Habits During the Duel.

(Everything mentioned is nothing more Personal Experience) + Wasn't serious when i wrote this xD



I’ve been a player for a long time since 2005 until this
moment, in real life and online. In this very article I will explain how to do mental games during your duel to figure what your opponent have hidden for you either in his back rows or at his hand.


Of course you need at least an average knowledge of this game first to understand how to deal with different situations. Also what am going to say probably won’t help you much online since you will need to read your opponent face, get the gestures, follow the eyes, watch his lips (not to kiss him ofc >_<) there is a point .. lol


Reason why I think that this would help you much is because believe in science, and I’ve been reading books about this stuff since few months so far, it’s always fun to know to treat your opponent in the way that serve you witch is beating him mentally then beat him in the game.


Also I will use some of my humble experience in real-life dueling times, In my country or where I live there is no nationals, regionals or YCS or any sort of official tournament. So my duels is always either with my friends in college or with my cousins >_<. We play allot like 30 or 40 duel a day, trade cards, and buy cards online and keep changing our decks once each 3-4 months, I myself did that 5 times maybe during this year only, If am not wrong.

Now, how to read your opponent face is not a hard move if you could pay a little attention each time he/she draw a card or each time you destroy/reveal on of his/her cards. If you are dueling a Professional then you should keep in mind that he/she always have a backup plan or he/she already planned 3 turns ahead and had everything set-up for you to fall in his traps.


When your opponent draw a card, look first at his/her eyes if they went to the first card on the right (your right) then that means he got a bad card, and the rest of his cards are full of craps now the reason is the human brain always like to do math even if you hate it witch means if he/she got a bad card and he/she already full of other ***** set of cards he/she would check them ALL from right to left (again your right, means your opponent left hand ). Sometimes when he/she draw a card he/she looks in the middle of his/her hand at the middle card when he/she does that you should know that he/she have a good set of cards, he/she might got sorta useless card there but the rest are good, right after that IF he took a deep breath it means he have a plan for you this turn or he is
setting something for you next turn or he might be thinking deeply about his choices, witch lead us to a conclusion witch is you are about to win because your opponent have a good cards but he won’t play them well .. he will do that BADLY enough to make you laugh loud. But if he/she draw a card then he/she took a fast look at the left card (your left, your opponent’s right ) it means 1^st
he is a pro 2^nd he got the hand 3^rd you might be in
trouble. So you will have to set few traps next turn and think of his deck and
what is probably the stable type of cards that might be still in that deck. Also
try to think as you are “your opponent”… What I mean try to think if you were
in your opponent’s shoe what would you do and what your target might be with
that kind of deck.


Now the second part is gestures, after he draw his turn card he will do some math, now this might sound funny but at this point look at his EARS >_< lol. Seriously, just do that because if he is nervous, bad hands, bad draw his ears probably will turn to soft pink/red like some heat beneath his ears or something OR that might happen on his nose or anything that turned to red or pinky >_<. Of course that won’t work on African-origin people ^^.


Now move to mouth (YGO purpose c.c) he/she will bite the lips till there is no more stuff to bite on that area when bad luck full on that person, At that point you don’t have to be safe just .. go for it and get your match win. Now am not sure of the mouth thingy, but in some book I read and I quote “ when someone is nervous, or when someone get a bad news when that person is thinking of something that keeps his brain busy enough, that new fresh bad news will turn his head upside down and he/she might start biting on his/her lips continuously”. Not sure if this is exactly what was written but I think it can be attached to yugioh situations when someone get a bad luck.


(tired of he/she >_<)


All this moves, you might be doing it yourself but you just don’t know that since your inner mind does that for you in order to help that stressed muscles a bit using your humble experience about what you do usually when you are in a different situation in your different parts of your life, same for your opponent and think about it when someone think for a long time and he keeps checking his cards from right to left, and from left to right over and over and even sometimes read his cards even though he knows his cards effects already but he want to find a safe door, it means he is having some real bad times.


Here is something took a place like 3 weeks ago, I was dueling using Plants engine deck, and my opponent was using Miracle Fusions. Now everyone knows that Miracle Fusion Heros deck don’t really have much of combos within it it’s all about Alius, Miracle fusion and maybe superpoly in there or fusion gate or any card that allow the user of that deck to summon Fusion Hero from his extra deck. In normal situations Heros type decks have no chance vs. plants if the plants user got let’s say 50/50 hand ?.


My opponent knows a bit about mind games, she was a pro in ygo as well .. the game was so long and equal all the time maybe in cards and LPs and there is always a respond from both sides. We both used mind games and kept on watching the other face >_< at the end and before we finish the duel she asked me while I have 3 cards in my hand and 1 backrow “You gona finish it this turn, am I right” , I was planning on going for Debris = BRD then Reborn BRD and go for game. But when she asked I said “yeah” but I did a stupid move on purpose (Reason is, she didn’t ask me that because she knew that I have what it takes in my hand to go for game and call it a day, BUT she knew that with only few cards left in my deck after such a long duel debris still didn’t show up and obviously am using plants the whole duel .. she was sure I have it since I didn’t play it till now, She was ready for it). But instead I summoned Caius the shadow monarch while she had Sangan on the field with 700 LP left for her (she though this is my great game, so she activated Solemn Judment!) I felt so damn good here knowing that I was right after al; also she did a smiley face there. I could have used my face-down COTH to re-summon Caius, but that won’t end the game it will just give her more cards in her hand more than 1 useless one on the field so I ended, At this point I and on purpose kept on taking look on my cards from left to right and vise reverse, and even checked my graveyard for like twice before I end; I wannet her to feel safe and play her move nasty since she can’t wait now to finish the game after (she though) the game is already over for me perhaps. She summon E-hero Alius then attack with it, I chain COTH and summon caius. (she = sadface) anyway she play Dark Hole then Monster Reborn-ed my Caius (She used Sangan effect to take Tour guid from her deck) .. She had everything set for this moment. (of course that was my intention for keep taking fast looks to my grave even after I ended my turn, I wannet her to feel like I still have something hidden) But, she just wasted DH on it. Anyway, my turn I get gorz
(kind useless since I have 1100 LP, anything could kill me now) I summon Debris Dragon, go for Dandylion , then BRD may god bless you.


