I disagree a bit with some of the advice in this thread...team strength and ratings matter when you are matched up against equally skilled or experienced players only - otherwise, a better player is still likely to wax you until your knowledge catches up to them. If you have no idea why an out route is open against nearly every zone you try - until you luck into a Hard Flat by chance and see what happens underneath the route - then you are at an enormous disadvantage from the jump...and the highest rated players at every position cannot help you as much as people believe. If you are evenly matched in skills and knowledge, THEN having better players or getting better match-ups makes a HUGE difference in the outcomes, but not when you have no idea what is happening or why...
Knowledge of the game is key; pattern recognition and reflexes are the difference between "skilled" and "unskilled" users, and finally mental toughness to avoid and/or overcome mistakes
I disagree a bit with some of the advice in this thread...team strength and ratings matter when you are matched up against equally skilled or experienced players only - otherwise, a better player is still likely to wax you until your knowledge catches up to them. If you have no idea why an out route is open against nearly every zone you try - until you luck into a Hard Flat by chance and see what happens underneath the route - then you are at an enormous disadvantage from the jump...and the highest rated players at every position cannot help you as much as people believe. If you are evenly matched in skills and knowledge, THEN having better players or getting better match-ups makes a HUGE difference in the outcomes, but not when you have no idea what is happening or why...
Knowledge of the game is key; pattern recognition and reflexes are the difference between "skilled" and "unskilled" users, and finally mental toughness to avoid and/or overcome mistakes