Lately I seem to be in a slump

I consider myself an OK player

Definitely not going to win world's or regional (have a store championship win though)

But lately I'm losing games due to making some real dumb choices

I'll have my dial set, then while waiting for my opponent I'll rethink something, reset my dials and then it turns out my original move was a much better choice and in a lot of cases costs me the game.

I know it's a game but that competitive player in me gets very frustrated, not at my opponent, but myself. I can be hard on myself at times

You know, I can never say I would have won if I had went with my initial approach but I sure would have been in a better situation, like not being blocked or having no shots, or having a ship take 2-4 turns to turn around.

Last night I lost 3 games in a row. My buddy asked me to fly heavers world's build against his poe,Horton and grey stress bot

I know it's not the list, as we all know heavers build is solid. I just made some real stupid choices, and after that first game I was really annoyed at myself as I changed my dial after setting it which was dumb. I was winning up until that point and then the next two games I just got more and more frustrated at myself.

Like when your playing a hard video game for example and your at a boss fight, but die right before you beat him, only to go back and die over and over then you start rushing making more and more mistakes

I know after my second game I should have quit but I'm a brute for punishment at times and stubborn.

Does this happen to other players?

Do you get frustrated at yourself?

What do you do? Walk away and come back another day, or stubborn like me and just keep feeding the wolves.

All in all my friend it is a game, try to have fun. I too am very competitive and when I make mistakes I will take note, and make sure that it doesn't happen again. I used to play a lot of poker, and in the poker world there is something called going on tilt. Basically you are so frustrated with losing that in future hands or games for this example that you aren't playing your optimal game. When this happens it's best to call it quits. If you have got to the mindset where you can't have fun unless you win call it a night. This game should be enjoyable whether you win or lose (though I know winning is awesome)

Trust your feelings... and stop rethinking your gut reactions... dats all.

All in all my friend it is a game, try to have fun. I too am very competitive and when I make mistakes I will take note, and make sure that it doesn't happen again. I used to play a lot of poker, and in the poker world there is something called going on tilt. Basically you are so frustrated with losing that in future hands or games for this example that you aren't playing your optimal game. When this happens it's best to call it quits. If you have got to the mindset where you can't have fun unless you win call it a night. This game should be enjoyable whether you win or lose (though I know winning is awesome)

It's funny you mention that. I use to play a lot of poker and this is exactly why I stopped.

In truth I don't mind losing, but it's when I make a second choice that costs me the game, and I I see that my first choice was the better choice.

The past couple of weeks been like this. At first wasn't anything big, but now it's like "seriously again"

"why do I keep doing that " lol

From now on once my dials are down I'm not touching them.... Or most of the time... Maybe just recheck make sure I'm not flying off the board lol

Nope win or lose matters not a jot so long as there was fun, it's nice to win but I don't get huffy if I lose.

I know players who do though one stops paying attention when losing and tries to make our feel bad for winning, another hits himself when he makes a mistake and a third gives up before the end even when he could still win.

But to me it's just a game.

I have played many different tabletop games over many years and I find myself being mad at myself ( and my dice ) quite often.

I am a nearly 40 year old man and I have times when I want to crush the little toy ships in a very childish manner. I know it isn't their fault that I flew them into an asteroid or killed them with my own mines but it doesn't stop me being mad.

You are certainly not alone in feeling this way try not to let it cloud your enjoyment of the game, I know in my case it is bad decision making and inexperience at the way the game works I will get better and hopefully I will turn into the Hulk less.

Ya sucks when it happens.

I know it's my own fault.

Even apologize to my friend because I know I can do better and I'm not even making it a challenge for him as well.

In a way I feel like I'm almost wasting his time because it was just to easy. Lol

I hate that side of me. Growl lol

Edit But I never hit myself lol

Though one night after going on tilt as another described, after 4 loses in one night the dice nearly ended up in the woods lol

I'm usually very calm when I play X-Wing.

