|
|
Tournament play help |
Post Reply |
Author | ||
Swiff
Platinum Member Joined: 06/09/2006 Location: United States Status: Offline Points: 2587 |
Post Options
Thanks(0)
Posted: 09/23/2013 at 12:51am |
|
I've been playing for quite a while, but only at clubs. I've played several tournaments, but not nearly enough, apparently. In the 8 years I've been playing table tennis, I may have played 6 tournaments. I've always played terrible at them. My last tournament which was over the Summer, put my rating at 1500.
I really think I should be able to get my rating to 1700, no problem. Maybe 1800. I'm not sure how to say what level I play at. I win against 1800 level players regularly and occasionally against 2000-2100 level players. Anyway, any advice on how to adjust my mental state when at tournaments? (I'm sure the reason I'm playing so badly is all mental).
Thanks for any advice. |
||
|
||
Sponsored Links | ||
smackman
Assistant Moderator Joined: 07/20/2009 Location: New Zealand Status: Offline Points: 3264 |
Post Options
Thanks(0)
|
|
get used to them by playing more events, If you think you are 1700 -1800 enter those events and higher
|
||
Ulmo Duality,Donic BlueGrip C2 red max ,Yinhe Super Kim Ox Black
NZ table tennis selector, third in the World (plate Doubles)I'm Listed on the ITTF website |
||
snerdly
Super Member Joined: 03/05/2004 Status: Offline Points: 158 |
Post Options
Thanks(0)
|
|
take smackman's advice play more. tournaments are very different from club play as you are seeing, and you will improve with experience.
take notes if you are so inclined, reflect on what transpired in match play and consider what is needed to alter the outcome to your advantage.
|
||
Leshxa
Gold Member Joined: 01/03/2009 Location: United States Status: Offline Points: 1917 |
Post Options
Thanks(0)
|
|
If its your mental game that you have issues with, I think you have to break it down a bit to understand how you perform in a competitive environment.
Missing shots because you don't stand where you should is different from a mental state of not going after your shots or playing safe. Edited by Leshxa - 09/23/2013 at 11:25am |
||
Back to table tennis...
|
||
jt99sf
Premier Member Joined: 04/29/2005 Location: San Francisco Status: Offline Points: 4951 |
Post Options
Thanks(0)
|
|
+1. Too many players think club play = tournament play. It's not even close. in club play, you play on your own schedule (basically in your comfort zone, prob 6 to 8 pm), in tournament play, you play in a RR format on their schedule (ie @ 8:00am). If you beat 1700 - 2000 rated players during club play, it means nothing because it doesn't count. You play differently during tournament play because EVERYTHING counts. Just relax and do YOUR shots, you'll get more comfortable with each tournament.
|
||
Photino/Super Viscaria : H3 (FH)/Dr N pips(BH)
林德成 HardBat:Hock 3-Ply /Dr Evil |
||
mhnh007
Platinum Member Joined: 11/17/2009 Status: Offline Points: 2800 |
Post Options
Thanks(0)
|
|
If possible, go to different club and play with different players, I find that playing against more unknown players helps a lot.
|
||
Swiff
Platinum Member Joined: 06/09/2006 Location: United States Status: Offline Points: 2587 |
Post Options
Thanks(0)
|
|
Thank you all for the advice and reassurance. I'm glad to know that most players' tournament performance improves with experience. I don't mind losing a bunch now if it means getting more comfortable and winning more in the long run.
How long would you say you played before you started playing better in the tournament setting?
|
||
|
||
igorponger
Premier Member Joined: 07/29/2006 Location: Everywhere Status: Offline Points: 3252 |
Post Options
Thanks(0)
|
|
@Swiff
TAKE CARE OF THE PRELIMINARIES !!! Getting used to the playing area you have to play in, is of paramaunt importance. Do arrive to the sport venue in good time before the start of competition. Have a 10 minute warm-up jogging and some imitational jerks. Have some practising rallies on the in-table and set up the playing rhitm as you used to at your home club. |
||
DDreamer
Silver Member Joined: 12/06/2010 Location: China Status: Offline Points: 668 |
Post Options
Thanks(0)
|
|
I agree - just play more tourneys and you will improve with experience. Also, don't put too much stock in wins in club play. Many players don't push themselves too hard in club play.
|
||
I know that faster equipment will make me better, I don't need to come here to figure that out
|
||
APW46
Assistant Moderator Joined: 02/02/2009 Location: United Kingdom Status: Offline Points: 3331 |
Post Options
Thanks(0)
|
|
+1 just to add, most players have a small band of regulars they they practice with and its easy to play in a comfort zone against such players. If you are like this, and don't have a good structure to your game ( serve+third+fifth ball) you will struggle against first time opponents because they will have an unfamiliar pattern of play. Start having a structure, by developing a safe serve, to limit the response from unfamiliar opponents, when his options are limited, you are far more likely ( and confident) to get on top in a rally after your serve.
