Reversed Psychology?

[Vanst]

Hey everyone I'm not sure if this has happened to you before but here it goes. Ok so I'm pretty competitive and I always try to do my best when fighting someone that is also competitive. But lets say that we have this noob that plays Brawl sometimes and has got the controls and everything down. I play that noob thinking that oh this is easy and no it isn't and they get close to beating me. It's like when I'm fighting a good player I do good but when fighting someone not so good I suck. So my question is, is this Reversed Psychology and what should I do the next time I might fight someone not up to my playing level?

 

[Zylar]

Maybe, it was a bad matchup.

Spoiler

MK

Maybe you aren't as good as you think.

Maybe it was a bad game/day. Everyone has those.

Maybe you're right. So I guess don't play n00bs.

Or just metamindgamespam them.

But seriously isn't reversed psychology making someone to not do what you want and that is exactly what you want? That doesn't seem to apply to playing worse. Just don't underestimate, never go easy (Unless it's like your 5 year old cuz or something.) and never lose that competitive feeling and you get when playing someone equal to or better than you.

 

[fallenangemon0]

This also happens to me.

An inexperienced player does not react like an experienced one at ALL, so it's like losing to mindgames.

Just play extremely basic. It works.

 

[SCOTU]

Or, you're used to playing better people than that, expect him to do safer things, but they're bad and just up and do something really high risk, high reward that's not expected and catches you off guard.

 

[comboking]

sometimes bad players are just too good. The same things happen to me Vanst

 

[Geist]

There is a big difference between competitive players and casual players. The thing is that you're used to playing materialistically. Remember that even though you may know all of the flashiest, complex moves or the best way to beat a certain charcter with another, alot of the times it has no effect on someone who A) doesn't know the complex mechanics of the game, and B) doesn't play the achetypal character that is similar to a competitive player.

For instance, my cousin plays Brawl, and all he really does with Marth is Shield breaker and ftilt (he's 8, so he has a good reason). This makes chaingrabbing stupid, and it surprised me a little when he broke my shield. When I tried to DI to survive the inevitable charged fsmash, he just ftilted me, and I just ended up DIing into his shield breaker again.

The trick that separates the small-timers from the pros is that they use all of the advanced techniques, but they also apply an insane amount of thinking to everything they do. If the situation requires it, they'll play and adapt to their opponent. Play more meticulously, and think more when you play. Don't go straight to muscle memory, or else you'll find yourself stuck and you won't be able to improve.

 

[Tachyon]

Or, you're used to playing better people than that, expect him to do safer things, but they're bad and just up and do something really high risk, high reward that's not expected and catches you off guard.

I completely agree with that statement. Especially when I used to play GGXX:AC on competitive level. I'd play some random people who sucked and then all of sudden I start getting hit by combos and moves I could normally because the way the player is throwing them out. You still end up winning but then you start to really doubt yourself some times and you start wondering if you really are any good or if you actually do just suck and you just get lucky a lot.

 

[Vanst]

Yeah I think that I'm just so used to playing competitively that I don't do the basics. Blowtoes you couldn't explain it any better thanks for the advice.

 

[Sgt. Baker]

Or, you're used to playing better people than that, expect him to do safer things, but they're bad and just up and do something really high risk, high reward that's not expected and catches you off guard.

I think this is the best explanation. This happens to me all the time. I play my buddy who is decent. Then I play his little brother thinking "ok he'll shield" or "ok, he won't do a F-Smash" then bam! haha

 

[Thiago26792]

Happens to me all the time. N00bs simply react very different to everything you do. You just need to play basic, without much mindgames.

 

[Wayland]

lol, don't ever play people without mindgames. To smash is human. To mindgame is divine. You just need to anticipate better.

 

[Tianxiazhai]

Hrm....I normally adjust my skill level to that of just above my opponent. It seems like you try to do that, but over do it.