• Log InLog In
  • Register
Liquid`
Team Liquid Liquipedia
EDT 10:52
CEST 16:52
KST 23:52
  • 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
[ASL22] Ro4 Preview: Mirror Mirror6[ASL22] Ro8 Preview: Within Reach5[ASL22] Ro8 Preview: In A Tizzy11[ASL22] Ro16 Preview: Holy Diver5[ASL22] Ro16 Preview: Rough Waters10
Community News
Rollback Netcode in Brood War825.0.17 Patch Notes - October 7, 202621Weekly Cups Results (Sep 28-Oct 4)0SC4ALL: II SC2 Complete Invited Player Lineup10StarCraft II 5.0.17 PTR Patch Notes (Sept 30, 2026)78
StarCraft 2
General
ESL Pro Tour for SC2 discontinued [Old] StarCraft 3 Reportedly in Development 5.0.17 Patch Notes - October 7, 2026 StarCraft II 5.0.17 PTR Patch Notes (Sept 30, 2026) How do you feel about the mass reverts in the 5.0.17 PTR?
Tourneys
ISSL (IntoTheTV x SOOP SC2 League): Premier RSL 2026 Offline Finals LCQ Sign-Ups $3,500 WardiTV Not-Summer Championship ScienceCraft (October 24-25) - Live Event Stellar Fest TWO the Moon (Dec 16-20)
Strategy
[H] ZvP Mid-Late Game: Stalkers Collossi HT
Custom Maps
[M] (2) Sweltering Sands [M] (2) Frigid Storage
External Content
Mutation # 547 Temple Of Terror Mutation # 546 Catch the Train The PondCast: SC2 News & Results Mutation # 545 And Drops and Rifts
Brood War
General
ASL FINALS HYPE VIDEO 2X Visiting korea this week Sagi.gg Launcher Released Repalyzer - replay analysis app for StarCraft: Rem BW General Discussion
Tourneys
[Megathread] Daily Proleagues [ASL22] Semifinal A [ASL22] Semifinal B [ASL22] Ro8 Day 4
Strategy
Simple Questions, Simple Answers Cliff Jump Revisited (1 in a 1000 strategy) Replay Review Process - What do you do?
Other Games
General Games
Stormgate/Frost Giant Megathread Nintendo Switch Thread General RTS Discussion Thread Warcraft III: The Frozen Throne Total Annihilation Zero
Dota 2
Dota 2 Champions League Season 3 Begins April 25!
League of Legends
[TL LoL EUW IHs] Teemo shall perish
Heroes of the Storm
Heroes of the Storm 2.0
Hearthstone
Deck construction bug
TL Mafia
TL Mafia Community Thread
Community
General
US Politics Mega-thread Russo-Ukrainian War Thread Things Aren’t Peaceful in Palestine Canadian Politics Mega-thread Artificial Intelligence Thread
Fan Clubs
Serral Fan Club
Media & Entertainment
[Manga] One Piece Movie Discussion! Diablo Animated Series on Netflix
Sports
Football (Soccer) Thread TeamLiquid Health and Fitness Initiative For 2023 MLB/Baseball 2023
World Cup 2022
Tech Support
Computer Build, Upgrade & Buying Resource Thread
TL Community
Recent Gifted Posts
Blogs
The Link Between Gaming and …
TrAiDoS
[ASL22] Ro4 Day1 Ticket Giv…
bITt.mAN
38 yo Retired SWE loo…
PurE)Rabbit-SF
Can Bots Beat Pros?? Starcr…
namkraft
[meme] I finally understa…
LUCKY_NOOB
Customize Sidebar...

Website Feedback

Closed Threads



Active: 12819 users

Road to Semi-Pro

Blogs > jayman
Post a Reply
jayman
Profile Blog Joined September 2011
United States78 Posts
November 10 2011 17:22 GMT
#1
I'm a Silver league, and I have ladder anxiety. The only thing I play in SC2 are 4v4 and Very Easy AI. I've played 1v1 here and there, and the wins I get are amazing. But the losses I get, I just shrug off and watch the replay to see what they did and what I should've done.

4v4 are fun. I played C&C with my brother and his friends back when I was a kid, and we would just go do 4v4, 3v3 or FFA, talking smack at each other and just laugh our asses off as a swarm of Tesla Troopers burn everything in its path... then get crushed by a mass of tanks. Good times.

My brother and his friends don't play SC2 though since they've moved on to different hobbies and shit. So I play 4v4 by myself. My friends don't play SC2 either. My boyfriend is stuck with his WoW. So I'm alone, doing 4v4 with strangers. 4v4 is fun! But the feeling you get when you win isn't the same as 1v1.

