[Interview]After the GG: DemiLove regarding his SEA tourney hat trick
After the GG is an interview series where I celebrate a SEA player's moment of triumph, whether the event is local or on the international stage, and try to share their thoughts with you all.
This week I have a chat with Varun '[ESC] DemiLove' Eddy who recently achieved a SEA Hat Trick, winning the SEACraft Weekly #39, the SEAcraft Melee #10, and the Friday Fun Night #42
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You have been on fire recently, which is a fantastic sign with the next round of WCS qualifiers on the horizon. How does it feel to have won a trifecta of SEA events in swift succession?
Feels really good to win 3 events in a row also recently beating EnDerr 2-0 , 2-1 in series. Feels really motivating for practice to finally pay off especially when I've been losing a lot on ladder lately :P especially when I go on tilt but surprisingly I do a lot better in tournaments lol.
You and EnDerr often come face to face on ladder and in tournaments, and those games are usually very entertaining. As I wasn't able to find VODs of the Friday Fun Night matches, could you tell us a little about how those games against EnDerr played out?
Game 1 I went for gasless into speedling pressure which didn't work out so well for me. EnDerr shut it down really well and killed me with claw roaches.
Game 2 I went gasless again and I scouted with a pair of a lings a fast lair from EnDerr without bane nest so I decided to yolo with a ling bane all-in and it won me the game pretty easily.
Game 3 I ended up behind after my speedling pressure did nothing but was able to bounce back after I cancelled his third 3 times and he buttfaced his entire 1-0 roach army vs my 2-1 roaches and I just kept rallying roaches till he died and I had won the game.
Now I am really sad I missed those matches! I was able to watch your matches against PSiArc in the SEACraft Melee #10, however. PSiArc said in his interview with me that he considers you a friendly rival, and you've both knocked each other out of tournament qualifiers in the past. Having seen what PSiArc is capable of against zerg in general, I found your 2-0 domination of that series fun to watch and want to go over those two games in a bit more detail, starting with game 1 on Expedition Lost.
The reason why zerg love roaches on this map:
In the first game the VOD cut off the first three minutes, but you opened with 8 roaches, applying aggressive pressure against his gasless expand. While I know roaches are brilliant on Expedition Lost, could you tell me a bit more about that build in particular? What are your thoughts on how the game played out after that?
after seeing him open with marines i didnt expect gasless 3 cc i expected that 6 min 2 hellbat 6 marine scv pull pressure which is why i opened roaches and the roach pressure did barely anything but my speed roach timing bought me back into the game and the burrow roaches did pretty well!
That hit squad of burrow-moving roaches was delightful. Especially the one hero-roach in the main base, slowly working away at SCVs while the others caused havoc in the natural.
Hey PSiArc, I heard you liked roaches, so I had a special delivery left by your front door...
In game two, while you opened Hatch>Gas>Pool into 3 bases, PSiArc was powering up for a 2-CC assault with marauders and hellbats at around 10 minutes. The kind of thing which just watching gave me ladder flashbacks and in the past given me nightmares for weeks. Watching you hold that push was incredible. Can you tell me a bit more about that match?
I just decided to go for a 5 hatch ling bane allin
I was kinda fortunate and lucky to not have gone to like 80 drones because if I did I would have died so I guess it was a just a bit of luck in that series ^>^
My mind is blown at the idea that anything involving 5 hatcheries can be all in =D I celebrate if I even make it to 4 bases.
The VODs for SEACraft Weekly #39 cut off after Alopex took game 1 off you. There were a LOT of fungals in that first game. Please tell me about the two games after that, and how you won them
Game 2 I held his ling bane all-in with a wall to buy enough time for roaches
I took some damage to my econ but kept my third alive which he had no idea about and I killed him in a counter attack
Game 3 I saw he went gasless and decided to go for a +1 roach timing even though he didn't commit to speedlings that much my counter was able to nearly finish him and my second wave was too much for him to handle.
To win the three events you faced off against numerous strong opponents such as Azure, Strike, Rival, Alopex, EnDerr and PSiArc. Of all the games you played, which player(s) gave you the most difficult and most fun matches?
Playing vs Azure scared me a little as my ZvT is pretty weak atm but honestly playing EnDerr and Alopex gives me a lot of fun playing the game cause I consider EnDerr the 2nd strongest zerg in SEA and Alopex another very strong zerg who can cause problems ; ^)
You're taking wins off some of SEA's stronger Terrans and Zergs, which some would consider a good starting point for the inevitable matches against Iaguz, PiG and/or KingkOng in the next WCS qualifiers. How confident are you feeling for WCS, and will you be making any special preparations?
I'm preparing very hard with the goal to at least make challenger and premier if im lucky. I think PiG might be too good for me But KK will probably be a lot easier to play vs. And if I get to play Iaguz for premier I wanna 3-0 him so badly, I already have practice partners lined up for terran if I have to face Iaguz.
Who knows, we might see THIS against Iaguz. I kind of feel for PSiArc though
Marines take enough damage from Stim without adding this kind of acid trip to the mix.
I am getting even more excited for WCS Season 2 now =D
In the Oceania Starcraft 2 Championship series, you are currently ranked #6 at 420 points. Are there any players ahead of you (such as HuK, Spear, Iaguz, PSiArc, and EnDerr) who'd you'd specifically like to overtake for bragging rights?
Maybe Huk and Spear
Finally, for a bit of fun: are there any shout outs to fans, or call outs to rivals, that you would like to make?
RYAN NXZ JONES I'M COMING FOR YA. Enderr and Blysk you both better watch out for me!
Shoutout to my team ESC Gaming their sponsors and a HUGE SHOUTOUT to the Dankmeme crew! Oh also a shoutout to Zepph! #1 Caster
Side note: I have so much respect for EnDerr . When I got into Sc2 towards the end of WoL I used to hear so much about EnDerr EnDerr EnDerr. I'm surprised that I've gotten to the point where I can take maps off him its surreal!
DemiLove, thank you for taking the time to speak with me today, and congratulations again on the SEA tourney Hat Trick! I look forward to following your run in the WCS qualifiers for Season 2
Thanks for the interview man. Cheers!
___________________________________ #WhyILoveSC2: Writing articles and interviews for the OSC and Exile5.
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