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Doomkaiser Dragon's effect isn't just for Zombie World duelists: remember that its effect can swipe copies of Plaguespreader Zombie, too!
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Solid Ground: Mind Games, Part 3
Julia Hedberg
 

Let’s move into the final installment of this series of articles about mind games. I’ve been saving some of my favorites for the end, so if you’ve been following these articles and wondering when I’m going to get to “The Veteran” and the “I’m Channeling Kaiba” players, your patience is about to be rewarded.

The Nanny

This player is usually an older duelist, a judge, or someone who jumped in from another game. Whatever the reasoning, this player thinks he or she knows it all and is determined to share it with you. The nanny explains gameplay, talks a lot, and often alludes to his or her age and experience. This player is the fake beginner’s evil twin—the Nanny gets under your skin by acting like you don’t know what you’re doing, and it usually works remarkably well. Most duelists can handle trash talk and fidgety players, but being treated like a newbie drives them wild. The best way to handle a Nanny is to gaze back at him or her calmly, smile, chime “Okay,” and then proceed with your game.

Pink Sleeves

Float like a butterfly, sting like a B-52. This game is popular with, but not limited to, female duelists. They look all “girly” with glittery pink card sleeves, and more often than not their opponents think, “Heh, a Harpie deck—this will be a cinch.” Five turns later, those opponents are on the floor and wondering what happened. I’ve played this game myself on many occasions. It’s a lot of fun to tear down an opponent with a vicious Beatdown hybrid cloaked in sparkly pink sleeves, especially if that opponent is so blinded by prejudice that he or she never sees my deck coming. I’m not pretending I don’t know what I’m doing. I’m just using these shiny, pretty sleeves and letting you draw your own conclusions. If you assume that a lightweight deck lies behind my pastel sparkles, and you go down hard in front of all your macho friends, don’t come crying to me. 

Home Field Advantage

It’s the old “away vs. home” rivalry. This duelist is on his or her home turf, knows the local metagame, knows the other players, and treats you like an outsider. Congratulations, you are now an automatic newbie, since “nobody” plays as well as the players from “here.” Some players are so easily offended by this approach that they end up making stupid mistakes. Combine the outrage of being treated like an inferior with an opponent who knows the local metagame, and you can be thrown off your stride. Oh, and just so you know, “the posse” is going to get involved at some point. Read any message board thread about a Shonen Jump Championship, and you’ll find a lot of banter back –and forth about which local hero will turn back the invading barbarians and claim the
Cyber-Stein for the home team. If you run up against this, remember that any advantage the home fielder enjoys will depend on how many locals are in the tournament and how good the local metagame is. If the bulk of the event consists of outsiders who have different decks or a better grasp on the game, the home field advantage might not amount to much.

I’m Channeling Kaiba!

This player sits down and starts acting like a character from the anime—in a bad way. Some people act like this to joke around, but some of them come across as totally serious. This game is rather effective, because the fear of losing to a wacko can make you completely paranoid. Kaiba and Yugi channelers don’t always have solid grasps on gameplay. Because they’re acting like they’re on the show, they can be loud and attract a lot of attention. You’ve got a few options: you can try to beat them as quickly as possible and hope they don’t freak out, or you can join in on the show if you’re familiar with the characters. If you start to lose your cool, respond with a good dose of “the Nanny.” A friendly explanation of why yelling, “Double daaaark Magic attaaaaack . . . Nooooooow!” violates the correct resolution of the battle phase will help Kaiba or Yugi run out of steam and keep you from losing your temper.

I’m a Level (Whatever) Judge, so Listen to Me

Well, in this event, you’re a player, so shut up. Lots of players try to intimidate opponents by waving around a real or imaginary judge level. I’ve encountered this one plenty of times. Opponents have tried to bluff me by saying, “I’m a level 3 judge, so I know I’m right!” In the early days of the judge program, it was amusing to respond with, “Actually, I’m a level 3 judge, and I know all five of the other level 3 judges personally. I’m quite certain that I don’t recognize you.” It doesn’t matter if a player is a level 10 judge—if he or she is there as a player, then he or she is only a player. If you give in to an opponent who plays the judge card, then you deserve whatever you get. There are actual judges at the event. Ask them about rulings and ignore any nasty remarks your opponent might make about your knowledge of the game.

Junior Member of the Law Firm of Loophole & Cheapwin

This player watches you like a hawk, just waiting for you to make the tiniest game error. Then, up goes a hand, here comes a judge, and you’re being threatened with a game loss. The best way to deal with this kind of mind game is to know the penalty guidelines and be careful in your play. There are few errors that actually merit a game loss, and as long as you watch what you’re doing, those errors are easy to avoid. Make sure you announce every single phase and action, and always check with your legal eagle to see if he or she wishes to respond. Get a clear answer! You don’t want to get tripped up over a mumble.

 

You should always play according to the rules, and misplays should be penalized, because consistent play is an important part of Organized Play. That being said, it’s cheap to try and catch an opponent breaking a rule just to get an automatic win. If you find yourself facing this kind of player, don’t get psyched out. Barring a gross miscarriage of justice, you can’t be beaten this way as long as you pay attention to what you are doing and play with great precision.

The Veteran

This duelist has played about a hundred different games. He or she was playing Yu-Gi-Oh! when it was only available in Japan, knows every subtype of every major deck out there, and refers to all the cards by their Japanese names. Veterans throw around a lot of TCG lingo, and the entire tournament staff knows them by name. They look casual and competent, and if you’re lacking in confidence, they might overawe you to the point where you’ll make critical mistakes. Newbies have been known to fold on the spot. Veterans like to team up and stand around bemoaning the lack of any real competition. They can have some ego issues, and they’ve been known to indulge in trash-talking. It’s relatively easy to pretend to be a veteran, and if you’re convincing enough, it works almost as well as actually having a background to be reckoned with. If you’re up against a genuine or even a counterfeit veteran, pay attention to what you’re doing and concentrate on the game, and you should be all right. Want to see some real fun? Match a fake newbie against a fake veteran.

Charm Schooler

These duelists are polite! And pleasant! No matter what tricks are thrown at them, they are witty, composed, and cool. Don’t mistake their attitude for timidity, lack of competitive spirit, or a preference for socializing, because you might get your behind handed to you on a sterling silver platter. Charm Schoolers might behave as if they’re at a tea party, but that doesn’t mean they aren’t gunning for a spot in the Top 8. Their relaxed, charming play style is almost hypnotic and surprisingly unnerving to a lot of players. That’s what makes it a good counter to almost every other mind game out there. If a hothead or intimidator gets charm schooled in front of an audience, he or she is going to be extremely upset, and that will provide a good deal of entertainment for anyone who’s watching. If you get matched up with a charm schooler, enjoy the breath of civilization, don’t underestimate your opponent, and play along.

And with that, we end the series. I hope that you were entertained while learning how to deal with the mind games people play. The success of any kind of mind game hinges on your weakness to it. If a mind game works, it’s going to escalate. If your opponent relies on a mind game that doesn’t work, you might end up rattling him or her enough to capture the edge for yourself. What’s going on inside the minds of two competitors is just as important as what’s taking place on the field. If you can deflect your opponents’ attempts to overwhelm you mentally and emotionally, you’ll gain a real advantage.
 
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