It’s that time again. The off-season before and after Nationals: for some of us, the most boring part of the year. I know the off-season only lasts a month, but I don’t have an event to judge or play in for a whole month and a half! If you’re stuck in the same dilemma, then we need solutions. I’m sure some of you won’t have a premier event to go to for a while.
It’s okay if your local tournament scene doesn’t provide you with the same level of competition. Also, it’s perfectly fine if you can’t stop thinking about the game. There are options to help cope with what I call the "Off-Season Blues." Believe me, I’ve got them and so do a lot of other players out there. I had a blast judging tournaments in the last few months and now I’ve got to take a hiatus from that. I feel your pain. So what now?
Tip #1: Play the Game Online or Offline
What can you do during the off-season? Well . . . you can play more and practice for the next season, which will start on July 5 in select North American locales (Minnesota, Washington, Georgia, and Florida). The format is still heating up even without the premier events. Lightsworn is getting more popular and rising to challenge
Dark Armed Dragon. I’m still of the opinion that
Dark Armed Dragon will continue dominating despite the strengths of newer decks. Gladiator Beasts have a lot going for them at the moment, too. The archetype experienced a surge in popularity at the last Shonen Jump Championship in
St. Louis, and that impact was definitely felt at my most recent Regional in Orlando. The deck was literally everywhere. It also helps that
Light-Imprisoning Mirror and
Shadow-Imprisoning Mirror can integrate into Gladiator Beasts with ease. The deck has definitely proven itself as the "control" deck of the format.
The term "off-season" only applies to premier events anyway. If you need your tournament fix, I would definitely go to local tournaments. Another option is the online tournament scene. There are plenty of ways to duel online, from specialized programs to simply communicating over instant messenger. Plus, there are a ton of forum communities out there that start "wars" and other competitive activities all the time. Playing online is a great way to get in a lot of practice and test new decks.
Tip #2:Take a Short Break From Dueling
This is a good opportunity to take a break from it all and get back in touch with other things, even if the break is only a month long. I’d take the opportunity to go on a road trip or not think about the game for a week. Everyone needs a break sometimes, especially full-time tournament-goers. Take a week or two off to catch up on your video games, reading, summer homework assignment, or whatever.
It’s just like taking a break from the game when you find yourself getting frustrated with the format. It happens to the best of us. I’m of the opinion that you’ll net more cards as a judge than as a player anyway. Given the amount of time, effort, and money it takes to prepare for a tournament to compete, judging seems like a viable option. However, that’s only looking at it from a monetary perspective. The psychological rewards you get from judging rival the monetary rewards quite nicely.
Tip #3:Take a Vacation
If the mood strikes you, then you should go on a bit of a vacation. A month will do. Go somewhere interesting or to a place you’ve never been before. Take an extended trip somewhere, out of your home state or to a friend’s house. If you don’t feel like it, it doesn’t have to be too far. A trip to the couch will do just fine. The point of this is to help you really unwind and "recharge your Yu-Gi-Oh! batteries." This is especially good if you’re going to Nationals or the World Championship. Unwind a little and relax. That’s what I do before a competition, but whatever works for you is fine, too.
Tip #4: Write Some Articles
Yes, I said it. If there’s anything that keeps you paying attention to the game, it’s writing articles about it. I’ve found that writing is both a meditative and rewarding activity. There’s nothing like writing to get your thoughts settled and focused on paper. It’s a fantastic form of self-expression. It’s much like writing in a journal except that thousands of other people read it too. As terrifying as it may seem, it’s not that bad. It beats public speaking and there’s virtually no barrier to entry in the online journalism world. You can always start a blog or even your own website. Blogs are so easy to make that literally anyone can start one. Find the blog site of your choice and give it a try.
If you don’t feel like building your own site, then start writing some articles for forum sites. If you feel like you’ve got the gift of the pen, go for it. The worst that can happen is that you’ll get a few bad comments here and there. When was the last time you actually cared about what an anonymous internet goon had to say about you? It’s easy to throw out berating comments when there isn’t a face to match them to, not to mention a few thousand miles between your computers. Believe it or not, very few people will actually have the courage to say something negative to your face. And if on the off-chance a person feels so strongly about what you wrote to say something negative to you in-person, well . . . that’s that person’s problem, not yours. Take whatever constructive criticism you can and move on.
Closing Thoughts
The above tips are good advice for anyone wondering "what do I do now?" after the 2007/2008 season finishes. I’ve already got my work cut out for me since I write all the time, but I really encourage anyone to try any of these tips. While they may seem obvious to some, they’re really effective, and hopefully one or two of my ideas are new to you.
Thanks again for reading and have a great week!
—Bryan Camareno