Pokémon TCG: Sword and Shield—Brilliant Stars

Don't Read This Post: PS's Random Pokemon Blog

Jim, I have known and palyed against you and your family for about 2 1/2 years now, and you guys are the nicest and most respectful people anybody could wish to meet. And playing in one of the most competitive states in the U.S., I have have to agree with what you said. Nice article.
 
PhoenixSong said:
So my goal this season is to simply be nice to people.
But I absolutley can control my own actions even when it is difficult to do.
Click to expand...

Jim, I totally agree with these comments and have the same aspirations.

At the DF pre-release, I was playing a guy and we both had 1 prize left.

He didn't realize that my Pokemon was resistant to his active.

He did a few things, including evolving a benched Pokemon to a Stage 2 with a very strong attack, even though he couldn't use it yet.

Only then did he realize his mistake. If he attacked and did not knock me out, my active could copy one of his Pokemon's attacks, including that strong attack on the Stage 2 that he had put down, for the win.

He said "Dang, if I'd noticed that you wouldn't be knocked out, I would have never put that Stage 2 down. But I guess I've already done it so it's too late."

I had 2 choices: (1) "if you lay it, you play it" would result in a win for me or (2) I could let him take it back, knowing that he would win the game.

I bit hard and said "You can take that back." He did and I lost, as expected.

I'm glad I did that. That's more of the kind of player that I want to be, even in tournaments.

Will I be that way when a City or something more important is on the line? I hope I'm not put in that situation, but I hope that I am.

We'll see.
 
Well written, PhoenixSong.


In tournaments, drafts, and league, my policy is to make new friends. Everyone knows who I am and where I'm from, and they all know I'm a super competitive player. However, most of them also know that I'm a gentle person-- If winning was so important I'd be a rules Nazi like some of the people I've had to play, but why should I do that when my primary goal is to enjoy myself? Winning I understand is a mentality needed at a worlds level, but I see no point in a winning mentality if there is no sportsmanship behind it.

Sportsmanship is required, even in a card game.

There should be no bragging, gloating, or put downs in this game. The guy with the Mewtric deck that won worlds 06' was a shining example of this, the incident I'm thinking about involved his worlds report where he continuously slammed Jimmy Ballard and his deck, which I still believe deserved to win.

Failure to be sportsmanlike only results in damaging your own reputation, and it only gets worse the further along the game of telephone tag goes.

Example: Player A catches a misplay done by Player B, and tries to verbally correct the situation. Player B throws a fit and argues and yells (It's happened, people) until a Judge, Tournament Organizer, or Head Judge intervenes. Other players see this.

Next thing you know, it's a thread on the 'gym about some guy who threw a fit and started swearing and telling the Judges where to go.


I've had matches where I've been all but crushed, but still had a smile on my face. When I was still new to the game (and to this day) I commemorate each and every tournament match by physically giving my opponent a card. I've gone as far as to throw EX's at people. It depends on your opponents response. Good natured people who share a passion for PTCG as strong as mine should be rewarded-- I sign the cards I give to my opponents now, so I know when my opponent looks at that card next, they'll think of the kind soul out there who was generous enough to part with their cards as a reward for an honest match.

My friend collects Meowth cards. He makes absolutely every one of his opponents at my league/Tournament sign a Meowth card so he does not forget the matches he's ever had. He's only been doing this for a month and has almost 80 Meowths signed by different people.

...But this is all my opinion. I could be wrong.
 
Last edited:
You absolutely got the point here! Where I live, this is happening too. Players are more and more competiting, playing for the prizes, without being nice, without sportsmanship. It might be a bit different here, 'cause there aren't that much "active" players, so there's less competition than in the US. But still.. this is an upcoming problem in the PTCG-world.
So my goal this season is to simply be nice to people.
My goal is to compete, but to do so with a certain amount of respect.
Click to expand...
Good, that's what we need, nice players :)
I've had matches where I've been all but crushed, but still had a smile on my face.
Click to expand...
That's how it should be! PTCG game is still a game. games are for fun, not for winning.
And I like that sign-a-card idea btw :)

I'm glad I have a lot of friends playing it for fun, not for winning.
~Matthijs
 
Hauntastic said it: Sportsmanship.

I emphasize it at my Gym. I wish all my opponents a good game when competing in tournament, and
shake their hand. I allow takeback in my own matches if nothing has been done following to complicate the conditions.
I have a reputation at my FLGS for doing this no matter what I play, and it seems to have a positive side-effect on the atmosphere in the room. (Psych students: sell me a clue why?)

I overheard some teenage players at my Gym recently say a few things that added up to "I wanna be like the Gym Leader", and I drew strength from that context that my message was getting across.

The best we can do as Good Gamers is to set an example. Sportsmanship is the cornerstone.

When it ceases to be a game for me, I'll cease playing. When it ceases to be a game for my son, I'll cease GymLeading.
 
Honestly, coming from someone who attributed a lot to the flaming, I really don't see who you are trying to reach with a post like this. Talking about, a family member of yours being tormented for preforming successfully at this game. Geez, I woulden't know how that feels! The double standards in this game are ridiculous. Plus, just because you see conflicts on a forum, does not mean the moral of the game is at an all time low. The game does not revolve around this forum, or any on the net. Believe me.
 
Martin said:
Honestly, coming from someone who attributed a lot to the flaming, I really don't see who you are trying to reach with a post like this. Talking about, a family member of yours being tormented for preforming successfully at this game. Geez, I woulden't know how that feels! The double standards in this game are ridiculous. Plus, just because you see conflicts on a forum, does not mean the moral of the game is at an all time low. The game does not revolve around this forum, or any on the net. Believe me.
Click to expand...

contributed, not attributed.

Also, conflicts on the forum are created by people in the game. I don't think people are going to be hating eachother online and being best buddies as soon as they get to an in person tournament. So while nothing revolves around the forum, or any forum, the forums can be a good way to gauge the feelings of many of the more competitive, most well known and active players.

@ ryan - That's just you. Some people have fun not being competitive. I enjoy being competitive (even though I never win), but, I still feel that the competition is just one part of Pokemon's appeal.

Jim - Great article, as others have said.
 
i think this article is awesome.....but in ways i agree and disagree with this article
i agree some people are wayy too competitive my friend ian ( a guy that plays in my league i think got t32 in worlds this year)that played in the cities with me complains that i dont play in cities cause he said "pokemon isnt fun unless u play competitive." in my opinion thats not true. pokemon is what u make of it it can be competitive it can be fun but it depends of what u make of it

you can make it fun and play at a casual levels. play fun deck but u are getting ur own pleasure outta it because u are happy playing it. but alot of people also like the competitiveness and its fun cause of it i think that u have a fun on a game depending on the person.

but i do agree some people take the game wayy to seriously its a fun hobby and can be competitive and people need to calm it down alittle cause in the end you need to let the fun your having with others

really really good article man:smile:
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top