Views and opinions in this article are solely that of the writer and are not representative of the 4Kings organisation.

In many, many situations in life there is an abundance of a particular type of feeling, whether it be in school, sports, work or even eSports. Some people thrive off of this feeling, others crumble under it. What I'm talking about, of course, is the feeling pf pressure.

There are very few of us that have never experienced this feeling. As humans we learn to deal with small amounts of pressure all the time. The pressure of not saying the wrong thing at the wrong time, the pressure of being on time for the bus – it's all normal stuff. However when this pressure mounts into something more, it often takes the right mindset or technique to be able to conquer it.

In top level gaming, much like in top level sports or top professionals doing a job, gamers are constantly being put under pressure to perform at their best. From their fans, their managers and usually themselves too. After many hours of training and working at their game, players must be able to battle the nerve and play their A-game, no matter how much is stood to be won or lost. - Not something that is easy when people are watching you; depending on you.

I have not played at anywhere near this high a level, however I have played games that mean something. Even if I'm playing for that one night only League Cup, with a mere Ventrilo Server as the prize, the tight-gripping hold of pressure gets to me and squeezes away any confidence I have in the way I play.

Everywhere in the eSports world, however, there are people performing and showcasing an extraordinary amount of skill at the very pinnacle of matches considered to be “important”. I wanted this article to discuss just how the players at the top of their game deal with this pressure and maintain this oh-so-very important, top performance. To do this I could think of no better way than asking a couple of the players for themselves to give you their insights into how they deal with the pressure mounted upon them.

First up, our very own 4K.Winghaven. A player who has been considered one of the very best in his game from the first Enemy Territory, all the way into the latest game Enemy Territory: Quake Wars.

Sol: Winghaven, you are somebody who has been and are still at the very top level in your game. What would you say the pressure is like competing at this level, and how do you deal with the pressure, in order to maintain your excellent performance during matches?

Winghaven: ”I think the main point is the experience and the trust you have on yourself. My first important match I was shaking a lot and making a lot of mistakes :D. After that I started to get used to it, and a mistake wasn't a big deal. Anyway, the pressure is nice, it means you need to focus and motivate on game even more to win your opponent. The best is do something else 10min before match. Like listening to music, wash your hands and get ready to play, and win :D”

Second is Buster, someone less well known (slightly ;D) in the gaming scene. He had a great result this weekend (3rd in Trackmania) down at the ESWC UK Qualifiers, so I asked him about how pressure affects his game. I hoped to show the “Point of Pressure” from another perspective. The 'up-and-comer', trying to prove himself.

Sol: Hey there Buster. You have been a friend of mine for a long time, and just this weekend you suprised me and a few other people with your result at the ESWC UK Qualifiers. Being fairly new the the competitive racing genre and it being your first LAN event, how did you find the pressure built up as the event rolled on and the chances of you placing so well against such big names was becoming a reality? How did you deal with this pressure?

Buster: "The pressure didn’t exactly build up, I was nervous before we started but the pressure came on more suddenly as I realised it would be closer than I expected and I could have a chance of maybe winning if luck was on my side or so it seemed during practice anyway.

How I dealt with it.. Well, I didn’t exactly deal with it, at least not knowingly anyway although remembering that I was only really going for a bit of fun helped I think and that however well (or badly) I did it was alright, especially as the other competitors were at a good standard and were a good laugh which also helped a bit so thanks to them."

Sol: From this experience, is there anyway in which you will mentally or otherwise prepare yourself for that pressure next time or do you feel "not dealing" with it is the best way?

Buster: "Not sure to be completely fair, although honestly at the moment I would say its “not dealing” with it is the best way for me as using concentration to take steps to deal with it could negate you in some other aspect."

Two gamers opinions and like most things in life, they are unique. I think just as everyone has their own style of play, and play their own type of game – everyone deals with the pressure put on them to win in their own way. One thing that is clear though is that pressure put on players is, and will always be a factor for not only gamers, but everyone competing at any kind of sport. If you want to be a winner though, you have to learn what steps you need to take to deal with it.