and this is why Pak is quickly becoming my favorite yugituber bc he honestly gives his all to giving out knowledge on the game to up everyone’s skill level and the game standards
To the first 3 commenters. All the OP did was make an observation and give his opinion. Why is is that nobody can give an Oz of praise without being called a rider?? Yall are bogus and toxic for the game. Do better. Also I agree that Pak has become a really reliable source of competitive information.
@@Xx3SPAZxX bro made a video saying to think about why you lost and you treat it as gospel. It’s not a difficult proposition to critically think in order to improve at something. Yet people act like he made a profound statement. This video was just 14min of rent being due, lmao, so he strung together a bunch of repeating, lackluster points.
I really like the deckbuilding portion of this video. At YCS london I lost out in day 2 to a mikanko player (pre new support) because they full combod and krystia locked me twice. At the time I thought to myself "I only made 1 misplay that entire match and it wouldn't have mattered, plus idk what his cards do because its mikanko libromancer whos prepared for that deck". Looking back after watching this video it's so clear how improvements could have been made. My deckbuilding was not prepared for any sort of rogue combo deck. I was on swordsoul, played 2 playsets of handtraps total (3 ash 3 imperm) and all of my board breakers were geared towards kashtira, nat runick, and melffy spright. My deck was not prepared for any sort of resilient combo strategy, even something like a branded or a labrynth I was relying on drawing a single 3-of when going 2nd. My deck was very much relying on playing vs only tier 1 decks, and hoping my technical play would outmatch anything I wasn't prepared for. Lo and behold, that wasn't a viable strategy I also realise that I wouldn't have been in the situation to lose out there had I not misplayed technically in my round 3, as I would have had an extra chance to win games. This video, and the channel as a whole, really helps me set my mindset to be "I am acquiring a new skill with each match that I play, whether it be noticing a new line, a new interaction with X rogue deck, or just remembering to think about a certain tech card in future". So, thanks Pak. It's really great to watch content like this and learn not how to play the game physically, but how to play the game mentally. It's the best YGO content out there for that, keep it up.
I want to also point out that whether you’re on duelingbook or at an event, there’s expectations on how fast you need to play which can be harsh on newer players. In that example you gave on ashing phantazmay, Ive seen players (myself included) simply forget or otherwise hold the ash for something else either due to time constraints, pressure to play/think faster, nerve etc which is a mistake you need to learn from. Thinking ahead about okay I have this ash in my hand and when my opponent plays i need to remember that this is an interaction I have, rather than reacting to their plays without thinking ahead which can lead to you losing the game.
Something that's also helped me not forgetting my interactions is actually checking them. Go through your gy, banished zone and your opponents and look over all the cards to be able to keep track of everything. That's also why a lot of players on feature are constantly checking their backrow because it's easy to just forget about an interaction you have if you're not constantly reminding yourself of it
As for pressure from your opponents over time, just take the time you need to win. They're the opponent and unless I know them personally I don't care how they feel about me taking time to think. I think it flusters some people aswell when you're not playing at the speed they expect you to and that can lead to them messing up.
DB is fucking intimidating lol. In an event "sorry thinking one sec" is usually perceived better than online where people have the propensity to be a lot less kind. I stopped playing the game in 2014, got back in 2021. It's been a struggle cus there's so many cards I just don't know and have to have explained.
analyzing yourself is very important advice, i recommend it to everyone! for example during my 1st regional at the start of the month I performed decently well for deck i was forced to used ( my cards didn't arrived in time so i went with traptrix) and the 2nd round against floo was probably the best match I ever had, i felt like both me and my opponent played as well as we could and getting that draw in time felt really satisfying my opponent even said I was the best traptrix player he played against at the end which felt very satisfying!
and yeah i'm still super disapointed that I didn't top the event but as unfortunate as the situation was in game 2 of round 8 (i was 4/2/1 at the time, my opponent got top 32 and his invite) (I opened all my copies of parallel exceed) that was on me for siding out the 3rd one and it's a mistake that'll stick with me going forward and I feel legit ALOT more confident towards the next one in march
PART of why I became a Judge was to imrpove my technical play. To master the game itself not just a deck. Judging improved my play to the point where I got 3 premier event tops before switching to mono judge.
Went to my First YCS, this year in Bologna, meeting people you there Pak made it really special got talking to you in line for Pizza about your Labyrnth plays and you were super chill. Spent a few hours trading and talking about Mannadium and Tearlaments with Patrick Hoban as well, he traded me an Ulti big welcome to complete my playset and helped me build my side deck for the mega regional, I have to say everyone I met there was amazing. Your videos are always great, straight talking and have great advise, keep up the great content.
I returned after 15 years with MD and I can't tell you how many notebooks I filled learning combos and theorizing my lines based on certain opening hands and etc with adventure tenyi and pranks. And most people won't put in the hours of work doing that and I completely understand why. You have to be almost obsessed to commit to that level
One thing really important is to know every single deck in a format. I remember in HAT format(years ago) I played infernity. But I became really good at playing HAT, FAT, Mermail, Geargia, Madolche etc.. when you learn each deck, you know what’s common. It helps you prepare for matchups and see what space you have left for Rogue.
In my friend group i’m known as the guy who loses to himself - always sequencing suboptimally or just doing a derpy play. This is hella inspo ty, would love more about this
I would say Patrick hoban's book is a good read, especially the deck building part, I think the ratios are really important. Also, understanding baselines of a game is really important to gauge whether a card is bad, average, good,like the average value for drawing a card is about 1000 lifepoints from heatsoul, or spell cards that adds 1000 stats by using that card, so if you see an in archetype card that gives better value than the baseline, it could be worthwhile to run that card
tbh there always room for improvement, whether in ygo aspects or in general. Thatt's why i watched you,josh, jesse, trif (not jockingly because he good with managing a good board), and anyone that could give me good insight. After playing this card game for 11+years i'm still feeling like a bozo, but listening to you improved me a lot and made a top at locals (ya ik not 1st place but i'll try it harder). so ty sooo much
Man, I'm supposed to learn things about Yu-Gi-Oh but I learned a couple of things I can apply to life in general Learn the fundamentals Get as much experience as possible Admit your mistakes and learn from it Be honest with yourself This should be titled "Why you're not winning in life"
As somebody that started the game a year ago and somebody who is not a budget player but not 200+ player either, i have yet to see success in big events. This video was really helpful because even tho i know my decks pretty well by now. Making the correct play cant still be a struggle. Thanks again!
