Millions of players around the UK consider themselves gamers. Whether competing against the world’s top players in PC games, sticking to casual mobile titles to unwind, or simply exploring the farthest reaches of indie games, players have more options at their fingertips than ever before.
Some are squarely in the hobbyist sector. These types of gamers might play word puzzles or racing simulations after a busy day to pass the time. But some gamers find themselves leaning toward a more competitive edge. And just like there are more ways to game than ever before, there are also more accessible tournaments, too.
These run the gamut of options available. For example, poker players aren’t usually classed with traditional video gamers—but many also sign up for tournaments to put their latest strategies to good use. In some cases, these tournaments allow them to qualify for in-person competitions. With around 100 million poker players worldwide, tournaments are available in dozens of formats, from regional play to sit-and-go style competitions.
The same is true for more traditional eSports-style tournaments. For example, the Premier League annually hosts a series of competitions for FIFA gamers. These allow them to represent real-life Premier League sides with the hopes of advancing from group stages toward the Finals. Anyone can sign up and compete, just like with poker tournaments.
But what do first-time tournament players need to know? No matter what sort of competition you have ahead of you, here’s some sound advice.
Plan Ahead: The Art of Knowing Yourself
One of the best things any gamer can do is to make an effort to understand their own style of play and predilections. To move back into the world of poker, there’s a concept called emotional tilt. Tilt happens when games don’t go as planned and can have a serious impact on a player’s mental state. The more emotional tilt, the less that player can rely on their own analytical skills.
The message is this: be in charge of yourself. To be fully in charge of yourself, it’s worth noting when you tend to get frustrated in a game and how you can remedy that. In a tournament, you can’t press pause and collect yourself—so it’s important to recognize the first signs of being thrown off your game and know how to keep yourself on track.
Oddly enough, many competitive gamers nurture peak play by using tips from traditional athletes. This means getting enough sleep, eating foods with high nutritional value, and possibly even exercising on the day of competition to get the blood moving. It doesn’t matter what works for you—so long as you know what does and doesn’t.
Read the Fine Print
Every competition runs a bit differently. If you’ve never entered a tournament before, spend some time reading the fine print as it relates to rules, decisions, and other types of infrastructure. Even if you have competed at a high level before, tournaments often evolve over time. Similarly, event organizers that focus on the same game might still set out different rules for their tournaments. Don’t assume you know the basics right off the bat.
Set Realistic Goals
If you’re entering your first tournament, then you’re probably pretty nervous. That being said, you should set realistic goals for yourself ahead of the big day. This might mean meeting your own personal leaderboard stats or simply feeling like you’re able to keep pace with the speed of play. Regardless of your goals, make sure they’re appropriate for a first-time competitor—and always remember to be nice to yourself.
Study the Greats & Join a Community
After you’ve wrapped up your first tournament, you’ll probably have a good sense of whether or not you’d like to continue down a competitive gaming path. If you’re gravitating in this direction, then you may want to study some of the world’s top players in your genre. Most gamers are already following a few streamers on Twitch. But if you want to take your skills to the next level, try to participate meaningfully with your chosen gaming community and take some notes on what you see working for others.