However, am not gona write the whole thing about that duel,
since it took 3 more turns to finish the duel after BRD and somehow I won. The
point is your opponent always will try to play mind games with you (I call it
mental games) some are nubs at this stuff, then use crystal clear words that
everyone know, while pro use different stories, different ways to know what got
in your hand or if you are planning for something. (Specially that your friends
know your tricks, and even what sentences you might use before you go for your
best game to call it a day, so pay attention to that point).


Try to not talk much to your opponent unless he/she started
to talk first and always .. ALWAYS look to the eyes it gives the impression
that you are about to win, and just do the checking on his physical actions,
eyes, ears, mouth, hands etc ..
everything can lead you to something..





That is it, There will be more
Articles in near future… maybe…

Last edited by Anzo on Fri Dec 09, 2011 4:48 pm; edited 1 time in total

Even if you were not that serious when you wrote this, most of the article features valid and interesting points. However there are certain things that you shouldn't focus on too much.

For example the gestures that you listed, a lot of people will just do this, move around and tick because thats just how they are and/or they try to fool you, which is something I always try to do. Always asking how many cards in hand, checking their grave and mine giving the impression that i drew reborn even if i didnt. Id also slide the card i drew against the mat and a few others as if i have many options in my hand, and i just cant decide.

Other things i like to do is continually hand shuffle and grave shuffle to intimidate novices or some players in general. even with the accessories i use, some players will just get so intimidated when you play on a certain mat or take out that calculator case, etc Cause various pros and notables use these things.

Also instead of looking at their eyes on a consistent basis, you should always looks at their hands: Always be aware of the cards in their hand. A lot of people (myself included, but I dont cheat) know Sleight of hand and use to their advantage. Like their eyes can fool you alot, how they use their hands however hurt you more. Its also kinda why i like to wear a hood sometimes in matches, it helps me focus in a direct field of vision so I can see their hands if they cheat, as well as doing various gestures to fool them

I didn't say they are certain ways during the duel that will happen the whole time, i stated that it might not work if you are dueling a pro ^^ witch is what you said, since (as you stated) many players know allot of Mind Games so we are not the only one knowing all this, But it still makes your opponent think much and maybe skip the big picture or lose focus or whatever.

I've gone to regionals before, (Actually just went to one last Saturday and got 2nd place with my GB's but that's something else), and I've noticed one or two of the gestures you have mentioned being true.
Sometimes people will try to set "Fake Backrow" (Normal Spells or continuous spells) to make you think they have one of two cards:
Dimensional Prison
Mirror Force

Another thing is that once you enter your battle phase, make sure you notice their HAND movements.
Note: when you enter your battle phase, notice the field.
*Are there Monsters?
*Does your opponent have a large hand? (4+)
*Are there any set spell/trap cards? (If there are he may have Tragoedia or Battle Fader, but a slim chance at that if you know your opponents deck)
*Notice if he moves any cards during your battle phase. (Moves one card to the very far (Opponent's right) Left. If he does, it may be Gorz.

Note: Think of your attacks VERY carefully.
Gorz can be a game changer in a variety of ways:
Gives a target for a level 8 Synchro Monster (If playing plants, don't just give them a gorz. Glow-Up Bulb + Gorz = Stardust, Scrap Dragon, ect. ect)

When I was using GB's, I noticed constantly how my opponent would continue to give me Gorz or even Tragoedia. I laughed as they tried to escape. *Muwhahahaha*

The Largest play I did at regionals (for the top spot) was playing against Scraps.
This was probably the biggest move in yugioh history...
Since I decided to side-deck in my BLS I tragged a scrap dragons attack, taking 2800, but getting a 3000 beatstick on the field (Awwyeah)
Next turn? Yeah I draw BLS. I had no darks in the grave, but I did have two TK Rai-Oh. I decided to take my opponents Scrap Dragon by discarding the BLS in my hand. Apparently some people just don't know how to die.
I attack. Opponent Mirror Forces -w-'
After a couple of turns later, he drains my hand of all of my monsters (I drew 6 monsters. I CALL STACKING -w-') He attacks me for game with a Scrap Goblin.
Ofc. I was uber mad face. Wasn't very funny to lose to a scrap goblin.

Moral of the game is: Watch their hands/face more than anything. Usually when they hold up a card in their spell/trap zone they're bluffing. It happens ALL THHEEEE TIMMEEE (I do it too lols)

Am Pro, nuff said xD