mini has been a progamer since 2010, but he didn’t play his first official match until just last season. Before the season began, STX’s coach told us to expect big things from mini, and although he had a rough start, he is definitely one of the most exciting progamers to watch for this OSL.
His first televised match was in the last STX masters cup, where he defeated snow in a pretty tense PvP. Watching this game can introduce to almost all of mini’s strengths: great micro, strong multitasking, and a fondness for shuttles and reavers. While most protoss players will only make one shuttle and 2 reavers in a PvP, mini is one of the few that is constantly producing these units all game, and not only does he not fear using 2 shuttles at the same time, but seems to prefer it.
The micro
While it may be going too far to consider mini some sort of protégé’ of Kal, it is not hard to believe that at least some of Kal’s strengths have rubbed off on mini while they were on STX together. They have an extremely similar play-style, and both have incredibly strong shuttle-reaver control. Look no further than mini’s first official match last season when he played Free on outsider:
Just like Kal, mini’s shuttles seem to become super-shuttles once they are in red health. Not only does he exhibit great harass skills and maneuverability with his shuttles, but he shows off his control quite a bit at certain points in the game when he constantly juggles his reavers with his shuttle to keep the reavers from dying to storms. Mini utilizes speed shuttles to their fullest, putting them on the harass when he can but also bringing them back to support his main army when needed, or to defend from the other player’s harass.
The cheese
Mini is not afraid to cheese. His only official PvT sees him destroying piano with a proxy gateway complete with in-base shield battery.
But mini also uses other unorthodox strategies. In 2 separate PvZs, mini went for a forge FE followed up by 2-gate zeal pressure, delaying stargate tech to put a lot of pressure on the unsuspecting zerg, forcing them to make a lot of lings instead of drones. It is then followed up with 2 stargates to deal with the inevitable mutas:
while his timing was slightly off vs roro (and he was a bit too careless with his zealots), it worked much better a few months later in the ODT against hyuk:
The PvZ
At first it appeared to me that mini would be known for his PvP, where his superb multitasking and micro would set him apart. Instead it seems that his becoming known as one of the best PvZers in the world. After two close losses to roro and jaedong, mini is on quite a PvZ streak defeating effort, hydra, crazy-hydra, hyuk, and action throughout the proleague, ODT, and OSL qualifiers.
Perhaps because he practices with Calm all day, mini has shown incredible decision-making against hydra busts and early/mid-game all-ins. Against effort in the OSL prelims, mini barely held effort’s all-in and eventually won the game, with some good multitasking to boot (harassing effort’s main with zealots and defending from effort’s backstabs pretty well).
Mini later defeated crazy-hydra in the group final, beating down a hydra-bust in the final game and entered the ODT where he went 2-0, destroying hyuk and defeating action in arguably the best game of the ODT:
After beautifully defending against action’s mutas and attempted hydra bust, mini goes on the offensive. He attacks action all over the place with corsairs, speed zeals, DTs, and a shuttle.
Group selection is next week, and while we don't know who he will be grouped with, mini has shown that he will be quite a force to reckoned with. His only unknown is his PvT, where he is largely untested. He has only played one PvT officially (a win against piano), and his prelim record is lacking. But then so were his other matchups before this season. Assuming that mini has improved his PvT as much as his other matchups, he will be a contender to take his group no matter who is there, although I bet he will prefer as many zergs as possible
note: While a lot of our favorite players are already out of this OSL, they have made room for a lot of newcomers. Mini is just one of many fresh faces for this OSL. This very well may be the last OSL, and thus essentially the only chance for so many rookies to ever achieve glory in BW (the only glory that counts). You better believe that mini and the others will be giving it their all this OSL, as it's the only place they can put it all.
although he plays similarly like Kal, he will always be inferior the Kal since mini does not possess the reason why Kal is strong. He does not have the Chin.
I thought this was like a "small" hype osl thread to get us pumped for osl coming but none the less, was cool to read. Just a note though it's outlier not outsider as you mentioned the map where he played free aka pretty[gm]
On May 07 2012 13:39 dRaW wrote: I thought this was like a "small" hype osl thread to get us pumped for osl coming but none the less, was cool to read. Just a note though it's outlier not outsider as you mentioned the map where he played free aka pretty[gm]
On May 07 2012 13:33 icystorage wrote: although he plays similarly like Kal, he will always be inferior the Kal since mini does not possess the reason why Kal is strong. He does not have the Chin.
On May 07 2012 13:33 icystorage wrote: although he plays similarly like Kal, he will always be inferior the Kal since mini does not possess the reason why Kal is strong. He does not have the Chin.
On May 07 2012 15:26 flamewheel wrote: The title got me :D
Not me, I'm a big fan of Mini, hope he goes deep. I'm not sure how long his two stargate shenanigans will hold up though, it's hard to see it working out against a Zerg like Zero in BoX.
On May 07 2012 13:33 icystorage wrote: although he plays similarly like Kal, he will always be inferior the Kal since mini does not possess the reason why Kal is strong. He does not have the Chin.
That's where you're wrong. Kal's greatest strength is his smugness, and Mini has that in spades. Mini fighting! (Been a fan of his ever since he beat Effort and Hydra repeatedly.)
On May 07 2012 13:33 icystorage wrote: although he plays similarly like Kal, he will Always be inferior the Kal since mini does not possess the ReasoN why Kal is strong. He does not have the Chin.
I could see him in Ro4, but it's going to take an extremely lucky draw for him, like getting 2 Zs in his group, then a good match in Ro8. If he meets Flash/Fantasy/Stork though, he's screwed.