Very good point, I agree entirely, one of the most important aspects concerns the rulings, regarding this for a player in what way and where would you recommend training regarding rulings? Is there a document a video that follows a lineup and explains the various rulings in simple detail?
This video gained my sub. I've been playing again since 2016 and I agree, its a lot to take in these days! There is so much to learn. PAKs accomplishments show true dedication to learning and getting better, and he has great insight into the games competitive scene!
6:17 regarding combos. I memorise them by creating mental checklists,"to get to that endboard piece i first need to get this,to get this i need that " so if i get interrupted i just look for the next best way to check the next checkmark,or pivot to another line. Idk if this makes any sense but i hope that it helped you if you read this,random person on the internet😊.
Pak i think i realised something and would very much apreciate to hear your and nesh's thoughts on it. Maybe yugioh works more like a fighting game (in the strategy sense) and i would like to point out the similarities. 1_ highly based on hidden interactions: spell speeds are comparatives to frame data and dodging targeted effects can be seen as a dragon punch move. Both games rely heavy on background knowledge not written in cards/basic tutorials. 2_ the way we learn is the same ( searching combos online and replicate them and learn interactions/frame data with the comunity ) 3_ Same new player complains on meta (literally word for word) like: i lost because this meta deck/character appeared and i could do nothing just watch me getting combo'd. 4_ yugioh decks have a similar strategy to fighting game characters: floodgate/grapplers profit from trying to make the other player not play as much as they can, mid range/shoto are good on grind game and combo but not opressive in both, combo/glass canon are more focused on comboing you to death or dying trying and sky stryker, sometimes runick could zoner type decks since they have control but not through floodgates. Maybe it would work to have them see the game with fighting game eyes rather than a normal card game so they have a better grasp on how it works.
Jesse Kotton has a great video on his channel, where he goes over the optimal ratios in deck building. He even shows you how to completely minimize the 'brickability' from a statistical point of view. It is worth checking out, and it changed the way I think about deck building a bit.
Just reading the title, I needed to come here. I had a terrible year in 2023 of finishing out events (PAK helped in that, lol) and I feel like I'm past my prime in 21 years of this game so I need a reprisal.
I really look up to Pak as a player because I started playing around the end of 2021. What he's mentioning about learning the fundamentals is what I had to go through, too, and it goes to show that even if you're relatively new compared to everyone else, you can still perform well by putting in work rather than complaining about power creep and the meta all the time.
Low key one of the most informative videos I’ve ever watched. I had to do a break down and an analysis on this. This is the stuff people don’t cover. The game within the game. Make more please! 😊🎉
The few times Pak has come down to AZ and the few times we’ve played this is 100% true and the way you describe this is amazing and you’re always willing to help improve after the match to play better.
Amazing video Pak! Love how you shine light on the important aspects of being competitive in a way that’s actually approachable. It makes the video useful for anyone watching, and the fact you have such a short-yet-sucessful YGO chareer really cements the arguments too! I’d love to see more videos like this, diving into more of the details on the different important topics👍
I 100% agree with all of your points. I recently came back into the game early 2023 right at the start of Kashtira being dominant so it was very difficult to learn the game but just studying it and learning how to play will take you far. I started with Traptrix and now mostly play Labrynth and a Scareclaw Tri-Brigade deck I tweaked and actually just won my first local a few weeks ago. Putting in the effort to learn the game instead of what the deck does may be hard but it does pay off. It may not be a regional or YCS win but getting that locals win felt to damn good after pouring hours and hours into playing, losing, watching my matches, and editing my strategy or looking up rulings. It does pay off guys.
I feel like I'm the opposite off of the first point, I just always assume that my wins are because my opponent misplayed and that it's impossible to be from my own performance, and my losses are only because I fucked up
If you win because your opponent misplayed, it means you were the better player in that game and deserved the win! Making less mistakes than your opponent is a perfectly valid way to win, just as much as making 200 IQ outplays, you should take pride in those wins as well.
Do you have any video discussing using the calculator for deckbuilding? I always hear pros disussing exact percentages but im confused how they determine what percentages they are looking for or satisfied with even if I know how to plug numbers into the program
Much love Pak. I definitely need to focus on a handful of things you said in this video. Thank you for the insight, and hopefully I run into you at a couple events this year!!
Completely agree. I'm nervous about dueling book cause I'm not fast on computers and don't want to make ppl wait forever lol. I've been on there in solo move testing hands and really learning how to do things proficiently on there. Hope I can duel against you one day, either in person or online. I need those games played to up my experience level. Thanks for all the info
I agree with all your points, however the one issue is how expensive some of the staples, and engine starter can be in this game not everyone could afford it. However that probably the fun part is finding that sleeper move that nobody can see it coming.
This was a great video. I was playtesting Voiceless Voice and I reminded myself to your Video. I won and 2:0 my opponent and I could clearly say, that I had more knowledge about this deck. But after rewatching the replay I saw 2 mistakes I made, that would made a grindy game 2 a lot easier for me. To see the mistakes, be honest and learn from them is just an underrated skill. Thank you
I’ve traveled to like 4 ycs out of state over the last year and haven’t topped yet. Still trying to get there myself. I do feel I’m inching there though. In 2022 I got my first invite, I got multiple invites since then and last year got my first tips at regionals a 4th and 1st. And have came close to topping 2 ycs. My area isn’t competitive so I’m kinda relying on myself but I’m tryna get there. Hopefully this year I get that ycs top.
