The first match of Quake Champions I ever saw was played between the two best players in the world. Last weekend, I witnessed the bold and unyielding Clawz destroy the shrewd and calculating Vo0 to the tune of $100,000.

This experience has, it’s fair to say, unfairly coloured my expectations of what I could hope to achieve within the gothic walls of id’s throwback shooter. What’s become clear to me playing the game since attending the Quake World Championships is that, while I certainly observed, I did not understand. I am no closer to mimicking the movements of Quake’s stars than I am to perfectly copying the cooking of Jamie Oliver.

What I can do is name the ingredients, however. Here are three essential Quake Champions skills I’ve almost totally failed to master during the beta.

Read more: the best first-person shooters on PC.

Very fast running