Choking during games General

[95noodles]

ITT: we talk about how we end up choking during games and help others fix the problem.

So my problem is that when I start loosing by a stock or two, I start getting really down and that ends up making me choke too hard that i will definitely loose the match and even matches after that.

 

[Wreckarooni]

1) Get more experience, this should work itself out

2) If you've been playing Melee for long time and still have this problem perhaps competitive fighting games aren't for you.

 

[20YY SS | Saiblade]

Think about having fun, not winning or losing. Also, try to think about what you're doing right and wrong and why you're being punished. As @ Wreckarooni said, more experience should help.

 

[Nixon Corral]

Interestingly, I sorta have the opposite problem. I sometimes can't get "in the zone" until last stock. Sometimes it's nice because it means I can sometimes clutch out a game after taking a serious stock deficit, but ultimately it's something I should probably work to fix. If I could figure out what I'm changing about my play during those high pressure moments that works well, I could potentially be a better player.

And I think this is sort of applicable to your problem too. If you find yourself down a stock or two, really try to think about why you lost those stocks in the first place. Avoid those problems and try to play conservatively and see if you can exploit something they do wrong to bring the stocks back to even.

Sometimes you just get bodied, though. If that's the case, take a deep breath and try not to let it get to you. Just try to pay attention to what went wrong and see how you can avoid those things in the next round. It can be hard, but you have to remember that what happened in the one round doesn't affect the next. Learn from it, but don't dwell on it.

 

[Eggggggggggbert]

Consistency is always issue. Especially because each time you play, you're in a different mood and various levels of focus when you pick up the game. Sometimes half way through a game, I'll remember tiny little strategies that provides results that I haven't been getting before. Sometimes I'm tired, sometimes I've overcompensated too much with caffeine and jittery, sometimes its just not my day for melee. In many ways these are dumb johns everyone uses but they're also things that occasionally and legimately infringe on your personal consistency. This concept also applies to when your survival instincts kick in. You're in a challenging spot and your nerves are all on end, its a fight or flight situation. Any mistake snowballs harder at this point than ever.

One thing that is admittedly silly but does provide something to my gameplay style is something called quarter stocks. It was a concept I thought of that applied KoreanDJ's moneymatching strategy to improve (moneymatching for low amounts will ensure people will play seriously regardless of circumstances) to situations where you're most likely to flub (final stock). You do single stock battles moneymatching a quarter each time. While this is a small amount, it adds up slowly (with a winning streak you can buy yourself a soda or some ****). Its fun and also lighthearted way to be comfortable regardless of stock quantity. Also uses up all that couch change you're not using otherwise.

I'm not saying you need to play my dumb game, but finding ways to practice performing under these circumstances is a good thing. You'll never match the butterflies of being in tourney with one stock to his three, but its getting there.

 

[Nixon Corral]

@ Eggggggggggbert that's actually a really clever idea. Never heard that before. Thanks for sharing!

 

[AirFair]

usually, people choke because they think about what's going to happen after the game, and not about the game itself. Just focus on being in the moment, and outplaying your opponent. More tournaments will help with this.

 

[Gilbz]

usually, people choke because they think about what's going to happen after the game, and not about the game itself. Just focus on being in the moment, and outplaying your opponent. More tournaments will help with this.

Yeah that happens to me a lot

 

[Nixon Corral]

usually, people choke because they think about what's going to happen after the game, and not about the game itself.

What do you mean by this? I'm not sure I empathize with this, so I'm interested in what you're describing. Do you mean worrying about dropping to losers/out of the tourney?

 

[AirFair]

Well, I guess I say what I say because I'm the kind of person that worries a lot about what other people think about me. So when I'm in a close match thoughts like

"Wow, I'm about to beat x in front of my friends!"
"Wow, I'm about to lose to x in front of my friends...."
"What will x say if they found out that I lost to y?"

are in my head. The fact is, is that none of that matters at that moment. Winning does. Focus on the game, not what comes after.

 

[Nixon Corral]

Well, I guess I say what I say because I'm the kind of person that worries a lot about what other people think about me. So when I'm in a close match thoughts like

"Wow, I'm about to beat x in front of my friends!"
"Wow, I'm about to lose to x in front of my friends...."
"What will x say if they found out that I lost to y?"

are in my head. The fact is, is that none of that matters at that moment. Winning does. Focus on the game, not what comes after.

Yeah, I sorta get that. Except for me, it's more of "I can't let this guy think he's better than me!"

But my friends don't ever really give me a hard time about my losses, so that doesn't bother me as much.

 

[Gilbz]

Yeah, I sorta get that. Except for me, it's more of "I can't let this guy think he's better than me!"

But my friends don't ever really give me a hard time about my losses, so that doesn't bother me as much.

My friend don't give me a hard time about my losses but I worry about it anyway. I'm definitely one to think about what might happen after the match. I think about how I'm winning by a stock and how if I lose that stock I could lose the game and then I might SD or just completely choke and get combo'd.

