Axl v. Chipp

[Shoto]

Chipp

Basic strategy

You don’t know this matchup, you die! While this is true all matchups, it is especially true for this one. This matchup is about avoiding as much of Chipps offensive options as possible, blocking a lot and waiting for the few chances to gain the initiative. Chipp has more options to move in and to avoid trouble than any other chara of the cast. So be prepared for the hell of a matchup!

Zoning

The only range where Axl can truly outzone Chipp is about the max range of 2P. Here he can’t use his tripple jumps to avoid all of your anti air attack ankles and he can’t simply teleport in as you will hit him with 5P before the startup or it ends.

In this range he will try to come nearer trough FD brakes and jumping manouvers while not trying to endanger himself. While he should find his way in quite fast try not to hand it to him but do not already get hit while doing so!

Should you get the idea of running up to allow you more mixup (like trying to get in a distance for a max range 3P) you will experience that all that Chipp needs is a short reactonary dash.

So actually you should use stuff like: short dash, jump back or airdash back; jumping up, than double jump back; jumping back than jumping forward to get in reach for j.S etc. Through this you hopefally bait him into moving and let him actually do the the "last step".

Should he react with jumping or airdashing at you while you are trying to make him move on the ground keep him at bay with a j.6P.

The only way you should think about getting in is with stuff that leaves with a clear advantage. J.S or even a deep j.6P may help you with that. In some situations even stuff like a running 6H will be an option but just don't try to push anything even that I agree that it is quite hard to efficently opperate in that range against Chipp and not getting either too risky or too repetitive.

If you make the wrong decision he will end up close, where you don’t want him. Neverthelss you can still block and work from there, so don’t risk too much trying too keep him away.

Btw.: Whenever he gets in reach for his j.D don’t even try to Anti Air him as he will hit you nevertheless in 99% of cases.

Neverthelss keep in mind that because Chipp is that fast, he has to make decisons “earlier” than other characters. He may be too fast to allow you to counter his running in on you on reaction, but actually he can’t react to you as well. If you see him running up form certain key distances you can use S(f) even that he is not at range when you input the move, but he will be there when it gets active. On the other hand should he just want to do a running jump or IAD you should be able to block. I know this is vague but right now I don't know how to put this whole concept in words :P.

Teleports

For teleports while not pressured just try to react to the sound of them. It is just too fast to react on sight and if he FRCs them they are actually perfectly safe.

I’m not too sure what the best options are so I’m looking forward to discuss this in the forum^^.

Considering the reward the teleports that make him appear in the air in front of you or in your back seem to be his first choice. 2S could be an action as it will always come out no matter which side he ends up. 623P may be one as if he crosses you up 214P should come out! I heard rumours that airthrows should work as well but I just can’t pull it of reliably and thus are very sceptical about it.

I have to admit that this is a guess since he could use one of the teleports that leave him groundbased, but they should not realy allow him to directely punish you (?). Nevertheless should he start baiting a reaction just stop doing it^^.

Anti Airs

Chipp can actually come at you in ankles that you can't cover and many of his moves even beat your 6P (for example his drill kick). He even may use his tripple jump to get out of your vertical range.

Once he is in range for his j.D don't try to beat it with any offensive option, as it will give him a CH which allows him to combo.

623P or even 214P (if he comes from a distance like with an IAD) may be options, but just don't ever try them when he still has the option to double jump (especially not if your cornerd) as he may just let your counter whiff and then punish you (even that you may ocasionally get away with a 623P).

Nevertheless him having to use vs catches tactics may give you some room to move as he with that limits himself and has to leave gaps which may allow you to escape (the same is true for DAAs). But be cautios with them. Don't spam them and never do them without having an "idea" why he should attack.

When I started leraning this matchup I nearly never used them at first since I didn't knew enough of Chipps options to counter them; and still when I try to really rely on them I usally have gotten desperate! They just have to be present enough to appear as a solid thread to him (actually I started writing a paragraph about using catches so if your lucky you can find that one in the General Tactics thread).

