Low Sabaki vs. Specific Characters

Okay, my fellow Yakuza fam, got a little topic of discussion for you guys.

The low sabaki and it's effectiveness vs. certain characters and combos and combos off the low sabaki.

For those of you who maybe don't know the term, it's the low attack deflect peformed by .

Now, here's what I've found so far...

Pai can be completely locked up with a good low sabaki to counter her string that opens with the low punch, the low kick into high kick attack, both of which are used quite frequently in mixups. I've found that even being somewhat random in throwing it out there leads to successful sabaki's. This is in addition to putting away a telegraphed 2P, though great players will certainly not telegraph it so much as weaker players...but that's a topic outside of this one (what players can I low sabaki with ease? . . . )

At any rate, there's been some other issues with low sabaki I'd like to bring up before opening the floor to other low sabaki stories and tactics:

1.) I haven't tested this, but I've heard from a source that you can low sabaki lion's second hit on his double sweep...i.e. block -> low sabaki...I imagine if it's not a counter hit, you may have enough frames to sabaki second hit even if you get hit by first, but this is assuming that what I've heard is true.

2.) It doesn't seem possible to low sabaki Jacky's low hit in his string kp2kk (that's the best way I can describe that string...it's a kick, a punch (both high I believe) followed by a low kick and high kick. I was playing a guy who was spamming that string and I attempted at least 6 times to sabaki that low kick with no success. Obviously, I didn't win due to my poor judgement to research during a match rather in a dojo. And...laziness has kept me from fully investigating this phenomenon.

So that's what I've heard/found out and I'd like to get your opinions on the low sabaki, when to use it, which characters you think are more susceptible to it or maybe even talk about some mental games you like to play to force a low attack which can be sabaki'd...I think that'd be juicy stuff if you can make someone believe all they can do at a certain point is attack low...with sabaki in tow and a good combo, that could be the end...

 

You can parry Jackys 3K,P,2K,K block or hit but IMO you're much better off just blocking it. If he does the high followup you don't get hit and and you can punish him for that too.

You can also parry the second hit of Lions 2K,K on block or normal hit. Just watch out since that move also has another followup that can hit you. You can also launch the second hit on block with 33P into 80 dmg combo (though I admit, it's hella hard) so why not just play it safe and block.

I just use it sometimes if I catch a habit in the opponents low punches.

I've also used it against Sarahs Flamingo a couple of times. You risk a 3K in the face but you get nice reward against 2K!P+G. You're safe against FL K and P CH's and funniest thing, it makes 2/8P+K whiff and leaves Sarah BT if she goes towards her stomach. EDIT: fucking autosmilies, have to check my settings.

 

I think trying to hit the low tsuamki is a tricky situation at most points, that is if you can really read your opponent very well, even for me it's a hard thing to pull off during an online match.

 

I have found this low sabaki to be useful, but I have had mixed success in landing a launcher after it. For example I was playing Lion and I did sabaki his 2nd 2k. I hit the input for 1+p+k and the range was too far: my Goh missed, and I dropped a really solid combo.

As a result I have been following up with 3,3,p. It still leads to a stable follow up. But I am always wondering if something else could be better. I wish Goh had a mid-launcher with a bit more range. As a result I probably don't use this move as much as I should.

 

The opponent gets pushed futher away if you parry a kick. You get better advantage from that though.
When you parry a kick you can do 6K+G reliably. Dash into 1P+K also works as long as you didn't sabaki at the last moment.

 

After further review, this low sabaki is killer, but you need to know your follow up. After successful sabaki of a punch input 1+p+k. After the successful sabaki of a kick input 6+k+d. Follow with the appropriate combo. I'm a good Goh player and this is a move you NEED to incorporate. I have beaten players a lot better than me with the proper use of this move. (The throw sabaki is another killer move, but that is another story).

 

My best use for it is when people love their 2P, it takes sooooo much life away for a simple 2P. It's really convenient because it more than doubles the damage if they were to actually hit you with the 2P. Other situations seem unconventional, but I wouldn't recommend not going for that stuff. But sabaki-ing a 2P is a big deal itself considering that 2P can turn the tide of a battle so easily OR to create a good offense. But I don't always use this move, I only use it when I find a pattern to my opponents attacks.

 

If 2P or some low move is looking up to be a problem, I'd recommend 9P+K over the sabaki. With the sabaki, you're commited into it and it's easy for your opponent to bait if you get too happy with and then just kill you, but with 9P+K you won't lose that much as it's an strike that goes over low attacks while at the same time beating a possible throw attempt which gives a guaranteed followup with shrm into good oki.

 

I don't use 2P+K+G much at all, I'd rather block, but advising to 9P+K instead just seems wrong.

9P+K can be floated with a jab or pretty much anything.
9P+K whiffs against some of the very moves you'd want to use it against ( more of a problem with those lows hitboxes as this concerns many jumping moves vs those particular lows.
Against slow lows or 2 part lows you can actually land on their low getting hit anyway.
2P+K+G does twice as much damage on success compared to 9P+K

The risks of 2P+K+G are that they can throw you with a direction you aren't using (people throwing from disadvantage is pretty rare though) or that they chose to abare (probably risking it thinking you're throwing) with a huge launch, something you have to live with if want to throw blind pick sabakis around.