Your First Tournament - A Guide to Making the Most of It

[demonictoonlink]

I didn't understand the rules of stage counter picking for my first real tourny...

 

[professor mgw]

good guide, im going to try to host a live on in ny next year!
thanks!

 

[Arora]

hopes this helps me havent been to a tourney yet

 

[A~Kid/ToonethLinkage]

Hey I got a question. When a stage is counter-picked/banned, does that mean that the stage is banned, or that it can be chosen as a counter pick? Or both?

 

[ndayday]

If a stage is counter/banned, that means that the TO must choose what the stage goes into. Say I'm a TO, and I look at the list of counter/banned stages:

Distant Planet
Green Greens
Luigi's Mansion
Port Town Aero Dive
Yoshi's Island (Pipes)
Norfair

I can choose which ones are counters and which ones are banned depending on what I want/maybe what other people want. The have to be in either the banned or counter category. The same applies for the starter/counter stages.

 

[SCOTU]

in case you don't know what a TO is, it stands for Tournament Organizer; so basically, that stage might be banned or counterpickable, it just depends on the specific rules for that tournament. Then again, Some TOs just go and make up crazy rulesets that don't even match what the SBR decided.

 

[A~Kid/ToonethLinkage]

lol Thanks guys

 

[JUDGE]

thanks for the graet guide!!!

 

[SmashBrosForce]

Nice Tips.

Great and Useful Guide !

Thanks for the Help.

 

[TheEgo]

It's been so long, haven't been to a tourney in forever need to start going again.

 

[TheDarion]

I haven't been to any tournaments yet, but I'll keep all of these points in mind. It was a very helpful read, great advice.

 

[DLite]

Thanks for the thread. I'll read this over many times until I enter a tourney =]

 

[FOXYB]

very nice guide!

 

[iDeo]

Good stuff. My first tourney I was nervous like crazy and just wanted to win as many matches as possible. But it didn't go all to well when it hit singles b/c i was getting dominated even though I was playing my hardest. Started making simple mistakes like following ppl when they rolled with a roll, then losing to such scrubby players.

But after my last tourney I finally learned to stop playing to every else's game and play to mine. I got a lot more experience in my last tourney which I'm happy for b/c I can now advance my Diddy further than just playing against Yoshi all the time.

I also learned this, you can train all you want but it doesn't necessarily equal you winning b/c you'll never know how players respond to your character so stay alert and play smart.

 

[Chibilicious]

This helps me sooooo much! I might be goin to a tourney soon if i can get there and i feel sooo much more confident!

 

[StealthyGunnar]

I like this thread, but telling me I won't win makes me feel not as "self-confident."

 

[SCOTU]

Self confidence and realistic expectations are two different things. You can have full confidence, even knowing you may only take a few games off the other new guys, or you can have unrealistic expectations and think you're going to win $400.

When you only end up taking a few games, the person who had realistic expectations will feel good about finally getting into the scene, and the person with unrealistic expectations is going to feel crushed, and probably never try his/her best again.

Moral of the story: have confidence in your abilities, not your dreams. You'll get more done that way, feel better, play better, and will have more fun with smash.

 

[rED023b]

In AiB, I'm planning to go to a tourney, but it says online. Does this mean I don't have to leave my house?

Edit: Thanks to SCOTU for his ever lasting genious.

 

[SCOTU]

In AiB, I'm planning to go to a tourney, but it says online. Does this mean I don't have to leave my house?

unless you can't play on WiFi in your house.

 

[sasook]

When you only end up taking a few games, the person who had realistic expectations will feel good about finally getting into the scene, and the person with unrealistic expectations is going to feel crushed, and probably never try his/her best again.

Moral of the story: have confidence in your abilities, not your dreams. You'll get more done that way, feel better, play better, and will have more fun with smash.

This. I went to my first tourney last weekend expecting not to win any tourney matches. As it turns out, I didn't win any tourney matches lol (of course, getting Ninjalink first round didn't help). But I still had a blast because it was a lot of fun, and I hadn't put any pressure on myself to win because I knew that everyone gets ***** at his first tourney.

 

[RenzoShadow]

Good thread. I'm glad this topic explained stage striking as I did not quite fully understand what it was in other threads. If there ever is a tourney in my area, (not holdng my breath) I'll be prepared.

 

[Y05H!]

This will come in handy...In about 6 month's XD. Can't wait to start going to tourneys when i get back to the states. Good thread.

