Hello Teamliquid!

This is my third blog, for day 3 of my "Road to Diamond" blog series.

-http://www.teamliquid.net/blogs/viewblog.php?id=299571 (1st blog, with backround info, ect.)
-http://www.teamliquid.net/blogs/viewblog.php?id=299858 (2nd blog)

So today I continued even further with custom shattered temple games, and surprised my self. I was versing many diamonds today, and I beat most of them!

I haven't laddered in a few days, so this possibly could mean that my practicing has been working out!

So basically I just tried to vs diamond and master leaguers in custom game today, for the challenge and to see what standard my play is right now.

I started off with a Terran, after spending most of yesterday practicing aXa/Stephano massling + muta or infestory style. I've started to become a lot more confident in the matchup.

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I was surprised to see how strong 1/1 Lings are... I probably finished the game right then.. but the game progressed...

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I denied him from getting much of a 3rd up and steam rolled him with 3/3 cracklings and ultras ^^

As usual, the nooby me didn't get a 3rd or a 4th by the 17th minute mark

Got me thinking, even without a 4th I was still able to beat him... is diamond really as good as I thought it was....

maybe not

*shrug*

But I still want that gem dammit!

Right after I got a high master Terran... And he cheesed me like a boss.

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That bad feeling when you see no rax and you went hatch first....

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Desperation baneling bust, failed... GG

Soon after I played against a top 8 diamond Terran, who tried to perform a 1/1/1 on me, favoring blue flame hellions over siege tanks and went for cloaked banshee...

I'm not too sure which is better against a mass zergling build, blue flame hellions or siege tanks... I'm guessing hellions are better in small numbers...

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Om Nom Nom Nom

When that was over.. all he had left was...

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...And I won.

I played a few ZvZ's afterwards. I usually go for a coin-flip build which was created by Tang

which can be found here -> http://www.teamliquid.net/forum/viewmessage.php?topic_id=274426

It mainly consists of massing ling after your 15 overlord off of 2 bases, I found I win quite easily using this against any hatch first or 1-base roach... although I do have a lot of trouble with 1 base baneling using this build... Micro'ing your zerglings around and attack while sending 1 zergling to each baneling is pretty tough... And I often fail...

Although most of time..

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Later on I started working on ZvP, first match was against a high masters Terran, off racing as toss..

He proceeds to do a FFE into double stargate.. into a 8 gate all-in..

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into...

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Didn't really work out for him..

Next up was a high diamond Protoss. Who went for a 3 gate, proxy stargate all-in..

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Held it off quite easily.. seeing as he didn't scout I got suspicious and conitnued to mass ling..

He challenged me to a rematch afterwards and steamrolled me T_T as he went FFE into collosi

Another diamond protoss I played against was "oGsluXon" obviously not a member of oGs... I don't understand why someone would waste their IGN on something as stupid as that.. not to mention how much hate and trolling they would get from some people for doing that....

Anyways he did the same sort of deal, 3 gate stargate expand... into a quick third, twilight, double forge and collosi???? O_O

As soon as I saw his greedy tactics, I went straight in for the kill. And won. Easily.

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The next game I was being a total idiot.. Was almost maxed on roaches and went in to kill 2 collosi , 4 zealots, 4 stalkers and 2 immortals. Put on paper sounds like roaches would win, right? they would! Unless you did something idiot like me!

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....

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Durp, going to leave 9 roaches to fight while I send 9 to natural and the rest up to ramp to do... what? T_T

Forcefield's confuse me sometimes @_@, I'm guessing I should of just stayed back and waited for the FF's to fade out and re-engage.

Well that was it for today, I did feel like I accomplished a lot. Another step closer to diamond!

Maybe I should ladder tommorow.. seeing I am able to beat diamonds. But ladder anxiety. Zzz. Time to face my fears..

Anyways, I know that these sorts of blogs are looked down upon by the community, but THANK YOU for reading and hoped to enjoyed it! And maybe learnt something from it!

And as I said in my last blog post....

I'm dying for assistance in my trip to diamond, so if anyone reading would be so kind to lend me a hand or give me some advice on my gameplay, it will be GREATLY appreciated.

My IGN and code are, Symphony.365.

Thanks and see you again, tomorrow!

-Symphony

Cascade

Australia5405 Posts

January 03 2012 13:43 GMT

nicely written, and it seems like you had some good games!

As you feel that you have made progress, maybe you can try to give some advice to other people in your situation. Exactly what made you progress? What were the key things that pushed you forward? How would you advice other people in your situation to approach their training?

And yes, get over the ladder fear!! press that button!! It's a single mouse-click giving you instant training at the right level, what more can you wish for?

good luck!

Tobberoth

Sweden6375 Posts

January 03 2012 13:59 GMT

I don't understand, what makes laddering worse than your custom games? It's the exact same thing, only that you'll be matched against worse people.

I was always of the impression that people (like myself) have ladder anxiety because they hate losing... but you seem to be OK with losing in customs, but not in ladder? Why? You lost all the same.

Grumbels

Netherlands7032 Posts

January 03 2012 14:10 GMT

On January 03 2012 22:59 Tobberoth wrote:
I don't understand, what makes laddering worse than your custom games? It's the exact same thing, only that you'll be matched against worse people.

I was always of the impression that people (like myself) have ladder anxiety because they hate losing... but you seem to be OK with losing in customs, but not in ladder? Why? You lost all the same.

Ladder counts towards ladder ranking. Custom games are for practice, you can often play multiple games against the same opponent. If you lose all of them, but feel you've improved by the end of the day it's still a great result. Ladder is harder to improve with too, as you get a completely different match-up/map/opponent every time.

Flippin1337

Denmark20 Posts

January 03 2012 14:32 GMT

I don't get it, i've played like 80 1v1's on ladder and i got diamond ^^ doesn't seem hard at all how can you need to try so hard? I mean i just play macro games and win?? i don't understand how people can be stuck in lower leagues and have such a hard time coming up. Because i have no idea what im doing, what i mean by that is i have no builds i know nothing no timings i only read what the opponent does and react as of what i see is best.

cactusjack914

United States183 Posts

January 03 2012 15:50 GMT

People have a hard time accepting that they actually do not know much, copy other people, learn nothing.

munchmunch

Canada789 Posts

January 03 2012 16:10 GMT

On January 03 2012 23:32 Flippin1337 wrote:
I don't get it, i've played like 80 1v1's on ladder and i got diamond ^^ doesn't seem hard at all how can you need to try so hard? I mean i just play macro games and win?? i don't understand how people can be stuck in lower leagues and have such a hard time coming up. Because i have no idea what im doing, what i mean by that is i have no builds i know nothing no timings i only read what the opponent does and react as of what i see is best.

I think it's decision making. I don't play enough to be good, but when I play a standard macro game I do win... unless I make a bunch of stupid decisions. For example, just played a game where I decided to mass zerglings and then send them in piece by piece against a colossus army. In retrospect it was incredibly stupid... but I do something like this every few games.

Symph

Japan14 Posts

January 03 2012 23:19 GMT

On January 03 2012 22:43 Cascade wrote:

Thank you ^^

I agree with basically what Grumbels said. Although ladder anxiety is, very stupid.

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