When Summer arrives, the Melee tournament season brings us some of the largest and most successful tournaments to enjoy, including EVO; a fighting game tournament held annually in Mandalay Bay, Las Vegas. Though not specifically focused on Melee, EVO has helped the early scene to grow into the vibrant community it is today.

We talk to Hugo "HugS" Gonzalez about his placement at this event and how he can improve as the Melee season continues.

In the run up to EVO, you were ranked 15th in the world. Did that add a pressure to perform well at EVO or did it give you a confidence boost going into the tournament?

HugS: I think after my poor 2016, I learned my lesson about placing too much value on my ranking. I'm happy with it, but I don't want it to dictate how I approach future matches, either to preserve or exceed the number. My only concern is to play my best. The number comes after.





You placed a fantastic 17th place this weekend! Are you happy with your performance at EVO?

HugS: I was happy with it, though I would have preferred higher obviously. I was really happy with my win over KJH, who is probably the best Fox against Samus in the world. However, I had a very doable path to top 8 after, but PewPewU played amazing and put a stop to my progress.





Which matches do you feel really showcased your talent and why?

HugS: As I mentioned, I think I was most proud of my match with KJH because he's been sort of a demon for a very long time since he's so good at the Samus matchup. To beat him at such a major tournament was a feat I couldn't help but be proud of.

How did you warm up for your tournament matches? Was there a different preparation routine on the first day of EVO compared to the second day when your competition becomes fiercer?

HugS: On day 2, I was unable to warm up because my pools were at 8am, and the venue opened at 8am. It was also unreasonable to get practice partners into a hotel room even earlier for adequate warm up. I had a fortunate connection who allowed me to sneak into the venue early at 7:45am so that I could get some practice in, but it's ridiculous to expect anyone to have to do that just to get some warm up in. It was a pretty shortsighted way of scheduling pools at such a big event.





Did you use fellow competitors to warm up for particular players? What factors help you choose a training partner?

HugS: I tried to find whoever I could early on, but as the day went on, it became easier to find opponents that could help me prepare. I aim to find intelligent players I'm unfamiliar with to warm up, as it helps me make decisions on the fly before my matches.





Players of all skill levels discussed the effects of early morning pool times. Some even believed the later pools could hinder their energy levels. Do you believe pool times at EVO should be more sociable? Do the current pool times help or hinder competitors?

HugS: I believe 8am pools are awful, but even worse is the fact that the venue wouldn't allow for warm up before 8am, making them probably the worst idea for scheduling I've ever encountered.

Your bracket run sadly ended when you ran into PewPewU and Westballz. How do you feel you could have prepared for these particular matchups and competitors better?

HugS: It's hard to say. I don't feel like I played poorly, I simply got outplayed that day. I had beaten PewPewU several times prior, but he was making every correct decision this time around, even while I felt I was playing well. I'll have to think through what went wrong before we meet up again.





Taking this event into account, what will you change going into upcoming tournaments?

HugS: I hope that our bootcamp session with Druggedfox in Philly will give us the tools we need to go even further at Shine.





Placing highly at events such as this is something many only dream of. To those practicing relentlessly in their bedrooms and grinding locals, what advice would you give to those who are aspiring to do well at tournaments like EVO?

HugS: Keep the grind up and don't get so caught up on the results. You'll be improving every day or discovering weaknesses you can address. As long as you focus on progress in your skillset, the results will come eventually.

EVO is an annual event and, hopefully, Melee will be invited back next year so that our viewer numbers continue to soar. By next EVO, what goals would you like to achieve as a competitor?

HugS: This year I've managed to hit top 15 in the world, and I'm hoping to be back in the top 10 by next year. I'm also especially hoping I can hit that top 8 Sunday stage.





Any shoutouts?

HugS: As always, shoutouts to the Sub Pub for always supporting me, they've become closer to family over the years and I appreciate all they do for me. Thank you!

You can follow HugS' stream here and his Twitter here for more updates on his career and daily thoughts!