A big thing I notice is people refusing to listen to math. People often base their ratios on best-case scenarios (“if I draw this one-of/mutli-card combo in this specific matchup it goes crazy”) or worst case scenarios (“if I play 3 of this card I might end up drawing them all together”), instead of running the numbers to see how likely they are to open a winning hand vs relevant matchups. So many lists are filled with one-ofs and two-ofs because they “don’t want to brick on multiples” - but people refuse to accept that if a format has 2-3 premiere non-engine options, you’re always better taking that 2% increased chance of drawing a dupe that is still good vs every deck for the 10% higher chance of seeing it at all. If you swap the third copy out for an inferior 1-of, you’re reducing the odds of an occurrence that statistically probably won’t even come up in a tournament, and you’re now drawing a card that is low-impact or matchup-dependant every 1/10ish games. Ask yourself why your tournament success hinges on not drawing that card in multiples - surely if you’ve evaluated the card/format correctly, the one live copy you’re able to activate should at least have a chance of compensating for the dead card in your hand?
I've got raging ADHD and found that I was losing to myself making bad decisions because I was playing too quickly, or not paying attention to the board state as closely as I should be. Sometimes giving yourself a few extra seconds before making a play can make a big difference between winning and losing a game.
I know most of my YGO friends hate when I do this but for me I always compare my YGO experience with my FGC experience. I picked up YGO this year because my gf plays and so do my friends and I'm finding out all these things are so hard to learn but I remember back in 2010 learning SF4 and Tekken 6 and how it was rough for me. Now playing SF6 and T8, I have a better grasp of the game from that experience and that's what my friends and gf tell me it's like with YGO. You need experience to be able to react with situations and cards you're up against
What's weird is, I watched these videos as a returning player and yes they got me better by changing my mindset but coming back to this message I'm learning that I'm getting an even deeper meaning on how to fine tune myself
@@joseprojo975 this is the very basics of playing aggro in MtG - Always play to your outs. It transfers well into pretty much any TCG or Archetype though. TCGs are variance and luck based by nature, there will always be those games where you'll essentially lose with no recourse, even if you play 100% optimally, but as you said, it's about understanding what you can control and making the best possible plays in that situation. It's a state of mind and a way of thinking about the game, and it takes time to fortify that skill because it can only be taught through experience. In other words, play the game with intention of becoming better, understand when you misplay and when you don't, and when in doubt ALWAYS assume you could have played better, because the chances are, you could have. I think just about anyone can improve at the game by looking at it through the lens of "what could I have done differently here that might have changed how the game went?"
I definitely agree with this statement. Ive been playing this game for years and still have lots to learn about deck building and navigation of the fields in tournaments. Haha i like my techs.
Bro how do i "learn to be good at the game and not just at the decks"? Only resource is videos about combos and deck lists there is no guide on how to get better at the game? How do i get better by playing more when i get smoked by better competition? How do i analyse and learn when i dont know if i could do something different and what should I have done?
im surprised no one responded to your comment. just play the decks you are losing to and you will start to understand the advantage states and where to handtrap. dont get distressed because modern yugioh theory is only getting more complicated. but in time you will start to understand when and why you are losing
I follow yugioh but don’t really play it. However, I find this really insightful, and could be applied to numerous games. Be thoughtful about your games, win or lose Find areas you can improve, Build your deck to the meta not just to what people say is good. Don’t get attached to pet cards, unless you actually believe they make the deck better. Practice practice practice. Big fan of PAK, excited to see you continue.
Pak just so know, always remember us as true fans appreciate you for sharing ur honesty toward ur experience and this game itself. I know u are pretty good at maintain ur positive mindset, always keep that energy and continue being you, and inspired us through ur stories. Never let others/haters opinions , thoughts and judgement get to you pak. Cuz we all know they do not matter af.🙏🏻 thank u for what u do. - from ur biggest OCG fan.
Playing and understanding Yu-Gi-Oh is much more important. As a player who passed the RC test, I see players who ignore fundamental game mechanics all the time (Ex. Players activating a Quick-Play spell after they just set it. And the card effect doesnt specify the that the card can be activatedm
You could try topping locals in hopes you’ll get packs to pull those high dollar cards. If your issue isn’t skill based then you should be able to perform well and be able to at least have a chance pull something. That’s how I was able to get Wanted and a few other cards I’m able to trade at a really good value.
Because Konami benefits metas on purpose and hate you for having creativity. They don't want you to have fun no matter what you try. It's the uncomfortable truth.
? I'm confused I guess if your totally new you'd ask how to play link monsters but it's should just be clear it's a summoning method, no different than fusion or ritual if you've played the base game. Swarm Summoning ending with strong effect monsters turn one has been default for a while, it's literally just tribute summoning.
This year in summer I’ll have returned to the game for 2 years. I believe I have come a long way since I started with my Albaz structure decks lol. Slowly over time picking up good cards and learning more interactions. It does take time to become a good player. Also to me my hats off to those who don’t play Meta and win lol. It’s a time thing to make a player better. Regardless if it’s your control or not I think every player just needs time
Honestly getting back into it this year after 10 years off hasnt been too hard for me, but this is cause I was topping locals at 12 y/o running my playground tech against ebay meta 🤣
I like Team Sam’s videos I just don’t like when he has videos saying TIER ZERO META DESTROYING BLUE EYES DECK! I fell for this when I first got into the game and saw other people at my locals think the same thing only for me and those players to play decks and think that because a UA-camr said a deck is good then it’ll carry me to victory, lesson learned
you know what. I think this is valid even for returning players. last time ive played seriously was like early 2020 than comming back to playing in 2023, everyhthing felt way too different. I got my ass handed thinking 2020-2019 tactics would work
Long time competitive player for mtg/ygo. One of my biggest pet peeves is hearing players complain that EVERY loss is solely due to variance (bricking or opp getting lucky)…I always try and ask what decisions they made that led to the win/loss and very rarely do ppl have a decent answer. You will never improve if you can’t accept that you make mistakes and don’t try to ways to minimize them.