It's hard for me not to get salty when playing against Super Dash. Pre-nerf Phantom was like that too. I can get salty but I'm not one to get angry when dice don't go my way, and I've never once had the urge to throw any of my ships.

Ya sucks when it happens.

I know it's my own fault.

Even apologize to my friend because I know I can do better and I'm not even making it a challenge for him as well.

In a way I feel like I'm almost wasting his time because it was just to easy. Lol

I hate that side of me. Growl lol

Edit But I never hit myself lol

Though one night after going on tilt as another described, after 4 loses in one night the dice nearly ended up in the woods lol

I was pretty hard on myself after last year regional.

First game I got tabled but that was my own fault.

Second game I did everything right, had Coran to 1 hull, Had crit critps0, fel got into range 1 focus, 4 dice blanks. Then chireo blanks.

Next thing I know Coran regen and I lost.

I beat myself up over that one for awhile

Had I won that game I'd probably at least made it top 8, was 9 overall, and I went in with a bye

I don't normally second guess myself very much, but I made a huge bonehead mistake during asteroid setup in an elimination round at a Regional, and it's been grating me ever since.

Does this happen to other players?

Do you get frustrated at yourself?

What do you do? Walk away and come back another day, or stubborn like me and just keep feeding the wolves.

What I usually do is start hitting my stomach until I bleed... somehow helps me keep my Focus.

But more seriously, no, I don't get frustrated at myself. I made the error, I live with it. But before making a move, I tend to think about the worst case scenario and if that scenario means 'Game Over', I'll do something else.

What I do get frustrated at sometimes and really try not to, is at the dice. When the odds is really really off and it goes on and on and on, I start to lose my temper.

If you are making moves you aren't sure of you can do a few things

1) lay out a mat or even just throw some rocks on a table and do a few moves, test to see how close you can get then place the other templates on top to see if you would have been right.

2) Start thinking about where your opponent expects you to go and do the opposite.

3)When you are playing with friends, talk aloud about your strategies. Where you might move, what is the best option ect. Both you and your friend will benefit from the experience and you will become much more confident in your decision making.

Unfortunately it's still a dice game. Today Rhymer got only 1 hit on 6 dice when he used cluster missiles with predator and guidance chip. Of course my opponent rolled 3 evades anyway. For whatever reason the dice gods like to punish us at our best and encourage us at our worst. keep going you will only get better.

My dicerolling never measures up to how well thought out my lists are.

I hate that.

I was pretty hard on myself after last year regional.

First game I got tabled but that was my own fault.

Second game I did everything right, had Coran to 1 hull, Had crit critps0, fel got into range 1 focus, 4 dice blanks. Then chireo blanks.

Next thing I know Coran regen and I lost.

I beat myself up over that one for awhile

Had I won that game I'd probably at least made it top 8, was 9 overall, and I went in with a bye

You also decided on a list minutes before, don't beat yourself up you did fine.

By the way, Paul Heaver´s Worlds build is not the easiest to play successfully. It´s a toolbox that will not face a hard counter, but there are certainly builds that might get you easier wins.

When I hit a slump I go back to basics. Pick a build that´s just rock solid and make the opponent make the mistakes. Brobots with Advanced Sensors is a good example. Just make sure you always have a focus and don´t K or S turn into a rock and good things will happen. BBBBZ is another one. Just make sure you don´t bump your own things and you will get some good shots. You might not win a regional with this approach but I imagine it would get you back on the winning track and you will take it further from there.

Trust your feelings... and stop rethinking your gut reactions... dats all.

This!!!

Few things are as hard as playing a game for an hour longer if you feel you've speedy lost. One of the things that is though is getting crushed. It sucks.

But I received some incredibly valuable advice when I was just starting my X-Wing career - "so long as you learn from your losses, your time isn't wasted."

So play hard, but don't beat yourself up when you lose, and you will lose. Everyone does. Consider why and adapt and don't make the same mistakes the next time. Sometimes that isn't enough, but having that positive outlook is everything. Have fun with your Pew Pew and you'll do fine.