Defensive tactics

Wakeup

623P and 623S are even worse options to break free in this matchup than they are in others; or lets say even "more situational". Chipp is faster than any other chara which allows him to run up and still attack meaty in situations where you would’nt exspect it, so there may not be the gap you need for 623P to get active or for getting a safer shot with 623S. I don’t say that such situations are not there but they are the exeption not the rule and you need some vs. Chipp experience to see them.

Should he start to bait your DP in such situations make use of the FRC, since this gives you an aditional rushdown attempt (or a combo should you hit).

Nevertheless he has lots of good low options which still leave him with the advantage, so he need not even care for your Uppercut as long as he can make sure that his move will end up meaty.

Then there is teleport okizeme where he will switch sides and where it gets very hard to figure out if he can still get away before you stand up. Furhtermore this will fuck up your DP inputs so the only option in that situation you should think about that exept blocking is throwing him should he end up in throw range with his last teleport.

Crossups

IMO Chipps has the best crossup options in the game. As he doesn’t really get better combo options if you’re up against the wall he may be even more dangerous midscreen than in the corner. With his FDC Drill Kick he can change to mometum of his jump allowing you to attack from the back or from the front.

Now he will try to make them as ambibious as possible. GG allows you to block you in both directions for the first few frames after your opponent crossed you up. This means should he be too fast with his crossup, it doesn’t matter which direction you block. So if you’re in doubt if he goes for a fake crossup or a real one just consider it fake. Should the attack still cross you up chances are good it was too fast and you can block it either way.. but if it was a fake one, you will get hit if you tried to block it as a real one.

One aditional remark: should he air throw you in the conrer he can go for a crossup even in the corner; usually he will go for Alpha Blade (TK Alpha Blade?) which allows him to go for a high damage follow up combo.

Getting rushed

If he rushes you block low and look for overheads: His 6K and his 5D. Actually the 6K only gets interesting if he get a CH with it as then he can combo from the wallbounce, so as long as you don’t try anythig stupid this move will only get interesting if your guard gauge is flashing (and should he end up to near after it just throw him).

Against his leaf throw the best thing you can do is jump forward and air throw him on reaction, jumping up with j.H may work also. Just don’t try to jump out doing nothing, as then he can simply airthrow you.

Apart from that the main thing Chipps rush is based on are frame traps. Actually as you have no fast poke to get out you should not even be tempted to try anything. Use FD to create gaps and let him work. Just stay cool once the guard gauge starts flashing: This is something that you can’t completely avoid fighting Chipp.

Should he try to push it too much and start using IADs to get in again just air throw him. You have more time to do that than you would think as long as you await it.

The most harmles of his mixup is a simple throw setup. Should you anticipate it and see him running up go for 5K, 2D rensen FRC; either you get a combo or the initiative.

Tech Traps

In this matchup you will learn how to tech the right way or you will loose!

There basically are two kinds of traps he may utilize:

1.) The first on is the basic air throw tech trap where he simply throws you if you recover at the first possible moment. If some of his air combos end in the corner he can even save his tripple jump, let you recover, than jump and catch you for a free corner knockdown. In this case either recover and imediately double jump or simply tech the airthrow. Keeping this in mind when you come to the situation is the hard part.

btw.: If you’re not absolutely sure what you're doing, don’t tech OTG Gammas! He want’s you to tech so he can airthrow you. He can go for a little combo from it but as the damage is down to 25% and as it will allow you to instantely recover afterwards this is not what he wants! If you tech chances are good you will be airthrown scoring him some extra damage while still having the knockdown.

2.) Whenever you end up in a combo which lets you recover so high up in the air that you can’t see Chipp, let yourself fall down first and TECH ON SIGHT! Should you tech too high up in the air he can run in your direction an wait for you when you get down. There he can do stuff like nail you with standing punches, which you have to block with FD and as he can chain the move into itself it drains tension like nothing. Should you run out of tension he will follow up with an air combo; even if you’re tension should suffice he ends up having the initiative. So always wait till you can see him again, then decide how to tech and how to double jump / airdash afterwards

Btw.: Should he come near you in the air and force you to block he can basically setup the same manouver: He can delay some of his moves so that he falls down faster than you and will land before you. Then he may start again with 5Ps.. (start to FD as soon as he lands)

Offensive tactics

Once you got the initiative it pretty much gets back to standard. Just keep in mind that Chipp players have learned to avoid risks at any costs, so be sensible but keep the mixup high! Should you get a combo in against him (at least for 214 catch or throw combos) going for the knockdwon is in most cases the best choice: Keeping the initiative is worth the lost damage against an agile character such as Chipp.

