The Perfect MYACH Set

by Crazy Ivan


We've discussed the game of MYACH on here several times before, but in the past we've generally talked about what not to do in a game.  Today I want to take it from the angle of what you should do if you want to become a formidable opponent.

MYACH is a game of sets and defenses.  I set a trick (I call it and then I do it) and you defend it (you match the trick I just did), then you set (you call a trick and then do it) and I defend it (I match your trick).  So obviously, there are two major ways to get better at the game.  You can get better at setting and you can get better at defending.

Getting better at defending takes a long time and a lot of practice.  There are strategies to be sure, but by and large the way to get better at defense in MYACH is to learn every trick in the game.  Being well rounded is a big part of it too, but generally speaking, the more tricks you know, the better defender you'll be.

But a blog entry on getting better at defending would be pretty counterproductive.  I would probably just give you a list of tricks and tell you to get to work.  Instead, I want to focus this blog on improving your strengths in setting the trick.

Types of Sets:

None of this is official Myachi canon or anything, but when I play MYACH, I toss my sets into 3 broad categories: Feelers, Jabs and Knock Outs.

Feelers: These are the sets I use to feel out the other player and get an idea what their strengths and weaknesses are.  The best "Feelers" are combos that use two or three different trick-types.  For example, I might call a:

"Reverse Behind the Back > Mantis > Clipper Delay"

Even if you get this move, it gives me a chance to see how confident you are with your flexibility moves, your upper-body stalls and your footwork.  If you clearly struggle to get the Reverse Behind the Back, I'll probably follow up on my next turn with a combo loaded with flex tricks.

Feelers are especially important when you're playing somebody for the first time.  If you don't know their skill level, a combo like the one above will do wonders to give you a clue what you're in for.

A few things to keep in mind when you're deciding on a Feeler are:

• You should be 100% on the combos.  Obviously you never want to set a trick you can't actually do, but on a feeler trick there should be absolutely zero chance you're gonna miss it.  These tricks should be combos that you do all the time.
• It should use several different types of tricks.  Don't just string together a bunch of moves.  Think about them before hand.  Doing a combo of three tricks that all test, let's say, somebody's low-body skills doesn't give you as much information as a more eclectic combo.
• Every trick in the combo should be challenging.  Remember, ideally you want to pick up a letter on every set.  The moves you use should be the hardest ones that you know you won't miss.

Jabs: These are the sets that I use in almost every game.  These are my signature sets that are pretty tough for just about everybody.  In Myachi there are so many different types of tricks that it seems like every player has one or two of these unique killers.  If you've ever gone into a game against a friend knowing that he was going to use tricks X, Y and Z, those tricks are probably his "jabs".

These tricks and combos should be tricks that you practice a lot.  Because there are so many different types of moves, everyone that plays Myachi for a while finds themselves gravitating toward certain types of tricks.  Eventually, you'll hit on one move that seems easier for you than it is for a lot of other people.

Let's say that move is Spiderman in your example.  Sure, everyone can do a Spiderman, but for whatever reason you're particularly good at it and you can do Double Wolverines that end in a Spiderman.  You start working all these weird crazy combos that end in a Spiderman and after a while you'll hit on a combo that you can hit pretty much every time but practically nobody else can get it consistently.

Jabs are moves that you use all the time.  They are the bulk of your repertoire if you play a lot of MYACH.  Some things good Jabs have in common are:

• You should be at least 90% on these moves.  It's okay to miss a set once in a while but you sure don't want to make a habit out of it.
• It shouldn't be any harder than it has to be.  If you've used a Feeler or two beforehand you probably already have a sense of your opponent and their skill level.  You don't want to set an Instep Kick > In-Spin > Neo if an Instep Kick > Neo would have done the trick.
• Don't play to the opponent's strengths.  Let's say you're ridiculously good at the Crazy Legs.  You've just got spectacular balance so you call a series in every game.  But now let's say you're up against a new opponent and when you used a Yoga Under the Leg in an earlier Feeler combo you noticed that they had really solid balance.  You might want to use Jabs that focus on a different skill set at first rather than just going with what you usually do.
• Don't be lopsided.  Too many players have all their Jabs in one or two trick types.  If all your best sets are either flexibility moves or upper body strikes, you're going to be in some serious trouble when you go against somebody better than you in one or both of those categories.  It's also a serious liability in Tournament Rules.

Knock Outs: The difference between a good MYACH player and a great MYACH player can come down to a few tricks and they might be tricks nobody ever sees.  Every player brings a bunch of tricks to the table and the better player isn't always the one with the best tricks in his or her bag.  Sometimes it's the person with the deepest bag.

A Knock Out trick (for the purposes of this blog entry) is a trick that you will probably only use once in all of your Myachi playing days.  It's a weird, crazy combo that virtually nobody will get without a little practice.  It's something so strange and nuanced that it takes one or two misses to see how to do it right.  It's a trick that you hold in reserve and practice when nobody's looking for days, weeks or even months just so that when you really need it, you can pull it out and guarantee yourself a letter.

Knock Out tricks aren't necessarily really hard.  In fact, very often they're relatively easy with a little practice.  The important thing is that when you use them, your opponent will not have practiced them.  A perfect example comes from a big MYACH game we played a while back at the House of Skills.  Monk was in a spot where he really needed to buffer his lead against Animal, Mav and I so he called this crazy 3 sack combo where all three Myachis eventually got tossed behind the back into a Mantis.

Now, what made this move so challenging was keeping the two Myachis balanced on your elbow while you did the behind the back toss for the third one but you didn't realize just how tricky it was until you were doing the move.  After trying it a few times I figured out the right angle for my shoulder and now I hit that move pretty much every time but it was a perfect knock out move; it lettered every one of us.

Like most good Knock Out moves, Monk will likely never use this exact same call again.  At the very least, he will never use it against Mav, Animal or me again.  There would be no point.  If the move is tough enough to letter people with after they've practiced it, it's a Jab, not a Knock Out.  The whole point of this type of move is that it is strange and unfamiliar.

Ideally, you want to make it through a game without using any of these moves.  The best thing is to have several in reserve at any time and only pull them out when strategy demands.  No point in wasting a perfectly good Knock Out move when you're down 4 letters.  Sure, you'll get the letter, but you'll still lose the game and you won't be able to use that move against the same opponent in a later game where more could be gained.

I tend to use these types of moves in one of three situations:

1. As the final blow in a well fought game.  I'll pull out a KO late to ensure victory if my opponent is good enough that I don't want to give them another set.
2. To pull ahead in a persistent tie.  I'll use a KO early if my opponent keeps hitting all my sets or neither of us are able to letter each other much in the first few rounds.  If you're playing a back and forth game a small advantage can mean everything by the end.
3. In redemption.  If you're not familiar with Redemption Rules in MYACH don't worry about this one just yet (but look to learn all about it in an upcoming entry!), but I will always use a KO in redemption if I've got one I think will work out to a letter.

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A great MYACH player is an unpredictable one.  If you know what to expect from somebody you can practice their moves and go into the game ready.  Nobody can prepare for chaos so by giving them something they've never seen before in a game you can almost always earn an advantage.

Look for these moves when you're shredding or practicing alone.  And when you see one, keep it close. Don't show it off until you've got it mastered and don't use it if you don't need it.  If you can get through a game just by doing tougher tricks, that should be your strategy.

But if you're going against somebody who is more experienced, more versatile or even just more skilled than you, you still have a chance.  Winning with jabs is brute force; winning from strength and skill.  Winning with knock outs is brute intellect; winning from creativity and strategy.  To be honest, I can't say which victory is more rewarding.