Holler.

A few weeks back The Covenant Store opened up in Tulsa, and with it we tried to create the atmosphere and vibe that we'd always wanted from a game store. Since then, we've seen a lot of new and unexpected faces come through the doors and start playing games like Game of Thrones. A lot of these players didn't start with Magic or play any other "competitive" game until now, and they're just kind of learning the ropes and enjoying themselves.

...but they're also about to attend our AGOT Regionals on April 21!

Anyone who has played a competitive card game knows what to expect from these kinds of events, but for players new to the scene it can be a daunting experience. I remember my first big competitive event was actually at GenCon, and I was shaky for at least the first two rounds (until I lost enough to feel comfortable doing it). Buz, a first-time AGOT competitor, has expressed similar concerns . Which inspired me to write this post and pose a few questions to the AGOT community at large.

Does anyone remember their first big tournament or regionals? What advice would you give to the brand new players who have never competed like this before?

My first thought is: "Don't forget to drink water and/or eat!"

If you are used to playing the same 3-4 people and have never played anyone else, expect to see things you have never seen before. Whether they are good or bad, people will have put together decks that have never occurred to you and your group of friends.

Along those same lines, expect to lose to things you were not prepared for. You can't prepare for everything and while you usually learn which holes you can leave open when playing against the same group of friends, there is a good chance someone at one of these events will have a deck designed to drive right through the holes you did, or maybe even did not, know were in your deck.

And as an extenstion of that, expect to lose at your first event. To lose, but to learn. That way, if you lose, you're prepared for it and will still have fun. And if you win, you will not be prepared for it and will have even more fun.

And that is the most important advice. Have fun. Next week, no one is really going to be thinking about your win/loss record at the event. They're going to be thinking about the decks, the people, the interaction, and the camraderie. Some of the events that are the most fun are the ones you don't win a single game in because of the things you see and the people you meet. Don't make the event about winning or losing; make it about having a great time playing a great game.

My very first tournament was the DC regionals last year. I had only started playing a few weeks before and had a very limited card pool. I expected to lose quite a bit but hoped to win a a couple games. My only win was my bye round, but I still had fun. I met some great folks and it really got me plugged into our meta. Don't avoid playing in a tournament because you aren't good yet. The best way to improve your game is to play in a tournament.

I concur with Ktom. Come to have fun. Expect to lose, learn, and have fun meeting new people.

My first regional was with the aforementioned Ktom at the Chicago regional two years ago and I did lose....a lot. Though I did manage to get a win against a guy who was just handed a deck and taught to play right before the regional started so I guess there's that. Some simple tips, find the tallest guy at the regional and concede all matches to him. I like keep a couple notes so I know what I did well (usually a short list) and what went horribly horribly wrong (the rest of the page) because as Ktom said a week later you can barely remember how many matches you played as opposed to what actually happened in them. That's not for everyone but I generally enjoy doing it; it helps me learn. Finally, be prepared to intoduce yourself twice, once by name, and once by screen name.

goshdarnstud said:

Ask your players to wear/bring deodorant! LOL

ktom said:

Good, all you guys need to come to the TN regional! Seeing as how I'm 6'5".

widowmaker93 said:

This still doesn't mean I'm going to concede to you

fhornmikey said:

woth a shot at least.

But this does mean that you are coming to the TN regional?! Because that would be excellent!

widowmaker93 said:

It is looking that way.

For anyone interested in this topic I wrote my Small Council article this week on this very topic. It will be published at cardgamedb.com on Thursday. I hope you find it helpful. But my most important suggestion is to have a good time playing some cards and making some new friends.

fhornmikey said:

sweet! It just wouldn't be the same without all the members of our meta present.

This is probably obvious, but where are the regionals located? I can't find that information on the web, it keeps popping up tournament rules.

Unbowed, Unbent, Unbroken said: