1-on-1 Champion Ungku Saiful

1-on-1 Champion Ungku Saiful

1-on-1 Champion by Ungku Saiful using Deep Water M2 at KTM X-Bow Paintball Challenge Event

My intention to play 1 vs 1 was actually to train and improve my individual skills and field awareness. Having participated in a few 1 vs 1 matches in the past, I never really passed 1st or 2nd round. Most of the time, the players I’ve fought with are either higher Division players than I am (I’m playing with Banditos Paintball in Division 3) or they were the better and skillful player than I am.

 

Anyway, for KTM X-BOW Challenge, I know it will be difficult tournament. The prize for the Overall Champion is BIG! I know it will attract a lot of players to try out (including myself!) and win the grand prize. Looking at the participant list, I know that I’m just a underdog competing in a pool of high quality and skillful paintball players.

Once the game schedule is out by our Tournament Director Sofian Daud, I know I won’t get far into the tournament. Maybe past 1st or 2nd round like I did in the previous 1 on 1 tournaments. My expectations weren’t high. Just play. A few players ask me, “Can you win?” I replied humbly to them, “If I’m lucky, I’ll reach Quarter Finals and that’s it.” Deep down inside I know I won’t get past QF, because that’s where all the Division 1 players will usually meet and play against each other.

 

Knowing what my capabilities are, I trained a few 1 on 1 during our Team’s training sessions a week before the tournament with Banditos Paintball players and a few other players at Mudtrekker Paintball Park. Wasn’t actually a good training session, having to lose more than winning :(. But one thing I’ve learned during the training, is to come up with a solid game plan and stick to it and be consistent; and improvise the game plan to the next round if needed to.

So my first game in the 1 on 1 tournament is against Azmi Jimie; we know each other as he is playing with Unikorn Legacy, and Banditos Paintball always play against them when we were back in Division 4. The first game was quick and surprising. I wasn’t sure where he was after the game started as he didn’t shoot at all! I was shooting paintballs to the Dorito side since I was expecting him to go there, but slowly, all of the sudden he creeps up near the the Center Big A, where I can see his legs in between the A. I quickly squat down, the same time he was and we quickly exchange shots; and luckily I hit him first! That was game over with a sigh of relief and I was through to the 2nd round.

 

For the 2nd round, I’m playing against Anwar Hayati who defeated Calvin Wong (we call him AO) who I trained against at Mudtrekker Paintball Park. AO was good, and I’m playing against the person who defeated him. So I know I need to at my best to defeat him. Thus, Game Plan Mode ON, and I started shooting pallets at him non-stop at game start, and manage to move up to a temple and continue shooting paintballs at him. He snap shoot a couple of times, and I keep on shooting my #DyeM2 #DeepWater and reloading my #DyeR2 loader whenever it alerts to reload. After shooting non-stop for 2 pods, suddenly one of the Marshall came to me to stop shooting. I thought I was hit, he check on me and said I won! and Game Over! To my disbelieve, I didn’t realize when my shot hit him! I went out of the field, shake his hand and told him, I didn’t realize you were hit!

Still surprised that I made it past the 2nd round and into the Quarter Finals. Checking out the Game Schedule and found that my next opponent is Eyeoff AD who plays for Division 1 Xtioneers Malaysia Paintball Team. Knowing Division 1 players are seasoned and skillful players, he is a force to be reckon with! We sat next to each other at the player’s tent, and I told him that I’m honored to play against him. I said to myself, “I’ll be satisfied if I lost to him, a Division 1 player”. Going into the QF match, I decided to stick to the same game plan and do what I do best: Shooting and reloading non-stop and hoping that my paintballs will reach him. That is exactly what I did, but he was ready and expecting for it, like a professional Division 1 player. He block me off with a stream of paintballs and I’m not able to get into the temple bunker. After a while exchanging paintballs, his stream was interrupted a bit, and I took that chance to advance and luckily manage to creep up to the temple bunker. Once there, well, I start doing what I did best, shooting paintballs non-stop like I did in the 2nd round. As expected out of him, he aggressively shoots back at me, top, center, and bottom till I had to switch sides. He was good, and I told myself, don’t stop shooting. With the M2 accuracy and R2 reload alert system, I kept shooting and aiming at him and hoping that he’ll get hit. I’m surprised at that distance, the paintballs shoots exactly where I want them (this must be because of M2! What else?!). After a few snap shooting, I heard the Marshall shouted to stop the play. Again, I was surprised the Marshall came to me! I thought I was hit, and he came to me to check if I got hit (well, you know after snap shooting aggressively, you might not realize a shot had landed on you). I ask the Marshall, “Did I get shot?” He said, “Nope, you shot him!” Again, I was surprised and fell down to my knees and kiss the ground, thankful that I won. I came out of the field and hug Eyeoff AD.

