I figure that I should write a bit of reflection about the tournament from last weekend. On the front end, I had some complicated feelings. I was excited coming being able to play some more UNI after Combo Breaker and it would be against strong competition. Magnets and Miller(2B) have been really making waves in majors and larger regionals, really feeling like they were hitting the next level. I didn't feel like I wasn't improving, but comparing their successes and my progress certainly was getting in my head, lol. Plus, Miller beat me last time we played, so I wanted to beat both of them.
Of course, jasepi had also registered. Given that he was in the area and I definitely wanted to play him again, I told him about the tournament. Nevertheless, I kinda felt my stomach drop when I saw him on the reg list. It's obvious that he's really strong and I wasn't sure if my win over him at Youma was a fluke or not, so I had a lot of doubts~. On the way up, Silmerion and I had a long talk about the stuff I just mentioned... and it really helped, lol.
I can't speak for everyone else, but I certainly have a lot of doubts about my play, my growth and a bunch of other things. I think that this is not uncommon for other players too.
But, moving on... got into Farmington Hills and kicked it with FGC and Smash players alike. It was pretty neat to be able to see familiar PM faces and kick it with the UNI players as well. About 30 minutes after arriving, I sat down with Magnets to play a First-to-Five. Honestly speaking, I felt like both of us played kind of sloppy. The games were full of drops and weird decision-making, but I ended up winning it 5-1. Admittedly, I was pretty surprised... but I've played against Eltnum a lot, so I'm generally comfortable with defending against the character.
There were a few more exhibitions before I got back on to play against Miller with my Orie. To some extent, I like this matchup more than Akatsuki vs Linne... but I specifically played Orie to prepare her at game speed for some games down the road at CEOtaku. I don't play her a ton these days and it probably showed early in the games as I dropped the route I'd been practicing a lot. Miller's movement also really scrambled me early and I wasn't sure if I was going to get folded down 1-2 at one point. Somehow or another, I pulled it out 5-3 and finished the night.
I didn't sleep very well and woke up at like 6:30 am, so I wasn't sure how I would do. I grabbed breakfast, hung around with the PM players a bit and then started warming up with UNI players in the morning. Thankfully UNI wasn't until like 5, so I ended up being able to take a nap. Boy did it help, too. Though, Akira almost beat me in Round 2 Winners. He took the first game pretty definitively and I had to fight back to take the next two. I was kinda shook.
The next round, I had to play Footwurk's Gordeau. I felt like it would be a really good test of things I mentally prepared for in case I ran into jasepi. His movement reminded me of some of the other EL Gordeau players I got to play back in the day, but I was thankfully able to pin him down and take two games somewhat cleanly.
Next up was Winner's Semis vs jasepi. This set... did not start well. I went for a stand shield for mortal slide, but he ran up and grd broke me with a low. I'll say in retrospect that the grd break got me to focus instead of playing to some sort of expectation, but honestly that would be bullshit lol. I lost the first game pretty definitively, but locked in to take the second one. the third was pretty back and forth. I can't explain how I felt my defense changed, but I held on to take it at the end.
I ran off to lose a PM doubles game before playing Magnets in WF. I actually watched the VOD from the previous night with breakfast, took a small amount of notes and adjusted my play a little. I felt good teching throws defensively and mashing on certain strings and so it built up confidence to make some of the daring plays from game 4. I won that 3-1 and moved on to GF.
After coming back from one last PM doubles game, which I unfortunately blew for our team, it was time for Grand Finals. jasepi had moved through Miller Linne in LSF and beat Magnets 3-1 in LF to see me for the rematch. I don't think I changed my approach up too much from WSF through the first couple games and though they were tense, interactions were tilting in my favor while up 2-1.
At this point, jasepi switched to using more 4B, to check my dashes in and to space me at ranges he felt more comfortable in. For the record, 4B is a standing version of his running B, 10 frame startup, -2 on block and tumbles on counter hit. A pretty strong button, and one of my favorite additions from EL to ST on any character. I wasn't quite comfortable engaging with this move and he used it to effect in game 4. Game Five was close like WSF's game 3, where I fought back from a deficit and finished by landing two throws I'm surprised that worked to take the tournament.
Overall, it was a fun time, being able to head out and hang with my friends in the Midwest at SBR3. The post-tournament dinner was delicious. The after hours suite was cool, drinks were had and I spent a bit of time in another friend's hotel room before turning in for the night. I'm glad I was able to go and look forward to continuing my progress at CEOtaku 2018.
Ideally, my next blog post will be a bit shorter...
