A Balance Between Safe and Non-Safe Play?

[DJTengen]

Hello! This has been a question that has been on my mind for a little bit now, and I've just been wondering: can I find a good balance between playing too safe and not safe at all? I don't want to be too aggressive and get punished every single time, but I feel like I play too safe sometimes and miss out on a bunch of opportunities to punish things because of the mindset that "oh, if I miss I get punished/I'm dead." But like I said, I don't want to be too aggressive and risk it.

My point is though, what are your guys' mindsets when it comes to this? I feel like if I can see what other people do to get around this, I can maybe get past this and start improving on other things. Thanks a bunch to anyone that replies

 

[luke_atyeo]

I wont go into great detail, but more or less, run around being safe and not approaching your opponent (fox is a bait and punish) weave in and out, make them frustrated and get them to start chasing you around the map.
Once they are chasing you, the door to more aggressive play is open. Running straight at them and dash attacking is super unsafe and not a great idea in neutral, but if they are chasing you around it works a lot better because its much harder for them to react to it properly if they are running after you and you suddenly charge back at them. Playing safe doesn't mean not doing unsafe moves, it means not doing unsafe moves until they give you an opening, once the opponent whiffs or is in the air without a double jump or in some other bad position, thats when you do the unsafe things.


Often when I play (which is high level in my country, although we are kinda ****) the player who acts first (throws a move out) usually is the one who loses that micro-situation, wait for your opponent to do a move, and then hit him. If you are having trouble getting punished all the time, ask yourself this question, "Am I playing fox as a rush down, or am I playing as a bait and punish?"

Are you waiting patiently for openings, or just rushing in?

 

[DJTengen]

I wont go into great detail, but more or less, run around being safe and not approaching your opponent (fox is a bait and punish) weave in and out, make them frustrated and get them to start chasing you around the map.
Once they are chasing you, the door to more aggressive play is open. Running straight at them and dash attacking is super unsafe and not a great idea in neutral, but if they are chasing you around it works a lot better because its much harder for them to react to it properly if they are running after you and you suddenly charge back at them. Playing safe doesn't mean not doing unsafe moves, it means not doing unsafe moves until they give you an opening, once the opponent whiffs or is in the air without a double jump or in some other bad position, thats when you do the unsafe things.


Often when I play (which is high level in my country, although we are kinda ****) the player who acts first (throws a move out) usually is the one who loses that micro-situation, wait for your opponent to do a move, and then hit him. If you are having trouble getting punished all the time, ask yourself this question, "Am I playing fox as a rush down, or am I playing as a bait and punish?"

Are you waiting patiently for openings, or just rushing in?

I do kind of a mix of both depending on the situation, but I see where you're coming from about the bait and punish tactic. I guess I just get a little too impatient sometimes and go in swinging, which I'll be sure to fix. But it's also a problem when your opponent is putting pressure on you to make the first move, but I guess I can fix that by making them fall for my bait first.

Thanks for the advice, that helps me out a lot in figuring out what mindset to start having.

 

[luke_atyeo]

When you're opponent is putting pressure on you to make the first move, thats where patience comes in, you just gotta out last them, its much harder then it sounds, but also not that hard if you REALLY concentrate on it.
Plus fox has lasers, if someone is walling you out or there is pressure on you, just move back a little bit and shoot some lasers, one or two is usually enough too many will get you punished usually, you aren't trying to build up damage you are just giving them a friendly little nudge "I have these, remember? You have to come to me" is all you are trying to say.

 

[DJTengen]

Yeah, I get what you're saying now. It's all a mind game in the end, I just need to outplay them in that game. Thanks