 

[Synthe]

See, I would go 2 tourneys, but im 2 wierd 4 the world, lol
imma try 2 go 2 a tourney in chi-town were its closest 2 me

Good Thread Though

 

[Beren Zaiga]

GiGABrawl at the Game Nut was my first tourney, I lost alot of course, but I managed to snag two wins, and get my own personal victories against some chars (DDD, Zelda, Lucas, etc), and I had alot of fun! Beat the guy whom is probably the best Toon Link in the midwest (I am never going to let that go....am I?), but he was handicapped because he was using Pikachu. I got to face Ampharos, Stealth Raptor and Inferno, and alot of other people like Amp, Joker, and Aqua (Aqua said she respected me for using Bowser, so that made me feel nice ). Too bad Steeler couldn't be there due to being in Colorado for the tourney, would've been nice to meet the guy whom referred me to GiGa in the first place.

 

[Shant]

funny this is mentioned, im going to a tourney with my bud soon

 

['V']

Watch all of your opponents, study their mains and their styles, counterpick characters accordingly, and play super gay. Pick top tiers while you're at it also.

 

[1 800 brawlr]

amaaazing [=

 

[llamapaste]

Nice guide it really helped me get informed about how tournies are run. I'm entering my first one soon.

 

[Gekoo]

naaaiiiiceeeeee guide lol
now really! it helped me alot thx :D

 

[Scabe]

Thank you for this great guide. Hopefully I'll be going to this huge upcoming tournament and I want to make the most of it. The first tournament I pretty much did the opposite of everything in this guide.

I`ll have to read this multiple times so it sinks in more. xD

 

[Riickable]

^ Lolz I know him =)
Anyway, my first tourneys November 1st, some Elite Four thing.

It seems a bit sketchy, 2 stock matches with CG'n banned and no timer.

I can see myself having a breakdown >.>

 

[ViletheJoker!]

^ Lolz I know him =)
Anyway, my first tourneys November 1st, some Elite Four thing.

It seems a bit sketchy, 2 stock matches with CG'n banned and no timer.

I can see myself having a breakdown >.>

Don't worry just take this time to get familiar with the settings of a tourney. I was so worked up about it being my first that I couldn't even focus during my matches. The bottom line is have fun and learn from this tourmey good luck.

 

[ViletheJoker!]

Thanks for the thread it helped me prepare for competitive gameplay.

 

[BSP]

This is a good read, but unfortunately, im still stuck with online tourneys Eventually ill be able to go to the offline ones though

 

[Gouki-Ryu]

Well I just had my 1st tourney. Learned alot, next one's in Oct , I'm going to place @ least third since the state champ may not be there. This advice helped alot. Thank you!!

 

[Cosmick]

I went to my first one a few months ago.

I wish I had read this thread.

 

[KeroKai]

^ Lolz I know him =)
Anyway, my first tourneys November 1st, some Elite Four thing.

It seems a bit sketchy, 2 stock matches with CG'n banned and no timer.

I can see myself having a breakdown >.>

Would have loved to join as well. Except it'll be my birthday so most likely won't be there. Ack well.

 

[FaWa]

I'll use this guide for when I hopefully get to go to a tourney. :D

 

[Chileno4Live]

I'm going to a tournament this sunday. I'm quite nervous and this'll be the first one. This thread helped me a lot, i'm definitely going to ask advice on how i can improve my game. A smasher, that is very good (IStudying) told me i got potential and he was willing to bet that i will get through pools. So i made a bet with him XD. Always good to do, gives me motivation, at least. Thanks for the thread and info :D.

 

[Conti]

hmmm i wish i read this guide beforen going to APEX... cuz it pretty much went word for word with this guide, it was a wakeup call and i learned alot and got alot better [i thought DI was just hitting buttons when u get hit LOLOLOL]... I went 0-12 in pools, and won like one friendly out of the entire tourny... and the entire time, a normal player was depressed... instead i had a huge smile on my face going...

"0 - 10 BABY, YEAHHHH BOY" lol, its good to stay positive... the tourny went exactly how i thought...

My 2nd real tourny is coming up, and im definately feeling alot more confident and ready, with a character switch and alot of research [i've literally been on Smashboards everyday looking up every matchup, every AT, ADHD and AZ videos, anything that will increase my game...]
I got a scrub tourny this friday, which im def ready for...
Good thread though