Blizzard Cup Press Conference Interviews by TL

We would like to thank Blizzard for allowing us this opportunity.

As part of the Korean press conference just prior to the opening of the Blizzard Cup, TeamLiquid was able to interview some of the gathered players individually via Skype. Naniwa, Stephano, Nestea, and Leenock were made available for interviews.

Once again, we would like to thank Blizzard for allowing us to participate in the press conference in this way.

Photo by R1CH

Do you feel any extra pressure going into this tournament, because you're representing not only yourself but also foreigners as a whole?

I guess a little bit, but that's how it's been for me almost every tournament so far, so it's not something new.

There's been a lot of transfer drama surrounding you in the last few days. Has it affected your preparation for this tournament?

Yeah, it was happening at a bad time, so I missed a bit of practice there. But I was also in Sweden for a week on vacation, and I came back to Korea three days ago, so I'm still badly jet-lagged. I slept like two hours tonight, but hopefully I can fix that for tomorrow.

You did very well at MLG Providence, beating some top tier Koreans like Mvp and Nestea. How's your confidence going into this tournament?

When I sat down and practiced, after my break, I was still able to beat many of the really good players like Bomber and so on, so I think if I play my best I think I can win. But it's still a very fragile system, since it's best of one, so I can't really afford to make any mistakes.

You've been in Korea for a few months now and you've improved a lot. Do you think you've achieved your goals in going to Korea so far, and how much more do you think you can improve?

Practicing in Korea helps you a lot. You get used to a lot faster game play than in Europe, people do a lot more things, multi-attacks, multi-drops and so on, so you will just become a better player naturally by playing here.

I think I improved a lot but I feel that there is just as much to learn, and I learn a lot every game I play, so I just want to practice hard for Code S to be honest, and there I'll be able to show my true potential.

You have some MLG rematches in your group. Against Nestea, where there was some controversy in your match, and versus Leenock, who you lost to in the finals. How do you think the games will go this time?

Controversy? Hmm, I don't know about that. All that happened that was that it was a ten minute pause, and then a re-game, which affected both of us equally. I don't think it's fair to use that as an excuse at all. Nestea, I expect to win against, but I don't know how much he has practiced and what he has prepared. Leenock, I have a really bad map, but I think it's not impossible, it's definitely doable.

At MLG, you kind of went on tilt after losing a few matches to early game rushes. Have you done anything to make sure that kind of thing doesn't happen again, so that a few bad early games don't affect you mentally?

No no no, I don't get tilted by games like that in general. It's when I have a big advantage and then I let go, and my macro/micro slip and my focus goes away. It's what happened in game two, I held his semi-all-in and I was way ahead, and then I played like s*** basically, I should have won 2-0. I should have won Providence right there, like I should have won TSL long ago. But yeah, I've had two really bad experiences that have cost me a lot of money, so I think now, I know better.

So if you suffer a bad loss in the groups early on, do you think you can bounce back?

It doesn't matter to me in other games if I win or lose the previous match, I just treat each match like it's the same thing, and give it my best.

We haven't seen much of your PvT vs Koreans lately, except vs Mvp at the MLG invitational. How do you think about your games vs MMA and Polt, and what do you think about PvT lately, where Protoss seem to be doing good if they can take it to a macro game?

Practice is going pretty well, I've been in pretty bad condition but I've still managed to take a few games off Bomber so I'm pretty confident. It might come down to build orders and so on, but I have a pretty good guess what they're going to do on the respective maps. I think if I get into a late game macro game, I will probably be able to take it, but it's pretty dangerous on the way there.

I thought Polt and MMA were so-so vs Protoss, but Bomber told me that Polt has a 90% win rate against Protoss, so I guess I'll see. And well MMA, I know he's obviously good, so I'm just preparing for hard games.

With the move to Quantic Gaming you'll be able to play at the Startale house with your friend SaSe. Is this going to help you practice in Korea?

I think this move in particular to Startale will help me as a player. Because at MVP I didn't practice with anyone in the house, and I think that really set me back in terms of how much I could improve, so I think the next coming month will be the real point where I increase my skill a lot.

Why weren't you practicing with anyone at MVP?

Basically, many of the times they weren't in the mood, or whatever the reason the was. When I tried to play in house ranking games with them, they just f***ed around and didn't play seriously, so I didn't really feel the need to play if they weren't going to take the game seriously.

