Observations from the Foco Grind Session 1/30/23

ICYoyo vs Olive

https://www.twitch.tv/videos/1723568805 2:57:39 to 3:40:30

Game 1- I maintained the lead for a majority of the match and ended it at low % on my last stock. Started the game with a nair combo. It’s dangerous to use projectiles to poke at Mythra. Her speed is too good. I got an unconventional kill against Olive with another explosive flame covering the ledge at just the right time. I’m wondering how much of my success versus Olive is getting those wacky kills. 

Game 2- Olive starts using a lot more Nair. He opens up with a decent lead. He starts using Down Smash to catch my landings. I can’t attack him easy when he’s d smashing. I suppose I might be able to land right on top of him and dair but, then he can start up smashing which will lead to the same result. I choose to land aggressively versus him a lot because of Pyra’s ledge trapping, but he shows that becomes very dangerous at certain %s. 

He was getting a lot of mileage from just moving around me so freely. If I threaten nair more, that will either get him to hit for reckless movement or make him start to play more reactively which gives me more openings. He wins pretty convincingly. 2 stock. 

Game 3- I open up with a lot of aggression and chasing. I take the first stock from just chasing him around and not giving him a moment to breathe. 

He catches one of my rolls when I was pressured on the side of the stage. In the future, I should mix up how I move when in that situation and which side I go to. The center stage is the goal, but if I die for it, it’s not necessary to go there immediately.

I land into him a lot in stock 3. I can go to the ledge in these scenarios. Yes, 2 frame pyra dair is a possibility, but it’s better odds. Lost the game.

Game 4- Lost my first stock for picking a predictably timed ledge option. Gotta start mixing up my ledge timing. 

I notice I go for too much explosive flame at ledge. It does work sometimes, but the timing is so hard to get perfect and aggressive chases with nair are easier and can lead to more stocks. Also dairs. I think at higher %’s it’s probably better because it’s so non-commital, but I need to get these kills. 

I did a good job of keeping him off-stage after the final neutral interaction and I made a great read on an air dodge in. 

Game 5- We play pretty even, he gets some good pyra advantage. I known not to land of pyra, but he knows that and chases with an up air as I try to drift center stage. I should just go to the ledge. 

I think I might have just lost this game because instead of going off the ledge to edge guard, I use auto-reticle. I need to go out there more. 

He wins in a Pyra up-b from ledge. 

Summary. I don’t actually even think I was playing off in retrospect. Our set was this close last time in bracket. Sorry to disprove my own main article, but yeah. There are definitely things I can do better and I think a more accurate assessment is that Olive made some good adaptations this time. Excited to see where it goes next time. I’ve got some more tools. 

Sorry for only doing the single set, but it was a good one and I have to eat before this tourney, so get fucked reader… JK thanks for reading.