On May 14 2010 14:45 ArC_man wrote:
Flash has always been this good (as in way better than the rest of progamers). He's mentioned in interviews that he rarely loses to anyone in practice games (even Jaedong/Bisu/Stork) but he just wasn't able to harness his skills in practice during TV matches. I think now he's finally matured into someone who can play as well as he does in practice (as in unstoppable).

Yeah, I remember this. During his slump in mid-09, I think the problem was just his stubborness and pride in just absolutely needing to play the way he wanted to play (14cc/macro games), not dissimilar to IdrA's mentality. However, now he's a lot more mature and flexible in his play and is starting to build very strong mental fortitude. He's always had the skills, but things just finally clicked, and combined with his good mood and hunger for success, he's finally reaching his devastating potential. I think he will still get better as he himself has recognised that some aspects of his play are still lacking.

emoniax

Philippines81 Posts

May 14 2010 07:45 GMT

#83

I guess the only reason Flash's game is way above others is his decision making and his quick adjustment to the game. Same reason why Savior was bonjwa during his prime. Noone can beat him because he can adjust to any given situation.

Xtal

Haiti385 Posts

May 14 2010 08:21 GMT

#84

I'd like to point out that FlaSh unlike most progamers makes new builds and uses those and other T's usally take one to two months to start doing whatever FlaSh had been doing.

FlaSh has invented..

Double Armory TvP
Rine/Goli TvZ
3 Rax Tech TvZ
9Min Push TvZ
Valk/Bio TvZ
Super FD TvP

all in the past 2 years.

No one has come close ot making that many build recent times.

This a part along with his macro and micro and game sense that makes him better than the rest.

Last MSL.. FlaSH was going 3 Rax Tech vZ and Double Armory vP

This MSL.. FlaSh is doing Valk/bio vZ and Super FD vP

dtnmang

Vietnam752 Posts

May 14 2010 08:23 GMT

#85

Nah, Flash has only one build order: 9 Supply into Win (the Pocari Build)

anch

United States5457 Posts

May 14 2010 08:24 GMT

#86

i woudlnt say he invented, he perfected other stuffs, that's all.
(maybe the 2-1 armory push)
anyone can copy BO.
If UpMagic was half as good as Flash and on air as much, i think he can invent these crazy BO as well, but not perfect it.

and Flash invented the 10 v 3 base TvZ.

arbiter_md

Moldova1219 Posts

May 14 2010 08:52 GMT

#87

Flash is good because of the map imbalances. Current map set is imbalanced towards Flash. Just like Katrina, or Medusa.

FuRong

New Zealand3089 Posts

May 14 2010 09:23 GMT

#88

I think his advantage is mostly psychological. Just like in any other individual sport, when you reach the very top all of the players have similar skillsets, and the one who will be a champion is the one who is toughest mentally. Flash has an amazing sense for game flow and predicting what his opponent will do (ie: yomi), which allows him to win games that technically speaking, he really shouldn't.

I hate to draw sports comparisons, but I think the way Flash is dominating right now is similar to the way Roger Federer dominated mens tennis a few years ago. Although Flash will occasionally lose 1v1 matches, in longer bo3 or bo5 sets he is almost unbeatable because he can break his opponents psychologically, whereas other players are not able to do the same to him. Once he reached a point where he was considered #1, the intimidation factor also started working in his favour. Right now Flash often gets easier wins than he should because his opponents have psyched themselves out before the match even begins. Look at how he crushed Free the other night in MSL. After the first game, you could already see that Free was not in a good place mentally, and after the second game the result was pretty much a foregone conclusion.

To continue the tennis comparison, once Federer finally got beaten by Nadal in a major tournament, he suddenly started taking losses from other guys too. It wasn't that he started playing worse or everyone else improved sharply, the difference was that he lost his aura of invulnerability. Other players realised that if one guy could beat him, they probably could too. Nowadays Federer is amongst a group of about five elite players who trade wins and losses against each other, and although he maintains his #1 ranking he is no longer considered "unbeatable".

