My Journey To Masters: Achieving a Dream

Week 1:
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Week 2:
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Points on Ladder: 680 Rank: 20
Results: 8-6
Change in Points: +40
~The BrEaKdOwN~
ZvT: 5-0
ZvZ: 1-3
ZvP: 2-3

I find the BrEaKdOwN results very interesting. Clearly my ZvT at the moment iS my best matchup. However I would like to see my results on my zvz and zvp improve. Let's look at the replays to see What else I can find.

Game 1: ZvZ Link < Bubba

We both go for a fast expand. Bubba goes pool First where I go Gas then pool. He goes for Speed where I opt for fast roaches. When I try to put on some pressure my aTtacK completely fails, leaving me severely behind in the drone count. When our First engagement hit his army was bigger and he had the superior forces while catching my infestors out of position. I op'd to ignore his army killing my 4th and pushed with my remaxed army in a attempt to Kill him. I was stopped. By this time his army iS bigger than mine, and he has four bases to my three. It doesn't take a Genius to realize the ensuing result. I Kill off his 4th but it iS to late. His army iS a death ball and broodlords are the icing on the Cake.
Note: Upgrades were almost even.

Analysis: I would say I Lost due to my lack of understanding still of when to drone at some times and when not to. I clearly fell very behind early on in the drone count. Also the build order I used can be cleaned up or just not used ever.

Game 2: ZvT Link > HolyCreator

I Opened 15 pool Into fe. Where the terran player opened Into reactor'd BarrackS -> fact -> BarrackS. I scouted the tech switch Into double hellions and prepared. I was inferring that he would expand to his Natural, instead a much greater PuSh of hellions/marines/marauders showed up at my nat. The zerglings I had prepared were no match for his army. I managed to Kill off his entire army, but at a price I Lost my Natural and over 10 drones. Quickly I rebuilt my Natural and took a third, while rushing for mutas. My harass was to much for him and his lack of defense due to his all in esk play. Results in a 10 drone to 0 scv lead . Thus winning me the game.

Analysis: My opt to go MuTa's was a very good choice. Poor play by the terran player gave me this win. I was Lucky.

Game 3: ZvP Link > Stef

I opened 15 hatch and got cannon rushed. I transitioned Into fast lair/proxy hatch. My proxy hatch was killed and my fast mutas were stopped despite having no cannons protecting his Mineral lines. The Protoss stayed on 2 base to my three base and easily walked over me when he pushed.

Analysis: I have to practice against cannon rushes.

Game 4: ZvP Link < Secrezy

I opened 15 hatch to his 1 gate expand. I attempted a early run by that completely failed. When scouting his 2 base I quickly got my third. I was unsure of What the Protoss was doing so I sent in a overlord and saw that I could expect a strong ground force and that nothing gimmicky was going to happen. I saw that he took his third and quickly sniped it with my Speed lings. I failed to surround his army though and doing very little damage to that. Letting him take his 3rd I took a gold as my 4th. This iS where I blundered. I have 96 drones to his 60 probes. Then I have my army Which iS not even maxed out (181/200) even though I have 4k minerals, 1k Gas build up. I know I wanted to go Mass Broodlord but I clearly was not thinking correctly. Bad engagement by me and Nice ffs on top of his already superior army resulted in him being victorious.

Analysis: Clearly I made a retarded move. I have to work on changing up my army composition late game also vs toss. Ling/Infestor/Corrupter iS not cutting it anymore. I have to work on playing smoother and transitioning better. Plus not engaging when I know I am going to lose the battle despite a slight ChAnCe of Victory if I am Lucky. Also not making Bad decisions.

Game 5: ZvT Link > Hells

I scouted two ranks so I went for a 14/15 pool not sure. He put on fast pressure with a lot of marines (no bunker). My Hatchery popped at the Perfect time and my lings quickly surrounded his marines. Simply turning my build Into a BlinG bust made the gg.

Game 6: ZvT Link > ThePoopTruck

Seeing this guys name I knew right off the bat that I did not WanT to lose to him. I went 15 pool to his 2 rax. After scouting the 2 rax I made a obvious proxy hatch in order to buy myself some time. Willing to sell some of his time he attacked my proxy hatch. Laughing to myself I easily got to 3 base to his 2. My superior ling count forced him to Life his Natural and move inside his main. Continuous harassment allowed me to get tech leaving him with nothing to do but gg.

Analysis: Not much I can Really get out of this game I felt I had some very Nice surrounds on his hellions. This game more showcased a outplayed game than anything else.

