[Interview] 2012 GSL S3 CodeS RO32 Group E Winners

How do you feel advancing to ro16 for the third season in a row?

I thought it would be really difficult but that wasn’t the case. Practice makes perfect.

You’ve been teamless for about a month

Ex-oGs players are still communicating with one another and practising. There is no major problem. I’m also staying with TeamLiquid players so there is no problem with practice.

Are you looking for a new team?

I am and I have received a fair number of offers. However, I am not satisfied with them yet. I feel like today’s match was very important. As more people acknowledge my skill, it makes it easier for me to get better contracts.

Are you at a stage where you can name a team that appeals to you?

Not quite (laugh). However, there is a certain standard I want. As soon, as they meet that, I plan to join. A salary is important but so is participation in foreign tournaments. I get bored playing in only the GSL.

In your game against Sniper, you dropped the first Set after getting ahead.

I had a small advantage but messed it up after trying to end it too quickly. I became so angry after losing Set 1. I’ve lost games like this in the past. Still, I was able to calm myself and play at my best.

Lately, Terrans are having trouble against Zerg.

It’s so hard. I tend not to speak about balance but TvZ is really a nightmare. I never even said a thing about TvP back when it was considered lopsided. At the time, I felt I had a solution. But not TvZ. I was able to win today only because the stars aligned for me. I can’t think of what to do for TvZ and even in practice, I get a win rate of around 20-30%.

In your winner’s match against Ganzi, you weren’t looking great early on.

The secret is being relentless. I’m not too confident about my TvZ but it’s a different story for TvT and TvP. I was confident about advancing even if I were to drop the TvZ. Not losing my calm was the key.

You are in line to get the next Nestea award.

I certainly want it but it does fill me with regret. If I had started Starcraft 2 just a tiny bit sooner, it would have been the “Supernova” award (laugh). Still, I’m happy that I’m the next person to receive the award and very proud. This is the first time an award was named after a player, so it’s too bad it couldn’t be me but it’s a meaningful award and I should be able to at least get one before the end of the year.

Your goal for this season?

This is season is the season when I prove my worth. I will try harder than ever. I practised really hard for today’s matches as well. I hope a great team is watching me. I work hard and play well.

Anything to add?

I haven’t been playing well for a few days. I left on a trip last weekend and got back yesterday afternoon. After taking a break like that, I seemed to be playing better. I think it was the right choice. I hope all former oGs players settle down well. I want to do well this season. I’m line to receive the Nestea award but otherwise, I haven’t achieved anything significant. I will work towards bigger things this season.

How does it feel to advance to ro16 four seasons in a row?

I take meaning from that fact that I’m consistent. It’s too bad it’s not ro8 for four seasons in a row though.

You started today by losing to Ganzi

I wasn’t feeling my best. I was nervous and tired. There were many mistakes made. I was also tricked and the games were difficult to play. It felt like I was suddenly a worse player.

Weren’t you shaken mentally after your defeat?

I played terribly. I just calmed myself down by saying to myself that I could make up for it in the loser’s match. I remember advancing from ro32 in second place several times. It seems that I have to drop a match to get a hold of myself.

You attended MLG. Didn’t you expect to do better?

I did but at MLG, DRG always holds me back. I have beaten him in the past but the record still isn’t great which worries me. Next time, as long as I beat DRG, I should win the whole thing.

You took down Sniper in the loser’s match. How is your PvZ lately?

Once Zerg has their late game composition, it becomes considerably more difficult for Protoss. I played practice games on Atalantis and if both players play passively, it becomes very hard for the Protoss in the late game. I was winning maybe 1 game out of 10 on that map in practice. So, I decided to use an old strategy to win today.

In your final match, you used blink stalkers aggressively

In Set 1, Ganzi kept moving out with his marines. So I went blink stalkers to take them down. In Set 2, he walled in. In that case, blinker stalkers work even better. I actually planned to use this strategy only on Antiga Shipyard but improvised on the spot in Set 1 on Cloud Kingdom.

Recently, a Webtoon involving yourself has drawn a lot of attention

Initially, I was worried about what people would say about my girlfriend or my practice habits. However, everyone was very positive. There have been two issues so far. At the moment, the plan is to release five issues but the author is thinking about doing more if the reaction is good. I hope more people follow and support this.

LG-IM is out of the GSTL.

I saw all of the games. I really wanted to participate so it’s too bad. I wanted to play alongside Nestea and MVP. It was even worse because all their losses were against Zergs. I hope we get to team up for next season. I hope IMHirai isn’t too down about this.

Did you watch KeSPA players play at MLG?

I couldn’t catch all of their games but did watch the first and final games. I watched from the hotel. It seems that Flash has improved considerably. I watched Proleague today and Fantasy seems a lot better too. I think they’re improving so quickly because they’re talented. I think maybe by next year, it’ll be a level playing field. I feel that the top players from both games are already about equal at the moment. I’ve played against Flash and Fantasy and they’re extremely good. I was surprised.

You are very generous in your evaluation

I just said what I felt. Players who were good in Starcraft 1 are definitely good in Starcraft 2 also. I get the feeling that they’re working very hard.

Do you want to do well in OSL?

If I manage to qualify, it’ll be my second OSL. I was eliminated embarrassingly from the last one. I lost to Fantasy that time so I hope we meet again in Starcraft 2. Honestly, I don’t think he has any chance of holding my blink stalker all-in at the moment. (laugh). I really want to face him in OSL.

Your goal for this season?

It’s always the championship. Not that I’ve been getting close (laugh). I think I can get to at least ro4 if I get lucky with the groups in ro16. I’m feeling good about my play and I’m planning to focus on the GSL after going abroad so much. If I fail to do well again, I’ll be disappointed in myself.

Anything to add?

I want to thank my girlfriend and my mother. I’m also grateful to the author of the Webtoon. Not that I’m sensitive about it or anything but people seem to think of me as the all-inner. The only reason I used an all-in today was because I was certain it would work. I don’t all-in unless I am absolutely certain it will work. Anyway, I hope people enjoy my play.
Starcraft 1 fans and Starcraft 2 fans seem to be bickering lately but I’ve been a KeSPA player and we’re all the same. The players get along just fine so I hope the fans do as well. Please enjoy both leagues. I hope no one bashes the KeSPA players because they are working so very hard.
Also, I plan to give away my old keyboard to whoever makes the best sign for ro16. I was going to throw it away but my girlfriend suggested that I give it away. It’s not broken, I’m just replacing it. It’s a very good keyboard and quite high end as well (laugh).