It’s always so obvious from the way someone talks about their loss whether it was in their control. Occasionally you’ll get someone say something along the lines of “yeah I had three losses, one of them I lost the die roll and opened none of my 15 non-engine in games 1 and 3, one of the losses I maybe could’ve played better but it was all uphill, and one of them I just wasn’t prepared for the matchup” - you know these people are probably speaking the truth. When you get someone saying “yeah I got sacked man, I’ve lost 7 die rolls today and all my opponents had custom hands - no way I was ever topping with that run” you know deep down that they’re making blanket excuses whilst ignoring games they should’ve played better.
an obvious tip but like you GOTTA SLEEP and EAT and stay HYDRATED. etc i went to a regional a month ago where i was on like 5 hours of sleep and just played ABYSMAL. i played unchained and have been very good with the deck, winning most of my locals with it before the regional, and i was so out of I just made really awful mistakes.
You are a brilliant mind Mr. Pak. Everything you have said is correct. You have proven it by your growth in the game. You are one of the best in the game. I think a lot of people talk about yugioh in comparison to when it was first introduced. I don’t think you can relate to it because you did not play then. I myself started playing in early 2005. I left the game then because I was very young and no control over finances to play. I came back in 2020. I loved coming back. Pak was one of the reasons I came back. The game seem to be so fun and fantastic to play. I stop playing in 2022. In my experience the people I met at locals were not good for my mental health. The players were very toxic to losses and not productive in helping people as a community for the game. So I left the physical game. I have a 6 day job so I don’t have much time to travel outside my general area often so quitting the physical had to be a choice. I will always love the game but people around you will dictate a lot about the fun you have in the game. It is not a one player game therefore this will always be a truth. I hope one day I get to come back to the physical game. With the game not good at inviting new players I fear it may have to be soon before the game dies out.
Dang what’s wrong with a Cimooo video? Lol This a great video, and you gave a lot of great advice. I need to start taking advantage of duelingbook replays more often
It really doesn't bother me if i lose. I have fun playing the game regardless and take notes of my opponent's strategies to better myself. My favorite deck is Facedown Beatdown.
Truly wise words from pak. This video should be spread out in order to change the mindset of yugioh players, especially for the betterment of the atmosphere of the game.
I agree with majority to what you said. Honestly your last tip is very... subjective I think is the word. Like I have a casual deck that's maximum strength, numeron god cards. it's consistency is almost perfect. it's 60 cards to minimize the level 10 clutter, and has anime level draw power where even if I get droll and lock bird I got an extra 4 cards. And it has competitive cards in it like droplet and lightning storm, along with the in archetype like soul crossing and sphere mode. It's easy to call god cards a bad deck, but I'm probably the most committed player to the archetype. Even lately tokusano shinkyojin has been the best consistency card to it. My deck has natural advantages to most of the meta if not all. Alot of your advice lands, learn the game, the matchup, where you slipped or it was inevitable, and that alone in my opinion makes you a very likable champion, but I sometimes the best strategy to me is the one your opponent can't prepare for.
You circumvent that by going and playing in person, as much as you possibly can. Trying out different locals you’ll be exposed to the top players at other shops, you don’t specifically need to play against Pak/Josh/Jesse/etc. to obtain experience in the game.
Honestly sometimes tho your opponent just has the better hand and you have to keep that in mind if they have all the outs it is what it is yu gi oh doesn’t provide any flexibility when it comes to a situation like that fuels over after that sometimes
and this is why Pak is quickly becoming my favorite yugituber bc he honestly gives his all to giving out knowledge on the game to up everyone’s skill level and the game standards
Doing tricks on it my guy
people riding pak so hard are so cringe lol
To the first 3 commenters. All the OP did was make an observation and give his opinion. Why is is that nobody can give an Oz of praise without being called a rider?? Yall are bogus and toxic for the game. Do better. Also I agree that Pak has become a really reliable source of competitive information.
@@Xx3SPAZxX bro made a video saying to think about why you lost and you treat it as gospel. It’s not a difficult proposition to critically think in order to improve at something. Yet people act like he made a profound statement.
This video was just 14min of rent being due, lmao, so he strung together a bunch of repeating, lackluster points.
@@Ezj9727 also nobody said he made a profound statement. Ur being Melodramatic for no reason.
I really like the deckbuilding portion of this video. At YCS london I lost out in day 2 to a mikanko player (pre new support) because they full combod and krystia locked me twice. At the time I thought to myself "I only made 1 misplay that entire match and it wouldn't have mattered, plus idk what his cards do because its mikanko libromancer whos prepared for that deck".
Looking back after watching this video it's so clear how improvements could have been made. My deckbuilding was not prepared for any sort of rogue combo deck. I was on swordsoul, played 2 playsets of handtraps total (3 ash 3 imperm) and all of my board breakers were geared towards kashtira, nat runick, and melffy spright. My deck was not prepared for any sort of resilient combo strategy, even something like a branded or a labrynth I was relying on drawing a single 3-of when going 2nd. My deck was very much relying on playing vs only tier 1 decks, and hoping my technical play would outmatch anything I wasn't prepared for. Lo and behold, that wasn't a viable strategy
I also realise that I wouldn't have been in the situation to lose out there had I not misplayed technically in my round 3, as I would have had an extra chance to win games.
This video, and the channel as a whole, really helps me set my mindset to be "I am acquiring a new skill with each match that I play, whether it be noticing a new line, a new interaction with X rogue deck, or just remembering to think about a certain tech card in future". So, thanks Pak. It's really great to watch content like this and learn not how to play the game physically, but how to play the game mentally. It's the best YGO content out there for that, keep it up.
