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First Tournament Dos and Don'ts
https://ooakforum.com/viewtopic.php?f=22&t=31214		 Page 3 of 4
Author:  Cobalt [ 23 Apr 2017, 21:47 ]
Post subject:  Re: First Tournament Dos and Don'ts
Thanks for the great report. That last game would have hurt.... But oh well, next time. :)

Sent from my SM-T210 using Tapatalk
Author:  pgpg [ 23 Apr 2017, 23:28 ]
Post subject:  Re: First Tournament Dos and Don'ts
Nice report - here is what I would add:

* It's actually great that you have U1400 game on tape - that's the one that matters right now. The other ones are not going to tell you much besides the fact that players way above you will give you lots of trouble. And they most likely did not play full strength either. :(

* Your last match reinforces what fleetwood999 and others were telling you: ability to deal with pressure is huge in TT. You felt that you could/had to beat that guy, and it impacted your game. Wait until you run into "I can't believe I'm losing to the dude who is rated 200 points below me" scenario - that's even worse. And you need to learn how to deal with it - I find that playing a lot of tournaments helps in general, but you MUST play people at your level and below and learn how to beat them convincingly.

* There could be at least a couple of reasons why they served into your body/FH. If someone is a lefty, that would be one obvious answer. :) The other one - it avoids pips and forces you to receive with FH (or makes you hesitate when it's going into your body), which a lot of LP players are not that good at (myself included).

* As you get better you will LOVE playing loopers - they give you plenty of spin and that's what pips are for :devil: . It's the no-spin players that are trouble... Out of curiosity - how did you end up with LP? Right from the beginning, or is that something you evolved into?

So, when is your next tournament?
Author:  BRS [ 23 Apr 2017, 23:52 ]
Post subject:  Re: First Tournament Dos and Don'ts
You are right that not playing in the hall before is a big handicap. Always go to the club before a tournament if you can. The idea that "I am not good enough yet to play at a real club." is common but also stupid, sorry to say. You will improve by playing many different and some better players, and you have to go to a proper club for that.

Also from your report you said you felt like you had to beat the last opponent. If you were trying to make yourself nervous and play badly there is hardly any better way to do it. Thinking about the outcome of a game or match, especially during the match, destroys the concentration you need to play your best. Try to listen for thoughts like, for example, if you are up 8-5, and you think "Only need three points more." Take your timeout, or step back for a few seconds, wipe with towel, or your hand in the table, anything to get your mind 100% on the ball and the next point only.
Author:  iskandar taib [ 24 Apr 2017, 03:01 ]
Post subject:  Re: First Tournament Dos and Don'ts
It helps, I think, if you go with friends. Then you have people to warm up and practice with (there are sometimes empty tables for short amounts of time, especially at very large tournaments like the Duneland, and it helps to get used to conditions if you get to hit around for a bit before things start) and people to talk to in between matches. If you go to several tournaments in the same area you get to know some of the other people, too.

Iskandar
Author:  dwruck [ 24 Apr 2017, 09:57 ]
Post subject:  Re: First Tournament Dos and Don'ts
The key is to always learn something from your tournaments. Some of the most valuable tournaments have been when I've done terribly, then analyzed the "why" of my problems honestly. It helps give a road map of what to work on and succeed next time. And don't ever worry about rating. Ratings will go up and down. But whether you are 1000 or 1500 or 2000 you are playing the game for fun. Don't ever be like that kid, as the advice has been given, play your main event. It is indeed more difficult to win when you are "supposed" to; after that, you can handle any pressure. To take a page out of bumper stickers I've seen about other activities, "a bad day at table tennis is better than a good day at work". ;)

And now you have broken the ice at the venue and you can go back, improve, and give it another try!
Author:  dwruck [ 24 Apr 2017, 09:57 ]
Post subject:  Re: First Tournament Dos and Don'ts
The key is to always learn something from your tournaments. Some of the most valuable tournaments have been when I've done terribly, then analyzed the "why" of my problems honestly. It helps give a road map of what to work on and succeed next time. And don't ever worry about rating. Ratings will go up and down. But whether you are 1000 or 1500 or 2000 you are playing the game for fun. Don't ever be like that kid, as the advice has been given, play your main event. It is indeed more difficult to win when you are "supposed" to; after that, you can handle any pressure. To take a page out of bumper stickers I've seen about other activities, "a bad day at table tennis is better than a good day at work". ;)

And now you have broken the ice at the venue and you can go back, improve, and give it another try!
Author:  Ehimle [ 24 Apr 2017, 10:54 ]
Post subject:  Re: First Tournament Dos and Don'ts
I just want to say a sincere thanks to each and everyone on here. I really appreciate everyone who gave great advice and kind words. I love this forum.

