So, as I may have mentioned before, I sometimes stop in Chinatown Fair and plop down a few bucks at the SFIV machines there. Win or lose, I’m usually miffed that I can’t test out my Sakura with that competition, so I decided to scope out some local tournaments and possibly enter.
The first one, was a Bar Fights type event, and I thought about entering… Apparently it was advertised late, and so it was likely to not have a big turnout; to me this sounded great. After recently hitting G1, and having to unlearn some tactics that worked before, I decided to not go. Even thinking about the event made me feel off.
I checked back at SRK forums and found another event literally a few blocks down from me; a short bus ride. So, this time I got my nerves up and went. It was a Dynasty event, put on by Heart of Battle, and the turnout was really small, but kind of what I wanted for one of my first tournaments. I recognized one guy there, Adnan, from CF. Everyone else were leaderboard types.
Here. We. Go.
My first match was against Adnan, he’s good with the whole cast, but he rocked with Dhalsim. It was a nerve wracking first tournament. First match, live streamed, against a guy who practices in CF, in a match up I’m not too comfortable with… I really ended up psyching myself out a bit too much there… Anyway, I felt the acids churning around in my stomach like an explosives laden cement truck, it was awful. I knew I was making mistakes and not capitalizing when I was able to. Dropping links and throwing in a panic was a huge loss of damage. Trying to jump cross up Dhalsim was a mistake too; he can always teleport out for free.
In loser’s bracket, I fought a guy playing Zangief, a match I constantly change my feelings about. Gief can be trouble because most of Sakura’s gimmicks just aren’t applicable here. Shenanigans will often end up with an SPD or worse… Jumping in on Zangief is a habit I got from G2, many players there let me neutral jump roundhouse on them all day… It’s an awful habit. Trying to play footsies here, buffering low forward into shoryu was dangerous too. While I took the first 3 rounds, I got impatient, and choked when it counted most…I dropped my Ultra twice. Missing combos I nail easily from the comfort of my own home was really disheartening. I should have stayed patient and pecked away.
After the match I still turned around with a smile on my face, despite my mistakes. Adnan and Rico Suave (Abel) held their hands up to their necks in a choking motion; I chuckled… I guess they were on my side and I disappointed. Nice to see some welcoming attitudes into the scene, as opposed to the OG habits of talking down to new comers. I’m planning on trying again, and hopefully this time I’ll be more on my game.
Aaron and Nikos hosted the whole tournament at King Games, so props to them. Aaron, who I had just met that day, invited me to sit in and run commentary with him on a few matches, and I happen to be chatting it up with him during the finals, between the master chucker, Rico Suave, and TPH Itachi. I was routing for Rico, I got a few casual rounds in with his Abel earlier, and he deserves his reputation as one of the best online.
SO…heres Aaron with me on commentary, (Adnan is on at the start, but hes awful quiet. I come in around 3 mins or so) I was a bit nervous on the mic too, not sure what to say, I think it came out not bad for a first time.
Tags: Abel, Adnan, Aim for the Top, Dhalsim, Heart of Battle, Rico Suave, Sakura, Street Fighter IV, tournament, Zangief