Im not winning cause my deck aint max rarity
Your Vegas deck finna be maxed out then 😂😂
use hacks
I want to also point out that whether you’re on duelingbook or at an event, there’s expectations on how fast you need to play which can be harsh on newer players. In that example you gave on ashing phantazmay, Ive seen players (myself included) simply forget or otherwise hold the ash for something else either due to time constraints, pressure to play/think faster, nerve etc which is a mistake you need to learn from. Thinking ahead about okay I have this ash in my hand and when my opponent plays i need to remember that this is an interaction I have, rather than reacting to their plays without thinking ahead which can lead to you losing the game.
Something that's also helped me not forgetting my interactions is actually checking them. Go through your gy, banished zone and your opponents and look over all the cards to be able to keep track of everything. That's also why a lot of players on feature are constantly checking their backrow because it's easy to just forget about an interaction you have if you're not constantly reminding yourself of it
As for pressure from your opponents over time, just take the time you need to win. They're the opponent and unless I know them personally I don't care how they feel about me taking time to think. I think it flusters some people aswell when you're not playing at the speed they expect you to and that can lead to them messing up.
DB is fucking intimidating lol. In an event "sorry thinking one sec" is usually perceived better than online where people have the propensity to be a lot less kind.
I stopped playing the game in 2014, got back in 2021. It's been a struggle cus there's so many cards I just don't know and have to have explained.
analyzing yourself is very important advice, i recommend it to everyone! for example during my 1st regional at the start of the month I performed decently well for deck i was forced to used ( my cards didn't arrived in time so i went with traptrix) and the 2nd round against floo was probably the best match I ever had, i felt like both me and my opponent played as well as we could and getting that draw in time felt really satisfying
my opponent even said I was the best traptrix player he played against at the end which felt very satisfying!
and yeah i'm still super disapointed that I didn't top the event but as unfortunate as the situation was in game 2 of round 8 (i was 4/2/1 at the time, my opponent got top 32 and his invite) (I opened all my copies of parallel exceed) that was on me for siding out the 3rd one and it's a mistake that'll stick with me going forward and I feel legit ALOT more confident towards the next one in march
PART of why I became a Judge was to imrpove my technical play. To master the game itself not just a deck. Judging improved my play to the point where I got 3 premier event tops before switching to mono judge.
How much did you get paid as a judge?
Went to my First YCS, this year in Bologna, meeting people you there Pak made it really special got talking to you in line for Pizza about your Labyrnth plays and you were super chill. Spent a few hours trading and talking about Mannadium and Tearlaments with Patrick Hoban as well, he traded me an Ulti big welcome to complete my playset and helped me build my side deck for the mega regional, I have to say everyone I met there was amazing.
Your videos are always great, straight talking and have great advise, keep up the great content.
He who does nothing makes no mistakes, he who makes no mistakes learns nothing…
Top tier quote honestly as someone who has overcome the fear of loss.
I returned after 15 years with MD and I can't tell you how many notebooks I filled learning combos and theorizing my lines based on certain opening hands and etc with adventure tenyi and pranks.
And most people won't put in the hours of work doing that and I completely understand why. You have to be almost obsessed to commit to that level
One thing really important is to know every single deck in a format. I remember in HAT format(years ago) I played infernity. But I became really good at playing HAT, FAT, Mermail, Geargia, Madolche etc.. when you learn each deck, you know what’s common. It helps you prepare for matchups and see what space you have left for Rogue.
the video is like a free version of coaching
it has everything u need to know, grind, get better at, to be better. He really is the goat
It's free gaslighting.
The "goat" doesn't complain about wide formats.
In my friend group i’m known as the guy who loses to himself - always sequencing suboptimally or just doing a derpy play. This is hella inspo ty, would love more about this
I would say Patrick hoban's book is a good read, especially the deck building part, I think the ratios are really important. Also, understanding baselines of a game is really important to gauge whether a card is bad, average, good,like the average value for drawing a card is about 1000 lifepoints from heatsoul, or spell cards that adds 1000 stats by using that card, so if you see an in archetype card that gives better value than the baseline, it could be worthwhile to run that card
tbh there always room for improvement, whether in ygo aspects or in general. Thatt's why i watched you,josh, jesse, trif (not jockingly because he good with managing a good board), and anyone that could give me good insight. After playing this card game for 11+years i'm still feeling like a bozo, but listening to you improved me a lot and made a top at locals (ya ik not 1st place but i'll try it harder). so ty sooo much
Man, I'm supposed to learn things about Yu-Gi-Oh but I learned a couple of things I can apply to life in general
Learn the fundamentals
Get as much experience as possible
Admit your mistakes and learn from it
Be honest with yourself
This should be titled "Why you're not winning in life"
As somebody that started the game a year ago and somebody who is not a budget player but not 200+ player either, i have yet to see success in big events. This video was really helpful because even tho i know my decks pretty well by now. Making the correct play cant still be a struggle. Thanks again!
Very good point, I agree entirely, one of the most important aspects concerns the rulings, regarding this for a player in what way and where would you recommend training regarding rulings? Is there a document a video that follows a lineup and explains the various rulings in simple detail?
No clue I only learn about them via discords or random YT videos 💀
This video gained my sub. I've been playing again since 2016 and I agree, its a lot to take in these days! There is so much to learn. PAKs accomplishments show true dedication to learning and getting better, and he has great insight into the games competitive scene!
6:17 regarding combos. I memorise them by creating mental checklists,"to get to that endboard piece i first need to get this,to get this i need that " so if i get interrupted i just look for the next best way to check the next checkmark,or pivot to another line. Idk if this makes any sense but i hope that it helped you if you read this,random person on the internet😊.
I think more videos like this would be a huge help for new players. Filling the gap between beginner and high-level play
Pak i think i realised something and would very much apreciate to hear your and nesh's thoughts on it.
Maybe yugioh works more like a fighting game (in the strategy sense) and i would like to point out the similarities.
1_ highly based on hidden interactions: spell speeds are comparatives to frame data and dodging targeted effects can be seen as a dragon punch move. Both games rely heavy on background knowledge not written in cards/basic tutorials.
