[Interview] GSL July Code S Champion

NESTEA


Thoughts on the win?
I’m extremely glad to be the first player to win 3 GSLs. The games went very smoothly, without many unexpected variables. When I was up 2-0, I felt like there was no way I would lose game 3, so I considered the score 3-0. I had primarily prepared for the 4th and 5th games, so at that point I felt a 4-0 victory was well within reach.

In game 2, you used overseers effectively to block your opponent’s production.
I had planned to use this strategy in game 5, but every time I went to attack in game 2 I was pushed back. I thought about it, and even if my opponent blocked my overseers he would still take damage, and plus if I won game 2 with overseers then I might never see game 5. So I felt like unleashing this cheese in game 2 would be the best choice. If I hadn’t used overseers, it would have been tough to secure the victory.

This was a teamkill game, and during the pre-finals interview LosirA sounded pretty confident.
I think he was trying to hype up the series, and that’s pretty qt. In practice, I knew this day would come, so I kept a couple strategies hidden.

With your third GSL win, you are now first in the GSL point rankings as well as total earnings. Which are you happiest about?
Being top in GSL points, because it means I can participate in more competitions.

How do you feel you are different from other zergs?
I don’t know either. I just hope to get some rest; I think I’m getting old, heh. Although if I don’t seize my opportunities right now, I don’t want to think about what my future will be like. If I don’t work very hard while at my peak, it’ll be tough to survive in this scene, so I’m continuing to put in extraordinary effort.
Although there are a lot of players who work extremely hard, I don’t think any work harder than me. I don’t travel anywhere for fun, and I really hope to get a break. My practice partners say my worker count is always higher than other zergs’, so I guess that would be a difference. This isn’t a secret so much as a habit.

In game 4, you used an extreme strategy to win the game.
Originally, if my opponent expanded in game 2, I would have played like this. This cheese was something I prepared beforehand. LosirA loves to take expansions stealthily, so this cheese was designed to attack that weakness. Even if my first wave didn’t take the game, I felt that using management like in game 2 could still net me the win.

And your reason for not using banelings?
Everyone has his own style, whether it’s banelings or roaches, and the winner is decided by who plays better. I already knew my opponent’s tactics, so that wasn’t much of a hindrance. Who uses which strategy doesn’t matter as much as who uses his strategy well.

Could you evaluate LosirA’s play briefly?
Today’s tactics were ones I hadn’t ever displayed before. It’s possible that because he was facing these for the first time, he didn’t respond well. Although LosirA’s play did leave me somewhat disappointed, he was no small challenge to beat.

What if other players start using the strategies you used today? [T/N This question translation credit to Telcontar]
There are builds which can beat them. I would be thankful if they did use it.

About how many new strategies did you prepare?
I couldn’t possibly use these except against an opponent of LosirA’s caliber. These were all tactics I had researched beforehand, but I was never able to use them. However, the only secret weapons I’ve saved are the ones I won with today.

Some worry that because of the dominance of the swarm, terran won’t be nerfed for some time.
I have three wins, so I really shouldn’t be talking about nerfing terran or anything like that; it’s kinda awkward. To be honest, ZvT is pretty tough, but it’s not impossible. We shouldn’t blindly call for terran nerfs before investigating and researching the matchup more.

There hasn’t yet been a player to win the GSL twice in a row.
As a progamer, the only possible goal is to become a champion. To become a champion, I work hard. I won’t look at what’s already happened, only at what is still to come.

The players MC and MVP who are competing with you for the title of #1 player are catching up fast.
As long as they don’t meet in the finals, I won’t let them catch up to me. I’ll eliminate them if they advance. Right now, I’m #1, so I shouldn’t have anything to fear. [T/N I think NesTea sounds a bit arrogant in my English translation – I apologize, because his tone sounds less arrogant in the Chinese and I couldn’t find a better translation]

A lot of players want you to pick them in the upcoming group selection.
I’ve read all the interviews where players say that, but I won’t pay much attention to it. I’ll pick who I want to, although I haven’t yet decided who. I’ll think about it after I go home today.

Anything else?
I want to thank Horror, TSL_RevivaL, and the other players who practiced with me. They all helped me train an incredible amount, especially Horror, who even came to my home to practice. These guys have worked so hard. LosirA got the silver medal, but he’ll definitely have more shots in the future, so I hope he’ll keep on training. Lastly, I’d like to thank IM’s sponsors. In the future, we’ll definitely achieve even greater things to repay your support!