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chantastic
chantastic

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Steal From the Players Who Beat You

My kids are deep into the card game Sushi Go.

The first week of gameplay, Rock lost every game.
He was fed up on Sunday.

I try harder than all of you and I'm always last!
This game isn't fair.

That resonates with me.
Trying hard, losing, and watching others succeed.
I'm sure it resonates with you too.

It feels fair that if you try harder, you get further.
But direction is more important than effort.
Effort in the wrong direction takes you further from a goal.

So I tell him:

Your strategy sucks.
It doesn't matter how hard you try.
Stockpiling Maki only gets you a 6 points per round.
You're gonna lose.
Pull your head out of your butt and try something different.
Steal from the players who beat you.

He did.
Now he's winning.
Guess I need to steal from him now.

🍣 @chantastic

Question:
Where do you put effort in the wrong direction?
Where does ego prevent you from identifying a better strategy?

Top comments (12)

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rachelsoderberg profile image
Rachel Soderberg

This feels like me playing the Overwatch competitive league. I'm over there busting my butt healing like a madman (madwoman?) and getting gold medals even in damage categories, but everyone else appears to be walking into walls and spinning in circles not trying. My similar rant: "Why am I trying so hard but still losing?! Why does everyone suck but me?!"

I haven't figured out how to fix the strategy for this one so I can start to rank up, except maybe finding friends who also play at my level, but that's got its own level of complexity!

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chantastic profile image
chantastic

that's interesting!

i hadn't thought about this in regard to cooperative activities.
definitely changes the dynamics when you're trying hard, playing an important role, but your teammates aren't pulling weight.

that hurts when I think about it 😬

thanks for sharing. I'm going to be thinking about this.

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recss profile image
Kevin K. Johnson

Switch to a DPS or tank rather than saving ineffective players. Or someone than can kill and heal. Once you get to a rank with players on your level, feel free to main as a healer.

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rachelsoderberg profile image
Rachel Soderberg

Dps isnt my strong suit, and I do swap to tank as needed. But unfortunately it's one of those games where nobody wants to heal, so I tend to do it because I really enjoy it. I play Lucio (if you are familiar) and the damage output is pretty good, so there is that going for me! But like I said, I get top ratings on everything, so I just need to get everyone else up to my level I guess. Lol

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recss profile image
Kevin K. Johnson

Just gotta make some friends that play, I guess. Doesn't Baptiste do more damage than Lucio? Haven't really played since he was released.

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rachelsoderberg profile image
Rachel Soderberg

I'm not sure actually, I'll have to try him sometime! I have two friends who play, so that's a start - just hard working out all of our adult schedules to play together haha

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recss profile image
Kevin K. Johnson

Yup. Basically everyone I know is married or lives with a partner. Why can't things be about gaming like they used to? 🤔

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rachelsoderberg profile image
Rachel Soderberg

Right?! I remember a time where I was raiding Molten Core by day and Ruins of Ahn'Qiraj by night, then sleeping until the afternoon! (World of Warcraft, if you aren't familiar)

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danielbenzie profile image
Daniel

"I try harder than all of you and I'm always last!
This game isn't fair."

How 'hard' someone else is trying is often not perceptible to outsiders. It is folly to think we are trying/working the hardest and everyone above us is there on some combination of luck/natural talent.

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quii profile image
Chris James

Software development is not a zero sum game

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chantastic profile image
chantastic

i'm not sure understand the connection. i didn't mention software or game theory.

this is about diminishing ego enough to acknowledge success in others and adapt it for youself.

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juanfrank77 profile image
Juan F Gonzalez

As money is not a zero sum game either.