EPTStairway To C #1 - My First Tournament
![[image loading]](http://img38.imageshack.us/img38/9148/stc2i.jpg)
I’ve been playing BW for some time now. I started with Protoss and stick to it so far. I’ve been watching a lot of replays, VODs, FPVODs, commentaries, pro scene matches. I’m still just D when I’m on the top of my game though. Yeah, I’m one of those talented guys. I decided to change that. Not that I care that much about laddering, but I know the game will get more and more enjoyable if I get better.
I always had troubles playing strangers. I tend to get nervous and it’s exhausting for me to play(lose) more games in a row. I was never blaming or hating myself for the losses, it’s rather the feeling of being alone versus the whole universe that was troubling me. I think my best results were 23 losses in a row. That can be depressing. Even more depressing was reading all the blogs on iCCup of people complaining about their “terrible losing strikes”, generally refering to losing 2 or 3 games in a row.
Joining a clan would be a reasonable way to go, at least so far it’s always been the right choice for me regardless of the game genre. If you have someone to laugh with over your losses, things get a lot easier, in my experience.
However, what clan would ever want someone like me? Well I certainly wouldn’t, if I was in their position. So as many others, I ended up in the Practice partner thread and the iCCup Training Program. I made a few friends. I would talk to them and play a few games a day with a few, go through the replays together, the others I would only occasionally ask for a game. The problem with this approach is that you’re still out there just yourself at the end of the day. You might find an awesome practice buddy/friend, but he’s very likely to have a few other friends as well and it’s hard to try and fit in into an already established group and even harder to try and form one just around your person. Obviously in the real life I’m the superawesome kind of guy that attracts a community, so I don't know what's wrong with you people.
This lack of opportunity to join a more closer and static circle of friends made me come up with an idea of a clan similar to the iCCup training program, only stable in his members, open to anyone willing to join regardless of their rank. I blogged this in my last entry and was very pleased to find out that there already is such a gaming club and I joined it the very day. For those of you interested, it’s called Starcraft Generations – sGs, and you can join or find out more here: http://starcraftgenerations.webs.com/gettingstarted.htm
I strongly urge you to consider joining if you're in the same spot I described above.
Either way, joining this clan is, hopefully, where my way to C truly begins... And the second step was already taken. I barely joined the team and I was told about this tournament – “sGs open tournament #5”. Nothing serious, I thought, since there were only 10 or so people signed up. I decided to go for it even though I was pretty sure I could not take a game from anyone. However,
+ Show Spoiler +
I didn’t. I got knocked out in the first round 0-2. Were you seriously expecting anything else? Fool.
![[image loading]](http://images3.wikia.nocookie.net/__cb20110227133927/sacrifice-shiny/images/9/96/ConceptArt_24.jpg)
My first tournament experience
So the tournament started and brackets were generated. I had to play NiCaRao, a cool teammate I just obs’ed the day before with and that gave me a few good tips on the game while sharing that he’s a BW veteran. Awesome, I couldn’t wish for better.
Game One
We started a PvZ on Aztec. I had a fairly strong faith in my FE forge opening as I practiced it the whole last season ever since I discovered it’s actually the way to play PvZ (which would be like half way on my SC journey) and I did indeed manage to pull that one off.
![[image loading]](http://img832.imageshack.us/img832/1585/nicehw.jpg)
The game that followed was rather dull. I did produce the usual composition (at least I think so – speedlots, DTs a few HTs). I also managed to sneak out 2 DTs to one of his bases, but then for whatever reason I made them come back to my main nexus. Wat.
Slipping on my macro already, I decided to try and take my third but the probe just wouldn’t plant down the nexus – this never happened to me before? Gosu storm solved the mole issue.
![[image loading]](http://img806.imageshack.us/img806/8002/stormuu.jpg)
In the meantime I was beginning to feel pretty comfortable since nothing was coming my way besides a group of mutas + scourge that I dealt with unusually well.