So I'm committing to this. Maybe. Whatever. I already registered for Playhem and Z33k. I want to become a Semi-Pro.

Semi-Pro? Well, I'm not aiming for Pro. Maybe in the future, but it's not in the immediate goal list. My plan is to just enter BSG tournaments in Playhem or Z33k once a week. More if I get comfortable. I think this is good for my ladder anxiety. Why?

You can look at 1v1 ladder in two ways: one being a practice platform for tournaments, two as a way to prove you have a bigger dick than your opponent and your division. The second sound pessimistic -- that is how I see it though, some have different views on it, but that how I see it.

But the second view may be the cause of my anxiety. I don't have a small dick in real life, but I'm afraid that my digital-sc2-dick is. But when I play some 1v1, I prove to myself that I do have workable skill. But the next one might not be the case.

So hell, I don't want to prove that my dick is bigger than your dick. Starting today (or maybe next week if I still have some inkling of ladder anxiety), I'm going to play ladder to improve so I can be at least competent in online tournaments. Hell, I might as well play just to have fun!

This entry marks the day of my road to semi-pro. I am seeing myself now with a headband and the visage of Will Ferrell holding a basketball.

*
"Life is a comedy for those who think, a tragedy for those who feel." - Horace Walpole
nttea
Profile Blog Joined July 2008
Sweden4353 Posts
November 10 2011 17:28 GMT
#2
good luck! i would also like to be one of those that can take games from reeally good players i need to practice more damnit!
Steveling
Profile Blog Joined January 2011
Greece10806 Posts
November 10 2011 17:43 GMT
#3
From my personal experience on how to beat ladder anxiety(not that I had much). Play broodwar, seriously.
Play just 20 games on iccup and when you get back to sc2 you will not even phase.
My dick has shrunk to the point where it looks like I have 3 balls.
Blazinghand *
Profile Blog Joined December 2010
United States25563 Posts
November 10 2011 17:44 GMT
#4
On November 11 2011 02:22 jayman wrote:
You can look at 1v1 ladder in two ways: one being a practice platform for tournaments, two as a way to prove you have a bigger dick than your opponent and your division. The second sound pessimistic -- that is how I see it though


I think you can view ladder as a practice platform just in general, for getting better, even if you're not playing tournaments to make money. Sometimes it's worth trying to get better just to get better-- I just want to increase my starcraft 2 skill in general, and playing on the ladder lets me do that. Whether I get promoted or demoted or whatever, it doesn't matter, as long as I become stronger.

I wish you the best of luck in becoming a semi-professional player. Make sure to play several 1v1s per day-- this will be important to gaining experience fighting against a variety of units and styles, and will help you refine your core mechanics.
When you stare into the iCCup, the iCCup stares back.
TL+ Member
Hoodlum
Profile Blog Joined December 2010
United States350 Posts
November 10 2011 18:13 GMT
#5
To be come a semi-pro you have to ENJOY to play sc2 1v1s. You have to cast out that ladder anxiety and substitute with aspirations of great things. Play as much as you can, learn from your mistakes, and if you can't figure out why you lost, stalk the tl strategy forums until you find what helps you. Good luck to you xD
xO gaming owner
BeneTan
Profile Joined February 2011
Germany12 Posts
November 10 2011 18:19 GMT
#6
well... a few weeks ago i also didnt play a lot of ladder because i was "scared" but after a while i just said "who cares about ladder" and now i play 20 games+ every day sometimes even around 30. and i f i loose 24 of 30 games i m pissed but after a while i just say i dont give a shit. and thats what you have to do if u want to get over your not laddering.
the only thing u have to do to get better is play constantly.
if u need some more advice u can PM me
jayman
Profile Blog Joined September 2011
United States78 Posts
November 10 2011 18:25 GMT
#7
Thanks all! I do enjoy 1v1, especially when I win. Good thing I don't rage that much. But I should get into the habit of just playing the damn game, improve my game and just have fun.
"Life is a comedy for those who think, a tragedy for those who feel." - Horace Walpole
T.O.P. *
Profile Blog Joined January 2009
Hong Kong4685 Posts
November 10 2011 18:26 GMT
#8
I never understood ladder anxiety. No one is watching you, no one is judging you. What is there to be scared of?
Oracle comes in, Scvs go down, never a miscommunication.
BrodiaQ
Profile Blog Joined October 2008
United States892 Posts
November 10 2011 18:33 GMT
#9
On November 11 2011 02:43 Steveling wrote:
From my personal experience on how to beat ladder anxiety(not that I had much). Play broodwar, seriously.
Play just 20 games on iccup and when you get back to sc2 you will not even phase.