2_ the way we learn is the same ( searching combos online and replicate them and learn interactions/frame data with the comunity )
3_ Same new player complains on meta (literally word for word) like: i lost because this meta deck/character appeared and i could do nothing just watch me getting combo'd.
4_ yugioh decks have a similar strategy to fighting game characters: floodgate/grapplers profit from trying to make the other player not play as much as they can, mid range/shoto are good on grind game and combo but not opressive in both, combo/glass canon are more focused on comboing you to death or dying trying and sky stryker, sometimes runick could zoner type decks since they have control but not through floodgates.
Maybe it would work to have them see the game with fighting game eyes rather than a normal card game so they have a better grasp on how it works.
Jesse Kotton has a great video on his channel, where he goes over the optimal ratios in deck building. He even shows you how to completely minimize the 'brickability' from a statistical point of view. It is worth checking out, and it changed the way I think about deck building a bit.
What’s the video called?
Are you telling me that me that styling my hair like Yugi and wearing a BDSM collar was all for nothing 😭?
I assume you did not do the bit where Yugi spent hours playing the game and crafting his deck?
Just reading the title, I needed to come here. I had a terrible year in 2023 of finishing out events (PAK helped in that, lol) and I feel like I'm past my prime in 21 years of this game so I need a reprisal.
I really look up to Pak as a player because I started playing around the end of 2021. What he's mentioning about learning the fundamentals is what I had to go through, too, and it goes to show that even if you're relatively new compared to everyone else, you can still perform well by putting in work rather than complaining about power creep and the meta all the time.
Low key one of the most informative videos I’ve ever watched. I had to do a break down and an analysis on this.
This is the stuff people don’t cover. The game within the game.
Make more please! 😊🎉
The few times Pak has come down to AZ and the few times we’ve played this is 100% true and the way you describe this is amazing and you’re always willing to help improve after the match to play better.
Amazing video Pak! Love how you shine light on the important aspects of being competitive in a way that’s actually approachable. It makes the video useful for anyone watching, and the fact you have such a short-yet-sucessful YGO chareer really cements the arguments too!
I’d love to see more videos like this, diving into more of the details on the different important topics👍
This the video we all needed thank you. A lot of us are on the grind and see you performing so well and appreciate the real talk.
I 100% agree with all of your points. I recently came back into the game early 2023 right at the start of Kashtira being dominant so it was very difficult to learn the game but just studying it and learning how to play will take you far. I started with Traptrix and now mostly play Labrynth and a Scareclaw Tri-Brigade deck I tweaked and actually just won my first local a few weeks ago. Putting in the effort to learn the game instead of what the deck does may be hard but it does pay off. It may not be a regional or YCS win but getting that locals win felt to damn good after pouring hours and hours into playing, losing, watching my matches, and editing my strategy or looking up rulings. It does pay off guys.
Since I’m starting out I feel this is a really important thing to learn and understand, thank you for this sort of video, here goes the Yugioh journey
As a returning player the hardest thing for me was relearning the fundamentals all over again.
I feel like I'm the opposite off of the first point, I just always assume that my wins are because my opponent misplayed and that it's impossible to be from my own performance, and my losses are only because I fucked up
Same here man.. 😢
It's important to identify your opponents mistakes too, though. It's a bit more difficult because it's a matter of perspective.
If you win because your opponent misplayed, it means you were the better player in that game and deserved the win! Making less mistakes than your opponent is a perfectly valid way to win, just as much as making 200 IQ outplays, you should take pride in those wins as well.
I needed to hear this. Improvement mindset is definitely the only way to improve.
Do you have any video discussing using the calculator for deckbuilding? I always hear pros disussing exact percentages but im confused how they determine what percentages they are looking for or satisfied with even if I know how to plug numbers into the program
I really appreciate this video because its what ive been trying to explain to my friends!
Much love Pak. I definitely need to focus on a handful of things you said in this video. Thank you for the insight, and hopefully I run into you at a couple events this year!!
Completely agree. I'm nervous about dueling book cause I'm not fast on computers and don't want to make ppl wait forever lol. I've been on there in solo move testing hands and really learning how to do things proficiently on there. Hope I can duel against you one day, either in person or online. I need those games played to up my experience level. Thanks for all the info
Easily the best Yugioh video I've seen in years. Thanks, Pak!
Cap
I agree with all your points, however the one issue is how expensive some of the staples, and engine starter can be in this game not everyone could afford it. However that probably the fun part is finding that sleeper move that nobody can see it coming.
This was a great video. I was playtesting Voiceless Voice and I reminded myself to your Video. I won and 2:0 my opponent and I could clearly say, that I had more knowledge about this deck. But after rewatching the replay I saw 2 mistakes I made, that would made a grindy game 2 a lot easier for me. To see the mistakes, be honest and learn from them is just an underrated skill. Thank you
Keep going with this style of video man. Much needed for the community ❤
I’ve traveled to like 4 ycs out of state over the last year and haven’t topped yet. Still trying to get there myself. I do feel I’m inching there though. In 2022 I got my first invite, I got multiple invites since then and last year got my first tips at regionals a 4th and 1st. And have came close to topping 2 ycs. My area isn’t competitive so I’m kinda relying on myself but I’m tryna get there. Hopefully this year I get that ycs top.
A big thing I notice is people refusing to listen to math. People often base their ratios on best-case scenarios (“if I draw this one-of/mutli-card combo in this specific matchup it goes crazy”) or worst case scenarios (“if I play 3 of this card I might end up drawing them all together”), instead of running the numbers to see how likely they are to open a winning hand vs relevant matchups.
So many lists are filled with one-ofs and two-ofs because they “don’t want to brick on multiples” - but people refuse to accept that if a format has 2-3 premiere non-engine options, you’re always better taking that 2% increased chance of drawing a dupe that is still good vs every deck for the 10% higher chance of seeing it at all. If you swap the third copy out for an inferior 1-of, you’re reducing the odds of an occurrence that statistically probably won’t even come up in a tournament, and you’re now drawing a card that is low-impact or matchup-dependant every 1/10ish games. Ask yourself why your tournament success hinges on not drawing that card in multiples - surely if you’ve evaluated the card/format correctly, the one live copy you’re able to activate should at least have a chance of compensating for the dead card in your hand?
