So, I went to the Grand Prix Trial for Atlantic City, NJ and I went a spectacular 1-3 drop.
That could very well be the end of this entry but then there wouldn’t be very much to read, would there. And the truth is, as badly as I did, this probably wasn’t even worth writing about except for the fact that I learned some very important things about this game and myself.
Let’s start with the game.
Everybody has good and bad days. I think I just read that Brian Kibler went 0-3 drop at GP Toronto. Wow, he did even worse than I did.
Truth is, this game can be very unpredictable. As much as so many players want to believe that when they win it is all skill, it’s not. There is a degree of variance in this game that can’t be ignored and can turn anybody’s day into an 0-3 nightmare. Just ask Brian.
Something else I learned about the game is this. It exists beyond the small little world of your LGS or wherever it is you play. You’re going to run into people who you’ve never seen before, play against decks that you’ve never seen before and play in conditions that you could have never imagined before … good AND bad.
Now let’s move on to what I learned about myself and what I need to change or at least improve on if I’m going to get to the next level in this game; that next level being doing better than just winning a few FNMs.
I don’t play well in large crowds in cramped spaces. I mean it felt like I was playing in a sardine can the other day. My play mat was too big for the table with five other people playing at it. I had to roll the edge of it up slightly in order to be able to use it at all. It’s a good thing I don’t have claustrophobia or I would have been toast.
Added to the cramped space was the noise. Do you have any idea how loud a small room of 35 people gets? It’s really hard to hear the person next to you speaking to you let alone concentrate on the game. I’ve been told to bring an MP3 player or something to listen to in order to block out the noise. I just might do that.
Ultimately, I discovered I don’t play well in this type of environment. I made play mistakes that I’d never make at FNM. It didn’t help that I couldn’t concentrate, but some of these errors were just downright stupid.
Thus, I need to start getting used to actually playing in these cramped conditions. I need to focus on the cards in front of me, the ones in my hand, the ones on the battlefield, what my opponent is doing and what I’m going to do in response.
In short, I need to block out EVERYTHING else.
Easier said than done? Yes, it is.
As I more than found out the other day when I did just slightly better than Brian Kibler.
To YOUR Magic the Gathering Enjoyment,
Steven “Land Boy” Wagenheim
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