Iskandar. I totally needed someone there. But everyone, even my wife, was busy. :(

Brs. I think this was one of the big mistakes. Most who did well were regulars at the club.
They all knew each other and were definitely comfortable and in the groove. I should probably stop making excuses and go there and start playing, get experience.
Author:  RebornTTEvnglist [ 24 Apr 2017, 14:47 ]
Post subject:  Re: First Tournament Dos and Don'ts
Go to the club with the attitude of wanting to learn AND make friends. Don't be concerned about winning, do be concerned about showing improvement in a humble way. The best way to make friends in a new club is to be eager but humble. By the time you start beating them, you'll be friends and it won't matter. People who adopt win at all costs approaches from the get go, usually end upon the outer. Especially if they're known to argue points, etc. You may already know all this, if so I'm just reinforcing it. ;)
Author:  Der_Echte [ 24 Apr 2017, 17:30 ]
Post subject:  Re: First Tournament Dos and Don'ts
DO be a TROUBLE MAKER.

Ask people you never saw to do two minutes of blocking for you, then you block for 10.

Ask people if they talk about TT online or wish to.

Talk to the tourney director and give get the email, so you can give him/her the TT forum link to the 23 pis of the tourney you took.

DO photo bomb some pics and hand out a bottle of water as a prize.

Ask others to take a pic with you or just you, TT people are like millennial.

Do ask questions to some people who appear good.

Do pick up balls for people as you walk by, a good way to be friendly.

Do find a way to praise young players' shots, that should be pretty easy.

Do clap and roll up sleeve and kiss bicep when you see a 55 yr old lady smash a winner.

Do find some kind of way to interact with more people and get the shy ones to interact and have fun.
Author:  iskandar taib [ 25 Apr 2017, 19:01 ]
Post subject:  Re: First Tournament Dos and Don'ts
Ehimle wrote:
Iskandar. I totally needed someone there. But everyone, even my wife, was busy. :(


TT buddies. People you play with on weekends, that sort of thing. The side effect is to get them to take part as well..

I'd take University club people to nearby tournaments (Indianapolis, Columbus, Evansville..). Will never forget the time when one of them happened to be an ex-second-tier Chinese National Team player (if I recall correctly his name was Yan Jun), a pips-out hitter, must've been in his late 30s. He drove. He won the Open, but he kept trying to drive up the hills east of Nashville in fifth gear.. :lol:

Iskandar
Author:  kaesees [ 14 Oct 2017, 00:57 ]
Post subject:  Re: First Tournament Dos and Don'ts
I have tentative approval from my wife to hit up the October 2017 Open in Westchester. Since there is a limit of 3 events per day per entrant, I'm thinking of entering the U1150, U1300 and U1450 events. This will be my first tournament. It also has an interesting policy on unrated players:

Quote:
The tournament committee may estimate ratings for unrated players, who are then eligible to advance to the playoffs[.]


... not that I expect to advance to the playoffs.
Author:  pgpg [ 14 Oct 2017, 01:32 ]
Post subject:  Re: First Tournament Dos and Don'ts
kaesees wrote:
I have tentative approval from my wife to hit up the October 2017 Open in Westchester. Since there is a limit of 3 events per day per entrant, I'm thinking of entering the U1150, U1300 and U1450 events. This will be my first tournament. It also has an interesting policy on unrated players:

Quote:
The tournament committee may estimate ratings for unrated players, who are then eligible to advance to the playoffs[.]


... not that I expect to advance to the playoffs.


Why wouldn't you advance? Top 2 finishers make it from RR groups (made of 3-5 people) into SE stage, and judging by your post in the other thread about your fist visit to the club, you might do pretty well (no idea about level of your club opponents, though). May be even stretch it a bit and enter U1600 as one of events.

I plan to be there as well, so we can connect in person if you want to.
Author:  kaesees [ 14 Oct 2017, 03:13 ]
Post subject:  Re: First Tournament Dos and Don'ts
That would be great - which events do you plan on entering?
Author:  kaesees [ 31 Oct 2017, 00:34 ]
Post subject:  Re: First Tournament Dos and Don'ts
Bad news: I hurt my back picking a ball up about a third of the way into the day. It's actually pretty painful to sit down for long periods right now so I'll try and type this up quickly. They're getting me a standing desk at work so that I can at least work through it. The doctor says I bulged a disc and that if I rehab it properly it'll probably be better in a few weeks.

Good news: I took 2nd place in the U1150 event. I also got to talk to pgpg in person, hope he did well in his matches on Sunday (I was only there for Saturday).

When I'm feeling a bit better I'll post more details on my blog.
Author:  pgpg [ 31 Oct 2017, 01:22 ]
Post subject:  Re: First Tournament Dos and Don'ts
kaesees wrote:
Bad news: I hurt my back picking a ball up about a third of the way into the day. It's actually pretty painful to sit down for long periods right now so I'll try and type this up quickly. They're getting me a standing desk at work so that I can at least work through it. The doctor says I bulged a disc and that if I rehab it properly it'll probably be better in a few weeks.

Good news: I took 2nd place in the U1150 event. I also got to talk to pgpg in person, hope he did well in his matches on Sunday (I was only there for Saturday).

When I'm feeling a bit better I'll post more details on my blog.


It's a bummer about your injury - especially one from just picking up a ball.

It was nice meeting you in person - and congrats on the trophy, not bad for a first tournament!
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