In this edition of FGC explained, we’re going over mix-ups and 50/50s. If you’ve recently tuned into the Mortal Kombat 11 Ultimate Open Series for the first time, you might be wondering what is a mix-up or a 50/50.

Both are common options to change your approach in order to open up your opponent and start combos. While not every character has strong mix-ups or 50/50s, you’ll still need to learn how they work for when opponents inevitably use them.

What are Mix-Ups

Mix-ups are simple in concept but super important in execution. First, understand that variety in your playstyle is important. Using the same string of moves over and over might work when you’re playing the AI on a low difficulty, but won’t be as effective against human opponents.

Skilled players adapt to repetition and try to react in ways that counter your tactics. You want to keep them guessing with different moves or mix-ups. Otherwise, their adaptations will only continue to improve throughout the set until you’re struggling to even land a combo.

Attacks are classified as overhead, high, mid, or low based on their point of impact. If someone blocks low hoping for a down 1, an overhead will always connect. Conversely, lows hit when players stand block. Figuring out where to block or which location to attack sounds like beginner’s stuff, however, there’s so much more to it than simply guessing.

Anticipation, Conditioning, and How to Mix-Up

Anticipation and conditioning are crucial to mix-ups. In order to pull off strong mix-ups, you can frequently switch attacks in the short term or play the long game and get into your opponent's head with conditioning.

Conditioning is going for the same option multiple times so that later in the game you can exploit your opponent. Chances are they’ll anticipate the same move, maybe even from muscle memory, giving you the opportunity to opt for a different attack and start a combo.

There’s always a mental battle during any match, but pulling off a mix-up turns the momentum in your favor. The more you vary your game plan and options, the less likely your opponent will get reads and blocks. Keep it up and they might lose confidence.

Mix-Up Examples

Let’s use the Terminator as an example. He can use 1,2,3 for a punch, punch, then low kick, or 2,1,2 which is punch, punch, then overhead. If you use them both, it’s harder for an opponent to figure out where to block, especially when you factor in conditioning.

Here it is in action, courtesy of Inferno Paternal:

How to Recognize Mix-Ups

Good players can recognize mix-ups and are often better at anticipation. Pay attention to your opponent’s habits and if you have the time or chance, check out some of their prior matches online to get a feel for their playstyle. The real match starts before the first round begins.

The Worst Mix-Up

Be careful to never condition your opponent at the expense of terrible options that turn an uphill battle into a seemingly insurmountable challenge.

What is a 50/50 Mix-Up?

The infamous 50/50 mix-up, most notably performed by Sub-Zero in Mortal Kombat 11 Ultimate, is when a character’s attacks are unreactable, meaning the opponent must guess which move the player will throw out when blocking. Some argue 50/50s are poor game design since it is merely another guessing game, but they’re really just an extension of the conditioning, anticipation, and mix-up mind games that make fighting games highly enjoyable.

Self-proclaimed “midlife crisis Street Fighter V Ken player” Rush G explains 50/50 mix-ups in-depth. The game might be different, although the concept is universal.

How to Improve Against Mix-Ups and 50/50s

The best way to get better against mix-ups and 50/50s is to put more hours into the genre, regardless of the fighting game. Familiarizing yourself with different types of mix-ups, 50/50s, and playstyles will give you the experience to better anticipate and react to a wider variety of tactics. Join the Open Series for more practice from home.