How do I get good at competitive play?

>>27417890
Learn to predict the opponents moves based on what they can do given their team.

>>27417927
what's the best way to learn counters and checks?

>>27417890
Watch poketubers.
>Verlisify
>Jwittz

>>27417940
Easy! Everyone, including you, will have the same team! So, you just think of what you'd do in that situation and counter it. Then, you hope the opponent is not anticipating that counter!

>>27417978
aren't they furries? no thank you.

Pokémon is the type of game you can learn a lot by watching people playing actually. I don't think substitute practice but if you're "afraid" that people will "laugh at you" for losing, watch some people decent on youtube or on showdown.

But yeah >>27417927 said is correct and also team building. You don't need to run all OU pokémons for an OU team. A lot of really popular pokémons played on OU teams are not even OU.

>>27417890
Play Smogon randoms. It gives you a good feel for things