I'm a decent player, but I often overestimate my own skills. When you play 50 games at home or on location, you tend to remember your longest, best games. Suddenly in a tournament you have added pressure and one game to perform. So yeah, in my head I think I can get 1bn in TZ because I can have a great game at home every once in a while, but put into a tournament I'm much more likely to have a 23m minute long game.

It sounds like your competitors were bothering you, which is pretty poor sportsmanship whether intentional or not. But on the other hand you were in the round 3 losers bracket with the players who had the worst games. You're probably playing with the players 100% just there for fun and not taking anything too seriously. You could call the couple out to the organizer for the boy coaching the girl and tell them to step back and leave you alone, but if this was the low end of a local tournament with new players I'd probably just roll with it and have fun.

I want to wear a set of headphones while playing competitively but don't want to "that guy." I tried it once (not in a tournament) and not 2 minutes into playing heard someone in that background say "Oh this guy must be a pro." I wish more machines had headphones jacks for game sound so I could do it without trying to look like I'm Mr. Professional Pinball. I haven't heard a callout or sound effect on location in years...

I always discuss strategy with my opponents. I'll freely give advice and always ask how to play games I'm not familiar with tournament strategies. If I give good advice and my opponents blows up the game, then at least I know I have a good strategy