His Uppercut isn’t really that great. See the General Information thread for information how to deal with it; while Axls 2K doesn’t duck it both 3P methods (avoiding and baiting) work great againt him: As his beta blade has no good horizontal reach it will whiff in most cases and even if you’re a bit off with your late meaty timing you will at least get a clash.

One thing you should now is that he can combo from his DAA should he get the wallbounce so if you see a situation where that is possible and he has 50% tension try to work with DAA baits without being to obvious so that he won’t see his chance to escape.

Pros:

- Axl can get damage from every succsesfull action which Chipp can’t

- Axl already does good damage which gets even better thanks to Chipps low defense modifier

- Axl catches make Chipps Cross up attempts (as long as they are not done as okizeme) always a danger

Cons:

- Chipps incredible good movment makes it hard to zone him out

- Once he gets in medium range nearly all of his moves outpritize yours

- Close up Chipp can use adittional pressure patterns without risking too much as Axl just doesn’t have the tools to poke him out

My opinion:

Hm.. I think I still go with 5:5. Maybe a small adavantage for Chipp but as I don't have the feeling I have understood everything there is to understand about this matchup I can't say that for sure.

[JEKKI]

I spent like almost $2 last nite getting effed up by this dood playing Chipp. how is Axl and Chipp even?? I do not see how he would be any easier to deal with than Millia. any tips I should kno for next time???

[Sking]

Well from my experience with millia I don't have that many problems if I keep millia away but chipp is another history, I don't know if all chipp players play the same but I always pokin with 2s, 5p, 2d and 6k because chipp is always jumping and chipp don't have anything that reach long so the only way that chipp can make damage is to getting close and if you manage to keep chipp away and landin the anti air combos you'll be okey

[Digital Watches]

To add to that: The main problem I have with Chipp is his ability to easily get into Axl's worst positioning: Right above him. I believe that Redbeard, Shoto, and I have all discussed options in this scenario in the strategies and tactics thread. Learn that stuff well, because it's absolutely essential against a chipp.

[Shoto]

Right above him. I believe that Redbeard, Shoto, and I have all discussed options in this scenario in the strategies and tactics thread.

I guess that was in the Slash thread, which has been lost due to Trag starting that Auto Delete Program a few weeks ago..

Jesus.. I could write books on that matchup, but I actually don't have the time.. so right now some totally random stuff I can think of (not even in order, forgive me); maybe more after the weekend.. If you have specific questions ask.

- No 6K if you're not absolutely sure it will hit. You whiff it Chipp will be even able to run up and punish you from more than a screen away. As Chipps j.D will at least trade with 6K or 5P using these as anti airs in close range (to get a combo afterwards) is nearly impossible.

- If Chipp is going for a crossup that you just can't figure out always block as if he wouldn't cross you up: Should he really have crossed you up chances are good he will still hit in the frames in which you can block in both directions, but if he hasn't you will have to block it right.

- Don't recover from OTG Alpha Blades, you'll get air thrown and still get the KD.

- Should your Chipp player have the habit to air dash at you out of pressure strings air throw him. Honestly there is no scenario in which he could be faster than you (so good Chipp players use this stuff extremely seldom).

- Clever recovery is a big issue in this matchup. If you end up high in the air (so that you can't see the ground and the enemy chara anymore) try to be a bit random with your tech. So tech back and airdash forward or use a double jump to delay time and change position. If he guess right where you landed he will be directly under you and start pressuring with stuff like 5P which you have to block with FD (what costs a lot of Tension or if it runs out first results in another combo). Nevertheless he has to guess as he can't see his position as well, so as long as you vary your tech you should get away with it. if he is away from you, you can keep him away with j.S should he try to close in

- As long as he is in range for 5P he should not get away with a teleport in long distance. Against teleports. Should he ever land directly behind you with a teleport you can always throw him (exept he just forced you to recover low to the ground or if he does it as okizeme).

