In November 2012, Elfi's sponsorships ended, and in April 2013, he joined the Finnish team, Ence eSports. Elfi left ENCE eSports on the 20th of February, 2014. He is currently teamless.
2012 Top16 IEM World Championship Finnish eSports player of the year 2012 WCS: Finland Nationals Absolute Arena Invitational LANTREK'12 ASUS ROG The GD Invitational
2011 Top8 Assembly Summer 2011 Top8 IEM New York IEM Guangzhou 2011 WCG Finland National Finals IeSF Finland Qualifiers ASUS ROG Stars Invite
How do you see the current game balance between the three races?
Hmm, hard to say. I don't think this game is yet played at really high level like WC3 or SCBW, the game and the balance is still under a constant change, but overall I would say Terran is the best race.
Shouldn't be hard to understand what he said in the finnish interview to the same question even without translation: + Show Spoiler +
On September 05 2011 02:30 HolydaKing wrote: it's arguable if he was the best finnish wc3 player satiini wasn't all bad either! just wanted to say that :D
also: sign me up if you want, i like him! never been bad mannered afaik
hmm, I wasn't that into the WC3 scene so dunno exactly but Liquipedia said he was the best. ^^.
Of course I'll sign you up! You're the first non-finnish fan except for me LOL ^__^
On September 05 2011 02:29 Snettik wrote: sign me up . An old but funny interview http://powergaming.com/article/feature/9. The funny part is how much they softened elfis opinions on the english translation :D. For example in the english interview + Show Spoiler +
How do you see the current game balance between the three races?
Hmm, hard to say. I don't think this game is yet played at really high level like WC3 or SCBW, the game and the balance is still under a constant change, but overall I would say Terran is the best race.
Shouldn't be hard to understand what he said in the finnish interview to the same question even without translation: + Show Spoiler +
Terran on v**** imba...
Elfi himself wrote the answers to those questions in Finnish and English. I just edited them a bit to resemble proper language but the answers were quite different to begin with.
Also, sign me up! I've been a huge fan ever since his Power Gaming days :D
On September 05 2011 02:49 s0mnium wrote: Btw Elfi won the Finnish qualifiers for the IeSF 2011 World Championship event.
^- this. I don't think there's much info about that event, but I think it's worth putting in OP as upcoming events, since it makes it up to 4 recent qualifications to big LAN events.
On September 05 2011 03:09 Ouga wrote: Oh, there was similar LAN qualification for that IESF thing as was for WCG. 8 finns invited, elfi won. Suppose it's worth noting as "achievement".
On September 08 2011 22:30 Routa wrote: Elfi left virus due to communication and finance issues. Finnish Newsarticle
Can someone translate this article? :oo
I hope a great new team picks him up after all his success!
One of the best Finnish SC2 players Samuli "elfi" Sihvonen has decided to leave the French MGO Virus Gaming. Everything was looking fine for elfi just a week ago, when elfi qualified for both IEM New York and IEM Guangzhou. For now elfi has not found a new sponsor that would take him to these competitions.
In any case elfi has already secured two foreign tournaments. He will be travelling to the IeSF tournament in Andong early next month as well as the World Cyber Games Global Final in December which is held in Busan.
Comment from elfi:
Lack of communication was the biggest reason I decided to leave Virus. I couldn't get any info about their sponsors even after asking about them several times. The last straw was when I was booking flights to the IEM tournaments. I helped to book the flights myself, but no one from the organization did anything or confirmed that I could go. Right now I don't have any new org in mind, though I've had a few teams to contact me already. We'll see how it goes from here.
elfi will be seen playing offline next time at the IeSF Finals in Andong, South Korea.
On September 08 2011 22:30 Routa wrote: Elfi left virus due to communication and finance issues. Finnish Newsarticle
Can someone translate this article? :oo
I hope a great new team picks him up after all his success!
One of the best Finnish SC2 players Samuli "elfi" Sihvonen has decided to leave the French MGO Virus Gaming. Everything was looking fine for elfi just a week ago, when elfi qualified for both IEM New York and IEM Guangzhou. For now elfi has not found a new sponsor that would take him to these competitions.
In any case elfi has already secured two foreign tournaments. He will be travelling to the IeSF tournament in Andong early next month as well as the World Cyber Games Global Final in December which is held in Busan.
Comment from elfi:
Lack of communication was the biggest reason I decided to leave Virus. I couldn't get any info about their sponsors even after asking about them several times. The last straw was when I was booking flights to the IEM tournaments. I helped to book the flights myself, but no one from the organization did anything or confirmed that I could go. Right now I don't have any new org in mind, though I've had a few teams to contact me already. We'll see how it goes from here.
elfi will be seen playing offline next time at the IeSF Finals in Andong, South Korea.