Alternatively you can just lose 20 games in a row in sc2 on purpose. Essentially the same thing.
"So come right up and let me squash your creativity with my iron fist of conservative play."--Nony
jayman
Profile Blog Joined September 2011
United States78 Posts
November 10 2011 18:34 GMT
#10
On November 11 2011 03:26 T.O.P. wrote:
I never understood ladder anxiety. No one is watching you, no one is judging you. What is there to be scared of?


It's really about one's psychology, I think. No one is judging me, but me myself is the biggest and hardest critic. The fear stems from having a high expectation of one's skill, and not meeting that expected level of skill. The fear is unreasonable since one cannot set one's level of skill before testing it out in play.
"Life is a comedy for those who think, a tragedy for those who feel." - Horace Walpole
OopsOopsBaby
Profile Blog Joined June 2010
Singapore3425 Posts
November 10 2011 18:54 GMT
#11
there's no such thing as semi-pro.
only 98%, 2% and idra.
s3x2-2 xiao3x2+2 bone3+2+2
JieXian
Profile Blog Joined August 2008
Malaysia4677 Posts
Last Edited: 2011-11-10 19:01:01
November 10 2011 18:57 GMT
#12
On November 11 2011 03:26 T.O.P. wrote:
I never understood ladder anxiety. No one is watching you, no one is judging you. What is there to be scared of?


I have a theory based on American shows like Everybody loves Raymond.

While laddering, you have no one to blame but yourself when you lose and when you lose, you actually lose. Many people aren't comfortable with that. Or aren't used to it. Like in 1 episode where some kids play baseball (I think) and there are no losers or winners and Raymond can't stand that idea. Or how in so many shows or forums people comfort "losers" and give them "encouragements" and "consolations" so it's like many never ever "lost" in their lives before.

Just an idea though ~ I stand corrected since TV is in the end, just TV and not reality of course haha.

Not to be a US hater, certain people here are like that too. I, for one, deem them losers for being too afraid of losing.

Damnit everytime you lose you will learn something (If you don't know how to analysie your games, you better start learning how to) stop being babies. This applies to real life, analysing your mistakes.

And what's the problem about people judging you? Similarly, just analyse what they say and hopefully (usually) learn something from it, but if they are full of shit, just flush their "judgements" down.
Please send me a PM of any song you like that I most probably never heard of! I am looking for people to chat about writing and producing music | https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=noD-bsOcxuU |
zakmaa
Profile Blog Joined November 2010
Canada525 Posts
November 10 2011 19:00 GMT
#13
I've never had ladder anxiety so I don't really understand it that much, but I do have advice for you: just ladder more. Sure, it might make you anxious, and sure it might suck if you lose. But it's a video game; it doesn't matter if you lose. Everyone loses. Just keep in mind that the more you click the "Find Match" icon, the easier it becomes to click.

Also, since you plan on improving, make sure you're making workers and expanding!
Good luck.
Mattchew
Profile Blog Joined December 2010
United States5684 Posts
November 10 2011 19:17 GMT
#14
On November 11 2011 03:26 T.O.P. wrote:
I never understood ladder anxiety. No one is watching you, no one is judging you. What is there to be scared of?


it comes from everyone's attitude on sites like TL where everyone thinks that they think and should be playing on a masters/grandmasters level. Then they don't put in the work get put into a league way below what they think should be in. Then they have to live with being a newb in silver even though they always feel like its their fault they lost and beat themselves up over it. Most games of SC2 end in 1 player saying i played "ok" and 1 player saying "fuck i shoulda played better"
There is always tomorrow nshs.seal.
Arterial
Profile Blog Joined August 2010
Australia1039 Posts
November 10 2011 19:17 GMT
#15
On November 11 2011 03:54 OopsOopsBaby wrote:
there's no such thing as semi-pro.
only 98%, 2% and idra.

hmm, what do you call someone who competes in major tournaments but keeps a full-time job? :S
savior & jaedong
reneg
Profile Joined September 2010
United States859 Posts
November 10 2011 19:44 GMT
#16
On November 11 2011 04:17 Arterial wrote:
Show nested quote +
On November 11 2011 03:54 OopsOopsBaby wrote:
there's no such thing as semi-pro.
only 98%, 2% and idra.

hmm, what do you call someone who competes in major tournaments but keeps a full-time job? :S

Imaginary.

