Iron Lady Player Spotlight: Flo - Bunny Cup Winner

ESL Emily 'NyxRose' Rose: Congratulations on winning the first tournament of the Bunny Cup series. How does it feel to have won a two-pound chocolate bunny?
Flo Yao: Thanks! It feels great winning. And fat :3
ESL.NyxRose: Are you planning on eating the whole thing on your own? Or are you gonna share it?
Flo: I promised Aurora, [who] recently won the Iron Lady, that I’d give her an ear. Rest is mine ‘cause I love chocolate.
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ESL.NyxRose: Fair enough! It sounds like it’s the perfect prize for you. So was the Bunny Cup your first tournament win?>
Flo: Nope, I won the 4th ESL Female Cup, which most people know me from.
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ESL.NyxRose: Very nice! It sounds like you're a seasoned champ in the Starcraft II scene. Can you tell us a little bit about your competitive gaming history?
Flo: I've played Counter-Strike 1.6 for 8-9 years, competitively for 2-3, and [I] switched over to SCII last November. So winning the ESL female cup was my first debut.
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ESL.NyxRose: Why did you decide to make the switch from a first-person shooter game to a real-time strategy game?
Flo: I realized that Counter-Strike was beginning to become outdated. I have played Starcraft 1 in the past, so when I heard SCII was out, I knew it was going to be big. So I wanted to make the switch. Other than that, I suppose I'm a natural gamer, open to learn any different genres of games.
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ESL.NyxRose: How did you get so good at SCII so quickly?
Flo: Hmm, I suppose I'm a fast learner when it comes to video games, but practicing is definitely a factor.
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ESL.NyxRose: Do you ever plan on competing at any live events?
Flo: Yea, going to [MLG] Anaheim. And I'm pretty sure I can go to MLG Orlando, hopefully. But I will go to any event if I get the opportunity to.
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ESL.NyxRose: How did you feel coming into the Bunny Cup? Were you nervous at all?
Flo: Felt confident.
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ESL.NyxRose: What would you advise to other players who want to win tournaments like the Bunny Cup?
Flo: Practice, practice, practice. I recommend practice partners, because you get feedback unlike laddering. But both are really good.
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ESL.NyxRose: [In an earlier conversation], you mentioned that you attended NASL this weekend, which I am very envious of! How was that experience for you?
Flo: It was the best experience I’ve ever had. A lot of people recognized me, even Day9. It was an honor to meet all these people including LiquidRet, megumixbear, Diggity, and moletrap. It inspired me to train harder, get my name out there and to eventually make SCII history.

ESL.NyxRose: Maybe one day we’ll see you competing in it?
Flo: That is my dream.
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ESL.NyxRose: With all of these wins under your belt, it seems like it’ll become a reality soon. I’m sure you’ve noticed that a lot of the ESL female gamers are Zerg players. What made you decide to pick the Terran race?
Flo: Hmm… I might have just picked it randomly . Just stuck with it.
ESL.NyxRose: What do you like most about Terran?
Flo: Mules. They are oh so convenient.
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ESL.NyxRose: How would you describe your style of play? Do you tend to focus on macro-oriented play?
Flo: I’m more macro intensive rather [than] micro. But I’d say I do a lot of early harassment into drop play.
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ESL.NyxRose: What would you say is your best match-up currently? Or at least the one you feel most confident against?
Flo: I’ve had trouble with TvP for the past week and [have] been practicing it since then. So, I’d say TvP is now my strongest.
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ESL.NyxRose: What were you struggling with against TvP?
Flo: Against the Toss deathball. I had difficulty controlling my vikings and ghosts, EMP-ing at the right spot, with perfect positioning.
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ESL.NyxRose: Do you have a favorite pro player at the moment?
Flo: MMA and Thorzain <3
ESL.NyxRose: Have you ever found yourself trying out some of their strategies in your own games?
Flo: Yeah, I try out their openings and observe how they react to certain scenarios.
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ESL.NyxRose: If you were given the opportunity to play any pro in the world, who would you choose and why?
Flo: I would want to play Thorzain because he is my idol.

ESL.NyxRose: Do you think you could take him down?

Flo: No way [laughs], but I’m training every day so…not any time soon.

ESL.NyxRose: What are some of your hobbies outside of gaming and training?
Flo: I just hang out with friends, go shopping, etc.
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ESL.NyxRose: Simple yet fun. What are some of your thoughts on being a female gamer in the gaming community?
Flo: People want to see girls play, and I see that as a big advantage in terms of trying to become well known. It is hard in some aspects like being trolled or being doubted, but it’ll only be rewarding when you prove everyone wrong. However, I am competing not only with the girls, but with the guys as well because in the future, I want to be able to break that stereotype and inspire female gamers.
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ESL.NyxRose: Once again, congratulations on your Bunny Cup win! Do you have any shout-outs you'd like to give at this point?
Flo: I’d like to give shout-outs to all my fans, teammate Oscar, my other practice partners, all the people I met at NASL, and my boyfriend for the support, and one for my interviewer!
ESL.NyxRose: Who me? I feel special! Thanks again for taking the time to do this with us.
Flo: My pleasure.