On May 07 2012 13:33 icystorage wrote: although he plays similarly like Kal, he will Always be inferior the Kal since mini does not possess the ReasoN why Kal is strong. He does not have the Chin.
nice post :D I have really enjoyed mini's games as of late. Can't wait to see how he performs this OSL! Although, I do expect either our commander bird-toss to take it, or Flash of course. I just really seriously have a hard time thinking about someone beating both of them in a boX in their current form
On May 08 2012 14:34 slappy wrote: nice post :D I have really enjoyed mini's games as of late. Can't wait to see how he performs this OSL! Although, I do expect either our commander bird-toss to take it, or Flash of course. I just really seriously have a hard time thinking about someone beating both of them in a boX in their current form
On May 08 2012 14:34 slappy wrote: nice post :D I have really enjoyed mini's games as of late. Can't wait to see how he performs this OSL! Although, I do expect either our commander bird-toss to take it, or Flash of course. I just really seriously have a hard time thinking about someone beating both of them in a boX in their current form
On May 08 2012 14:34 slappy wrote: nice post :D I have really enjoyed mini's games as of late. Can't wait to see how he performs this OSL! Although, I do expect either our commander bird-toss to take it, or Flash of course. I just really seriously have a hard time thinking about someone beating both of them in a boX in their current form
*points to Fantasy*
touche! Fantasy has been fucking killing it lately
On May 08 2012 14:34 slappy wrote: nice post :D I have really enjoyed mini's games as of late. Can't wait to see how he performs this OSL! Although, I do expect either our commander bird-toss to take it, or Flash of course. I just really seriously have a hard time thinking about someone beating both of them in a boX in their current form
On May 08 2012 14:34 slappy wrote: nice post :D I have really enjoyed mini's games as of late. Can't wait to see how he performs this OSL! Although, I do expect either our commander bird-toss to take it, or Flash of course. I just really seriously have a hard time thinking about someone beating both of them in a boX in their current form
*points to Fantasy*
touche! Fantasy has been fucking killing it lately
On May 08 2012 14:34 slappy wrote: nice post :D I have really enjoyed mini's games as of late. Can't wait to see how he performs this OSL! Although, I do expect either our commander bird-toss to take it, or Flash of course. I just really seriously have a hard time thinking about someone beating both of them in a boX in their current form
*points to Fantasy*
*points to Flash and Fantasy's Bo(>=3) record*
oh nos here comes the kt vs skt fans!!! :D
It's pretty accurate to say that Fantasy's extremely competitive against flash or even has an upper hand in just Bo1's historically, in almost every one of their matches fantasy manages to get the early game advantage in build order or micro execution. It's been too long since they've had a Bo3.
Flash and Fantasy are clear favorites IMO. I hope they meet in a Bo5 --- although it would also be nice to see Stork or Jangbi take a win. Soulkey vs Fantasy would be a great match-up, but we all know what happens in Soulkey vs Flash...
Edit: I wish FBH was in it. That dude is so freaking good.
On May 24 2012 04:52 Palmar wrote: For the love of all that's good watch Mini's game vs Zero in PL. It's well worth your time.
Absolutely. I was impressed with Mini's play.
Indeed, I was giving the SC2 PL games a chance and it still just looked like SCtoo, then I watched Mini v Zero and it underscored how intrinsically better BW is. Mini's looking good, although I stand by my earlier comment it remains to be seen whether he can handle BoXs. Mini fighting!
Holy shit, did not know mini could play SC2, to the point of being STX's ace player. I thought with him being in OSL he'd be one of the players still heavily focused on BW, but he seems to be good at everything he does.
Holy shit, did not know mini could play SC2, to the point of being STX's ace player. I thought with him being in OSL he'd be one of the players still heavily focused on BW, but he seems to be good at everything he does.
He is very young and filled with passion. I can`t say that for Jaedong, Bisu and Stork though because they are way past their primes (but Stork seems to be still in the OSL so I can`t count him out yet). Flash is a exceptional case because he is only 18, if all things continues smoothly that his surgery don`t end up hindering or handicapping his hand eye coordination, he should outperform all SC2 pros.
I truly wish that Mini would take this last OSL against another unknown players to generate a new flocks of fans. There need to be a refreshment of top players.
On May 24 2012 21:36 ZeaL. wrote: Glad that mini is almost 90% sure coming out of the Ro16 so we'll get to see more . Too bad he decided to emerge so late.
Is it that he's emerging, or that others are receding.
Mini vs FlaSh finals. You heard it here first. FlaSh wins 3-2. Game 5 is an hour long game involving mind control, lockdown, and the final nuke that kills mini's last remaining pylon.
On June 06 2012 01:15 FlaShFTW wrote: Mini vs FlaSh finals. You heard it here first. FlaSh wins 3-2. Game 5 is an hour long game involving mind control, lockdown, and the final nuke that kills mini's last remaining pylon.
If that happens I will donate you one of my kidneys. And happily so also, since it would be awesome!
EPT![[image loading]](http://img.dailygame.co.kr/news/201203/attachments/20120311_fe30710f89703e616085a0dc002dbb13.jpg)
mini has been a progamer since 2010, but he didn’t play his first official match until just last season. Before the season began, STX’s coach told us to expect big things from mini, and although he had a rough start, he is definitely one of the most exciting progamers to watch for this OSL.
Calm all day, mini has shown incredible decision-making against hydra busts and early/mid-game all-ins. Against effort in the OSL prelims, mini barely held effort’s all-in and eventually won the game, with some good multitasking to boot (harassing effort’s main with zealots and defending from effort’s backstabs pretty well).
. Too bad he decided to emerge so late.