I’m a long time player that is now getting back into the game. We need more content like this because it sparks conversation.
So are we bringing back the inside the mind of PAK series to showcase some of that technical play?
I've got raging ADHD and found that I was losing to myself making bad decisions because I was playing too quickly, or not paying attention to the board state as closely as I should be. Sometimes giving yourself a few extra seconds before making a play can make a big difference between winning and losing a game.
Absolutely loved this perspective.
I know most of my YGO friends hate when I do this but for me I always compare my YGO experience with my FGC experience. I picked up YGO this year because my gf plays and so do my friends and I'm finding out all these things are so hard to learn but I remember back in 2010 learning SF4 and Tekken 6 and how it was rough for me. Now playing SF6 and T8, I have a better grasp of the game from that experience and that's what my friends and gf tell me it's like with YGO. You need experience to be able to react with situations and cards you're up against
What's weird is, I watched these videos as a returning player and yes they got me better by changing my mindset but coming back to this message I'm learning that I'm getting an even deeper meaning on how to fine tune myself
This feels like old pak content in the best way. Thanks for this🙏
really good video, would love to see another focusing on a specific topic mentioned here
Ill be sure to remember this while im getting ftk’d by shs after they played through 2 handtraps and a nibiru o7
It’s not focusing on unwinnable games, it’s about finding the lines to win the winnable ones. And it took a lot of time for me to understand it btw
@@joseprojo975 this is the very basics of playing aggro in MtG - Always play to your outs. It transfers well into pretty much any TCG or Archetype though. TCGs are variance and luck based by nature, there will always be those games where you'll essentially lose with no recourse, even if you play 100% optimally, but as you said, it's about understanding what you can control and making the best possible plays in that situation. It's a state of mind and a way of thinking about the game, and it takes time to fortify that skill because it can only be taught through experience. In other words, play the game with intention of becoming better, understand when you misplay and when you don't, and when in doubt ALWAYS assume you could have played better, because the chances are, you could have. I think just about anyone can improve at the game by looking at it through the lens of "what could I have done differently here that might have changed how the game went?"
I definitely agree with this statement. Ive been playing this game for years and still have lots to learn about deck building and navigation of the fields in tournaments. Haha i like my techs.
Bro how do i "learn to be good at the game and not just at the decks"? Only resource is videos about combos and deck lists there is no guide on how to get better at the game?
How do i get better by playing more when i get smoked by better competition? How do i analyse and learn when i dont know if i could do something different and what should I have done?
im surprised no one responded to your comment. just play the decks you are losing to and you will start to understand the advantage states and where to handtrap. dont get distressed because modern yugioh theory is only getting more complicated. but in time you will start to understand when and why you are losing
Are you planning on going to the Chicago regionals. I’m 14 and going to my first regional. How do you think I should prepare
I follow yugioh but don’t really play it. However, I find this really insightful, and could be applied to numerous games.
Be thoughtful about your games, win or lose
Find areas you can improve,
Build your deck to the meta not just to what people say is good.
Don’t get attached to pet cards, unless you actually believe they make the deck better.
Practice practice practice.
Big fan of PAK, excited to see you continue.
Great vid can apply even to retro formats and any era of yugioh!
Glad to see the recent discussions on being a better player result in fresh content 🔥🔥🔥
6:00 "This game is not Solitaire"
It IS a Solitaire if you're bricked and does not have any handtraps.
This is great info I shared with some of my buds at locals that are struggling in the game
Pak just so know, always remember us as true fans appreciate you for sharing ur honesty toward ur experience and this game itself.
I know u are pretty good at maintain ur positive mindset, always keep that energy and continue being you, and inspired us through ur stories.
Never let others/haters opinions , thoughts and judgement get to you pak. Cuz we all know they do not matter af.🙏🏻
thank u for what u do. - from ur biggest OCG fan.
Playing and understanding Yu-Gi-Oh is much more important. As a player who passed the RC test, I see players who ignore fundamental game mechanics all the time (Ex. Players activating a Quick-Play spell after they just set it. And the card effect doesnt specify the that the card can be activatedm
My problem isn't skill based anymore, its just trying to keep up with the new cards and trying to afford them, i still don't own a SP little knight.
You could try topping locals in hopes you’ll get packs to pull those high dollar cards. If your issue isn’t skill based then you should be able to perform well and be able to at least have a chance pull something. That’s how I was able to get Wanted and a few other cards I’m able to trade at a really good value.
@@PartyMarty321 your right, but also thats like gambling, and ive been playing the game for a decade and Had up and downs, and im just tired now.
Because Konami benefits metas on purpose and hate you for having creativity. They don't want you to have fun no matter what you try. It's the uncomfortable truth.
Ummm... yeah this was a word salad that made 0 actual points. If you aren't having fun, don't play the game.
? I'm confused I guess if your totally new you'd ask how to play link monsters but it's should just be clear it's a summoning method, no different than fusion or ritual if you've played the base game. Swarm Summoning ending with strong effect monsters turn one has been default for a while, it's literally just tribute summoning.
Now this is a video everyone needs to see 👏🏽👏🏽👏🏽
Cap
Love love loved this style of video&them. Would like to see more!
This year in summer I’ll have returned to the game for 2 years. I believe I have come a long way since I started with my Albaz structure decks lol. Slowly over time picking up good cards and learning more interactions. It does take time to become a good player. Also to me my hats off to those who don’t play Meta and win lol. It’s a time thing to make a player better. Regardless if it’s your control or not I think every player just needs time
Honestly getting back into it this year after 10 years off hasnt been too hard for me, but this is cause I was topping locals at 12 y/o running my playground tech against ebay meta 🤣
You just motivated the crap out of me lol
I like Team Sam’s videos I just don’t like when he has videos saying TIER ZERO META DESTROYING BLUE EYES DECK! I fell for this when I first got into the game and saw other people at my locals think the same thing only for me and those players to play decks and think that because a UA-camr said a deck is good then it’ll carry me to victory, lesson learned
Click bait king going after that UA-cam money 😂
Pak I was at YCS Cancun and I didn’t know about you at that time, I met Sam and I felt realized, hopefully i can get to meet you at another event !
