Impact uses meditation to help top die

Jeong “Impact” Eon-yeong on Liquid’s best late game playmaker – “Everyone is really good. But if I only had one choice…”

So you keep breaking your own record for fastest game time, but what is going to happen if you get to a 60 or 70 minute game? Will you be able to keep the pressure?

“No, we’ll just do the same thing. I think we end fast because we catch enemy’s mistakes. So we just punish really hard. They tried to engage at a bad time and mid was open, so we just killed the nexus. So we are just better than other teams at catching mistakes I think.”

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Oh okay, so you think even in a longer game it’s all about catching them out, and you’ll still be successful in that?

“Yeah, we play 50 to 60 minute games in scrims and are still successful there too, so it’s the same thing.”

Good to hear! But hopefully we won’t run into that and we keep having shorter games, they’re more fun to watch!

“Yeah, but a lot of teams still run that rune, you know? I don’t know the English name.”

Gathering Storm? Do you guys not run that?

“Yeah, Gathering Storm. I think Pobelter has tried it but not me. I just like pressure more.”

But what is going to happen if you don’t get ahead early. You oftentimes have good early games – and Doublelift talks a lot about always putting pressure on enemies when you do have a lead – but what happens if other teams do that same thing to you?

“Well I think today we didn’t do as well [but we still won], so I’m not that scared. Mid or late game we can play better. Today, I played Ornn and I was on an island. They were 4v4 with top on an island, it was fine. And I like that because we didn’t throw the game. We didn’t have pressure, but we know we can win. We can catch the enemy’s mistake, and then we win.”

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So I want to talk some about your role on the team. People often talk about you as being a big tank player, but this season we have seen you on Gangplank twice and Gnar and Vladimir (and Ornn twice now as well). But what are we looking at for your main role, or does it only depend on each game?

“Well everyone says I’m a tank player, but they forget about my old Ekko and GP. I just follow the meta, you know? My champion pool is really good I think. Because in solo queue, I always play on another champion, another champion. So that is why I play various carries too. I don’t know. Everyone says I’m a tank player, but it doesn’t matter. I’m just following the meta. I think if it’s a good champion, I’ll play it.”

So when are you most comfortable? How do you prepare for games and work to get better?

“I think just focus. Sometimes I miss my focus. Sometimes I just can’t see the minimap; I just panic sometimes. My vision is weird because I can’t see my champion, I can’t see the minimap. Sometimes. But last two weeks I didn’t, [I was fine]. I did that two weeks ago versus 100 Thieves, I did it. I cured it now. I changed things. I just drink coffee, because I don’t drink Coke anymore. I love Coke so much, but I gave it up because I think I am losing my brain. Because Coke is bad. I didn’t know it, but someone told me. So just coffee and meditation. I think meditation really helps you focus more. Because for me I’m usually more focused and thinking about how I can increase vision. I do it quickly sometimes too; just one second, two seconds.”

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Oh that’s interesting, short meditations in the middle of the games, I like that. Do you ever do it before the games?

“Not every game, but sometimes. Almost always. Because, in Cloud 9, they taught me some meditation too.”

You have a really good team with a lot of very talented individuals, but who would you put on the pedestal to carry the team in difficult situations? Who is the strongest player in clutch moments when the game is on the line? In late game teamfights or last second split decisions, which player is the most talented in that moment?

“I think me maybe? Because I’m talking so much and controlling waves, though Doublelift is really good too. I’m not sure – everyone is good, everyone is really good. But if I only had one choice… Me.” *laughs*.

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How is playing on Liquid compared to Cloud 9?

“It’s not too similar, Cloud 9 is more family, it’s friends. And I’m close to my teammates, but it’s more doing the job. It’s a more professional thing. I like that because… well SKT does that.”

So you like that it is more of a business then. And does that help you stay focused?

“Yeah and just doing my job. If I’m not bored… well, if I’m not feeling professional, I’m not as focused. I lose focus. It then becomes a boring game, you know? And then I play solo queue and it’s boring and I can’t keep playing. But now [that competitive gaming is more of a professional thing] I play solo queue so much, and I like that.”

Thanks for reading! Find Impact on Twitter @Impact for updates on his fancy dinners. Check back here for more interviews and content! If you’d like to contact me, go ahead and tweet @parkeso. For pictures and stories, follow my Insta @parqueso. If you’re not big into social media, email me at [email protected]. =)