Mastering Tournament Play
Contributed by Robert Goudie (robert_goudie@studio.disney.com)
Introduction
This article endeavors to provide an edge to players
who have already achieved a measure of proficiency playing VTES. Nothing
written here will make an inferior deck-builder or tactician a winning
tournament player.
Together, we'll look at the issues unique to the
Duelists' Convocation International's tournament environment and how the
tournament setting changes the way we approach the game.
The Player's Objective
This should be no surprise. Your objective is to
win. However, before we can tackle the task of winning a final round, we
must earn entry to the final round. As entry to the final round is your
first objective, make every effort to keep this goal in mind throughout
the preliminary rounds. It has been my experience that a player needs to
average just slightly over two victory points per round to advance to the
finals. This is rarely accomplished by getting exactly two victory points
per round but rather by getting three to five victory points in one round
and then gaining other victory points here and there througout other rounds.
Never pass up an opportunity to get a victory point. I’ve seen players
play a round to a draw because they only needed a half victory point to
advance. I’ve personally used a Life Boon on my Predator and moved all
of my blood to him, thereby ousting myself and gaining the victory point
that my Predator would have gained for my demise. Being the last one alive
at your table or even having the most victory points at your table is a
false victory and does not meet your first objective. Be single-minded
in your pursuit of victory points and get yourself into the finals.
Understanding the Tournament Environment
Analyis of the DCI Tournament Rules
The first thing to do is read the tournament rules.
I mean really read the tournament rules. What differences are there compared
to your typical play environment? First of all, there is a time limit imposed
for each round. Also, there are rounds. Three to be exact. The top five
finishers play a fourth, final round. What else? A banned list. Also, there
is a sixty to ninety card limit for library sizes. Don't miss that there
is a restriction that allows a minion to take a given action only once
per turn. Anything else? There is a restriction on when vote cards played
for additional votes during a political action can be replaced into your
hand. Lastly, there is are optional rules regarding card backs in your
library and crypt.
Follow the Rules
The first tip seems obvious but bears examination
anyway. Obey the deck construction rules. Make sure you put the proper
number of cards in your library and crypt. I once mishandled my cards in
a preliminary round and during the final round of a tournament, after drawing
a card from my library, I noticed that the next library card had the brown
crypt coloration. I was in violation of the crypt rule (my crypt was now
11 vampires) and my library contained 91 cards. I was fortunate that the
players at my table were generous and allowed me to continue. Don't always
count on this sort of goodwill, though. During a weekend of tournaments,
the optional rule regarding library card backings was in effect. The rule
states that between forty and sixty percent of your library must have the
Jyhad backing if you choose to mix Jyhad and Vampire cards. Players were
letting each other slide all weekend because they thought the rule was
unfair and enforcement didn't really affect game play. Sure enough, in
the last tournament of the weekend, one player asked the judge to check
libraries for proper adherence to the 40%-60% rule. After the judge made
the check of libraries, about a dozen people were disqualified. Be sure
your deck is legal before the tournament and check it again between each
round.
Know Your Limit
The time limit plays an important role in tournament
play. If you don't know what the limit is in advance, assume that the minimum
2 hour time limit will be used. The time limit should be taken into account
when you choose the deck you will use. If you are playing with the 2 hour
limit, you should avoid playing decks that develop slowly. Remember, your
initial objective is to earn enough victory points to advance to the final
round. A combat deck that aims to be the "last one standing" would probably
gain 2 victory points if everything goes well. It may even win the table.
However, it doesn’t have a very good chance of advancing to the finals.
Play decks that you think can sweep a table. If you get a sweep in any
preliminary round you’ll almost certainly advanc.
The time limit affects the game well beyond the
selection of the deck you should compete with. During play, the time limit
can be a friend or an adversary. Put time on your side. It is a good idea
to keep your own timepiece to gauge how the round is progressing. The judges
are only required to give a five minute warning before the end of a round
but it may be useful to know personally how much time is left. Stalling
is not permitted but players are allowed to take their turn and think about
what they are going to do. If necessary, don’t hesitate to walk that fine
line between stalling and simply slowing down play. Each player left in
the game at the end of the round receives one-half victory point. Every
little bit helps.
