The Smasher
 
 
Playing against smashers can seem overwhelming – it might seem as if they are smashing everything – your loops, your flips, your pushes.  These players want to put pressure on you enough to take you out of your normal game.  Before you freak out, just listen to a bit of advice.
 

Devastate the Offensive Chopper

At the Arnold Challenge last month, I got demolished 11-3 the first game by Yichi Zhang.  I had previously beaten him 4-2 in our last encounter, but this was a totally different opponent that I was facing.  If I pushed, he hit a winner.  If I blocked, he went right through me.  If I looped, he counterlooped with extreme power.  It seemed that he countered everything I did with extreme ease.  I realized that I could not play my normal game and win; I had to go for more if I were to put enough pressure on him.
 

 
 
 
 
 
“If I could have won all the deuce games at the last tournament, I would be rated over 1400 now!”
 
“If my opponent hadn’t got 2 nets at deuce, I would have had the upset of my life.”
 
“If I could have won all the deuce games at the state championship, I would have won the title 4-0.”