I am emotionally attached to playing 3 Sunlight wolves, when in Salad 2 is most likely enough
you know what. I think this is valid even for returning players. last time ive played seriously was like early 2020 than comming back to playing in 2023, everyhthing felt way too different. I got my ass handed thinking 2020-2019 tactics would work
Long time competitive player for mtg/ygo. One of my biggest pet peeves is hearing players complain that EVERY loss is solely due to variance (bricking or opp getting lucky)…I always try and ask what decisions they made that led to the win/loss and very rarely do ppl have a decent answer. You will never improve if you can’t accept that you make mistakes and don’t try to ways to minimize them.
It’s always so obvious from the way someone talks about their loss whether it was in their control.
Occasionally you’ll get someone say something along the lines of “yeah I had three losses, one of them I lost the die roll and opened none of my 15 non-engine in games 1 and 3, one of the losses I maybe could’ve played better but it was all uphill, and one of them I just wasn’t prepared for the matchup” - you know these people are probably speaking the truth. When you get someone saying “yeah I got sacked man, I’ve lost 7 die rolls today and all my opponents had custom hands - no way I was ever topping with that run” you know deep down that they’re making blanket excuses whilst ignoring games they should’ve played better.
an obvious tip but like you GOTTA SLEEP and EAT and stay HYDRATED. etc i went to a regional a month ago where i was on like 5 hours of sleep and just played ABYSMAL. i played unchained and have been very good with the deck, winning most of my locals with it before the regional, and i was so out of I just made really awful mistakes.
I will now win a ycs thank you Pak
You are a brilliant mind Mr. Pak. Everything you have said is correct. You have proven it by your growth in the game. You are one of the best in the game. I think a lot of people talk about yugioh in comparison to when it was first introduced. I don’t think you can relate to it because you did not play then. I myself started playing in early 2005. I left the game then because I was very young and no control over finances to play. I came back in 2020. I loved coming back. Pak was one of the reasons I came back. The game seem to be so fun and fantastic to play. I stop playing in 2022. In my experience the people I met at locals were not good for my mental health. The players were very toxic to losses and not productive in helping people as a community for the game. So I left the physical game. I have a 6 day job so I don’t have much time to travel outside my general area often so quitting the physical had to be a choice. I will always love the game but people around you will dictate a lot about the fun you have in the game. It is not a one player game therefore this will always be a truth. I hope one day I get to come back to the physical game. With the game not good at inviting new players I fear it may have to be soon before the game dies out.
be honest with yourself is by far the most important suggestion in this video. There can't be any improvement if you don't realize why it matters.
5:07 does anyone have tips where I can learn all that? Chain Links, Turn Player Priority, and so on? Thank you!!
Did you find out where?
@@jacobberke2965 not really, couldn't find comprehensive high-quality tutorials on these topics
Important to know this video applies to every field and subject. Memorization is good, critical thinking is best
Dang what’s wrong with a Cimooo video? Lol
This a great video, and you gave a lot of great advice. I need to start taking advantage of duelingbook replays more often
How do you get the big card is that a poster
Love these types of videos. We need them
And this is why I think Pak u are the best example of yugioh content creator. You give us hope. Thanks for everything and keep it up my guy.
It really doesn't bother me if i lose. I have fun playing the game regardless and take notes of my opponent's strategies to better myself. My favorite deck is Facedown Beatdown.
Come from Sam post....glad to hear it....since I'm new it sure gonna improve me a lot
Truly wise words from pak. This video should be spread out in order to change the mindset of yugioh players, especially for the betterment of the atmosphere of the game.
I agree with majority to what you said. Honestly your last tip is very... subjective I think is the word. Like I have a casual deck that's maximum strength, numeron god cards. it's consistency is almost perfect. it's 60 cards to minimize the level 10 clutter, and has anime level draw power where even if I get droll and lock bird I got an extra 4 cards. And it has competitive cards in it like droplet and lightning storm, along with the in archetype like soul crossing and sphere mode. It's easy to call god cards a bad deck, but I'm probably the most committed player to the archetype. Even lately tokusano shinkyojin has been the best consistency card to it. My deck has natural advantages to most of the meta if not all. Alot of your advice lands, learn the game, the matchup, where you slipped or it was inevitable, and that alone in my opinion makes you a very likable champion, but I sometimes the best strategy to me is the one your opponent can't prepare for.
One issue that regular players have is that they don’t have access to the connections to the top players
You circumvent that by going and playing in person, as much as you possibly can. Trying out different locals you’ll be exposed to the top players at other shops, you don’t specifically need to play against Pak/Josh/Jesse/etc. to obtain experience in the game.
Honestly sometimes tho your opponent just has the better hand and you have to keep that in mind if they have all the outs it is what it is yu gi oh doesn’t provide any flexibility when it comes to a situation like that fuels over after that sometimes
Pak you’re wrong, I’m literally him. He just like me fr. I am that guy.
Accept that fact that no matter how good you are, there are always gonna be games where you draw all bricks and your one possible play was negated.
I’m Emotionally attached to Avian and Burstinatrix in any E hero build 😅😭😭😭
Been playing for over 10 years competitive. It's so strange being an veteran in the game lol
Super helpful. Thanks 👍
I buy Budget Decks,Play fair and don't Stuck on the Meta medness to buy Card for the price of a car.
😂😭🤣
This should be titled “why you’re not winning at life” honest self reflection is what makes all great men in history
I need to learn how to slow down more and take my time and not get nervous.