One unknown player was among the Top 32 - UrBaseRBelong2Us, who proved to have a very familiar Terran versus Zerg matchup. Some great replay analysists said that it could be none other than StinGeR, the Norwegian powerful Terran. He ended Top 8, and thereby fulfilled his goal. GosuGamers decided to take a chat with the returned Northern Star.
Why did you decide to smurf in TLTour under UrBaseRBelong2Us?
Name:Bjarte HansenNickname: 
StinGeRAKA:UrBaseRBelong2UsTLT rank:Top 8
- Because I haven't been active in 2 years, and didnt know where my skill was. It was probably the biggest reason, but also because i wanted to keep my strategies secret until the finals. If someone had known i was Stinger they might have analyzed my matches more.
Most people found out that it was you by your Terran versus Zerg style. Could you tell us more about your TvZ style?
- My TvZ has always been my most confident matchup. I dont fear anyone in this matchup outside Korea, and I basically depend much on M&Ms and Vessel. In many games i just go 1 upgrade 3 rax and finish off zergs who feel confident behind their sunkens. In my 3rd game vs iD.ret i played 10 rax 2port dual eng bay, and this is the style I often chose to use, allthough vs Mondragon I saw the oppurtunity to tank push since the positions where fairly close and he chose to take his gas expand. I havent timed that build order 100% though, but I had some experience from the map Vertigo in the ladder where this was a popular strategy TvZ.
You pretty much surprised everyone when you managed to beat iD.ret in the first round. By looking at the GosuBet, only 15% believed in "UrBaseRBelong2Us". Are you satisfied with your comeback and TLT?
- Of course I am satisfied beating two of the current best players outside Korea, and my goal was top 8. I reached the goal and is somewhat satisfied allthough I would have prefered a nicer ending than my exit vs controL. Good work to him though he's beating many good terrans on these hard maps for Zerg. I dont think many was betting on me because ret is very good, and i fooled around in the ladder playing random and picking t sometimes vs zergs i felt i couldnt beat zvz
Also this is even triggered my feelings for Broodwar, but now i have exams coming up and i will probably not be active again unless WCG comes up. I really hope the GG.crew can manage to make an event like last year. It was much fun.
Have you followed the scene anything despite your inactivity?
- Yes I've checked sites like GG.net TL.net Gamingeye, and a norwegian BW forum which is now down. But when there are few events to look forward to thus I havent seen any reason to play. This event however reminded me about the WDT tourney, where almost every top foreign player participated. Allthough players like ZelotITO, Beast, Tomson and many other poland players didnt participate, the majority of the top foreign players did.
Out of the Top 32 when the ladder started, which one did you see as the strongest candidate to win it all?
I think both Mondragon and ret would have done better if it wasnt for the maps.
”
- Mondragon and Assem should be favourites for this tourney, but I think the maps werent very good for Zerg players. Remember there was 15 Zerg players in the playoffs, and only control, and suncow(kinda plays random but oh well) where left in top 8. I think both Mondragon and ret would have done better if it wasnt for the maps. a2 surprised me alot, as i did beat him 3-0 in the ladder but then got 0-2ed in the tourney. It was funny though because he picked zerg at first so i was very unsure and played random and got terran. Im not very good TvT so i lost, and the PvT on Gaema he got close spots + I had to kill my 1st gateway cuz blocked my goons. Very newbish of me but anyway I was kind of amused that he seemed afraid of my PvT, since he picked Z but changed to T in countdown.
Now the playoffs have halted after 2-2 between Testie and Assem. Who of these two players will win, and will he be able to beat Advokate[A2]?
- Well, a2 is very good TvT, but Assem is also very good. I think Assem will win vs Testie, and if he doesnt then Testie might win the whole tournament. My bets go to a2 though since he has one game adventage and he seems to be confident on these maps.
You ended #32 in the ladder. Weren't you afraid that you might not be playing in the playoffs?
- Hehe no actually not, because I was pretty sure some people would not come on the final day, like always. This time however everyone came, and I must admit I was quite lucky to make it then.
Do you see Team Liquid Tour as the next most important tournament (next to WCG) for foreign players?
- Hm yes actually because the event itself focus on 1: Prize money. 2: Foreign players. 3: Competent admins. These are the main reasons why many want to compete in it. If you look at PGT, it is a damn good place for practice, but there is no money in the end, if you're not Korean, and have time to play 24/7.
Have you played any PGT during your comeback? If not, where have you found your games to practice?
- Hmm I played some in the Easter holiday. I went 20-1 with Zerg only. My loss came zvp on Luna vs bbingssina, who i found one week later in top 10 . PGT is a great place to practice because of the MOTW and high level of play, and I guess I'll be playing more there if we get another WCG.
What do you think of the coverage that GosuGamers are having? What do you think of the fact that you can bet on the matches? Have you tried it out?
So far I betted 3 minerals on each of the first round TLT games, and now I have 59 minerals so im doing ok so far.
”
- Gosugamers is doing a really good job covering the event. Im not surprised really as it is imo the best Brood War news site. There are always 3-4 news every day and the admins are doing a great job. The betting is really cool, and i also liked the database. So far I betted 3 minerals on each of the first round TLT games, and now I have 59 minerals so im doing ok so far.
What do you think of the Norwegian scene compared to when you left it?
- I think the norwegian scene has been basically unchanged. Every good player in Norway participated at WCG exept sven and rivan who was on vacation. I hope everyone comes if there is going to be another one :)
Have you had your eyes on any of the GosuGamers Nordic League? Would you have wanted to take part in it?
- Yes i wrote a mail to Zoxxer about it, as I couldnt attend to the qualifier because I was going on a holiday to the Austrian alps. Unfortuantly there was only held one qualifier so I couldnt participate. It's too bad many players doesnt show up because the consept is really interesting. I mean making long tournaments, and introducing totally new maps should make things entertaining, but again I think it's the lack of money in the end that make players act unserious. Thats too bad, but good work for gosugamers for organizing it.
Well, I'm hoping to see you in future events even before World Cyber Games, if not I'll see you then (hopefully)! Thank you!
- Always a pleasure. Thank you and the admins of GG.net, TL.net, Wgtour.com, and PGTour.net for keeping the community alive. Good luck to the rest of the players in the competition, and hopefully we'll see each other on WCG.
Links
GosuGamers.net - Full coverage of TLT2 playoffs