In my opinion this will eventually happen to Flash too, and he will go back to being "one of the elite players" rather than standing alone above everybody else.

Black Gun

Germany4482 Posts

May 14 2010 09:35 GMT

#89

i disagree. flash has by far the biggest nature-born talent when it comes to gamesense and is very gifted at crafting new builds aswell. combine this with a mature and strong mindset (which he has only grown recently, which also explains what he was lacking before) and impeccable micro and macro and u get the ultimate weapon. maybe flash will become vulernable and mortal again, but before sc1 fades into oblivion, there wont be anybody reaching the skill and dominance again which flash is exhibiting right now.

he is the "end all starcraft player".
[/fanboyism]

imperator-xy

Germany1366 Posts

May 14 2010 10:41 GMT

#90

its just about his insanse amount of practise

didnt he say somewhere that there was a time he practised over 20 hours a day?

Loffeman

Sweden105 Posts

May 14 2010 11:25 GMT

#91

This thread will seem so stupid after JD crushes him...again

KristianJS

2107 Posts

May 14 2010 11:30 GMT

#92

On May 14 2010 20:25 Loffeman wrote:
This thread will seem so stupid after JD crushes him...again

Yeah man, cause as we all know, if JD beats Flash then all of Flash's other victories this season become wiped from the records.

dtnmang

Vietnam752 Posts

May 14 2010 11:30 GMT

#93

@Loffeman: or will he?
Even if JD crushes Flash, Flash still does well against the whole rest of them.

Beachac

United States278 Posts

May 14 2010 11:43 GMT

#94

btw, in the msl finals, the games ended before any real display of skill could be shown, except maybe the power outage game (good defense by jaedong). game 4 was a joke and game 1 was a muta win. it wasn't a "crush" and this time around i believe flash has an even better chance to win.

Demand2k

Norway875 Posts

May 14 2010 11:44 GMT

#95

On May 14 2010 20:25 Loffeman wrote:
This thread will seem so stupid after JD crushes him...again

If that happends, how will that change Proleague and OSL feats where Flash is still dominating? Explain please

Latham

9560 Posts

May 14 2010 11:48 GMT

#96

I've been a Flash hater since day 1, but not even I can deny any longer that Flash is a phenomenal T. Even if he will lose to JD in the MSL finals, he's still pretty much untouchable for the rest of the progamers in the long run.

hypercube

Hungary2735 Posts

May 14 2010 12:03 GMT

#97

Q: Do you ever get fed up with all the practice? How do you overcome these frustrations if you do have them?
Jaedong: I try not to think like that, so I don’t. If such a train of thought start to cross my mind, I do all I can to set myself straight right away through mind control. That’s how I deal with it. It’s a battle against yourself. There’s nothing to tell apart from the fact that I do what I can to stay focused; little things like writing myself motivational notes, reading inspirational passages from books, and setting aside some time before I sleep for meditation.
Flash: The thought never crossed my mind. The game is so much fun for me, and I really want to win, so there’s no problem doing what I do. [...]

No matter how hard you work it's tough to keep up with someone who just sees it as play.

Mobius

Canada1268 Posts

May 14 2010 14:20 GMT

#98

On May 14 2010 09:29 ella_guru wrote:
+ Show Spoiler +

+ Show Spoiler +

LOL

but yea, there is like no good competition.. not like in 2006 when savior had to win OSL with all the the impressive terrans on garbage maps

0kz

Italy1118 Posts

May 14 2010 14:38 GMT

#99

On May 14 2010 20:25 Loffeman wrote:
This thread will seem so stupid after JD crushes him...again

LOL, what? yes because flash in 2 finals AGAIN,.. maybe winning both this time, domination in proleague, with very matchup record over 70%, dosent mean anything? even if he lost to jd ( wont hapen flash will win msl n osl) how can you say such a stupid thing :D?

On May 14 2010 17:23 dtnmang wrote:
Nah, Flash has only one build order: 9 Supply into Win (the Pocari Build)