How long do the top players spend making picks? What are you calculating or just thinking about during that time?

I have played maybe 5000+ games. I average about 5 minutes on picking per game (more team games and FFAs than 1v1s). That is a lot of wasted time. Now I prefer autodistribution for casual, fun games, to avoid wasting more time.

Edited 7/17/2014 22:08:20

In the average realtime 1v1 game, 30 seconds to a minute on picks. In a casual team game, closer to 2-3 minutes, same as in a serious 1v1 game. In a serious team game, 5-10 minutes, occasoinally longer depending on how much I have played the map and settings.

2-3 min per game
usually go with my gut, in SR i sometimes calc 1-2 turns into future testing if my idea might work

A minute maximum in 1v1s. That's probably why I'm still a noob - I commented because I'm sure I'm a top player if I take longer :P

Edited 7/17/2014 21:02:10

Not a top player but on casual 1v1 games i take 20sec - 1 min but on serios once i can take up to 5 minutes.

I try to take about a minute unless game is important then a minute 1/2

Cool. I'm happy to hear from Tim because I'm the same - 2/3 minutes and going with my gut.

top players

You obviously miswrote, and meant to write "pot players".

For me it varies a lot. Also how tired or focused i am plays a part.
Example, in auto distribution i can use the entire day to pick. Auto picking is clearly the hardest.

Edited 7/18/2014 01:09:31

At most 2 days. I take a quick look and consider the main options and then walk away, let my subconcious parse the map for a day, checking back for details occasionally. After I sleep on it i understand that particular configuration of the board as well as im ever going to and its time to consider the peculiarities of the person im playing with and exactly what pick order is best, which takes anywhere between a minute and an hour. If its a casual game about 5 minutes for shit picks, 20 minutes for good picks.

About 15 seconds. I play on gut only, no calculations, only beer!

At most 2 days. I take a quick look and consider the main options and then walk away, let my subconcious parse the map for a day, checking back for details occasionally. After I sleep on it i understand that particular configuration of the board as well as im ever going to and its time to consider the peculiarities of the person im playing with and exactly what pick order is best, which takes anywhere between a minute and an hour. If its a casual game about 5 minutes for shit picks, 20 minutes for good picks.

I believe you left out the part where you meditate under a waterfall and beat the crap out of meat in a meat locker.

Dont be silly. During the day I usually just eat well. A diet of fish and vegetables and pulses is ideal food for thinking about picks. Excerise is also really important. I find that when i am physically exhausted my mind is more agile. The best picks ive made have always been in the days after i have long bouts of love making. In those few minutes after sex where your mind becomes uncluttered by carnal thoughts you can grasp the most incredible insights about a board.

Indirectly you just let us know that Warlight turns you on.

Edited 7/19/2014 02:13:18

Apex trying to be funny.

you forget the 'and failing' part.

but your comment was genuinely funny, Frank, its a start :)

Edited 7/19/2014 15:08:11

I think "how long does it take" is the wrong question. Because I take quite a bit of time but I deliberately think slower, be more careful. A better question is, what do you consider when you're making picks. Someone else's 2-3 minutes could be my 10-15 minutes depending on how fast we think.

Also in team games communication time can add a lot of time to picking. Watching the old Mythonian 2v2 streams is pretty eye opening if you're not used to communicating in a 2v2 team. IIRC someone mentioned that Summer and Silver spend, like, a half hour on each turn. Dunno how much of that is game related tho.

I'm probably closer to picking like Piggy than anyone else in the thread >.>

Edited 7/19/2014 18:41:19

not sure why you throw in teamgames when we talk about picking time of 1v1 games...

Making picks depends on how important the game is for me. I recently brought up the fact in my clan chat that I spent over 1 hour making my picks. It was for the seasonal ladder and figuring out the best picks on Poland takes forever.... And I have been fortunate this season so far to still be undefeated. I really want to give myself every chance to finish high in the standings.