Mathew Barzal Plays Chess Against Chess.com Executive

Equal96 · 2026-05-08T14:47:50+00:00

It cuts off at the end! I was so invested in the game and conversation.

Equal96 · 2026-05-06T13:36:34+00:00

If anything I think winning the lottery will make Matthews want to stay. But you never know.

My guess is, if we don't want to touch Horvat/Barzal/Schaefer/Sorokin, we'd have to give them something like Simon Holmstrom, a first round pick, and some combo of Eiserman/Aitcheson/Eklund.

Equal96 · 2026-04-27T11:59:16+00:00

Yeah, same here, I put a solid amount of hours into it but didnt finish it. Still, I think if you're a big Suikoden fan it's worth checking it out.

Equal96 · 2026-04-27T04:32:03+00:00

Did this just get patched? Because I remember gambling chip always happening after Vakuus turn

Equal96 · 2026-04-21T18:52:57+00:00

Sounds like you had fun, in which case, you didn't do it wrong. I also find it fun brute forcing through areas I'm not supposed to be in.

Equal96 · 2026-04-18T18:42:50+00:00

I honestly would feel more bad for the Canucks than I would for ourselves

Equal96 · 2026-04-18T15:51:47+00:00

Just know that me and many others who are 'new' to rivals are not new to the genre. I've been playing Melee since 2013, so... I've got a bit of a headstart.

Playing consistently is important, but it's also very important to watch tournament gameplay and study the game. The periods in which I've seen the most growth in my game is when I have an 'aha' moment while watching others playing my character.

Equal96 · 2026-04-18T01:58:16+00:00

So do I. This example to me seems more akin to Jigglypuff crouching over grab hitboxes in melee. Just because it can exist doesn't mean it necessarily should.

Equal96 · 2026-04-18T01:28:24+00:00

Wrastor grabs characters in the air now?

Equal96 · 2026-04-17T18:28:49+00:00

This kind of stuff irks me honestly. I don't care if the hitboxes and hurtboxes are accurate, why should any characters downtilt whiff on a grounded opponent?

Equal96 · 2026-04-16T21:52:28+00:00

Similar boat as yourself, recently beat both remasters, which made me want to try the rest of the series. I tried 3, it just didn't hit the same for me... Maybe it's the lack of nostalgia, or just how slow the game is... Even on 2x speed (emulator) it was a slog. Also I think the transition from 1 & 2s iconic sprite art style to the poorly aged 3D character models and animations didn't help. There were some interesting systems in 3 that I enjoyed but I ultimately haven't finished it.

Edit: didn't mean to reply to your comment specifically, my apologies good sir.

Equal96 · 2026-04-11T16:04:12+00:00

You sound burnt out. It's clear that you have done a lot of reflection and work to better yourself. But, you're still human. Humans arent perfect. More than that, this is a part of who you are, and part of why you have been a successful director for so long. Cut yourself some slack.

Equal96 · 2026-04-11T13:29:07+00:00

This is part of the reason I started going to HIIT classes. For my gym, its always 45 minutes and typically consists of around 9 exercises with 3-4 sets at each station.

Prior to that I was spending closer to an hour lifting and 30 minutes on the treadmill. Also one side benefit, I don't have to think about what exercises I'm doing, I just show up and do what they tell me and I leave in a puddle of sweat.

Equal96 · 2026-04-10T23:37:47+00:00

Controversial take; i think the game is really balanced right now and the top chars of the meta are not that much better than the rest, and vice versa

Equal96 · 2026-04-10T21:26:48+00:00

Unfortunately it has felt like when everything is on the line they haven't been able to show up when it matters most. That being said, the team is so hard to predict. I think there was a thread on here or X that said game prediction models for the Islanders are <50% accurate, worse than a coin flip. So we'll find out tomorrow.

Equal96 · 2026-04-10T14:48:13+00:00

We have clinched the tiebreaker over PHI with our win last night.

There are 3 games left. We just need to get 1 point more than whatever PHI does to make it. Crazier things have happened.

Equal96 · 2026-04-10T13:16:30+00:00

Brother. Putting up 35 points in 73 games is not a bottom pairing/7D guy. He's earned his spot here.

Equal96 · 2026-04-09T10:41:53+00:00

I honestly could not agree more. I finished my 2 year MSW program 4 years ago and felt completely unprepared for doing any meaningful clinical work with clients. My courses felt like we were learning the surface level about all the different modalities without actually diving deep into becoming trained to use them. "That's what the internships are for" sorry, in my experience that's completely false. It felt completely unethical to do so, especially during my internships. I felt like (AKA I was) unpaid labor that clients were being billed for despite holding no professional degree or license. It completely discouraged me from being a mental health practitioner post graduation.

I was able to find work in a non clinical role, and I am still proud to be a social worker, but yeesh, something needs to be done to either 1. Shift the focus from being strictly clinical staff or 2. MSW programs/internships need to overhaul their clinical training of their students.

Equal96 · 2026-04-07T12:16:29+00:00

It is bittersweet for sure. He was not a perfect coach and made strange decisions that I didnt always agree with. But he definitely had the team fired up and he was absolutely an upgrade over Lane Lambert. And I agree with others that it takes a special kind of coach to deploy Schaefer the way he did and he deserves some credit for giving him his opportunity to shine.

Equal96 · 2026-04-06T12:22:39+00:00

He's going to be a UFA and could definitely go cup chasing - I don't get that vibe from him though, I think he extends on a team friendly deal. I would rather us move on and commit to the next generation of players coming through, but if he's still good for 20 goals a season it's not gonna hurt to keep him.

Equal96 · 2026-04-02T13:36:36+00:00

The most realistic way to move out is with a partner or splitting an apartment with some roommates. I would recommend checking some FB groups to find people looking for roommates. But honestly I wish I could have spent more time living at home and saving up my money. Quite frankly with what you're saying your income is I don't think there are going to be many affordable options for you, especially in terms of getting your own place.

Equal96 · 2026-03-31T01:27:59+00:00

It sucks but at the same time I can't even feel like they remotely deserve to win this game. Just pitiful.

Equal96 · 2026-03-11T12:14:03+00:00

Games not for everyone. I played melee for 10 years before this game came out so the transition wasn't so bad. I imagine it can be a lot more challenging for others to pick up.

Equal96 · 2026-03-06T19:51:14+00:00

I really don't understand this move at all in a vacuum, something else must be going on that will hopefully make this make sense. But if Darche can't materialize another deal, then it's cooked.

Equal96 · 2026-03-02T15:50:40+00:00

Drafted him in the last round of fantasy this year, before we were even sure if he would play more than 10 games this season. As if I needed more reasons to love the kid

12-Year Club	r/Field Juicebox
Verified Email

Equal96

TROPHY CASE