Semi Finals! Now that’s an eye opener for me. I didn’t thought reaching this far. Furthermore, to make the situation a real eye opener, I’ll be playing against the one and only Nazim Suzaly from Division 1 Nemesis Legion Paintball Club. I’m sure everyone in Malaysia knows who he is. To play against him is a privilege, and I don’t mind ending my journey in the 1 on 1 tournament to him. This time around, Banditos Paintball had finish their tournament after losing to Smoke Cannon (from Singapore) in the Division 3 Quarter Finals. So all my team members are around to support and watch me play against Nazim Suzaly. Game ON! Still with the same game plan, but this time around, I’ve improvised a bit and make sure that I didn’t get stuck like in the QF match. I moved up to the temple bunker quickly and started shooting paintballs as usual from there. Nazim was aggressive and kept moving around the bunker left, right, up, down and I wasn’t able to predict where his move would be. He was also able to shoot several steady streams of paintball and I was unable to fight back. The only time I was able to come out and shoot was when he was reloading, and that’s when I starting shooting again non-stop. The R2 keep reminding me to reload, I didn’t stop shooting till my 4th pod is up and suddenly my team members shouted for “Whoaaahhhhhh!”. I look at them standing outside the field and I was like, “What?!” with the puzzled look :-O. To my surprised Nazim got hit by my paintballs, and again, I fell to my knees, kissing the ground and thank god that I survived the match. I gave a hug to Nazim and he congratulate me before we left the field. I didn’t see where he was hit, but I know my M2 Deep Water shoots straight and it went exactly where I wanted it to be.

 

FINALS! In my dreams! And I’m woke up to my dreams! With my opponent is no other than Moya Ezad Hariz who played for Division 1 RASKAL FAN PAGE and won the previous 1 on 1 Championship. I definitely didn’t plan to reach this far, more over to prepare a game plan against him. All I did was pray hard that I can play my game plan. I didn’t put pressure to myself, and said to myself, “Just play for fun, and see where it goes”. Even losing to Moya, I would still be happy as I’ve exceeded my expectations already. Going into the field, I gave a thumbs up to Moya from my starting bunker and signaling him that I’m ready to take him on. Win or lose, doesn’t matter at that time. I’m extremely satisfied.

 

GAME ON! Similar like my SF game, I quickly move up to the temple bunker and start the same play as all the other games. Moya was really good and aggressive. Compare with the rest of my opponents, he was quick and it was hard for me to shoot a steady stream of paint at him. He was always fighting back and his snap shooting was quick. We kept on shooting each other till my 5th pod, and I realize that he didn’t return the shot back for a while. I had to make a quick decision, either stay there and continue shooting the same way I did, or go attack. Since he is quick, and I’m not getting any good shots to him, I decided to attack while he is not shooting at me. At least I would be able to be closer to him, and send faster paintball streams at him.

I shot my last stream of paint and move up quickly to Dorito 50 and I saw him down on his knees, looking at the other side of the bunker, and I quickly take him out! (I can’t forget this moment!)

I swing a punch, raised both my arms in the sky and thank god with the opportunity given to me to win. Marshall came quickly and check if there’s any paint on me, and I was clean. Game Over, and I WIN! I collected my pods, left the field and I saw Moya came, congratulating me on the win and I thank him being an awesome opponent. The best 1 on 1 that I’ve played against. It was really a tight battle.

I was still in shock, surprised, disbelieve that I’ve won the 1 on 1 tournament. Words can’t express how I feel then and now. I’m finding it hard to express my feeling even when typing this article. It’s surreal, and I will always remember this moment for the rest of my life. Playing against the best of the best players in Malaysia, is something I never dream of, more over winning it. Hopefully someday, I can play with them, but this time, on the same side of the field.


Thank you DYE Paintball DYE ASIA for their #DyeM2 #DeepWater marker and #DyeR2 #Storm loader. They provided me the tools that I need to win the tournament. Honestly, without the accuracy and air efficiency of the M2 marker plus the increased capacity of R2 loader with its reload alert system, I don’t think I would win the tournament. It has improved my game play tremendously, and I can focus more on the opponent and my game plan; without worrying if I need to reload, or if I had to adjust my aim. They just work as they’re supposed to!

 

 

Saiful
Banditos Paintball #11

 

http://dyepaintball.asia/

 


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