• Log InLog In
  • Register
Liquid`
Team Liquid Liquipedia
EDT 10:38
CEST 16:38
KST 23:38
  • Home
  • Forum
  • Calendar
  • Streams
  • Liquipedia
  • Features
  • Store
  • EPT
  • TL+
  • StarCraft 2
  • Brood War
  • Smash
  • Heroes
  • Counter-Strike
  • Overwatch
  • Liquibet
  • Fantasy StarCraft
  • TLPD
  • StarCraft 2
  • Brood War
  • Blogs
Forum Sidebar
Events/Features
News
Featured News
Serral wins HomeStory Cup 2914Serral wins Maestros of the Game 243ByuL, and the Limitations of Standard Play3Team Liquid Map Contest #22: Results and Winners7Code S Season 2 (2026): RO4 and Finals Preview12
Community News
Weekly Cups (July 27-Aug 2): SHIN's big week0SC4ALL II: Brood War - $2500 - Dec 5-64SC4ALL II announced - $10,000 prize pool, Dec 5-63PIG STY FESTIVAL 8.0! (13 - 23 August)9Neeb returns to progaming; rejoins ONSYDE15
StarCraft 2
General
August World Ranking: Clem climbs to #2 Daily SC2 Player Grid - feedback wanted Weekly Cups (July 27-Aug 2): SHIN's big week Balance hotfix patch 5.0.16b (July 16) Life's Huge Gambling Spree After IEM Katowice 2014
Tourneys
{+256747234371 effective black magic spells caster RSL Revival: Season 6 - Qualifiers and Main Event PIG STY FESTIVAL 8.0! (13 - 23 August) INu's Battles #19 2-Days Event Sparkling Tuna Cup - Weekly Open Tournament
Strategy
[G] Having the right mentality to improve
Custom Maps
Nexus Wars 2021 GUIDE [M] (2) Industrial Park
External Content
The PondCast: SC2 News & Results Mutation # 537 Hostile Territory Mutation # 536 Railroad Switch Mutation # 535 Assembly of Vengeance
Brood War
General
BW General Discussion Making an Online Broodwar Manager Game ASL22 General Discussion BW Drama: Terror's Debt Incident + C9 disbanding [Personal Project Share] Terran Defense v0.60
Tourneys
[Megathread] Daily Proleagues SC4ALL II: Brood War - $2500 - Dec 5-6 2v2v2v2 Tournament Escore Tournament - Season 3
Strategy
Any training maps people recommend? Fighting Spirit mining rates Simple Questions, Simple Answers Odyssey Mineral Stack Saturation
Other Games
General Games
Stormgate/Frost Giant Megathread ZeroSpace Early Access is Now Live! Nintendo Switch Thread Beyond All Reason Path of Exile
Dota 2
Looking for a Dota Mentor Official 'what is Dota anymore' discussion
League of Legends
[TL LoL EUW IHs] Teemo shall perish TSM pausing esports and CLG Dead
Heroes of the Storm
Heroes of the Storm 2.0
Hearthstone
Deck construction bug
TL Mafia
TL Mafia Power Rank TL Mafia Community Thread NeO.D_StephenKing vs This Guy From 1 Million Dance
Community
General
US Politics Mega-thread Russo-Ukrainian War Thread European Politico-economics QA Mega-thread Artificial Intelligence Thread Things Aren’t Peaceful in Palestine
Fan Clubs
The Scarlett Fan Club The IdrA Fan Club The HerO Fan Club!
Media & Entertainment
Anime Discussion Thread Movie Discussion! Series you have seen recently... [Req][Books] Good Fantasy/SciFi books
Sports
Football (Soccer) Thread TeamLiquid Health and Fitness Initiative For 2023 Formula 1 Discussion MLB/Baseball 2023 McBoner: A hockey love story
World Cup 2022
Tech Support
Computer Build, Upgrade & Buying Resource Thread Simple Questions Simple Answers FPS when play League Of Legend on laptop
TL Community
Northern Ireland Global Starcraft The Automated Ban List
Blogs
Please support my new stand…
Peanutsc
What is a Gamer?
TrAiDoS
Hello guys!
LIN1s
ASL S22 English Commentary…
namkraft
Poker (part 2)
Nebuchad
Customize Sidebar...

Website Feedback

Closed Threads



Active: 5089 users

Mindgames in GSL *spoiler* - Page 5

Blogs > iamke55
Post a Reply
Prev 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 Next All
Vortigan
Profile Blog Joined November 2010
Denmark306 Posts
Last Edited: 2012-01-11 11:54:14
January 11 2012 11:53 GMT
#81
On January 11 2012 14:06 sickoota wrote:
Show nested quote +
On January 11 2012 14:01 Plexa wrote:
On January 11 2012 13:53 sickoota wrote:
You can only dress up coinflipping so much, sorry. If mindgames alone can dictate 4 out of every 5 games that is not a good place for a game to be in competitively. Denying scouting and putting a bunker on the lowground isn't some revolutionary, highly intelligent play, its just praying that dumb luck will favor you based on a couple of replays you watched of your competitor and it makes for a horrid spectator experience.

