In games having exact knowledge of what your strategy is
and what resources you have is essential to maximize your play. Therefore
knowing exactly what you have in your ash heap, your hand, and your library is
too good not practice.
Evolving or mastering this is a very good way of becoming a
better player. And if you do currently can't have an exact card count of your library and ash
heap, start your training by trying to remember your hand and playing (as in planning your turn, reacting and acting) with your cards put down.
//
Randyman
I´m impressed by this declaration, Randy.
SvaraRaderaCould you describe a little more precisely the way you play by making an example of a pair of turns of yours and how do you benefit from card counting.
Sure I'll do my best.
SvaraRaderaLong exampel
At one instance during a game I knew that I had 3 out of my 12 Zillah's vally in my ash heap and needed to draw one during the other players turn, for a parity shift forward. I knew that I could cycle 4 cards (enkil cog and reactions) and had about 15 cards in the ash heap 7 in my hand 74 in the deck. There was therefore a 9/52 + 9/51 + 9/50 + 9/49 chance to draw a zillah's given that I used all my reaction cards and Enkil cog and not draw a singel zillah's during the first played cards.
In during this turn I also had the option to let my predator bleed me if needed to get lower in pool. Knowing that my reaction cards where argus, argus, telepathic misdirection and the action i could take with enkil cog was parity shift, kine and political strangehold. (also had a lost in crowds.)
With this knowledge of cards I could concentrat on what the rest of the table did and plan my turn after that.
If bleed hard but not so hard as to get ousted I could ignore the drawing of zillah's and just play a parity shift outright.
If not bleed at all or only for a little I could play all my reactions and se if I got a Zillah's, if not by the reactions then perhaps on a vote card played like kine.
If no Zillah's drawn I could go for safe by parity shifting another player or playing the Political strangelhold.
If bleed heavy and i could bounce the bleed so my prey could not block I might have killed him with bleeds or kines.
As it happend i got bled for not so much, played my reaction cards and did draw a Zillah's. After I played that I could parity shift and during my preys turn oust him with another vote...
Short exampel 1
I have 2 deflections in hand, one untapped minion with DOM. Judging by not looking at my hand but by looking at my opponent and how they play I there after play or dont play my deflections.
If I get to play my deflections to some effect knowing that the 2 governs and one conditioning could be what I need to oust during my turn and planing for that.
Short exampel 2
Seeing that my preys prey is a very blocky deck, and I play a grinder, knowing that i only have 2 daring and 1 is in my starting hand. I have to considder crosstalbe ousting or letting my prey get the oust. I cant keep the daring as it would be like playing with 6 cards for to long of the game.
Things that I would need to considder given that I know what cards I have and where they are.
Do you need any more exampels?
This examples were quite something. The first of all was fantastic to understand the way you think and play. No big surprise that you sat on a final table on EC (and won it)!
SvaraRaderaThank you very much, Randy.