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I think that this is a great idea.  It is nice to see a longer progression of things happening to give a chance to others a chance to advance and possibly get new players to shine in a broader and more exposed environment.  I know I'm definitely up for it!

Welcome to the Forum!  I'm new here myself.

Thank you everybody.  To put a little history on me.  I started playing in '98 at an arcade in Hamilton, NJ called Wizards.  This place had everything, from the SNES/NES emulator arcade games, to the laser disk and even slot car racing, but the biggest thing I remember was the "fight pit".  Every weekend, it was KOF, MK, or SF.  It was 2 machines back to back and during the tournament, people would crowd around it like there was a pit fight going on.  Well, during one of the off days, I watched a man who called himself "Ise", a generation one fighting game player on the KOF '98 machine.  I would spend my 20 dollar allowance at the arcade every weekend, but then when I was done, I'd watch him play.  It was like watching poetry in motion, the cancels, the loops, the combos...everything was just amazing to watch.  One day, he caught me and I was like a deer in headlights.  From there he asked if I wanted to play but I didn't really play or know how to play fighting games outside of pimp slapping the arcade stick and bashing on buttons like I had epilepsy.  He then said he would decide to do what he's never done before and teach someone how to play.  I couldn't believe he was willing to teach me and from that point, he put me through what he called "the 9 essentials of a complete fighting game player".  I called it "the 9 circles of hell". 

After a few months of him manhandling me, he then said that I was ready to compete.  To say I was nervous is saying the Pacific Ocean is just a little wet.  My first match, I lost, but it was best out of 3.  At that point, Ise went to me from behind and said for me to visualize them as nothing more than a wall that I must break through to become stronger.  After taking a breather, everything that he taught me opened in like a vicious floodgate.  I didn't do anything flashy, but my damage was high and I was smart, visualizing each match like it was a real fight that I was in.  I ended up beating the reigning champion there named "Hellion"...first time I had a truly ruthless rival.  Each time we played, it looked like a violent slugfest with rabid animals.  For 7 months and one other arcade in a mall called "Time-Out Arcade", I was a reigning, undefeated and fighting champion at both places 

My only reason for stopping, was because I was starting high school and wanted to concentrate on it as much as I could.  Every year that went by, I missed it there.  The rush, the excitement, the intensity, the environment...it was like watching...electronic gladiators doing battle.  There is truly no feeling that can describe or replace it. 

Thanks everyone.  I do hope I get to face some good opponents to shake the rust off.  I do miss my arcades greatly.  I miss facing other people more.  Online is one thing, but nothing beats the feel of offline or even facing someone on a cabinet, God what a rush that was.

Hi all.  I've been a KOF player in tournaments when '98 was in arcades.  I live in NJ and the closest arcade is about an hour away.  Now I stopped competing because I was still in high school, but during this time, I was unbeaten in the closest arcade that I had, which isn't around anymore   

I know I might not be some master guru or expert in the game but I do have a lot more than just average knowledge.  The only thing I'm lacking is that tournament aggression that I used to have and I unfortunately can't get that anymore.  Not having an arcade close by and not many people to play doesn't help much either.