On the other hand, if you are in a hurry and someone
is playing slowly, call a judge over to watch the game. Even if you believe
the other player is well within the rule’s prohibition against stalling,
the judge may have a different tolerance level than you. An added benefit
of this tactic is that the other player may become flustered and try to
rush through their turn. This will inevitably lead to some mistakes by
the opposing player which you will certainly take advantage of.
When seating is decided for a round, a table with
inferior players is often thought of as a good thing by a quality player.
You start to think how you’ll make quick work of them and sweep the table.
Then the game starts and your prey is taking too long a time and even making
errors like trying to play Master Cards during his minion phase, etc. Every
inept player is a potential easy victory point but those players are also
stealing your time. The entire table’s time is slipping away. I’ve had
other players help me oust my inept prey because they realized my prey
was affecting the table ability to complete our game before time is up.
Don’t let these players stick around. Don’t help them. Destroy them! Get
help from other players if necessary, calling on them to observe their
time being wasted by this inferior player.
The Art of the Deal
The negotiation that takes place during a game of
VTES is common in almost all playgroups. However, we often don’t think
of negotiation as part of the game and refer to it as something
extraneous. I am of the opinion that it is an essential aspect of the game.
I often liken players who neglect this aspect to playing with less than
a full hand. Negotiation is a way of creating resources. You can negotiate
with other players to help oust your prey. You can negotiate a cease-fire
with your predator or prey to gain time for refortification. You can negotiate
to allow satisfactory outcome of votes, contestations, etc. While these
negotiations often take place within our playgroups, they are rarely attempted
at tournaments. Oftentimes nervousness or shyness prevent players from
working deals during tournament games. This can be attributed to the fact
that you are probably playing with strangers. Try to be outgoing and friendly
and don’t let the opportunity to strike a deal pass you buy.
Liar Liar
Ok, we’re not stupid. Most of us have learned the
lesson that if we make a deal and then break it we end up hurting ourselves
in the long run. We will gain the immediate benefit of the surprise attach
when we break our word but we are forever reminded of our trespass by our
friends. In the end, keeping our word helps us win more games than not.
Tournaments may be a different story. If you at a National tournament or
somewhere you don’t plan to be again, you may want to try your hand at
a little backstabbing. Don’t feel bad about it. When playing the game you
are a Methuselah not a banker, student, or minister. You’re integrity as
a person is not in question (though all of the other players may doubt
yours!). Just a few months ago I saw a player in a final round who desperately
needed to make a deal with another player. It would have been a mutually
beneficial situation for them. Unfortunately, they had played a preliminary
round together where the first player broke his word. Needless to say,
this other player was not willing to make himself vulnerable with the "Liar"
sitting next to him. The deal-breaker verbalized his remorse over the earlier
event and repented of it when he saw that it cost him the game. The same
weekend I passed on an opportunity to win a game because I felt I had to
keep my word. Don’t get me wrong. I was tempted. I just decided that the
one victory was not worth the hell I’d experience at the other eight tournaments
a year that I would participate in.
All Things Being Equal
Don’t take for granted that the playing field is
level. Before the start of each round verify that everyone has the proper
number of pool to start with. At a minimum you should check your prey.
Discovery of an overage in someone’s pool supply is a serious infraction—even
if the error was unintentional. Obviously it is easier to oust an opponent
who has 30 pool instead of 35 and that difference could be a deciding factor
in the outcome of your game.
It is also important to watch other cards being
played. I know I have played cards in their superior form without realizing
that the vampire only has the inferior skill. This was unintentional, of
course, but the mistake is made over and over by veteran and new players.
Pay close attention to your own cards and those being played by other
Methuselahs. Verify those prerequisites!