|
||
The Older I get, The better I was.
|
||
BH-Man
Premier Member Joined: 02/05/2007 Location: United States Status: Offline Points: 5042 |
Post Options
Thanks(0)
|
|
Swiff, a lot of good posters have correctly said to not put too much on results in club play. Still, you can use your club matches to tweek what you do and move up in tourney skill. Even when one improves at the club or in lessons in something, it takes months if not longer for it to show in positive results in match play. There is nothing like experience, so go out and get some moar, even if you do not win everything, it is very valuable. There is no replacing confidence form having been there and done that thousands of times. You have to play a lot of matches for that, it would help if those were tourney matches under any kind of pressure.
You can also treat some of your club matches as real matches. How? In Korea, we would make a match bet for who pays for the chicken. So, make a quick round robin of 4-5 players, do a round robin for a big-azz 2 buckets of chicken or 24 piece Popeyes that would run around $40 USD and go at it. Whoever finishes first contributes only $5 to the food bill, 2nd place $10, 3rd place $15 and last place $20. That is $50 and enough to feed an Army. In such a situation, everyone is looking to get a free ride or reduced fare, so the competition and pressure is real, sometimes it is more intense than a tourney as this is actually a tourney with players familiar with each other. We do that all the time in Korea and you can imagine how much we get down to action. We can add beer to that if your club is in Korea. In USA, since everyone has to drive and no clubs are withing walking distance, beer is outta the picture completely and you focus on Chicken or expensive premium pizza or something. You all get the idea. Such a deal gives everyone motivation to perform and it is FUN!!!!!! You also have the club owner come and eat their share (for free) and maybe a few of your friends. Fun all around and you are also team building.
|
||
Korea Foreign Table Tennis Club
Search for us on Facebook: koreaforeignttc |
||
Swiff
Platinum Member Joined: 06/09/2006 Location: United States Status: Offline Points: 2587 |
Post Options
Thanks(0)
|
|
Loads of good suggestions! Seems to mostly come down to "play more tournaments", which was my original plan. Just so I don't sounds like an idiot, I never considered club play and tournament play to be similar. They're obviously SO different.
Maybe I'd be willing to give this a try... But, I don't think it would simulate the feeling of tournament play. There'd be pressure, but I think it'd be a different kind of pressure. If I could create a scenario where a match had pressure, in an unfamiliar environment against unfamiliar players, THAT would be awesome. lol Playing new and different players seems like the most difficult thing to overcome. I feel like I've played everyone in St. Louis hundreds of times.
|
||
|
||
jt99sf
Premier Member Joined: 04/29/2005 Location: San Francisco Status: Offline Points: 4951 |
Post Options
Thanks(0)
|
|
[QUOTE=Swiff]
Loads of good suggestions! Seems to mostly come down to "play more tournaments", which was my original plan. Just so I don't sounds like an idiot, I never considered club play and tournament play to be similar. They're obviously SO different. *************************************** Yes, but you also said the following: I really think I should be able to get my rating to 1700, no problem. Maybe 1800. I'm not sure how to say what level I play at. I win against 1800 level players regularly and occasionally against 2000-2100 level players. was this during club play ? |
||
Photino/Super Viscaria : H3 (FH)/Dr N pips(BH)
林德成 HardBat:Hock 3-Ply /Dr Evil |
||
beeray1
Premier Member Joined: 07/03/2008 Location: Iowa Status: Offline Points: 5169 |
Post Options
Thanks(0)
|
|
He said "maybe" before he said 1800. I think it's safe to say you are a 1700 level tournament player if you can beat 2000-2100 level players at the club once in a while.
|
||
Swiff
Platinum Member Joined: 06/09/2006 Location: United States Status: Offline Points: 2587 |
Post Options
Thanks(0)
|
|
Are you looking to make a fool out of me or something? lolol
|
||
|
||
jt99sf
Premier Member Joined: 04/29/2005 Location: San Francisco Status: Offline Points: 4951 |
Post Options
Thanks(0)
|
|
No, but isn't this YOUR statement ? You typed it, you own it. I'm not trying to give you a hard time, it's just a game, just have fun at the tournaments and the rest will take care of itself.
|
||
Photino/Super Viscaria : H3 (FH)/Dr N pips(BH)
林德成 HardBat:Hock 3-Ply /Dr Evil |
||
skip3119
Premier Member Joined: 02/24/2006 Location: somewhere Status: Offline Points: 8257 |
Post Options
Thanks(0)
|
|
Lots of great advice already.
