What is a 'clutch' in competitive gaming? (Not in the car sense)
I have heard this term being used to describe a particular Pokemon in a person's team. It comes out of the competitive scene, although I don't really get what it means.
For example, a blog post about Flygon on Smogon which describes it like so:
Flygon is a staple on many teams as a scout, revenge killer, and all-around reliable clutch Pokémon.
I don't think the term is necessarily restricted to Pokemon as I can recall hearing it in other games such as Counterstrike and Call of Duty.
What does it mean?
The term "clutch" was originally used in sports commentary, describing a player that can keep their head cool and perform well during a tense moment in a game, where the outcome of the competition was at stake.
Definitions of "clutch" (adjective):
happening during a very important or critical time especially in a sports competition
able to perform well in a very important or critical situation especially in a sports competition
This term has since migrated to competitive gaming, where is used in similar situations, usually in professional gaming events where there is a lot at stake.
A good example of the term is used in a recent IGN article on the International Dota 2 Championships:
Alliance and Na'Vi. Competitive Dota 2 fans dreams came true when the grand finals came down to an incredibly clutch play in the last match of the best of five series.
In FPS games such as Counter-Strike or Call of Duty, I've always heard the term used with a slightly different meaning.
If everyone on your team dies and you are now alone against multiple enemies, and you win the round, we'd say it "was a clutch" or you "clutched".
In this context, it means you won the round against all odds. It doesn't necessarily mean the round was critical or game-changing.
It means how well you perform under pressure, for example in the crucial moment of the game when it is decided who wins and looses. So Flygon would be a good Pokémon to have in such situations.
Instead of describing what 'clutch' is in words, which others have already covered, ill provide an example of what 'clutch' is since, visual examples are always helpful when trying to understand something.
You don't really have to know too much about the game being played, to know that what Daigo (Ken) does in the video clip is 'clutch'. Just listen to the reaction from the crowd! Heres is a short clip of the clutch play:
Its at a Street Fighter tournament, and its largely considered to be one of the most 'clutch' professional gaming moments of all time: http://kotaku.com/5820907/the-10-best-moments-in-pro-gaming-history (It's ranked #1 on that list).
Ya its that clutch, you will get goosebumps.