WOW-What ever happened to just wanting to play the best and being the best! My son was advised by several to quit during swiss 3 years ago at Nationals because everyone was sure he had enough points to get an invite to World's in Orlando. If he had lost the next round or more he proberly would not have had enough points to get an invite.
I told him to play his best and let the cards fall how they may fall. He went on to finish third in the junior division. He got a paid trip to worlds. He lost the first 3 out of 4 games being donked at World's. Twice by Banette and once by GG. I would hate to think he would have missed out on finishing third at US Nationals,a paid trip to Worlds, and then finish like he did. He would have spent his days now wondering how he would have done at Nationals if he had dropped!
Now when you menion the third place finish, his eyes alway gleem. I'm glad we didn't listen to all of the people that told us to drop because we would get an invite to world's!!!!!!!!!!!!
I have always tried to teach him to play his best, never be afraid to try, alway be honest (if you cheat to win, the trophy will mean nothing deep down inside to you), congradulate the other person when you win (everyone likes for people to tell them they did a good job), and always be humble when you win. You don't need to brag and tell people if you are a good player, they will figure it out. Finally I also told him, if you violate the above rules, you will not play again until you learn how to observe them again.
Bottom line, I believe you play fair, honest, try your best, be afraid to play no one, accept how things turn out because you tried your best, and be happy for the person things went right for, even if that person is not you!
Ken C.