I'll just add this: Making good use of the warm up time.
The warm up time should not be only for warm up, try to use it to figure out the strengths and weaknesses of your opponent.
Attack his forehand, backhand, drive the ball to his body, send some top-spin and back-spin balls to the opponent. So, before the match starts get some info on your opponent's strength & weakness - that will help you in the match. Avoid playing into his strength, playing against his weakness instead.
*** If the playing levels are close, it will help. If the levels are far apart, it won't make any difference.
*** My level is only 1700, so my advice probably doesn't worth anything.
|
||
skip3119
|
||
jt99sf
Premier Member Joined: 04/29/2005 Location: San Francisco Status: Offline Points: 4951 |
Post Options
Thanks(0)
|
|
If you're going with a group of friends, have one of them (higher rated one) coach you. Remind you to do the basics, look for a weakness or an opening.
It may help you re-focus for the match.
|
||
Photino/Super Viscaria : H3 (FH)/Dr N pips(BH)
林德成 HardBat:Hock 3-Ply /Dr Evil |
||
Swiff
Platinum Member Joined: 06/09/2006 Location: United States Status: Offline Points: 2587 |
Post Options
Thanks(0)
|
|
I like the idea of having someone there to coach me during the match. Problem is, all my friends I go with are always busy with their own matches. :( I'll try and go with bigger groups of people so hopefully someone will be free. I think this would help quite a bit.
Of course your advice matters! :D Although, warm up with your opponent is usually just 2 minutes and it's really just to warm up the strokes a bit and get the blood running, I think. Edited by Swiff - 09/26/2013 at 4:25pm |
||
|
||
NextLevel
Forum Moderator Joined: 12/15/2011 Location: Somewhere Good Status: Offline Points: 14845 |
Post Options
Thanks(0)
|
|
|
||
I like putting heavy topspin on the ball...
Cybershape Carbon FH/BH: H3P 41D. Lumberjack TT, not for lovers of beautiful strokes. No time to train... |
||
crushing
Member Joined: 07/31/2012 Status: Offline Points: 37 |
Post Options
Thanks(0)
|
|
treat the tourney event as your club play, that way you will feel relaxed. the challenge in a tourney is against different unknown players. you need quickly adjust to their play styles, in most cases if you club is diverse, you may find a similar player in the club. just think he/she is the person you played in your club.
get used to the tourney field and tables are very important. warm-up is another critical component that will affect your play. your opponent is also human beings, they will face the same problems as you. just hang in there. don't give up. good luck with your tourney. |
||
smackman
Assistant Moderator Joined: 07/20/2009 Location: New Zealand Status: Offline Points: 3264 |
Post Options
Thanks(0)
|
|
In general we like to say the better numbers we win agaainst and forget the 1300 players we loose to, There are many good things you can do, practice some round robin comps like BH Man suggested you don't have to do the Chicken and beer lol...
practice at the same time of you competition (comps starts at 8.30 am but you are used to playing 7.30pm) so have some morning games with mates etc find out what ball they are using and or tables and use that equipment in the weeks leading up play at other venues and places to get used to variety go prepared,early make a list of things to pack get your club to go play against a different club play a variety of players at your club including lower level players don't worry about ratings if you are 1800 then you will get there if not you won't
|
||
Ulmo Duality,Donic BlueGrip C2 red max ,Yinhe Super Kim Ox Black
NZ table tennis selector, third in the World (plate Doubles)I'm Listed on the ITTF website |
||
kickass
Super Member Joined: 11/02/2011 Status: Offline Points: 344 |
Post Options
Thanks(0)
|
|
Club play is different mainly because you are playing the same people over and over. And the better players are taking it easy when they play against lower rated players.
|
||
bluebucket
Platinum Member Joined: 02/20/2011 Location: 16 Status: Offline Points: 2882 |
Post Options
Thanks(0)
|
|
What happens in your own club and what happens at a tournament are not always the same results.
In clubs where you are playing the same people all the time the difference in standard between someone in the middle of the club and the top of the club can appear very small. The gap really expands at tournaments and those same mid level players usually struggle to read the ball against new people
|
||
Post Reply | |
Tweet
|
Forum Jump | Forum Permissions You cannot post new topics in this forum You cannot reply to topics in this forum You cannot delete your posts in this forum You cannot edit your posts in this forum You cannot create polls in this forum You cannot vote in polls in this forum |
Forum Home | Go to the Forums | Forum Help | Disclaimer
MyTableTennis.NET is the trading name of Alex Table Tennis Ltd. |