I used to get this nervous feeling when I play other gamers, and I’m just now getting over this nervous feeling…except for when I play my uncle. He’s been beating me in fighting games ever since I was a kid, I would always get nervous when fighting him. Even today (being 20) that nervous feeling still lingers onto me whenever I play him. I feel like he can predict me, which leads me to screw up my moves, drop combos, and not think when attacking. I’ve played people stronger than him and I’ve had better chances at beating them rather than my uncle. I’ve never been able to play my uncle at my fullest because of the feeling that I get when I play him. I feel like if this feeling goes away, I could be able to really beat him. So if anybody can help me get rid of this psychological feeling once and for all, this would help me out alot and I would really appreciate it. It’s been 12 years that I’ve had this feeling and I feel as if today it all needs to stop.
first thing, which game (or games) are you two playing? What are the characters?
in general, I would recommend
- seeing how he plays against other players to see how they answer things that you normally have trouble against
- watching how you get into mix-ups (for example, do you see yourself blocking jump-ins and then having to deal with a mix-up?) and either avoid that situation or find a counter to it, so your opponent doesn’t get a guaranteed mix-up
- watching how you get damaged (which starter should you be more careful about?) and either block it more or find a way to bait and punish it
- trying to figure ways to attack your opponent more safely, when possible (do a fireball if you have enough frame advantage to not be punished, then use it to help start your offense, for example, or find something you can poke your opponent with)
the former suggestions were to attempt to make you less predictable (by expanding your options, making your opponent’s decision making harder) and avoiding having you fall into the same options (avoiding entering the auto-pilot state, or a state where you start playing more linearly due to an apparent lack of other options; even defending instead of attacking could cause a break in both player’s rhythm, and give you a bit of time to try to adapt)
I have to leave now, hope that I could help… (there are more things that I wanted to post, but I don’t have the time)
Try to understand where exactly your anxiety comes from, and cut it, getting a disadvantage from a factor outside the game is a very bad way of approaching a match, you should control your emotions and focus on the tactical aspects of the game, if he is guessing you everytime, is not because he’s a psychic, it’s because you’re getting to obvious and/or your methods are limited, try learning more ways to do things, so you aren’t that predictable anymore.
P.D: Sometimes what hinders players from becoming good, is the fear of defeat, since we humans are egoncentrical, there’s that institive feeling that we will be worthless if we lose, especially if the opposite sex is around, so try to “microthinking”; don’t think about what will happen if you lose the match, try to think instead in what’s the best way to dodge the fireball that is coming at you! play the game button by button, not match by match. My protip is to smile, you won’t believe how a simple smile can change the way your mind works, it would take away your anxiety and put your mind in a more realistic approach to reality, which would get you better results.