I guess poker is just coinflips to you too.

I guess you can't deny that "the current trend is x, so I will assume my opponent will be preparing for x so I will do Y instead and hopefully win" is strategy of a sort, but I remain highly skeptical of the OP's claim that this is demonstrative of any sort of strategical brilliance or that spectators should be enthralled by the intelligence of these player's decisions. Isn't the fact that you can sum up each of these games in one sentence each (leenock thought MC was X because of current metagame trends but instead he Y, GG) indicative of something lacking? Compared to macro games, where the decisions would take pages and pages to explicate, there is something clearly unsatisfying about matches decided solely by BO mindgames.


this post explains very well how I sometimes feel about sc2. both as a spectator and as a player. nice post.

Surely everyone can agree that the best games require some back and forth action right?
Incognoto
Profile Blog Joined May 2010
France10239 Posts
January 11 2012 12:30 GMT
#82
Those are some great points that've been pointed out. props
maru lover forever
oggy
Profile Joined December 2010
Norway32 Posts
January 11 2012 12:37 GMT
#83
Eye-opening indeed, very nice post.
Veriol
Profile Joined October 2010
Czech Republic502 Posts
January 11 2012 12:56 GMT
#84
Very nice post. I liked most the supernova game felt sorry for MC in that game.
I wish zerg had oportunity to make such mindgames in his matchups. All feel same macro up, defend all pressure, win in lategame with superior production. You cant rly make cute moves like this :/
"When you play, you have to start off with a mind to turn the game into a rape." -iloveoov
UltimateHurl
Profile Blog Joined September 2010
Ireland591 Posts
January 11 2012 13:03 GMT
#85
Loved that Supernova expand feint, such a smart move, great run-down
Steel
Profile Blog Joined April 2010
Japan2283 Posts
January 11 2012 13:23 GMT
#86
Great read, though I do still feel for Leenock. It seems harder for Zerg to use clever mindgames to surprise your opponent and sweep a quick win. Only time it's possible is an all-in vs forge fe I think.
Try another route paperboy.
natebreen
Profile Joined June 2011
United States184 Posts
January 11 2012 13:25 GMT
#87
Good writeup.

Most of the mind games made sense during the match.

The important thing that lower level players like us need to remember is that it's VERY rare for a pro in a tournament to just blindly execute one of these builds with no thought process behind it.

People like to say coin flip, but look at the stats.

Outside of the top 3-5 players in the world, win rates eventually approach 50% as the game is played out.

If you see an edge because of a map or a build by your opponent or a weakness in the meta game, and you think your build has a say 65% chance of working, it's actually quite a sound bet.
LightTemplar
Profile Blog Joined August 2011
Ireland481 Posts
January 11 2012 13:42 GMT
#88
On January 11 2012 21:56 Veriol wrote:
Very nice post. I liked most the supernova game felt sorry for MC in that game.
I wish zerg had oportunity to make such mindgames in his matchups. All feel same macro up, defend all pressure, win in lategame with superior production. You cant rly make cute moves like this :/


I would disagree that all zerg can do is hold pressure go macro and try win later. Zerg have both drops and nydus worm and they nearly never use them even though both are very powerful, zerg insist on playing macro because its proven to work really well I just feel that at some stage double infestor or infestor baneling drops to kill off whole mineral lines and nydus flanks have to happen. Even the old style +2 attack baneling drop is really effective if your opponent doesnt react quickly enough. I just feel like zerg puts themselves in this macro box where they have to have more bases at all times when really having more units positioned better is a really good way to play also.
"Thoughts are always there, the mind can't stop" - Grubby
LightTemplar
Profile Blog Joined August 2011
Ireland481 Posts
January 11 2012 13:44 GMT
#89
Also great OP nice to see more than just complaints about balance being posted and to have actual strategy discussed
"Thoughts are always there, the mind can't stop" - Grubby
blacksheepwall
Profile Joined June 2011
China1530 Posts
January 11 2012 14:07 GMT
#90
On January 11 2012 14:39 Blitzkrieg0 wrote:
Are the sc2 pros really that into mind fucking eachother? I suppose group B was the group of death and desperate times call for desperate measures, but that's some serious dedication ^_^

Not sure if this has been said yet, but there were 3 oGs members in that group, so I think it's safe to assume they're far more familiar with each others' tendencies and playstyles than most players.

