Alexander “Ztrider” Ingarv

WCG Seed : 3
Total Q4 Prize Money : $16,500
GGL Q4 World Ranking : 8
GGL 1v1 World Ranking : 5

Q4 Results to date :

2006 WSVG UK : 8th
2006 Quakecon : 3rd
2006 Intel Summer : 3rd
2006 WSVG Dreamhack : 6th
2006 ESWC Sweden : 6th
2005 CPL Winter : 5th

I have to admit, Alex frustrates the hell out of me. I see no other player, Toxic included, with more natural ability in the world, yet somehow, through a mixture of lack of interest and a carefree attitude he has never reached his peak in Quake 4.

His seed of 3 was of course, set some time ago, in fact just after his stunning displays at Intel Summer and Quakecon where only toxic truly got the better of him. You would be hard pushed to justify his 3rd seed at WCG based on his last result however.

When he is in the mood and isn’t playing WOW, Ztrider is truly capable of beating any of the players at the WCG finals, but there in lay his problem. He simply has to be “on it” AND “in the mood” if he is going to compete for the top prize. I would even question if he really wants it, although having spoken to him at WSVG a lot, I was left in no doubt that he wants to win, which makes his form there even more unfathomable.

There are some things that got in the way at WSVG UK of course, notable defeats to Fatal1ty and then to his team mate 2GD (although this could be attributed to something totally different) didn’t help, but his lack lustre display against Fox for 7th/8th place was also a surprise unless of course you accept it was for “only 7th place”, something that I am sure didn’t interest the young Swede one bit.

WCG however presents a new challenge for him and one I am certain he will rise to, if for no other reason than it’s the WCG and even Ztrider must be interested in this one.

His group looks like one he can qualify from too, with Socrates having only just resumed his Quake 4 career (although very impressive at WSVG UK) and Fatal1ty yet to win a tournament (although he did beat Ztrider at WSVG UK recently). With the exception of perhaps Stermy, he has a great chance to qualify and from there show us just how great he can be.

Prediction : Surely must qualify from his group and then anything could happen. Form says he won’t get out of his group, but provided he does, he really does have a shot at a top 3 place and could even surprise us by winning it all, if of course, he is in the mood for it.