Game 7: ZvZ Link < iMacro

I opted for a 15 hatch where he opted for a 14e/13p. He went blings. I completely got destroyed by him. Rolled.

Analysis: I have got to improve my micro. Better Scouting. Better practice vs BlinG builds.

Game 8: ZvZ Link < NubbleST

Playing Another game after game 7 I decided to opt for a 14p/14e. Nubble opts for a 15 hatch. I Notice he got a very late pool so I build a lot of lings opting for more all in play. After doing some damage I expand behind my aTtacK. I manage a very Nice army trade at his base then at my base. He followed up with an aTtacK at my Natural killing it off before I eliminated his army. I then proceeded to Kill his sneaky third at a desolate area of the map. The damage had been done and there was nothing I could do about the giant drone lead.

Analysis: I felt like my opener was not very good. If I would of scouted and followed his hatch First play with my own hatch then I would of been in a better position. It was unfortunate that I made a pool so early too. Once again, my opening I feel has plagued me. Also paying attention to surface area of attacking would be better also.

Game 9: ZvZ Link > Cakes

Cakes did a very weird 13e/12p while I did a 14e/14p. He went for blings while I expanded. Our exchanges were Always pretty even and I Always maintained a drone lead. Playing defensive I switched Into roaches and built enough of them where it was simply to much for his very very late expansion.

Analysis: Again, I could work on BlinG matchup and micro. I will throw in scouting earlyish midish needs work (need to see if they are going blings).

Game 10: ZvP Link > Hellfyre

He blocked my hatchery so I was forces Into 15e/14p. Then he went Into a 2 gate expand. He then continued to pressure me right off the bat (lol). He stood no ChAnCe as I easily defended that + had a Nice follow up. even his somewhat OK ffs could not save him as I destroyed his army and took out a Artosis pylon.

Analysis: Outplayed.

Game 11: ZvP Link > DevAurus

I opened 15 hatch while he opened 1 gate. I scouted the 4 gate and sure enough it came. He got to my front relatively quick but my 2 spines/42 zerglings + creep spread vs his 9 units stood no ChAnCe. I continued to creep spread and made 2 more spines. Within 2 minutes I was destroying his wall with my spines while I Sat back and wished all my ladder games were like this.

Analysis: Again, Outplayed.

Game 12: ZvT Link > ShinOkCheol

I scouted 2 rax so I optd for the 15e/14p build to Stay aLive. He decided to make a bunker at the bottom of my Mineral lines to prevent me from building a hatchery ?????? I guess? So I just walked to his front door and busted his front door down with blings/lings. Easy GG.

Analysis: Making a bunker vs an invisible hatch on a relatively SMall map iS not a good idea.

Game 13: ZvT Link > Mikel

I opened 15 Hatch While he went for reactor hellion. My surrounds were so-so on his hellions but my defense held of the attacks. I had a Nice ling in place to scout What was going on, to my surprise a starport with techlab. The banshee play completely failed and we both transitioned Into 2 base vs 3 base. Going MuTa/ling/BlinG I rolled over his First aTtacK with the heLp of creep spread. I denied his third and he denied my 4th. On his second aTtacK I crushed it again giving me free ReIGN to destroy his base. The End.

Analysis: My scouting won this game for me. I stayed on top of macro and had good creep spread.

Game 14: ZvP Link < Red

I opened 15 hatch and he opened fe. I Fake proxyhatched him and made him take off quite a few probes to deal with that. Then for some ReasoN when I knew he fe'd I failed to not go Into my 3rd hatch until VERY LATE. He created a death ball where as I had ling/Infestor/corrupter.

Analysis: I am going to practice my zvp more and work on reactions again. I discovered that proxy hatching for no ReasoN whatsoever iS not good. (I am going to have to look up when it iS OK to proxy hatch.)

Recap:

- I need to work on my droning and scouting in my Zerg vs Zerg. I feel that it iS in my Way to improving in the match up.

- I need to practice and get my build down for when I am cannon rushed.

- I need to practice my ling/BlinG fights.

- I need to find when and when not to proxy hatch (I <3 it to much) vs toss. I also could improve proper reactions/scouting.

- Clearly ZvT at the moment iS my best match up. Where with Zerg and Protoss I have to clean up some aspects of my game play.

This concludes my analysis and recap for the First week! If you would like me to include in anything else Into my replay analysis or anything else at all let me know!!!

WanT to give advice/1v1 me/BM contact me at Link.408. Cheers! Happy MLG Weekend everyone also!!! Ret FIGHTING!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!