![[image loading]](http://img716.imageshack.us/img716/7208/stormumuta.jpg)
+ Show Spoiler +
Just to make clear, feeling comfortable is pretty a huge deal to me. Consider the next capture from the beginning of the game:
![[image loading]](http://img560.imageshack.us/img560/4262/afraidk.jpg)
+ Show Spoiler +
+ Show Spoiler +
“No way we’re gonna move out any time soon, them dogs almost outnumber us!”
Anyway, I claimed my third succesfully and massed up to about 180 food and decided to finally get out of my base and see what’s up. Things started to get nasty when he pushed in with a fair amount of hydras – he didn’t bring but one ovie though. So I used my DTs well and landed a few nice storms as well and began building my fourth.
+ Show Spoiler +
![[image loading]](http://img15.imageshack.us/img15/3564/stormu2.jpg)
![[image loading]](http://img28.imageshack.us/img28/4679/stormuu3.jpg)
![[image loading]](http://img42.imageshack.us/img42/8523/stormu4.jpg)
The second wave of the attack had me unprepared though. I lost the pylon visible in the last spoilered capture above. My fourth nexus fell as well. I did manage to keep the assimilator up, so overall a good trade for me.
![[image loading]](http://img585.imageshack.us/img585/4795/assimilator.jpg)
Thus I decided to take a 5th base – why would I do that? Seriously, why would anyone ever do that? No idea. Even the ultras that came a while after couldn't answer.
![[image loading]](http://img851.imageshack.us/img851/4506/ultrasl.jpg)
Look at them just standing there, confused. Confusing my enemies is one of my best evolved skills in the game. I'm pretty sure I discovered a few original build orders and expand patterns.
![[image loading]](http://img542.imageshack.us/img542/197/ultras2expand.jpg)
Unfortunately, they don't work very often. I managed to make a wall out with my DTs, but the end was getting near.
![[image loading]](http://img853.imageshack.us/img853/4856/thewall.jpg)
As he managed to break all my defences and take down my 5th expo I thought: “The guy is really good.”
![[image loading]](http://img705.imageshack.us/img705/2360/expoo.jpg)
+ Show Spoiler +
Okay, nevermind.
I GG'ed right after he had taken down my third.
Game Two
We started our second match on Fighting Spirit. I decided to go for the same strategy and perhaps be a little more active with my DTs or speedlots. However, my oponnent knew my weak spots now and he finished the game fairly quickly. I won’t dwelve too deep into this game, let me just state something for my future self:
![[image loading]](http://img838.imageshack.us/img838/9019/hydrabustin.jpg)
+ Show Spoiler +
This storm. Not on time.
![[image loading]](http://img824.imageshack.us/img824/9081/bustin.jpg)
And that's about it. My first BW tournament experience ever. AND I LOVED IT! It was great fun getting together with the guys, I observed a few more games later and played a friendly match with one of my teammates. Also congrats to the winner: nobody. (That's actually his nickname on iCCup.) Further info of the "tournament" can be found here: http://www.iccup.com/tourney/view/9227.html
I'm really looking forward to another one and basically just getting to know the clan better. So far I think it's safe to say that joining sGs was my best decision in Starcraft so far. So again I'd like to recommend this to any of the newbies out there: Come and join, we'll have a good time learning how to play, there are no requirements to join, nobody will be mad at you for being bad or terrible, we'll try to help you, there are practice meetings, tournaments and all that good jazz. I'm looking forward to seeing you!
I guess I'll wrap up the first blog entry with this. I'd like to make a few more just to keep myself focused along the journey to the C level. I just wrote a few more but I suppose it'll be plenty, given my talent and time available to put into playing. Any advice, criticism, ideas will be appreciated. Hopefully I can come up with something and make the blog entertaining over time, take this as an introduction rather than a valid entry.
- sGs.Stratos
Glad to know you're enjoying being in your clan.
Its just sad that the time of the tourneys are too late at night and school is starting ^^ GL to your way to C. Clan mate xD