 

[Eggggggggggbert]

Keep your eye on the prize!
Always play for the love of the game!
Let your heart ring true!

(Any other cheesy lines I'm missing?)

 

[ECHOnce]

This may have been covered already, but an interesting tidbit about mindset that I took away from SilentWolf's stream was to always think of opportunities that grow as you're losing more in a match.

He mentioned that if he's ever 2-3 stocks down and is probably going to lose, that's when he usually goes tryhard (if he wasn't already), since (1) you have nothing to lose if the match is already a lost cause, (2) it's a natural tendency for anyone to soften up after gaining a strong lead, so now is your chance to warm up and get at least something in, and (3) since you're pumping yourself up, you'll be able to ride that momentum into the next match of this set / your next set and play closer to your best, whether that's good enough or not.

 

[Eggggggggggbert]

This may have been covered already, but an interesting tidbit about mindset that I took away from SilentWolf's stream was to always think of opportunities that grow as you're losing more in a match.

He mentioned that if he's ever 2-3 stocks down and is probably going to lose, that's when he usually goes tryhard (if he wasn't already), since (1) you have nothing to lose if the match is already a lost cause, (2) it's a natural tendency for anyone to soften up after gaining a strong lead, so now is your chance to warm up and get at least something in, and (3) since you're pumping yourself up, you'll be able to ride that momentum into the next match of this set / your next set and play closer to your best, whether that's good enough or not.

Sounds like the voice of a man who got 4 stocked by a Pikachu at EVO in under a minute
This is some great advice. People choke because of this sort of perseverance all the time, similar to the Amsah story from the Renaissance of Smash 3 (I think??), where he recovered from almost getting 4 stocked to 4 stocking Ek of all people. Never fall into the "theres no point in trying" mindset. It's probably the only thing I dislike M2K for doing, as he is such a role model for new players. He always has that breaking point.

 

[Elyssa Xey Hexen]

I always thought choking was a result of people thinking about unnecessary things in the middle of a match.

Several common traits such as I cannot lose to someone who I do not respect or think is worse than me. Getting caught up on the success or failure of certain options you are taking such as missing L-cancels all the time. Or simply not focusing on the game at all.

Most of these things I believe can be resolved by having a very apathetic nature towards everything in the game and match. Never care about the person you playing and never care about the result of what just occurred. If you keep missing something do not dwell on it. Take note of certain things you do yes, but do not dwell on it and allow it to prvent you from focusing. Similar with not caring about another person. If you have no regard for the person you are playing you have no reason to get distracted. However, getting that sort of attitude I think is very hard for people to get as it depends upon your general set personality. Some people are super quick to anger or others self-destruct.

Sometimes you cannot focus on the game and I am not sure what causes it. Lack of sleep or burning out can be a cause.

Also, being overhyped can be a problem too causing you to do something a bit irrational in the moment.

 

[MEnKIRBZ]

Interestingly, I sorta have the opposite problem. I sometimes can't get "in the zone" until last stock. Sometimes it's nice because it means I can sometimes clutch out a game after taking a serious stock deficit, but ultimately it's something I should probably work to fix. If I could figure out what I'm changing about my play during those high pressure moments that works well, I could potentially be a better player.

And I think this is sort of applicable to your problem too. If you find yourself down a stock or two, really try to think about why you lost those stocks in the first place. Avoid those problems and try to play conservatively and see if you can exploit something they do wrong to bring the stocks back to even.

Sometimes you just get bodied, though. If that's the case, take a deep breath and try not to let it get to you. Just try to pay attention to what went wrong and see how you can avoid those things in the next round. It can be hard, but you have to remember that what happened in the one round doesn't affect the next. Learn from it, but don't dwell on it.

I have sorta the same problem, but slightly fixed. I'll start the match off really really well. Then once I take the first stock I can't find a way to get back on the offensive for a little while. However, I'll usually crank it back up last stock.

This happened yesterday when I wasn't playing well in the middle part on yoshis (this was on netplay btw), but my last stock I took both of his last stocks and even zero-to-deathed him on his last stock. Same thing happened the next game, but I couldn't finish. It's a problem

 

[Dandy_here]

I don't get nervous. Especially in close sets vs Anyone. I generally have the most intense focus during a set then most people I know. I once was so concentrated, my friend asked me what I wanted to eat and I didn't even hear him.

 

[therabbitholenc]

I see this happen alot, people that play amazing during goofing around and then during tournaments it's almost like a different person. Best advice is breathing exercises and always try your best!

 

[Brett30000]

ITT: we talk about how we end up choking during games and help others fix the problem.

So my problem is that when I start loosing by a stock or two, I start getting really down and that ends up making me choke too hard that i will definitely loose the match and even matches after that.

Yeah ill be down like a stock sometimes and just say this person is better and im not gonna come back then end up loosing even though i probably could've beat them if i really tried