How well do you think you'll do in your group, and if you do make it through, is there anyone you'd like to face in the next round?

Hmm, I would like to face Stephano or DRG. I don't like to predict beforehand how I'll do, but if I play my A-game I'll pass for sure.

You picked the two Zerg players from the other group as players you'd like to face. Is there any reason for that? A few months ago, you were saying vsZ was your worst match-up.

I think it's still my weakest, but it's still not bad. I beat Stephano 2-0 at DreamHack, and I beat DRG 2-0 at Providence, and then I had a pretty bad day at the last day of DreamHack. They're players that I know I can beat, so therefore I would like to play them again because they will have a kind of mental block against me.

Speaking of Stephano, a lot of people are interested him too, as the other foreigner in this tournament. Do you think he's someone who can do good in this tournament, and could he do well in general if he came to Korea to practice?

I'm sure he could do very well, and especially if he came here to practice. But recently he hasn't done so well, so maybe his style is getting figured out, or something like that. When I played him he didn't seem like anything special, I had really high expectations for him, but everyone can have a bad tournament so I am not counting anything out. I haven't played him much, and I don't know enough about him to judge.

Next season, Code-S is changing a lot to be eight weeks long, with best of three in the group stages. Do you think this benefits you?

Yeah, it makes the more deserving player win, and that's the way I want it. If I'm not good enough, I don't wanna win. So that will make it so I have to practice more, and I think the more I practice I will improve a lot quicker than other players, just because I'm not used to practicing a lot. So I like it.

You've played a lot of foreign tournaments in your career, and foreign tournaments tend to be short, playing a lot of opponents over a short period. Do you think you can play well in a Code S style tournament, where you have a lot of time to prepare for a few matches?

Well, Providence was basically the same way, I prepared for one opponent. It wasn't as much preparation time, but at least you could predict who was going to make it and prepare accordingly. TSL was also the same way, and I think I did fairly well in both of those tournaments, so I think preparation style really suits me when I'm motivated enough, which I am right now.

Photo by 7mk

You're one of the foreigner hopes going into a tournament with a lot of top Koreans. Does that give you any extra pressure or motivation?

Not really, I don't care about what people say, when I am in the game, I just care about the game and nothing else.

You performed poorly at your most recent tournament, DreamHack Winter. What happened there that caused you to play poorly and have you done anything to fix those problems?

I don't think you can fix it, I just played really bad. I'm not used to playing like that, I don't have to fix it, it's just one day I think.

You have been streaming a lot of your Korean ladder play lately. Do you think playing on the Korean ladder has helped you a lot?

Yeah, definitely, it's helped me a lot and I've met some of the players I'm going to play [in the tournament] on the ladder. It gave me some information I needed.

What are some of the main differences between Koreans and Foreigners that you felt as you played?

I'd say when a Korean attacks, he always does damage with his units. When foreigner play on the ladder, he will attack randomly without killing anything, so that's the main difference I think.

What aspects of your play do you think have improved the most by playing on the Korean ladder?

I think I improved a lot in micro, and I have to take map control and stuff like that. My macro has always been really good so I didn't have to improve that.

Your stream was popular with foreigners, but it had many Korean viewers as well. Since your opponents might have scouted out your play, do you think maybe it was not a good idea to stream so much of your play before the tournament?

No, I don't really think so. I think that I've really known my play since IPL, everyone saw how I was playing vs Terran and Zerg, and I was doing the same thing at DreamHack. I won't be playing the same way of course, it will be a lot more cheesy, and tricky I think.

Have you got in any custom practice games against specific players for your games?

No, because I don't really trust the Koreans, I was afraid they might share the replays or something like that.

Who do you think is the hardest opponent in your group?

I'd say Mvp, but I didn't really see him play... I wasn't really impressed but everyone is saying he is the best Terran in the world, I will trust that.

How about DongRaeGu? People are saying maybe your ZvZ is your weakest, and DRG has good ZvZ..

Actually my ZvZ is pretty bad when it's against European players and American players, but when I play Koreans, they have a particular style, so I'm pretty good against it. I think I can win against DRG, he's not the one that scares me the most.

Your ZvP has been famous for a long time, so how do you feel going up against HerO and MC?

To be honest against HerO I'm really afraid, because I've talked a lot to Sheth and Ret, and they agree that he's really a beast in PvZ. I don't know how it will go because it's only a BO1, but I'm not that confident.