I don't know of any pro gamer who is competitive, but works full toner in something else
moose...indian
MLG_Wiggin
Profile Blog Joined March 2010
United States767 Posts
November 10 2011 20:04 GMT
#17
Good luck dude! It's hard to be decent at this game when you've got a job/school/etc.
@DBWiggin, SC2 ref
Specialist
Profile Blog Joined April 2007
United States803 Posts
November 10 2011 20:42 GMT
#18
don't hack plz
TBone-
Profile Blog Joined November 2010
United States2309 Posts
November 10 2011 20:48 GMT
#19
On November 11 2011 04:44 reneg wrote:
Show nested quote +
On November 11 2011 04:17 Arterial wrote:
On November 11 2011 03:54 OopsOopsBaby wrote:
there's no such thing as semi-pro.
only 98%, 2% and idra.

hmm, what do you call someone who competes in major tournaments but keeps a full-time job? :S

Imaginary.

I don't know of any pro gamer who is competitive, but works full toner in something else


Hi, my name is qxc, and you've probably heard of me.
Eve online FC, lover of all competition
Please log in or register to reply.
Live Events Refresh
Next event in 20h 8m
[ Submit Event ]
Live Streams
Refresh
StarCraft 2
Liquid`TLO 285
OGKoka 266
RotterdaM 261
LamboSC2 163
ProTech146
Codebar 20
StarCraft: Brood War
Calm 4572
Shuttle 2402
Bisu 1743
EffOrt 1027
Jaedong 1011
Mini 730
actioN 587
Larva 418
firebathero 379
Rush 374
[ Show more ]
Light 277
Soulkey 250
ZerO 221
Snow 209
sorry 70
Pusan 58
Sharp 48
Mong 38
Trap 31
ToSsGirL 29
Shinee 25
Terrorterran 25
yabsab 21
Killer 20
Aegong 19
Sexy 19
Hm[arnc] 13
zelot 12
Noble 11
scan(afreeca) 9
Dota 2
Gorgc7844
qojqva2250
Dendi1784
XaKoH 559
Super Smash Bros
Mew2King88
Other Games
singsing2780
hiko1135
B2W.Neo673
dupreeh441
Pyrionflax368
byalli349
crisheroes311
Liquid`VortiX273
Hui .240
KnowMe185
ToD167
ceh9106
QueenE83
Trikslyr22
ZerO(Twitch)19
Organizations
StarCraft: Brood War
UltimateBattle 1615
[ Show 13 non-featured ]
StarCraft 2
• Hinosc 4
• AfreecaTV YouTube
• intothetv
• Kozan
• IndyKCrew
• Migwel
• OhrlRock 0
StarCraft: Brood War
• ChaeLyn 7
• BSLYoutube
• STPLYoutube
• ZZZeroYoutube
League of Legends
• Nemesis2748
Other Games
• Shiphtur209
Upcoming Events
WardiTV Weekly
20h 8m
PiGosaur Cup
1d 9h
Kung Fu Cup
1d 20h
The PondCast
2 days
Online Event
3 days
Korean StarCraft League
4 days
Afreeca Starleague
4 days
Rush vs Soulkey
CranKy Ducklings
4 days
BSL Open Qualifier
5 days
Sparkling Tuna Cup
5 days
[ Show More ]
BSL Open Qualifier
6 days
WardiTV Weekly
6 days
Liquipedia Results

Completed

Acropolis #5 - GSB
Blizzard Classic Cup 2026
Copium Cup

Ongoing

ASL Season 22
Super Anchor Qualifying S3
Acropolis #5
HCC Season 3
ESL Pro League Season 24
Stake Ranked Episode 4
1win Private Club #1
Logitech G Play Connect 2026
SL StarSeries Fall 2026
FISSURE Playground #3
BLAST Open Fall 2026
Esports World Cup 2026
BLAST Bounty Summer 2026

Upcoming

Acropolis #5 - GSC
BSL Season 23
SC4ALL II: Brood War
BSL 23: Non-Korean Championship
HSC XXX
Stellar Fest 2: Lunar Cup
SC4ALL II: StarCraft II
Kung Fu Cup 2026 Grand Finals
RSL Offline Finals
eXTREMESLAND 2026
PGL Major Singapore 2026
Stake Ranked Episode 6
BLAST Rivals Fall 2026
IEM Beijing 2026
Stake Ranked Episode 5
PGL Masters Bucharest 2026
1win Private Club #2
Thunderpick World Champ. '26
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.