Wait does this mean he won't go to any of the IEM events? T_T
On September 08 2011 22:30 Routa wrote: Elfi left virus due to communication and finance issues. Finnish Newsarticle
Can someone translate this article? :oo
I hope a great new team picks him up after all his success!
One of the best Finnish SC2 players Samuli "elfi" Sihvonen has decided to leave the French MGO Virus Gaming. Everything was looking fine for elfi just a week ago, when elfi qualified for both IEM New York and IEM Guangzhou. For now elfi has not found a new sponsor that would take him to these competitions.
In any case elfi has already secured two foreign tournaments. He will be travelling to the IeSF tournament in Andong early next month as well as the World Cyber Games Global Final in December which is held in Busan.
Comment from elfi:
Lack of communication was the biggest reason I decided to leave Virus. I couldn't get any info about their sponsors even after asking about them several times. The last straw was when I was booking flights to the IEM tournaments. I helped to book the flights myself, but no one from the organization did anything or confirmed that I could go. Right now I don't have any new org in mind, though I've had a few teams to contact me already. We'll see how it goes from here.
elfi will be seen playing offline next time at the IeSF Finals in Andong, South Korea.
Wait does this mean he won't go to any of the IEM events? T_T
On September 08 2011 22:30 Routa wrote: Elfi left virus due to communication and finance issues. Finnish Newsarticle
Can someone translate this article? :oo
I hope a great new team picks him up after all his success!
One of the best Finnish SC2 players Samuli "elfi" Sihvonen has decided to leave the French MGO Virus Gaming. Everything was looking fine for elfi just a week ago, when elfi qualified for both IEM New York and IEM Guangzhou. For now elfi has not found a new sponsor that would take him to these competitions.
In any case elfi has already secured two foreign tournaments. He will be travelling to the IeSF tournament in Andong early next month as well as the World Cyber Games Global Final in December which is held in Busan.
Comment from elfi:
Lack of communication was the biggest reason I decided to leave Virus. I couldn't get any info about their sponsors even after asking about them several times. The last straw was when I was booking flights to the IEM tournaments. I helped to book the flights myself, but no one from the organization did anything or confirmed that I could go. Right now I don't have any new org in mind, though I've had a few teams to contact me already. We'll see how it goes from here.
elfi will be seen playing offline next time at the IeSF Finals in Andong, South Korea.
Wait does this mean he won't go to any of the IEM events? T_T
Don't know really but it could. Both WCG and IeSF trips are paid by the tournament organizers so it's safe to say he'll go to those at least.
On September 08 2011 22:30 Routa wrote: Elfi left virus due to communication and finance issues. Finnish Newsarticle
Can someone translate this article? :oo
I hope a great new team picks him up after all his success!
One of the best Finnish SC2 players Samuli "elfi" Sihvonen has decided to leave the French MGO Virus Gaming. Everything was looking fine for elfi just a week ago, when elfi qualified for both IEM New York and IEM Guangzhou. For now elfi has not found a new sponsor that would take him to these competitions.
In any case elfi has already secured two foreign tournaments. He will be travelling to the IeSF tournament in Andong early next month as well as the World Cyber Games Global Final in December which is held in Busan.
Comment from elfi:
Lack of communication was the biggest reason I decided to leave Virus. I couldn't get any info about their sponsors even after asking about them several times. The last straw was when I was booking flights to the IEM tournaments. I helped to book the flights myself, but no one from the organization did anything or confirmed that I could go. Right now I don't have any new org in mind, though I've had a few teams to contact me already. We'll see how it goes from here.
elfi will be seen playing offline next time at the IeSF Finals in Andong, South Korea.
Wait does this mean he won't go to any of the IEM events? T_T
Don't know really but it could. Both WCG and IeSF trips are paid by the tournament organizers so it's safe to say he'll go to those at least.
I'm going to be so sad if both Mana and Elfi pulls out of this T_T IeSF will be sick with both Elfi and Grubby tho ^__^
There are rumors that you are playing with your feeds on the table. Is that true?
Elfittaja: Well kinda. When I am practicing I guess I play with feet on the table, but when I'm playing serious games, I have my feet only on another chair. I play in kinda weird position.
I can't seem to picture this in my head. How can you put your feet on the table while you play?
There are rumors that you are playing with your feeds on the table. Is that true?
Elfittaja: Well kinda. When I am practicing I guess I play with feet on the table, but when I'm playing serious games, I have my feet only on another chair. I play in kinda weird position.
I can't seem to picture this in my head. How can you put your feet on the table while you play?
