If you are reading this I want you to try and remember the first big step forward in your game play, don't tell me about it, just think. Do you remember when you started to actually think about what you did when playing Starcraft? I just found my first replay of me going: Gateway, cybernetics core, instead of double gateway. Which in my opinion is a big step forward! All games I had played before this particular game was with dual gateway openings. Or... Well... Due to some ups and downs with Starcraft and my computer, I have some mayor black holes in my replay collection - which I deeply regret today, but what is done is done. What I am implying is that it is perhaps not the first game of me going a "standard" Protoss opening, but at least one of the first ones!
I clearly remember the game (it had some "special" tactics included - <3 White-Ra ). I was playing against a good friend of mine called ZuQi - I think he is on his way to masters now. Off the top of my head I clearly recall being smashed, but it was actually pretty close when looking back at it.
The game was on metalopolis, played 02-09-2010, PvT, close air positions. Here it is: my gateway cybernetics core opening! :D
If you look very closely at the picture you can see a little red dot in the right side of my base... That dot was the beginning of the end in that game.
ZuQi opened up with a reaper like every other Terran did back then, and now came the moment of which I was most surprised. I chrono boosted out a stalker. To think that I would do that after just 60-ish games off exerience, a lot of day[9] and Huskystarcraft, is incredible! Okay... Maybe not incredible, but I at least think it is nice to see that I actually was in a state of progress instead of the same 2 gate opening every game. But back to the game.
As all you bronze and silver players out there know, the problem for Protoss is that it can be nearly impossible to kill the scouting scv until you get your first stalker. This is actually a big problem if you just put your probe to follow, and your opponent does the smoke trick which means you lose track of the scv when not paying attention. Nobody pays attention in bronze or silver.... All this jazz lead to THIS, when I finally remembered that I had not seen a scv leave my base.
This is the THIS-thing I am talking about.... Send out probe - miss scv.....
.... this is just so..... I think you know what I mean
Well... I think even pro's would be tempted to proxy when in such a situation, and so was ZuQi ^^
So while I was expanding and getting a nice and big trust fond, he went tank marauder in his base, and marauders in my base :b
But as every other game it continues. Warp gates getting done at the 7.30 mark - standard. Both of us having +600 in the bank when "the big" push happens - standard. It was actually a pretty nice feeling when I smashed his push, especially because I thought off him as the better player (which he was).
But the feeling I had after seeing....
I think the pictures speaks for themselves, if you overlook the fact that I had an expansion and more units that him..... BUT! Who would not rage quit if you were on skype having a base build in your base while your friend was laughing his ass off!? (in general I do not think it is okay to rage quit, but when on skype with the guy I think is justifies it )
But the loss aside! I had improved! :D
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