Nice analysis, I also quite liked MCs proxy Stargate on Metropolis after he realized exactly what build ForGG was going for.
(╯°□°)╯︵ ┻━┻ // </3 Taeja
Synwave
Profile Joined July 2009
United States2803 Posts
January 11 2012 14:13 GMT
#91
I definitely have a deeper understanding after reading all that. I did not even slightly catch how MC had been tricked into Banshee cloak play but your analysis is dead-on.
♞Nerdrage is the cause of global warming♞
Hunterai
Profile Joined October 2010
Thailand842 Posts
January 11 2012 14:27 GMT
#92
This is great. Thank you.
Now I will have to go back to those game and see them again just to appreciate these mind tricks :-D

rei
Profile Blog Joined October 2002
United States3594 Posts
Last Edited: 2012-01-11 14:38:52
January 11 2012 14:38 GMT
#93
Good read, and thanks for the insight, let me help you out with how to use the word metagame.

On January 11 2012 09:11 iamke55 wrote:
standard macro opening in the current metagame: 1 rax FE with no gas.

Supernova, knowing MC's play style and the fact that the current metagame favors 4 gate against Terran's gasless FE, mindgamed MC by going for cloaked banshees disguised as a gasless FE.

all popular in the current metagame:[list][*]4 gate +1 zealot pressure. This build exploits the trend of Zergs expanding twice without gas to skip any sentries or additional cannons beyond the first and sending 8 zealots with +1 weapons to the Zerg's 3rd base at 8 minutes.

Three oGs players today were able to take advantage of trends in the metagame and knowledge of players' past tendencies to disguise their builds, inducing their opponents into sub-optimal responses to their real strategy.



The first metagame should be replaced with Trend in strategy.
(metagame has to have a specific opponent in mind, there is no general metagame that works for the general public, because not everybody follows the same trend on whatever match up we are talking about, to apply metagame one must know something about the opponent, knowing the trend of what the general public would think in that particular match up doesn't imply what your opponent might do, it only implies what he knows.)

On the second sentence the word metagame should be replaced with Trend in strategy, and the word mindgamed should be replaced with metagame.
(Supernova can use his knowledge of MC's play style to metagame MC, as he knows how MC would react. He can't use the current trends of tvp to metagame MC, as he has no idea whether or not MC would follow the current trends of tvp if Supernova does not have any knowledge of MC's play style.)

On the 3rd sentence the word metagame should be replaced with Trend in strategy
(again, popular trend can only be interchangeable with metagame if the particular opponent's style follows strictly with the popular trend with little to no deviation.)

On the 4th sentence it should have just been trends in strategy, instead of trends in the metagame.
( you almost got it, you have half of the phase right, and then you put metagame in it and screw everything up. a;ldfjaldfjadfkja;dklfjakl;dfj)
GET OUT OF MY BASE CHILL
zarepath
Profile Blog Joined April 2010
United States1626 Posts
January 11 2012 14:40 GMT
#94
I wish that all write-ups were this in-depth and informative.
"Your efforts you put in will never betray you." - Flash | "If I'm not good enough, I don't wanna win." - Naniwa
ftjust
Profile Joined October 2010
Sweden43 Posts
January 11 2012 14:50 GMT
#95
Nice write up but i think your view of scouting is alittle bit off, or perception of scouting" very much so in tvp since that opening can be any of the following gasless FE or 111 or cloackbanshe to mech or just a 5-6 rax allin.


it was just simply bad play from mc's part i belive since he easy could have gotten the scout just buffer bunker with a stalker/zealot and run by with stalker/probe
snafoo
Profile Joined August 2010
New Zealand1615 Posts
January 11 2012 14:59 GMT
#96
How can people think mindgames are a bad thing?..... Hell, the majority of series in individual leagues in broodwar are based around mindgames much more heavily then is used in SC2 currently. Mind games are gooood, it adds a completely different level to the game where you have to actually think and not be a mechanical monkey.
ShotgunMike
Profile Joined May 2011
Sweden241 Posts
January 11 2012 15:09 GMT
#97
Nice read! Unfortunately I haven't seen the games but I would love to read more analyses like this.
Hot_Bid: "B10" - ThorZain: "BINGO" - Naniwa: "Apologize! ¤%#¤#&¤% Terran IMBA"
Whalecore
Profile Joined March 2009
Norway1111 Posts
January 11 2012 15:24 GMT
#98
Waa this was an awesome read.

My PvZ will never be the same again.