I went to sleep after Elfi vs Idra (it was 6am, what do you want me to do? ^^.) feeling really good, I now waked up and saw the results. So happy! Go Elfi, I knew you could do it! Glhfyo! ^__^
I'm not familiar with him and was rooting for idrA, but I have to comment on here and say that he played amazingly in IEM. I'm definently gonna look out for him in future tournaments, some really sick play he was doing against greg in the grand finals of IEM.
On October 04 2011 22:24 claash wrote: you are cute and i like you a lot but you won all of your games due to cheese and BOs.... im happy for you but hasu deserved it more to be honest
On October 04 2011 22:24 claash wrote: you are cute and i like you a lot but you won all of your games due to cheese and BOs.... im happy for you but hasu deserved it more to be honest
If you can win Nada with BOs and cheese then there is no reason not to go for funky BOs and cheese.
On October 04 2011 22:24 claash wrote: you are cute and i like you a lot but you won all of your games due to cheese and BOs.... im happy for you but hasu deserved it more to be honest
The winner of a series or a game is the one who deserves to win. Yes, I'm a fan of elfi, but the same logic applies to every game, especially in a bo5 series. Hasuobs deserved to win vs dimaga although many people might argue that dimaga is a better player. Idra deserved to win the finals against elfi because simply put, he played better in the series (and is overall a better player, atleast for now). And so on.
And one does not simply lose only one series against the likes of idra, jinro, strelok and hasuobs with cheese and build orders.
On October 04 2011 22:24 claash wrote: you are cute and i like you a lot but you won all of your games due to cheese and BOs.... im happy for you but hasu deserved it more to be honest
You're cute but this is elfi's fan club and the winner ALWAYS deserves to win. And btw elfi has one of the best PvP out of korea right now, did you follow him once before saying this shit on his fan club ?
He has a really good chance to make it to the IEM finals again now since all the Koreans are on the other side of the bracket. I would even say that elfi is the favourite against Killer, TT1 and Gatored.
He looked really ill when playing against Axlav though. Hope he feels better tomorrow. GL and make us Finns proud!
Haha! I was literally laughing when I heard the commentators even mentioning elfi and underdog and pvp in the same sentence. I've watched elfi's pvp vs MaNa and in several online tournaments. I was almost shocked HuK managed to take 1 game off of him, but still. 3-1 is good! HuK is one of the best foreign protosses there is! ggwp elfi, I wish you the best of luck in the tournament. Sign me up for the fanclub btw.
On November 04 2011 20:42 NKsc2 wrote: Haha! I was literally laughing when I heard the commentators even mentioning elfi and underdog and pvp in the same sentence. I've watched elfi's pvp vs MaNa and in several online tournaments. I was almost shocked HuK managed to take 1 game off of him, but still. 3-1 is good! HuK is one of the best foreign protosses there is! ggwp elfi, I wish you the best of luck in the tournament. Sign me up for the fanclub btw.
Much love for my lovely Elfi <3 He destroys protosses left and right, i am really happy that you won Huk because i think you're much better than him(at least in PvP) and people underrate you
You're Awesome ELfi - don't listen to the haters. Americans will always be proud of themselves and think they are the centre of the world. Ignore the hate - and keep being baller - well played vs Huk!!!
Elfi, ignore the haters. This is just like what happened with cruncher and idra. If you're a relatively unknown player beating a favourite, you'll get hated for no reason. It's disgusting but that's how the HuK/IdrA fans are. Nobody bashed idra for roach ling all inning Thorzain. Evidence of how retarded 99% of the HuK/IdrA fans are
On November 05 2011 22:00 NKsc2 wrote: Elfi, ignore the haters. This is just like what happened with cruncher and idra. If you're a relatively unknown player beating a favourite, you'll get hated for no reason. It's disgusting but that's how the HuK/IdrA fans are. Nobody bashed idra for roach ling all inning Thorzain. Evidence of how retarded 99% of the HuK/IdrA fans are
Calling 99% of fans retarded for the actions of some is in itself retarded.
5 PvP's in a row won today in the TSL qualifier, if he wins this one guaranteed another one too, potentially against his kryptonite BabyKnight... You can do it Elfi! Win 8 PvP's in a row and qualify!
Two pretty tough losses for him against Naama and Life, being only one win away from sweeping both series.
Hoping all the best for the future. One of the very few Finns atm that can give other quality players around the world at least a good fight if not beating them.
I think Elfi's given me a bit of hope as well. You've got this guy who isn't a speed freak, doesn't spend hours upon hours upon hours practicing like the heroes of Broodwar, he just chills and pulls results out of nowhere. I like his mindgames too, trying to trick life into thinking there was a cannon rush coming his way by putting up pylons around his nat.
