Doing better the past couple of days

Hey all,

Just a quick update. I've been stepping my game up the past couple of days and its starting to feel like I'm playing the same game I've been watching on youtube for the past 8 months instead of random pokes and special moves and combos I'm not really meaning to do. One of the things I've been doing is after I lose to someone noticeably better than me online, I've been messaging them with "Why do you think I lost that? What can I do better?". I'm not messaging everyone with that, just the ones that seem to have a very good handle on their character and the game. You'll know the ones. They have been messaging me back with some good insight into my game from the opponents perspective. It's something that I would probably be able to pick up on instantly if I was standing next to them in an arcade, but online... we have to be creative and press the issue of improvement a little bit. As a beginner, its not easy to see my faults. I see some of them, and I can guess at some of the reasons I'm losing, but a more advanced player sees the game on a totally different level and can clue you in on some things you are doing wrong that maybe you thought you were doing right. So it's been working out. I would eventually like to get to the point of being able to completely self analyze, but having an extra set of eyes, or in the case of xbox live, hundreds of sets of eyes doesn't hurt. Most everyone is cordial enough to point something out, or say that they really don't know.

I think one of the big reasons I've started to step my game up is the realization that the game is played in "turns". While others have explained this to me in the past, I haven't really gotten a very good grasp on that concept until recently. Basically the goal is to get a knockdown, once you get a knockdown, it can be seen as your turn to try to put the pressure on. At a certain point (after a tech'ed throw attempt for example) your turn is over and you must try to gain momentum again. Momentum can be something as simple as controlling a fireball war or pressuring an opponent with distance. They might feel that you are in control of the fight even though you have yet to knock them down and start putting on the damage dealing pressure of mixup games. Sometimes they have the momentum and you feel like you are being forced into a corner, or your pokes are being beaten. It is essentially their 'turn' at that point. Realizing when its my turn to attack or attempt a knockdown, special move, or psychic jump in is crucial. Conversely, realizing it's their turn and having the patience to wait out their turn for the right opportunity is equally as crucial.

Oh, and I did FADC to ultra on wake up twice in the past two days... once in the clutch with a sliver of health. Let me tell you... it was satisfying to pull it off after all of that time in training mode and after so many failed attempts. It really felt like a break through.

Until next time, cheers :)