Competition brings out the best in many people, but what do you do if you’re playing a game against your teacher who threatens to fail you if they lose?

That’s what the kids in this story had to deal with, but don’t worry.

The professor said he was just joking and the kids definitely got the last laugh.

Read on to get all the great details.

Don’t throw rank on a tournament against high schoolers

Picture this, high school, Computer Education class.

Computer Education class consisted, for 3 years, 13 to 15yo, in Sinclair Spectrum computers running LOGO software for programming.

I remember playing on these types of computers growing up.

Then school finally upgrades hardware, we get 486 PCs with DOS, Windows 3.1 and color monitors.

A whole new world, for kids 16 and 17yo.

Professor is early thirties, very serious about his craft, cool guy once you get to know him.

The aid, former student that thinks he’s the bee’s knees and everyone should adore him, he’s just somebody that likes to microbully people.

But harmless because he has no real power, all power comes from Professor.

Class is being taught on a looooong and narrow rectangular room, only windows are to a large patio, no windows to the hall, around 12 to 14 computers, each with its own desk, 2 kids per computer.

The first desk, on one end of the room, near the door, being teacher’s computer.

Of course, who wouldn’t?

Kids being kids, we bootleg copies of video games to play on the farthest side computers, since computers are really expensive and you’re really lucky if you have one that good at home.

Mostly football (soccer) games.

We sometimes get caught, sometimes get sent out of class for the day and given a speech, but that’s it since my class is comprised of above-average students.

Sounds like a fun activity.

So, the day-before-last, Professor says “guys, since pretty much all of you have passed, tomorrow, last day of class, we’re having a Striker (soccer game, 6-minute games, very fast paced, popular back in the day) tournament. Aide and Myself will compete and all of you will as well. Bring chips, bring something to drink (non-alcoholic, of course) and may the best player win”.

The tournament starts, semifinals end up being me against Aide and one friend against Professor.

Now that’s just not fair.

Before the games, both Aide and Professor approach us very seriously and tell us “may the best player win, but, if you beat us, we might fail you”.

Me and my friend laugh.

They don’t.

I’m not about calling his bluff and risk problems.

I choose Trinidad and Tobago (very bad team), Aide chooses Brazil (best team on the game).

My friend goes with some mid team I don’t remember, Professor chooses Argentina (very good team).

All the other students, already out of the tournament, gather around the remaining two computers to watch the games.

Half time, Aide is beating me 3-0. Professor is beating my friend 4-0.

The gloves are coming off.

Aide says with a satisfaction smirk on his face: “come on guys, we’re bluffing, do your best to beat us, this is not entertaining anymore”.

But he does not know one thing.

4 of us spend around 2-3 hours, 3-4 times a week playing the game, we know every single trick, everything there is to know about the game.

They’re beating us because we’re afraid they might pull rank.

I say to Aide “But you won’t fail us, right?”

“No, no, do your absolute best”.

I look at my friend, he smirks maliciously, I smile, we say “OK” and proceed to comply.

BIG TIME.

It is hard to beat teenagers at video games!

The games ended 3-11 and 4-12.

Aide almost breaks the keyboard.

The rest of the students are going nuts.

Professor takes it like a champ.

My friend beats me in the finals, nobody cares anymore.

To this day I still don’t know how nobody came to the room to say something about the noise.

It was a perfect way to end high school.

Such a great story, and wonderful memories for the kids.

Let’s see what the people in the comments thought.

Those were some iconic games.

Absolutely.

It really was a lot of fun.

It is humbling to play against those kids.

Those old school computers had some of the best games.

Never challenge a teenager to a video game tournament.

You’d think a teacher would know better!

If you thought that was an interesting story, check out what happened when a family gave their in-laws a free place to stay in exchange for babysitting, but things changed when they don’t hold up their end of the bargain.