Against MC, I got a pretty good map, we'll see what happens, but I have some specific strategy for him.

Do you think you'll make it out of your group? And if you do, is there anyone you want to face in the next round?

I have no idea if I can manage to get out of the group, I really don't know. But if I do manage to get out, it will be great to meet Terran, like MMA or Polt.

A lot of people are disappointed that you aren't planning to stay in Korea after this tournament. Why don't you want to stay in Korea for a longer period of time?

You have to be in Korea for at least one month and a half. And to practice for only one game, and to lose that one game and be out of the tournament...

A big topic about you is that you say you plan to quit pro-gaming to continue your studies, and you don't have any long term plans for pro-gaming. How far into 2012 do you plan to pursue pro-gaming?

Right now I have plans to stop around September, when university starts again. But it depends on how I'm doing in the beginning of next year... maybe I will keep going for one more year, but I don't think so.

So does having this kind of time-limit give you extra motivation?

Yeah, yeah, a lot, because I'm telling myself I'm only doing this for one year, so I have to be 100% focused on it, and do my best in tournaments I get into.

Potentially, if ESPORTS continues to grow in 2012 and more money gets into the scene, do you see this as a full-time career you could do for the rest of your life, or at least for a longer time?

Mmm, no, I definitely don't think so. If I keep playing it will only be for making some more money, not to make a living.

Photo by silverfire

You had some losses at the hands of foreigners lately, HuK in Code S and Haypro and Naniwa at MLG. Do you think foreigners are catching up to Koreans?

I think foreign players are quite good as well. I don't think there's a big skill gap, and because things depend on your day-to-day condition, so I think the good players are pretty similar to Koreans.

Leenock has been coming up very fast. Do you think that your seat as the best Zerg player is being threatened?

Still, Leenock hasn't won a single GSL, so I don't feel that much of a threat. And though it would be nice to keep my position as the best Zerg, it's not something I'm that interested in. I just try to do my best in my next game, and the next, and the next.

How do you feel about your head to head match with Leenock? You looked invincible in ZvZ for a while, but you suffered a surprise loss to Bboongbboong in the AoL II tournament. Are you still confident in the matchup?

If I just have enough time to prepare, I still think that I'll never lose ZvZ.

Naniwa is also in your group, and you two had a little run-in at MLG Providence. Your thoughts going into this match?

Well, I think Naniwa is very good. The stuff at MLG, that's in the past. I don't care about that now. He's just a player who beat me before, so I want to properly face him again and win.

How about MMA? You faced off in the last Code S season, where he defeated you. Will the games be different this time?

MMA is really good as well, so I'll prepare a lot... I think the game will be fun.

And the final member of your group is Polt, who was a champion in the past. Are you concerned about his early game rush play?

I think there will be a early-mid game attack, and I'll prepare around that. If it goes to the mid-late game, I don't think I'll lose, so I'm being careful about the early game.

How do you think you'll do in the group stages, and who would you like to face if you make it through?

Well I'd like to go 3-1, but I guess I will have to play pretty hard? As for players I would like to face in the RO6 or RO4... I'd like to play Stephano or DRG in a ZvZ.

You faced your teammate Mvp in the Blizzcon finals. Do you think you two can make it to the finals together again?

I think there's about a 30% chance of that happening. If we go to the finals together again, then I'd have to win this one.

The new GSL plan for 2012 was announced lately, with fewer, longer GSLs and more focus on the GSTL. Do you plan to focus more on GSTL next year?

I don't think it's an issue of focusing on one thing in particular. I'm going to try hard at both of them, and compete in many foreign tournaments as well.

Speaking of foreign tournaments, you recently had a partnership with Quantic that allowed you to compete abroad. Why did such a seemingly beneficial relationship end?

Well, I'm not the head coach, and that's only something he knows. I don't know much about it. Foreign tournaments, I still plan to compete in regularly.

You had a great 2011. Did you imagine you'd have this kind of success when you first decided to come back as an SC II pro-gamer?

I didn't expect it to reach this point, but somehow I got a lot of opportunities and I was able to put out good results. And I'll have to keep trying harder in the future, to get better results.

So what are your resolutions, going into 2012?

I plan to keep going forth, with only championships as my goal. I won some tournaments, and placed second in 2011, and I want to win at least three championships in 2012.

