The video is in Bulgarian. This page sums it up in English.
Bulgarian legend Lamer reviews his WCG Bulgaria 2008 final on Othello, Mech on Gaia, TvT against Beast and Vulture raids on Testie, and why Random wins mind games.
- 1 Factory into a fast Command Center in TvPTvPTerran versus Protoss, seen from the Terran side. gives economy and tanks on time.
- Against Reaver drops: Vultures in the mineral line and tanks on the high ground.
- RandomRandomLetting the game pick your race, so your opponent doesn't know it until they scout you. is a mind game: your opponent has to play it safe.
Try these in your next game
Tick a lesson once you have practised it.
What this episode covers
- Grast opens episode 17 and introduces the guest Lamer, several times WCGWCGThe World Cyber Games, the international esports championship with national qualifiers. champion of Bulgaria.
- The WCG Bulgaria 2008 final between Lamer (Terran) and masscata (Protoss) on Othello.
- Lamer's one-Factory opening and fast Command Center, which shut down masscata's Reaver drops and took control of the third base.
- The second game, against Cloud on Gaia: the strength of a positional MechMechA Terran army built from Factories: Vultures, Siege Tanks and Goliaths. army of Siege Tanks, Vultures and Goliaths.
- A classic TvT between Lamer and Beast (Christian Drechsler), with an aggressive two-Factory build and a fight for air control.
- An international game against the Canadian progamer Testie, won with constant Vulture drops and worker sniping.
- Lamer on starting StarCraft in 2001, playing national finals in Sofia, and the team ToT.
- The psychological edge of playing Random and choosing a race for specific maps.
- Memories of games with players such as Beast, Didi8, Other_X, Technics and Nichi.
- A preview of the offline finals of the Bulgarian StarCraft league in Veliko Tarnovo.
Test yourself
4 quick questions on this episode.
1. Who does Lamer face in the WCG Bulgaria 2008 final?
The final is against the Protoss masscata on Othello.
2. How does Lamer open in that final?
The opening gives him economy and Siege Tanks in time for the Reaver drops.
3. Why is playing Random an advantage?
Without knowing your race, your opponent can't prepare an aggressive build.
4. How does Lamer beat the Canadian Testie?
Vulture drops and worker sniping decide the game.
Questions this episode answers
Who is Lamer and what did he achieve in Bulgarian StarCraft?
Lamer is one of the most dominant Bulgarian Brood War players, a multiple WCG Bulgaria champion (including 2008) who represented the country at world finals. He is known for playing Random, his very high Terran level and wins over international stars such as Testie.
What was Lamer's plan in his TvP against masscata on Othello?
He opened with one Factory and a fast Command Center. With precise Siege Tank fire he picked off masscata's early Dragoons, then took a key high ground in front of the Protoss third base and cut off his economy.
Why does playing Random give an edge in competitive games?
When you pick Random, your opponent doesn't know which race they face for the first minutes. That pushes them into a standard, safe opening and stops them from preparing a specific aggressive build.
Full summary
Episode 17 is a special about Lamer, one of the most dominant players in Bulgarian Brood War history, known for playing Random and for his clear wins in the WCG Bulgaria qualifiers. It is for fans and competitive players who want to understand top-level TvP and TvT, map control and the story of Bulgarian esports.
Grast and Lamer go through four key replays from his career: the legendary WCG Bulgaria 2008 final against masscata (Protoss) on Othello, won with a one-Factory opening and Siege Tanks positioned against Reaver drops; a game against Cloud on Gaia with textbook Mech positioning; a close TvT against Beast (Christian Drechsler); and an international game against the Canadian star Testie, won with precise Vulture harassment in the mineral line.
In the second half Lamer talks about how his career developed, the mind games of offline tournaments, and his move from Protoss to Terran and Random.