As I said last week, the Yu-Gi-Oh! TCG is largely a game of self-mastery. Sometimes it’s more like a game against yourself than a game against another person. The way you think and the caliber of your decision-making skills makes all the difference in any match. This week I have some advice for you. Most of it is a collection of thoughts, ideas, and some things I’ve learned in the last few years in this game.

Some Tips on Decision-Making  

You have to learn to think objectively, to invert the problem, and to look at your game situations from many different angles.

Look at the situation from your opponent’s point of view. What would you do if you were on the receiving end? What would you think? Those are some good questions to ask yourself while dueling. You’ve got to be careful about your plays. You can make mistakes, but try not to make too many big ones. Practicing on a regular basis helps reduce the likelihood of a mistake that could hurt you during the game. (Don’t think that you won’t ever make any mistakes though: that’s a hard standard to live up to.)

To repeat what I said in my last article, so much of your success in any match relies on your decision-making skills. You have to make sure you’re not fixating too much on deck strategy and design. Yes, that’s important: the quality of your opponent’s hand and the power of his or her cards in play should always be in your mind. But while those factors influence your decisions, do not become mesmerized by them. You have to learn to think objectively. You should try to be both a participant and an observer of the situation. Try to envision yourself playing, and carefully evaluate the things that you do.

The outcome of every Yu-Gi-Oh! match is the result of the decisions made by both players. Who wins or not is based mostly on that factor. Very rarely is it based on the quality of the hand or the unlucky timing of certain cards. You might get a lot of resistance from peers who have a hard time admitting that the majority of their game losses stem primarily from their choices. Nobody likes to think about that. It’s easier to blame a card: it doesn’t have feelings.

That’s a shock to some players. You have to own up to the role you play during the course of the game. The opponent isn’t playing by him- or herself: the opponent is playing against you. His or her decisions are based on yours and vice-versa. Every turn and every play is a new story: a whole new set of decisions and strategies. Remember, no two duels are the same.

I have yet to find anything that replaces experience. Practice exposes you to more situations and more challenges, and though you may never come across similar situations again, it helps to have something you can reference when similar situations come about. When your opponent uses an unorthodox combo or card, I’ve found that it helps to have faced that particular play in the past. Then you have something to rely upon when you’re dueling, and it won’t catch you by surprise. Instead, you’ll just have to think a little bit.

Remember: practice, practice, practice.

Don’t Blame. Don’t Make Excuses.

Another important point to keep in mind is that there are consequences to each of your decisions. You can think of consequences in the negative sense, but there are such things as good consequences too. One of your decisions might cause you to win the game. That’s a good consequence.

You have the power of choice during each of your games. Every card that you draw gives you options or limits them. Sure, things happen and it is possible to draw a terrible hand. However, your opponent might make a few bad decisions and you may still win. Don’t decide your game on your first six cards. It’s a rather self-limiting paradigm. “My hand is bad, so I’m going to lose.” That kind of thinking is a very bad habit. I used to think that way, so I know how it feels. You have to fight to get rid of it: playing the game becomes much more enjoyable that way. Heck, you can be great at the game, but if you’re not enjoying it, why bother?

Peer Pressure and Crowding

Another tip on decision making: make your own decisions in the game.

A lot of players like to play like other people. I think you should play in a way that works for you. There are general plays that everyone knows, but there are many other plays that everyone doesn’t know. A lot of players are too concerned with what everyone else thinks about their plays. When they are criticized, they take it personally.

Here’s my advice: don’t take it personally.

Then ask yourself this question: who’s playing this game right now, me or them?

This is a good question to ask yourself when you have a crowd around you in a tournament. Everyone is watching your every move and mumbling about what you’re doing and the cards in your hand. This always happens, especially in the “important” match. You might be playing against a legend and giving him or her a hard time during the game. To the fans, this is bad. They’ll say anything to throw you off of your game.

“He’s such a bad player.”

“How lucky: look what she drew from her deck.”

“He’ll never win.”

“So and so will beat her easily: she doesn’t stand a chance”

Talk like that is going to happen. It always does. I’d like it if my fellow players weren’t so rude, but it’s not my place to teach them manners. Just keep in mind that it will happen from time to time. Tournament etiquette isn’t well taught, and it’s not something you learn from school. It’s just good manners to keep quiet while someone else is trying to concentrate.

Best thing to do? Ignore the criticism. Become a bit more thick-skinned. If you’re doing the watching, be courteous and be quiet. You’re not helping the players at the table, no matter who you’re rooting for. The more you keep that in mind, the easier it is to ignore external factors and make the right decisions to win more games.

—Bryan Camareno