- You can block nearly everything low (as long as he isn't jumping / airdashing at you). He only has two overheads: the first is as part of his rekkas (the one he can do after the firepunch or that red flashing low kick). If you block it you can punish with 5K, 2D, rensen [FRC]. Should he FRC it throw him the instant he lands (that is if he doesn't pressure you with an air move first). So this one is another option he will use seldom. The second is his 6K, that strange "drop kick". If it hits but gets no counter, just keep blocking, he can't combo from it. If it hits on CH it gets wallbounce and allows a high damage follow up. So this is an option that you always have to await if your guard gauge is flashing! Should you block it even gives Chipp a -1, but I'm not too sure how to utilize that.. hm will work on that next time I play against one.

- If he likes to do his Beta Blade (Uppercut) on wakeup use the stuff I wrote on baiting uppercuts (General Strats Thread). As Chipps Beta Blade has no good horizontal range he is quite vulnerable to ambiguous whiffed 3P as Okizeme (and it's even very easy to force a clash if you do 3P meaty). If you succeed punish with a combo of your choice^^.

- If he does corssups as okizeme block them, don't try crazy stuff. The only chance you have is a reversal 623P catch (214P won't get active in time) but the problem is if he crosses you up it kills your inputs.

- 214P has autoturn, but only use it against obvious crossup / fake crossup attempts done from range. If you start countering stuff during his rush he just has to double / triple jump and gets a free combo (or if he does his downward spiral move high enough in the air that you can counter on reaction)

- After he did the firepunch that is usually a good point to jump out. He can do the kick right away but if he dosen't RC it, it won't combo (and I guess he can't RC it on reaction). So usually all you're risking is the damage you can get from the kick. His firepunch gives him disadvantage which he can only overcome if he cancels in the low kick or the overhead kick. Nevertheless the kick gives him even more disadvantage..

- FD really helps. Actually his Sweep will beat everything in medium range but if you pushed him out of that distance you can try 2P or 2H (use 2H to punish if FD made something of his moves whiff). Does he tend to air dash at you in such cases, air throw!

- Movement is the key in long range. Short dash forward, jump back with j.6K or j.S, double jump or whatever. Don't allow him to cover the distance just because you kept running up and he just did the same. 3P seems to be a good idea as it will hit even if he does a short dash brake, but remeber what I said about his 2D? He will try to bait low moves over which he can airdash to punish you. So rely on 2P over 2H as in most cases you should be able to block even if he jumped over you. Being Airborne when he teleports seems to be quite a good choice but I'm not sure if you can do that on reaction without being hit in jump startup (at least I have problems to air throw him out of normal teleports and should he FRC it definitely is impossible).

- Be extremely careful with 623S. Chipp can start his rush from a low hit without any problems. Against Crossups is fails as well as if he crosses you up your inputs will be killed. I

- If you throw him or countered him go with the combo that knocks down. The chance to nail him is worth the lost damage.

- Chipps frame traps are bitter.. even for charas with fast short range pokes.. Axl does not even have this. So don't try to poke him out in that situation. Only use 5K (,2D) if he starts running at you at least slightly out of range (in that case he is likely to either want to run in close for a low hit or to go for a throw attempt). For the rest work with FD, if there is small gap try to use (1frame) jumps or backdashes (but only if the BD will get you out of range for Chipps 2D)

[JEKKI]

geez thanx man that's a lot of knowledge. but yeay, the main problem I did have w/ Chipp was his getting rite above me. I need to learn to be better with my move inputs to counter that.

[Digital Watches]

Good stuff, Shoto. I was hesitant to field that one, as I hardly ever get to play against good chipps.

[Shoto]

Writeup done.. needs an update or two but this is what I have right now.. Now come on Chipp players tell your secrets and opinions here^^