Interview with Gurram

[s]interview[/s]

The Swedish player GO64.Gurram recently became a regular member of Team Sweden and recently reached the 'A-' rank on PGTour, which makes him the 8th best ranked non-korean on the ladder. In the interview we talk about mostly PGTour, but we also get to know that he plays TLTour under the nickname JerBlues.

Congratulations to the 'A-' rank, which makes you the 8th best non-korean on PGTour right now. How does it feel?
- It feels really nice for I have played an awful lot of games this week, especially on Incubus. It is not exactly my favourite map. My goal was to reach A but A- kind of looks the same so I'm happy with that :)

What do you think of the skill level of PGTour ladder? How is it compared to the one at WGTour?
- Once you reach the B rank it gets higher and higher for every game you play even if you face a player with a score of 150-200. Before that it was not that hard. The difference between PGTour and WGTour is that on the World Game Tour you know which players are good and how they normally play. You do not know that on the PGTour ladder, and that is what makes it a lot harder.

Gurram Name: Joakim Ström Age: 19 Location: Sävar, Sweden Clan: Infernal Gamers PGT Stats: 114-55-1

A lot of people say that PGTour is way too boring because of the language barrier and that you hardly talk to eachother and so on; what is your opinion on that?
- I think it is very well, it fits me very well. You play PGTour to increase in skill and get good games - then you are not supposed to talk. I like to smurf on ladders just so you do not talk in games. And there is no friends list to bother you when playing.

How many matches did you approximately play per day during this season?
- I first played up to 'B-' in about a week and a half, but then I played like only two or three of the days with like 15-20 games per day. Then I play better if I play a lot one day instead of go around playing a couple of games per day. That is why I rarely play a few days and some days I play a whole lot. But now the last week I've been playing about seven games per day, but then I have not played every day. If I play really good one day I of course play more then. I usually take breaks from playing a couple of days and then play a lot on one day again. I'm getting lazy these days :)

Du you feel like the 8th best non-korean right now?
- Absolutely not, not everybody plays PGTour. Although, I don't know how many that would make it to 'A' if they don't choose their opponents all the time.

Do you choose your opponents, or do you just keep playing?
- If I would do that I'd be barely 'B', because during the times I play I get to play an awful lot of players who are below my rank all the time. It's really hard to find games, actually. You can't do anything else than to face the first best you find. Of course I had a goal to get to 'A', but to choose opponents gets you nowhere. You play PGTour to face good players and to get better.

How long does it take until you reach 'A' then?
- I wound play any more PGTour this season as there's only seven days left. I don't want do ruin my 'A-' either ;) And then I've got TLT to think about. I was thinking to get to the playoffs with my account "JerBlues".

Let move on to the national team where you recently got a regular place in the lineup. What do you feel about that?
- It feels really good. I wanted to get in to Team SWE but then I thought it was a bit inactivity with matches and so on so I didn't really think much about it. But now it seems like it's active again so it's really fun to be in the lineup.

What do you think of the players in Team SWE right now?
- It looks good, although WhiZ I don't really know - how's the shape? ^^ Maybe he will be back soon, who knows... If they all show up to the matches it looks like we've got a chance to fight amonst the very best.

On Sunday Sweden will face Brazil in a nation war. How do you think it will end?
- I don't know very very much about StarCraft in Brazil, but I'd think we will win it because the only one I know from there is HellGhost[pG]. I think we will win with 4-1.

Okay, thanks a lot for your time and good luck in the future with PGTour, TLT and Team SWE!
- Thank you!

Links
PGTour.net - PGTour 1on1 Ladder Rank
iGamers.free.fr - Home of Infernal Gamers