Many dream of leaping from hobbyist to professional, especially in gaming. However, only some of us managed to make it. Whether your dream is competing in esports, hitting the biggest poker tables, or becoming a chess grandmaster, we have some tips to improve your gaming hobby. We can’t promise you’ll be quitting your day job any time soon, but you’ll increase your chances if you follow these pointers.
Making a Schedule
Treating this like a job is the first way to seriously up your gaming credentials. Many of us enjoy a mammoth weekend gaming session and occasionally get to switch on during the week, too, but if you want to take things seriously, you need to practice often. Aim for at least half an hour per day (and an hour if you can manage it).
To make it easier, you can arrange to play with friends or participate in small online competitions to keep yourself motivated. Keep a diary of your gaming and make any notes on your performance. You’ll be surprised how quickly your game improves when you keep to your training schedule.
Your Initial Set Up
Depending on the kind of game you’re playing, investing in a better setup might become necessary. If you want to get into esports gaming, this can get very expensive.
While a good gaming chair and an ergonomic mouse are sufficient for most gamers, the shopping list gets a lot longer for esports gamers. We often share tips on financing your gaming setup, as this is, without a doubt, the most expensive part of this hobby. To start with, consider getting to know your computer better. A custom-made gaming PC that you buy from someone else will set you back a fortune, but upgrading your own machine makes it much more affordable. Plus, you learn how computers work, which can only be helpful.
While a good gaming chair and an ergonomic mouse are sufficient for most gamers, the shopping list gets a lot longer for esports gamers. We oftenThe Bigger Tournaments
Entry into larger competitions can be difficult and expensive, whichever game you play. However, if you know where to look, you can save and cut some corners. For example, poker players can access major events such as the European Poker Tour by taking part in the Power Path. PokerStars has set up this initiative to allow keen poker players to participate in a major tournament without such a major monetary outlay. When it comes to esports gaming, you will have to work your way up, but there will be smaller tournaments near you where you can start to do this. You can reach out for sponsorship once you’ve made your name locally.
Ironing Out the Kinks
After you’ve played a couple of smaller tournaments, you’ll likely notice the areas where you’re letting yourself down. Even the best players have kinks that need ironing out, so there’s no shame. Your reaction time may be slower than your opponents’. Trying something as simple as a reaction timer test and working at it until you get faster results can incredibly benefit your gaming. If you’re a card player, you could invest in a tracker to keep count of the mistakes you make and the hands you play particularly well. By taking note of all of this information, you’ll be able to work on the elements that you find the hardest and gain some better results.
There’s plenty more to learn along the way, but these basic tips will help to set you up on the right path. As you move up the levels, things will get tougher, but they’ll also get even more exciting. Gaming is an incredibly rewarding hobby, especially when you take it more seriously. Even if you never quite make it to the professional level, you’ll have a lot of fun trying.
