Ok here we go. The secrets of the master...ok stop laughing and keep reading

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Using too many cards!?

Well, I've noticed a constant overall lessening of the differential at the end of a game for some time. Now, however it seems to be at an all time low. I was playing swccg with some friends on Saturday, and in games where I clearly won my differential still never broke 25. Why? Because I had so many cards on the table. People seem to be starting with and deploying more and more cards, the result is having less cards left. My LS deck for example, the Falcon deck, which you can look at in the deck section, doesn't have this problem. It uses a fairly small amount of cards and as a result often wins games where the opponent is doing more damage then I am. If I only have 10-15 cards on the table then I have 45-50 cards I can lose, while my opponent has 20-25 cards on the table, meaning he can only lose 35-40 cards. This means he can be draining me for more than I am draining him and I can still win. One of the things I always thought was amazing about the Revo deck was it's huge wins. The reason for this is because it can win with only using 10 cards or so. When I think about how many times I've lost by one or 2 cards, and how many times I've wasted 2 cards by starting with Twilek and an effect that did no good I began to reconsider the cumulative effect starting with more cards has on the game. I guess it really is true, sometimes less is more.

The power of the "meta"

The power of the "bluff"

Bluffing is trying to get the opponent to believe they know what cards you have or don't have. Now, I'm not talking about the "Jedi Mind Trick" involved in bluffing, but rather the effect that playing a certain card has on how the opponent plays and how it can be used to your advantage. For example, lets say on your first turn you play Scanning Crew, now all of a sudden your opponents strategy changes. The first thing they are probably concerned with now is getting rid of that SCrew, so they'll be trying very hard to find a "grabber", or Shocking Info. Now, how does that help you? Well, let's say that you only use 1 SCrew, and your opponent begins focusing their energy on stopping SCrew. You have now slowed down the opponent, and possibly worried them, by making them respond to a strategy you don't really use. I am reminded of talented player, Tim Csigi, who used to add 1 of a bunch of annoying cards like that. It was amazing to see the havoc it wreaked as the opponent changed their strategy in lieu, and in expectation of more of, that card. Not only that it can be used in the opposite way, you could have a HBX deck that uses a few Mains, or you could use 1 Limited Resources. The opponent won't expect those cards and will reflect that in their strategy against you. Unpredictability can be a valid asset, use it.

That Card Sux!

I can't tell you how many times I've heard this comment, or some variation. I also can't tell you how many times people have reconsidered their opinion of the card after a game. As I've always said "A card is most powerful when it's unexpected." Most people agree that experience is an incredible asset. So on the other side, doesn't that mean that inexperience is a vise? So that means by using a card that's unexpected, the very fact that your opponent is unfamiliar with it gives you an advantage. Now don't get me wrong, I'm not suggesting that you go through your binder and pull out every card that you've never used before and toss it in your deck. However going back through your binder and looking at cards you always considered useless as a possible game breaker isn't a bad idea. If you look at many "Uber decks" they rely on combos, combos which slipped by the play testers and also most players. Why? Because one or more of the cards is considered generally worthless and overlooked. Next time you see an Omni Box, think back at all the times your opponent has tracked a 6 destiny. Next time you see Datcha, think about how many times you could've used up your opponents force, so that with First Strike they couldn't Houjix. The only worthless card is one you don't use.

The Jedi Mind Trick

Ok, here we have the "darker" side of the game. I rarely use such tactics, however it's important to know they are out there. I remember back in my early tournies, I was new to the scene and had no confidence. I would usually start out games with saying something like "Man, I don't have a chance." Then when people saw me deploy my PB Luke to the Cantina they would think to themselves, this game is mine. They were thus quite shocked when the game ended for them immediately after they deployed Vader and Tarkin to battle the farmboy. Needless to say after that tourney people looked at me differently, and the "newbie" Mind Trick didn't work. However, it went to the other extreme, people always expected some radical surprise. A guy once had a handful of aliens at the same site as my Chewbacca and didn't battle because "I know you have something planned." I didn't though. I also once, though not on purpose, used the "Rule call" Mind Trick. I brought up a few rules points in the beginning of the game and always added "I think that's right", he would always smile and say "yeah, you're right." I was bringing myself off as one who barely knew the rules, so when I brought up a hugely complicated rules query his image of me was shattered. Another favorite "mind trick" that I've seen is the God Draw fake out. It occurs when someone acts like they're looking for a certain card, and get it on their first draw. Doing this repeatedly can often make the opponent feel as though the "force" really is with you, and cause a degree of frustration that will create mistakes. On that note, there is one other mind trick, in fact probably the most common and powerful which I call "Move Along." Basically what happens is this, your opponent does something, rules question, interrupt, conversation, which causes you to forget where you were in your turn. In fact there's one player , who will remain nameless, who is a master of making conversation during the opponents control phase to get them to forget to drain. So what do you do? Well, for most of these it's as simple as not letting it bother you. Remember: there are no invincible players, nor is a game ever decided before the last force is lost. Also, just play for fun, if you don't care so much about winning there is a less chance you'll get frustrated. It also helps to keep a mental checklist of what you should do in a turn, and go slowly so you don't forget something. Play at your own pace.

Know your role! errr, I mean know the odds.

There are very few sure things in this game, as anyone who has ever been caught by one of my react combos can attest to. It's important to estimate the odds of situations the best you can. For example, PB Luke is sitting in the Cantina draining for 2. You have Darth and Tarkin in your hand, do you battle? Well, there's 2 possibilities if you do 1)Luke gets a smackdown from Big Daddy 2)LS plays Out Of Somewhere to react CZ-3, then plays Don't Underestimate Our Chances, then uses CZ-3 to react with Obi, Leia, Han and Chewie, then plays various destiny adders to hand you a battle damage of 100+. So, what's the chance of possibility 1 ocurring? Of 2? Then again what's the possibility of Luke sitting alone? So what am I saying... Well basically this, consider every possible outcome for every situation, or as best as you can. Then play the odds. Now, there are ways to significantly increase the odds in favor of you. What if your opponent had a 10 card lost pile and in it were various mains, and cards like Don't Underestimate Our Chances? But what if there were only cards like Talz, Owen, Beru and Luke? Better yet what if you play a card like Monnok? Now you should be almost certain of the outcome. So not only do you want to be aware of possibilities, but keep track of the likely-hood of such possibilities.

Go back.

By the way Nameless=Tony