Help a newbie!!!

[Killlometer]

I have recently started playing smash and fell in love with it :D!!! But I have a problem with dealing with the competition online. I have been still going headstrong fighting people over and over again online still getting my tail whipped but not giving up. I have came to an conclusion that in order to get better I need to stop smashing as much as I do and I need some tips to deal with people who grab a lot.

Please help me learn and get better at losing bad habits and gaining some new knowledge that will up my game!

Thank you

 

[Darklink401]

If you get grabbed a lot, try changing your approach. I know how it feels as this happened to me way too often.
I simply decided to use Marth, and forward-air, but instead of charging forth, I'd use the forward air to built some space between me and my opponent, so that if he tried to infiltrate that space, he'd get a sword-tipper to the face.
All you gotta do is short hop -> forward air -> right after you forward air, while still in the air, hold back on your control stick, and your character will go back a bit in the air.
of course, this all depends who your main is.

 

[Vintage Creep]

Just understand that you have to use every move. Not only smashes, but rolling, shielding, and all that jazz too.
The rest comes simply from practice and playing, don't get too serious about it and if you're having your ass handed to you online, play with the CPU for a bit.

 

[SwoodGrommet]

If you find yourself being grabbed too often, you're probably shielding predictably or holding it for too long. Grabbing a lot is a good thing to do, but it's hard to deal with when your opponent knows what he/she's doing. Maybe try baiting them into grabbing you, then going in for a smash attack? If they're getting too close and personal with rolls and grabs, try getting them out of there with a Down Smash. I'd also recommend heading to the character specific forums if you haven't already to get tips on certain match ups you have trouble with.

A lot of people here would be happy to fight you and then give you tips on how to improve. I believe there's a few threads for that already, so go ahead and check them out.

 

[WhuTom]

Grabbing is all about predictability. If you're predictable with your attacks, the opponent will shield you and grab you to counter. Smash attacks often have a start up period (e.g. Mario's forward smash, where he swings his body forward for the fireball in his hand) which telegraphs that they're going to use that attack. So they shield it and grab you after to punish it.

I feel that the difference between a newbie and an experienced player is (a top player is something different), as you suggested, knowing when to smash and when not to. It is tempting for newer players to smash a lot, thinking they're the most powerful attacks, but they leave a lot of room for you to be punished by good players if they dodge or shield. Because a lot of the smash attacks (especially the strongest ones!) have at least a little bit of start up time, they expose you and so you should only really use them when the opponent has been stunned by an attack, or during any other time your opponent has a delay, e.g. landing during an aerial attack.

The tilt attacks, on most characters, are quicker so your opponent is less likely to see them coming. These should be used to stun your opponent to buy time for a smash or another riskier, more powerful attack, or just to rack up damage. Please only take this as a general guide though, every character is different!