The line between pros and not pros has shrunk thanks to elfi :D
Out of curiosity, I know it's not a good matchup for him being that he is a high level Terran Korean, but how many people here would like to see Maru vs. Elfi for the amusement of the matchup
If Elfi couldn't bear fighting someone named Maru, I'd understand, but it is still I think a funny idea for a showmatch
Elfi fighting! Sign me up! Elfi is just so much fun to watch. You never know what he is thinking and he always amazes people with his play. Those of you who don't know who Maru is, he isn't the SC2 player instead he is a youtube celebrity, a cat. Elfi is known to watch maru videos before matches.
I was just watching Elfi's stream. During a ladder match JonnyRecco just said the game must be broken if people like Elfi can win. I like Elfi's relaxed mood and his ability to just laugh comments like that off and not let it get to him or retaliate. Keep it up Elfi!
he's streaming now, and I've learned quite a bit about PvP just by watching him play 2 games against Welmu, the rationale behind 4 gate stargate 1 base, and how proxy 2 gates SHOULD look
Damn that 3-way tie Such a great run taking down really strong opponents but it still was not enough. Well, elfi will take WCS EU season 2 then I guess :D
On June 17 2013 10:17 Acer.Scarlett` wrote: ahh? Liquipedia has shown him as advancing for sure through groups earlier after beating taeja/ thorzain.. ><
I saw the same thing when I was at work.. was really disappointed not seeing Samuli advance.. loved watching his play ever since IEM Guangzhou in 2011. Can always count on him beating at least one Korean every tournament he enters.
Funny that elfi beat forgg in the dreamhack seeding match. They play against each other a lot while streaming and forgg usually types "ezpz" or similar in his chat when he wins, and he tends to win a lot against elfi on stream compared to other players. Is there a link to the vods?
On September 18 2013 22:22 Acer.Scarlett` wrote: Do you peoples think I should add a fan list of people who "sign up" like in some other fan clubs? I see many are typing sign me up around here
On September 18 2013 22:22 Acer.Scarlett` wrote: Do you peoples think I should add a fan list of people who "sign up" like in some other fan clubs? I see many are typing sign me up around here
Do it! And add me to the list.
Alright, done ! Took me a little longer than expected
Today I learned the Scarlett runs Elfi's fan club, time to get myself added to both of their fan clubs :D Elfi is so awesome that not a tournament passes without him being mentioned in some way
I love that Scarlett referenced my favourite bo5 of 2012 on stream, elfi vs Life in the TSL. It's where I fell in love with Life and went to second base with elfi's play.
Goodluck at ASUS ROG Elfi!!! - - My wife and I will be watching and supporting you!!!! Your Group is Hard....But we think you have the ability to beat them all!!!
Nice showing in LANTREK'14. Not the biggest thing ever, but still a cool 750e after going 6-1 against Welmu, 3-0 against Serral (who has been a difficult opponent to him recently) and 17-1 overall.
Oh dear Elfi my friend!!~~....My wife and i just saw that your WCS Challenger match is against San...
I know this is really unlucky to get paired off against him...considering his PvP is unholy and genius at the same time....(Stardust 3-0 and Dear 4-0 ???)
BUT we think you can beat him!!~~ really really!!~~ I have been watching Patience's stream and you have been beating him quite convincingly...stay positive... YOU CAN DO IT!!!!!!!!!!
On February 05 2014 12:14 Ljas wrote: Stardust and Dear play what the unbelievers call "Good PvP". San can be as good as those people as he likes, but Elfi is an entirely different beast.
I agree...Elfi's PvP is truly one of the best in the world... along with Dear, San, Stardust and cj herO.
On April 09 2014 20:24 CutTheEnemy wrote: Elfi is fantastic, and such a smart guy and good learner. What is his background and how many hours does he play? Does he stream daily?
He played WC3 before he started sc2 not really sure how good he was tho. He streams often, almost daily. You're right he is great learner and people who play protoss should learn from him how to get better because his play pace is really slow compared to other pro players so he has to outplay his opponents in other areas like decision making and other smart play. He is also ladder monster. He has pretty much as many games played in season as Kas and Happy who are known for playing thousands of games in ladder.
Back in challenger league after the second qualifier. Nice job.
Also a pretty good showing in the Copenhagen Games even though the semifinal against Happy was quite rough. Was nice to hear Pekka and you getting quite a bit of support there.
Basically it reads that hes going to get an education of a coach from a school that basically trains sports coaches and shit. Hes apparently going to get a 2500€ stipend for his studies from the finnish esports association. He is aiming to be the first professional esports coach in finland.
On January 26 2016 23:34 cactus555 wrote: for what game?
It wasnt specified. Just esports coach was mentioned in the news, so id guess hes gonna do many games