You're one of the older pro-gamers. Have you had any thoughts about retirement, or are you like Boxer in that you want to keep pro-gaming as long as possible?

I want to keep going as far as possible, keep playing as long my passion for the game doesn't cool down.

Any last shout-outs?

I'm thankful to my fans who always cheer for me, and it's because of my fans that I'm able to play hard. I hope you keep cheering me on. Also, thanks to our sponsors Coca Cola and Googims for their support.

Photo by silverfire

You unfortunately lost to Jjakji in the last GSL Finals after a win at MLG Providence. Has this affected your mindset going into the Blizzard Cup?

I prepared for the finals thinking that I wouldn't lose, so I was a bit shocked when I lost. So for the Blizzard Cup, I want to focus and play better.

So is there a feeling that you're trying to make up for the GSL loss by winning the Blizzard Cup?

Yes, I really want to win.

You're one of the rising stars of Zerg lately, and you get to face Nestea in the group stage. Do you think you can aspire to his position as the best Zerg player?

I think I'm still lacking a lot right now, even if I win the Blizzard Cup, Nestea has achieved so much so far. I think I'll have to win two or more tournaments to catch up to him.

Amongst Korean players, what level do you think you are at right now?

Personally, I think I'm on the good side. I think I'm at a high-ish level.

To improve further, what do you think you have to change about your game?

I'm still young, so I think I lack guile and experience, so I have to work on gaining those.

You faced a lot of foreign players at MLG, what did you think of their skill level?

I think the really good players, like Stephano, HuK, IdrA aren't that different from Korean players. But the way they think is a bit different, so I think I'd have to play a lot of games with them to really know.

Let's talk about your opponents. You have to face Nestea, who's known to be invincible in ZvZ. How do you feel about the match?

I'm planning to use some early game build to win the game.

Also, you face two champion Terran players in MMA and Polt. How do you feel about those matches?

I've always been confident against Terran. Against MMA, the map is good so I'm confident as well. Against Polt the map's not that good, but I've beat him a lot so I'm confident.

Are you worried about Polt's reputation for early game gambits?

When I play with Polt I look towards the late game, while defending well against early attacks.

Finally, you face off against Naniwa who you beat in the MLG finals. You won that series with a lot of early game pushes, but how do you think this game will go?

I'm thinking about winning with that kind of early push again.

Do you think you're ahead of him in mind games then?

I think Naniwa thinks he can stop any kind of early attack, so that's why I'll try...

Who would you like to face in the next round, if you make it through?

I'd like to face Stephano, and would like to avoid Mvp.

Any special reason you'd like to face Stephano?

He's a foreign player, but he seems really good. I haven't faced him once in a tournament, so I'd like to play him.

If you made it to the finals then, who would you like to play?

I'd like to play MMA, to get some revenge for losing to him in the RO16 of the GSL.

After FXO acquired fOu, the team has really been on the rise, creating champions and a lot of top class players. How did the FXO acquisition change things?

Well first, life in the team house just became a lot more comfortable. We weren't able to go to foreign tournaments before, but we got that opportunity from it. I think that way our performances just naturally went up.

I've heard that FXO uses a rotation/ranking based system for sending players to foreign tournaments, so will we able to see you at more foreign tournaments in the future?

We go through a ranking system, and because I'm doing well I think I'll be able to keep going to foreign tournaments.

You're a very young pro-gamer, but what are your plans for the future? Do you plan to make this your career for a long time?

Pro-gaming has always been my dream, so I want to be a pro-gamer for as long as possible.

The GSL format changes a lot next season to be longer between games, do you think that fits your style?

Hm, I think that because at worst, you might have to play nine games, it's a bit tough because you have to prepare for that many.

What are your thoughts about GSTL, which will have more weight next season?

Well, the head coach decides who will play, so if he decides that I will be playing, then I'll prepare for those matches as if they were for my individual tournaments.

There's a lot of talk about Starcraft 1 gamers switching over, what do you think about that? Also, if they do switch over, who would you like to play the most?

A lot of SC1 gamers will probably switch over, I think SC1 and SC2 are quite different despite the similarities. They're all be starting from the beginning, and we'll be playing the same game, so I don't think they'll be that different.

Flash is the best player, so I'd like to play him.

Any last comments?

I'm so thankful to my fans who cheer for me. Keep supporting Zerg, and I'll try to show you more entertaining games.