENTIRE time. I train/practice/research rulings daily. I RARELY misplay. All the things I talk about in my articles (direct correlation, 7 steps, it’s not the deck…,etc), I have MASTERED! My locals pose no adequate competition. I win/top at almost every regional I currently attend. I attend almost every SJC each year.

Now, as it must appear that I am expressing a really high ego, but let me assure you that I am not. In fact, I’m doing the complete opposite. Because, even with all these “accomplishments”, I HAVE NEVER TOPPED AT A SHONEN JUMP CHAMPIONSHIP!!!

I focus and try to think of some factor of this game that I am missing. I try so hard to remove the “luck” element of the game and put all the responsibility on the player that I am beginning to have doubts. When I lost my first match at the recent SJC Columbus, I was devastated. I started running through a myriad of questions?

-Did I misplay? No
-Did he outplay me? No
-Did I side deck wrong? No
-Is there anything I could have done differently to win? Maybe…
-etc

There were almost tears in my eyes afterwards because I trained so hard to win and I know that the person who defeated me didn’t even want the victory as bad. I literally analyzed, and reanalyzed the entire time until the next match where I continue to lose AGAIN!

Now, this is where depression kicks in. I instantly feel like a failure. I think of all the time/energy/money that I spent on this game and for what? For nothing… I think back to all the people who expected me to do well and to give some weight to all of my articles. I think back at how often I lost in the duels leading up to this event and can barely even remember one. I’m so use to winning on such a regular basis that being defeated so quickly was almost too much to handle. And that is when it happened, the revelation.

I found out that there was something more to this game then just knowing all the rules and having a good deck. There is something more than just knowing what all the top tier decks are and how to side deck effectively. Play testing, researching, and studying just aren’t quite enough. There is another element of this game that I’ve been oblivious of this whole time. However, the sad part is, is that I’m still not quite sure of what it is. Some people call it “luck”, other people call it Destiny or Fate, but I refuse to believe any of that stuff. Or atleast, I did. I put so much emphasize on the player, that I failed to understand the few situations when the player is seriously just S.O.L.(excuse me for lack of a better expression.)

When you see great players like Lazaro Bellido, Jerry Wang or even Ryan Newborn get beat, you have to ask yourself if they really got defeated by the “better player”; and the truth of the matter is, NO, or atleast, not always. They don’t always get beat because they misplayed or because they forgot a ruling. No, that is not the case. Sometimes they just got beat because of the “uncontrollable” factor that a lot of people seem to refer to as “luck.” After going to over 10+ SJCs, I don’t think that I can continue to deny that factor anymore.

However, I’m going to do something strange that I have never done before. I'm going to end this artice incomplete. I am truly at a loss. I want and NEED to hear you guys’ comments before I can continue and conclude this article.

If you guys have any advice, tips, comments, questions or concerns, please post them on here. That way I can finally have some closure and understanding on this confusing and incomplete “REVELATION.”

-Cloudstrife 189

[Yussa Tampon]

From what I read, you are doing things correctly. When you lose you aren't complaining about getting sacked by rather asking why you lost.

That's really as much as you have to do (along with further answering those questions)

[PsychicKid]

It really is luck (or more accurately, probability). Each player has an X/40 chance of drawing that Mirror Force or Heavy Storm or Judgment Dragon to turn the game around, but those chances shrink down to X/39, X/38, as the opening hand and turns tick by.

Destiny, fate, luck, probability, heart of the cards, whatever it is, it's one of those things that will always be present in a game where cards are randomized and you can only get to so many during a single game.

[The_Dark_Monarch]

*cat amongst pigeons time*

I think they win because they stack.

Nothing more than that.

[PsychicKid]

Originally Posted by The_Dark_Monarch

*cat amongst pigeons time*

I think they win because they stack.

Nothing more than that.

Or this, unfortunately.

[Cloudstrife 189]

Originally Posted by The_Dark_Monarch

*cat amongst pigeons time*

I think they win because they stack.

Nothing more than that.

lol... I don't get it. Were you trying to add some comic relief to the situation or something?

[The_Dark_Monarch]

Originally Posted by Cloudstrife 189

lol... I don't get it. Were you trying to add some comic relief to the situation or something?

Not at all. I am being deadly serious.

I have also asked myself all of those questions in your opening post.

I have often wondered why we see all the same faces topping SJC's..
If it were luck, or some 'random factor' that would not be the case..

The pressure to win at an SJC level becomes so great that many 'top notch' players will look for any 'advantage'.

Whilst it cannot be proven & whilst I may be incorrect, I am just adding possibly the best reason as to why this happens.

After all, you cannot rule it out entirely.

[RyukTG]

Luck is important, but not as important as you put it. If it was, the only way players like the Bellido brothers, Adam Corn, Michael Kohanim, Fili Luna, and others would consistently top would be by being really lucky or cheat. Neither of those is the reason for why most good players top often.

The reason was something you did not mention. It is psychology. It is how you DO get outplayed. Many top players can tell what there opponent has and play to beat it or trick their opponents into misplaying. Though it may not be obvious, it is VERY important. It is why you were likely outplayed in some matches, even if you do not realize it.

Additional Comment:

Originally Posted by The_Dark_Monarch

I think they win because they stack.

I can assure you that is not why. I have been to many regionals where I watched players like Jerry Wang and Michael Kohanim play and top. I can assure neither of those players stacked in those regionals where I watched them. They just played better than their opponents to beat them. You may say that is only true for those players, but it is more than likely not. If they can consistently win without stacking by playing better, why can't others?

