Anybody got strategies for tilting your opponents

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Ehtna
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Anybody got strategies for tilting your opponents

Post by Ehtna »

asking for a friend

but also surely somebody has thought of trying to develop methods for tilting other teams past just being good at quizbowl, regardless of sportsmanship considerations, so why not get it out in the open while you can :grin:
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Re: Anybody got strategies for tilting your opponents

Post by Cheynem »

I think buzzer faking is kind of obvious, but one strategy I tried once:

In a tossup where I knew nothing that was going on, I waited a few lines and then after what seemed like a buzzword, I suddenly jumped to life in my chair and leaned real in, like I was waiting for another clue of confirmation. The other player (Will Butler) immediately looked concerned and I feel like buzzed in a lot earlier than he would have normally. Unfortunately, he was correct.
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Re: Anybody got strategies for tilting your opponents

Post by Good Goblin Housekeeping »

Yeah it’s real easy
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Re: Anybody got strategies for tilting your opponents

Post by Adventure Temple Trail »

Don't.
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Re: Anybody got strategies for tilting your opponents

Post by Skepticism and Animal Feed »

Beat them to a tossup in their area of expertise, especially if you are not known for your expertise in that area.
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Re: Anybody got strategies for tilting your opponents

Post by kammajos000 »

I've always thought the psychology of quiz bowl is a fun subject, since the ability to generally and subtly unnerve one's opponents really can make the difference in a game. I myself have been on the receiving end of this and, as a result, suffered from poor play in some games. But I don't think it's necessarily a bad thing; as long as there's no overtly obnoxious behavior, if someone is thrown off by silly, harmless tactics, that's their own fault for lack of mental fortitude.

Anyway, here are some ideas I've had that might be tilting while remaining non-disruptive of gameplay. Not that a sportsman of my caliber would resort to such base strategies, I'll add (apart from the occasions on which I did employ them) (I win by skill alone, mostly).

- huddling as a team before a game and saying a chant or phrase on 3
- engaging in a physical warm-up before a game (e.g. jumping jacks, pushups, burpees if feeling vigorous)
- acting as if you don't care about winning or losing (extra effective against serious teams)
- coordinating the team's clothing
- as the fourth chair, turning your desk 90 degrees to face the moderator. Shoutout Nibir Sarma
- appearing clean-cut and healthful (this confuses the quiz bowler)
- squeezing The Judge in a way mimicking the bite of a starving crocodile
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Re: Anybody got strategies for tilting your opponents

Post by Dominator »

Standing.

It's so effective that the IHSA banned it.
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Re: Anybody got strategies for tilting your opponents

Post by CCMMSQB_2089 »

Marching into the room as a team in perfect unison to the beat of a song. Have seen this (but have not done this), seemed quite difficult to accomplish. Very unnerving if done well.
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Re: Anybody got strategies for tilting your opponents

Post by Good Goblin Housekeeping »

Dominator wrote: Sat Mar 04, 2023 1:39 pm Standing.

It's so effective that the IHSA banned it.
ah yes, the patented strat of charles dees
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Re: Anybody got strategies for tilting your opponents

Post by EmilianoZapata »

Talking :capybara: with the moderator is something I do but I'm unsure on it's efficacy.

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Re: Anybody got strategies for tilting your opponents

Post by matthewspatrick »

CCMMSQB_2089 wrote: Sat Mar 04, 2023 2:27 pm Marching into the room as a team in perfect unison to the beat of a song. Have seen this (but have not done this), seemed quite difficult to accomplish. Very unnerving if done well.
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Re: Anybody got strategies for tilting your opponents

Post by The_Impaler_ »

Grow a fu manchu.

I've only done this as a moderator, but I was able to completely tilt the other moderators at the tournament. One of the mods looked at me, screamed "NO!" for about 15 seconds, started hyperventilating, told me that my mustache made her sterile, and then refused to talk to me or look at me for the rest of the tournament.

I looked kinda gross for two weeks while I was growing it out, but the effort and sacrifice were worth it. You should pair the fu manchu with some Zubaz to look like Hulk Hogan.
Last edited by The_Impaler_ on Tue Mar 07, 2023 12:25 am, edited 1 time in total.
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Re: Anybody got strategies for tilting your opponents

Post by Krik? Krik?! KRIIIIK!!! »

The_Impaler_ wrote: Tue Mar 07, 2023 12:24 am Grow a fu manchu.

I've only done this as a moderator, but I was able to completely tilt the other moderators at the tournament. One of the mods looked at me, screamed "NO!" for about 15 seconds, started hyperventilating, told me that my mustache made her sterile, and then refused to talk to me or look at me for the rest of the tournament.

I looked kinda gross for two weeks while I was growing it out, but the effort and sacrifice were worth it. You should pair the fu manchu with some Zubaz to look like Hulk Hogan.
I can attest to this. I attended a tournament recently and Blake was there. As I hadn't seen him for a while, I began walking up to him like normal. He moved slowly though. Like a puma watching as a bouncing bunny skips towards its den, not knowing the danger within. I raised out my arm for a handshake. So did Blake. Faster than a middle schooler can buzz on a Persistence of Memory tossup and call it all stock, Blake's arm zipped up to my neck and wrapped around it with his mighty buzzer grip. He then picked me up with that single arm and windmilled me over his head into a conveniently placed folding table. As my cards spilled from my pockets and someone took a picture for the qbwiki, Blake stood over me and bellowed through his mustache "Need faster reflexes if you're going to outbuzz me." My vision faded to black.

My humble opinion is the best way to tilt someone is always be a few words ahead of them when you buzz. If you lock people - especially good players - out of the game, they're going to get frustrated and give up. I've seen one loss completely shut down steamrolling teams for the rest of the day.
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Re: Anybody got strategies for tilting your opponents

Post by DavidB256 »

rank them below yourself in your top 100 player ranking
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