Tough Love Method

[Thrall King]

I want to know who else likes to use the tough love method when teaching other people how to play. I mean, it all depends on the individual. When I see that a person is better motivated when they lose than when they win, I pull out all of the stops, while telling them how to shut me down.

Today I gave a noob the option of playing my Rogue deck, and they saw the extent of my evil. I milled them with 3 Tax Collectors and 2 Guilds, and when I was done I let them use up the 5 turns. I used Onager to keep their creatures in line since they were using Grimace with a Staff of Bone. He is deiermined to buy more cards to beat it.

[LiNK4g]

when I go into a demo game I go into it the same way I go into any other ME game... trying to win... I do help them make their moves tell them if they do this they could stop me so on and so forth... but I do beat them.. every time I've demoed someone I've not lost.. I believe that if they come into this game and beat me and it's their first time they'll think... "oh there's nothing to this game.. whatever then" ...but if I present a challenge it will encourage them to play the game and get better... the only way we get better is by being presented challenges...

I say keep up the good work TK! Grind them noobs :twisted:

[Deleted]

I do see the valid points you two have, although I don't full out overkill either. I don't necessarily let them win, but I do level the playing field a lot.

For starters, I don't ever play one of my own decks with all the pimped out stuff in it. I always play them with demo decks or variations of the demo decks, and by demo decks I mean the Precons. Secondly, I give them the decks that have an advantage over the one I'll use. For example, Clerics over Dwarf, Wizards over Undead, that sort of thing. So they have the advantage.

Now, during play, I don't make mistakes or anything or bad plays. I make logically correct choices, but I also don't pull super "tech" plays or advanced level concepts. (On occassion, depending on the student, I'll pause the game to show it to them, but opt for a decision that will keep the game balanced.) I will however point out or guide them to discover hints on things/plays they could be doing to take an advantage on me, then I try to survive as long as I can. Now, if they play solidly, they have a good chance of beating me, and I allow that. However, those competent players are always the first to admit that I probably didn't pull out all the guns and realize right there that ME has a lot more depth than they thought, and thus get inspired. Other players just play bad, so I'll beat them b/c if I let them win, they will get the wrong idea.

So I guess it depends. I vary up my strategy a lot when demoing, but I take it very seriously. I've been doing it pretty heavily for a while now, so I would call myself profficient. Keith has always approved of it anyway. Hope that provides a little more insight.

[Thrall King]

I use that method too. But I have been able to read people pretty well. I will use a precon, and if I pull something nasty out, I see how they react. Some of them get a little discouraged, so I won't do it anymore. Then there are those who get a spark in their eyes and I know that if they lose they will only try harder the next time. They are the ones like me.

I have a custom deck that I don't like to use, but the option is always there. The last guy I played chose it, and now he wants to buy more and more cards just so he can beat me. That is the tough love method.