[thatisstupid1212]

you have to take in the account of

the more consistent your deck is, the slower to explode it is, allowing your opponent time to explode

your opponent stacks

your opponent sacked

what did you play at columbus?

[The_Dark_Monarch]

If they can consistently win without stacking by playing better, why can't others?

That is a very logical argument.

[Everyday balla]

Im sorry but 10 jumps and no top?
This game just isnt for you.

[Cloudstrife 189]

Originally Posted by thatisstupid1212

you have to take in the account of

the more consistent your deck is, the slower to explode it is, allowing your opponent time to explode

your opponent stacks

your opponent sacked

what did you play at columbus?

CHAOS

I comfortable balance between the two extremes. Not the fastest, not the slowest, but depending on my mood, it can do both, really well...

[RyukTG]

Originally Posted by Everyday balla

Im sorry but 10 jumps and no top?
This game just isnt for you.

I disagree. Only 16 people top each jump. If there are 400 people at a jump, only 4% top. Are you saying that if you are constantly in the lower 96%, you are not good enough? That is like saying only 4% of baseball players are good.

[The_Dark_Monarch]

Originally Posted by RyukTG

I disagree. Only 16 people top each jump. If there are 400 people at a jump, only 4% top. Are you saying that if you are constantly in the lower 96%, you are not good enough? That is like saying only 4% of baseball players are good.

As do I..

I am also wondering if that troll is Jerry Wang or Dale Bellido in disguise..

I wonder if he has topped any SJC's?

Maybe he should quit too if that's not the case...

[Cloudstrife 189]

Originally Posted by RyukTG

I disagree. Only 16 people top each jump. If there are 400 people at a jump, only 4% top. Are you saying that if you are constantly in the lower 96%, you are not good enough? That is like saying only 4% of baseball players are good.

Thanks for the defense. I think there is something different at jumps. At jumps, there are A LOT more "Tier 1/Pro" players. At a regionals/locals, there is only a handful. At an SJC, there never seems to be a "relief" round like there are at a regionals. At a regionals, if you get beat once, you know you'll prob win the next 2 rounds easily. Not at a jump. If you get beat once, then your next round might be equally as hard if not harder...

[Fever]

Originally Posted by RyukTG

I disagree. Only 16 people top each jump. If there are 400 people at a jump, only 4% top. Are you saying that if you are constantly in the lower 96%, you are not good enough? That is like saying only 4% of baseball players are good.

There was 800+ people at Columbus. So how do the same players keep topping? Really?

[thatisstupid1212]

Originally Posted by XsuicidebyaccidentX

There was 800+ people at Columbus. So how do the same players keep topping? Really?

lazero bellido (sp?) was the only actual pro that topped

[Slinky01]

You seem to be a great player with a good mindset. I applaud that. But luck gets people down. Did you know that in professional chess white has a 15%-20% chance higher of winning than black.

[Cloudstrife 189]

Originally Posted by Slinky01

You seem to be a great player with a good mindset. I applaud that. But luck gets people down. Did you know that in professional chess white has a 15%-20% chance higher of winning than black.

I didn't know that. I guess "white" pieces make people player better and is more intimidating for the opponent to face?

[Fever]

I find that most of the time, it takes very little skill to actually win a SJC without tampering with the rules.

[tecphonwoelrogy]

I understand exactly what you have said and have been in a simulator situation where my deck, a deck that no players enjoy facing as it is difficult, just had one day that I continued to lose despite playing the deck as I have won with it.

I have taken this in to consideration and have focused on building decks that can provide solutions in many situations without putting too much on the Side Deck. The Side Deck is still needed as a deck can not be prepared for all other decks, but the more your current deck is built to adjust to many situations, the better.

[RyukTG]

Originally Posted by XsuicidebyaccidentX

I find that most of the time, it takes very little skill to actually win a SJC without tampering with the rules.

What is that idea based on?

[Fever]

Originally Posted by RyukTG

What is that idea based on?

Speculation mostly. However a LOT of the Top 16 have been known to cheat.

[trynet]

(9:01:51 PM) me: http://www.pojo.biz/board/showthread.php?t=777863
after reading about half of his post, you realize something.
(9:04:08 PM) ravenofrazgriz: That he cares too much and has an overly inflated opinion of himself even though he's still taking his losing far better than most ******s do?
(9:04:15 PM) me: He is Kris Ferber
(9:04:21 PM) me: no SJC tops
(9:04:25 PM) me: bunch of reg tops
(9:04:28 PM) me: bunch of local wins
(9:04:32 PM) me: 0-2 drop
(9:04:39 PM) me: :O
(9:04:40 PM) ravenofrazgriz: LOL
(9:04:54 PM) me: OUR NATIONAL CHAMPION, LADIES AND GENTLEMEN!
(9:04:58 PM) ravenofrazgriz: XDDDDDDDDD

Additional Comment:

Originally Posted by Slinky01

You seem to be a great player with a good mindset. I applaud that. But luck gets people down. Did you know that in professional chess white has a 15%-20% chance higher of winning than black.

Originally Posted by Cloudstrife 189

I didn't know that. I guess "white" pieces make people player better and is more intimidating for the opponent to face?

Whites goal is to win the game.
Blacks goal is to tie the game, and win if there is an opening.

Going first is a huge advantage is chess, much more-so than it is in yugioh.

[RyukTG]

Originally Posted by XsuicidebyaccidentX

Speculation mostly. However a LOT of the Top 16 have been known to cheat.

Please name a few besides Sequerra (who cheated with bribery) and Emon. (who explained why he was "caught")

With the current shuffling rules, I find it unlikely that someone can successfully stack unless they face only idiotic people.