Prepare for rape EU zergs!!!!
Playgu
BluemoonSC
Profile Blog Joined November 2010
SoCal8933 Posts
January 11 2012 15:52 GMT
#99
im kinda curious if supernova and forgg planned those strategies in order to mess with MC - think about how intelligent that would be (albeit frustrating)

show MC that ogs terrans are capable and willing to switch into cloaked banshees and force him to play safely. then with the knowledge he'll play safely, take a quick third the next with NO gas.

might have been more viable in the old format, but interesting to think about nonetheless
LiquidDota Staff@BluemoonGG_
da_head
Profile Blog Joined November 2008
Canada3350 Posts
January 11 2012 15:56 GMT
#100
sick read. glad to see that players are finally intelligently utilizing metagame tactics.
When they see MC Probe, all the ladies disrobe.
Prev 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 Next All
Please log in or register to reply.
Live Events Refresh
WardiTV Weekly
11:00
WardiTV Mondays #98
IntoTheiNu 1306
WardiTV1107
TKL 246
Rex149
Ryung 76
LiquipediaDiscussion
[ Submit Event ]
Live Streams
Refresh
StarCraft 2
Lowko484
TKL 246
Rex 149
Ryung 76
ProTech70
SHIN 16
StarCraft: Brood War
Calm 6619
Shuttle 2244
Soma 1016
BeSt 735
EffOrt 639
Horang2 630
Light 532
Jaedong 463
ggaemo 426
Soulkey 355
[ Show more ]
Snow 345
firebathero 268
Rush 178
Stork 168
hero 129
Mind 96
Larva 88
Barracks 80
Hyun 73
Mong 70
Killer 63
Bale 37
Pusan 35
Terrorterran 26
Sacsri 22
Sharp 20
scan(afreeca) 19
soO 18
HiyA 16
ajuk12(nOOB) 11
Yoon 10
IntoTheRainbow 9
zelot 8
Dota 2
Gorgc10657
qojqva1825
Dendi1147
syndereN295
420jenkins100
ODPixel64
Counter-Strike
byalli517
zeus377
x6flipin99
edward22
Other Games
singsing1991
B2W.Neo1008
hiko891
Mlord567
crisheroes318
Liquid`VortiX244
Fuzer 203
Hui .174
XaKoH 110
Mew2King35
elazer0
Organizations
StarCraft: Brood War
UltimateBattle 534
lovetv 13
Kim Chul Min (afreeca) 9
StarCraft 2
Blizzard YouTube
StarCraft: Brood War
BSLTrovo
[ Show 15 non-featured ]
StarCraft 2
• intothetv
• AfreecaTV YouTube
• Kozan
• IndyKCrew
• LaughNgamezSOOP
• Migwel
• sooper7s
StarCraft: Brood War
• blackmanpl 11
• Michael_bg 5
• BSLYoutube
• STPLYoutube
• ZZZeroYoutube
Dota 2
• WagamamaTV501
League of Legends
• Nemesis2409
• Jankos1599
Upcoming Events
Patches Events
1h 22m
Sparkling Tuna Cup
19h 22m
INu's Battles
20h 22m
Percival vs Zoun
Cure vs Rogue
ByuN vs Classic
Clem vs NightMare
PiGosaur Cup
1d 9h
Replay Cast
1d 18h
Kung Fu Cup
1d 20h
Replay Cast
2 days
The PondCast
2 days
INu's Battles
2 days
Replay Cast
3 days
[ Show More ]
Escore
3 days
IntoTheTV X SOOP
3 days
RSL Revival
4 days
RSL Revival
5 days
WardiTV Weekly
6 days
Liquipedia Results

Completed

ASL Season 22: Qualifier #2
CranK Gathers Season 4: BW vs SC2 Team League
Eternal Conflict S2 Finale

Ongoing

KCM Race Survival 2026 Season 3
K-JUNGMAN
RSL Revival: Season 6
BLAST Bounty Summer 2026
BLAST Bounty Summer Qual
Stake Ranked Episode 3
XSE Pro League 2026
IEM Cologne Major 2026
Stake Ranked Episode 2
CS Asia Championships 2026

Upcoming

Acropolis #5
Escore Tournament S3: W6
Escore Tournament S3: W7
CSLAN 4
ASL Season 22
Escore Tournament S3: W8
Acropolis #5 - TRS
HSC XXX
SC4ALL II: StarCraft II
Kung Fu Cup 2026 Grand Finals
PiG Sty Festival 8.0
Thunderpick World Champ.
ESL Pro League Season 24
Stake Ranked Episode 4
Logitech G Connect 2026
SL StarSeries Fall 2026
FISSURE Playground #5
BLAST Open Fall 2026
Esports World Cup 2026
TLPD

1. ByuN
2. TY
3. Dark
4. Solar
5. Stats
6. Nerchio
7. sOs
8. soO
9. INnoVation
10. Elazer
1. Rain
2. Flash
3. EffOrt
4. Last
5. Bisu
6. Soulkey
7. Mini
8. Sharp
Sidebar Settings...

Advertising | Privacy Policy | Terms Of Use | Contact Us

Original banner artwork: Jim Warren
The contents of this webpage are copyright © 2026 TLnet. All Rights Reserved.