Trust your feelings... and stop rethinking your gut reactions... dats all.

This!!!

Luke blew up the first Death Star... but later on he gets his ass beat on Cloud City... see how it works?

We all know why these events happened too.

All in all my friend it is a game, try to have fun. I too am very competitive and when I make mistakes I will take note, and make sure that it doesn't happen again. I used to play a lot of poker, and in the poker world there is something called going on tilt. Basically you are so frustrated with losing that in future hands or games for this example that you aren't playing your optimal game. When this happens it's best to call it quits. If you have got to the mindset where you can't have fun unless you win call it a night. This game should be enjoyable whether you win or lose (though I know winning is awesome)

It's funny you mention that. I use to play a lot of poker and this is exactly why I stopped.

In truth I don't mind losing, but it's when I make a second choice that costs me the game, and I I see that my first choice was the better choice.

The past couple of weeks been like this. At first wasn't anything big, but now it's like "seriously again"

"why do I keep doing that " lol

From now on once my dials are down I'm not touching them.... Or most of the time... Maybe just recheck make sure I'm not flying off the board lol

Krynn, I feel your pain. Five of the last six games I played against my best friend were abysmal! Dice had little part in my defeat. Second guessing my moves was number one followed closely by failing to anticipate 90% of my opponent's moves. At times it seemed like I was playing an entirely different game! I'm beginning to think I have a serious tell.

I don't mind losing a game. But I hate beating myself! Rookie mistakes like putting higher skilled pilots in front of lower skilled pilots. Or getting a conga line formed by forgetting who moves first or mixing dials, all rookie errors. All frustrations that tend to rattle your composure.

I never thought as myself as competitive, but yeah I do get frustrated at my performance often in X-Wing, and a few other things I do.

I try to remind myself that I've only been playing a year, I have a lot to learn. In my area, Kansas City, I have a ton of great players, so I am learning from the best. And yes, this game is so much fun that even losing is fun, most of the time.

I recently went on a 9 game losing streak. Every loss, my frustration levels just kept climbing. I was about to say I wasn't going to do the store champs that are coming up. I finally said okay, that list isn't going to work for me, so let's dust off my favorite list and go get a win. I did, and I feel better now. Looking forward to the store champs again.

I do the same thing in other things i do. I set unrealistically high goals for myself, and can be way too hard on myself when I don't meet those goals.

And yeah, often you just have to walk away from the game for a while and do something else. I have tons of hobbies, so I just switch gears for a month or two, and go back to it with a fresher perspective.

I get what you're talking about, OP. When I don't do well I can't help but beat myself up over it. I can take losing because my opponent flew well, that's one thing. But when I make a stupid mistake, or even when I just have terrible luck, it can actually stick with me for days like a pain in the arse little raincloud. I think it back over and over again and see all the things I should have done differently. What I've found is honestly, the cure is to play more games. Just play games, games, games, games, games. Because eventually, all statistical streaks, good or bad, come to an end, and your gameplay will normalize again. (In my experience, that's usually with a spectacularly good or lucky game.)

Hey guys lots of good suggestions, tips and stories.

Will definitely keep what yas said in mind.

And the two posts above this one really sounds like me.

I can set high goals for myself and I'm the same way. If I lose because my opponent just outflew me great game. When I Makena really dumb choice I just dwell on it. May not look like it but it's there.

But you know something?

I do feel better knowing hey, I'm not alone, and it's not just me.

So next time when something goes wrong I'll try and think of this thread and remember it happens to other great players as well (and I am by no means a great player. Maybe average)

I'm usually very calm when I play X-Wing.

It's hard for me not to get salty when playing against Super Dash. Pre-nerf Phantom was like that too. I can get salty but I'm not one to get angry when dice don't go my way, and I've never once had the urge to throw any of my ships.

i got very salty playing against Miranda and Red Ace with R2-D2+shield up.+Comm Relay, this Rebel Regen S**t makes the game downright boring and one sided