It would appear that during my stay in sunny Seattle for the Penny Arcade Expo, I picked up one more souvenir than I intended (I'm looking at you, Harmonix). Yes folks, that means the incomparable H1N1 flu strain that is currently keeping it extra real across this vast continent. So, since I am currently under doctor-ordered isolation for the next 10 days, I thought this might be the right time to see what the hell the blog portion of this website is all about. Today's topic (I don't even know if I'm doing another one, honestly): Basic Abel theory for Street Fighter IV. None of this is new, of course, and will mostly serve to organize my thoughts on various parts of the game that I've only been playing by feel up until now. So, let's get started:  
  
Those Damn Mixups - This is where I tend to do most of my damage, but I've never taken the time to really think about the steps involved and the odds for and against myself when applying them. I'll start with the most basic Abel mixup, which starts after Abel dashes in on you after a forward+forward step kick. So: let's say you've got Ryu, and Abel is hovering around the tip of your sweep range. You throw the sweep and whiff, which allows the Abel player to inch forward and step kick up into your grill. You block the kick, and it's even frames. A standoff begins, and you either:

• Shoryuken. This loses in a big way to blocking and perfectly timed EX tornado throw, but beats regular tornado throw, neutral jump, and any normal. High risk, high reward.
• Block. This loses to tornado throw, and protects you from normals, but doesn't get you out of the mixup. Low risk, mixup continues.
• Hit a button. If it's a jab and timed correctly, it beats regular tornado throw, any of Abel's normals, and neutral jumping, but loses to EX tornado throw. If it's anything else, it's getting stuffed and you're getting hit repeatedly and you don't escape. Low to average risk, and a chance to escape. This is a solid option if you've got a fast jab.
• Throw. This loses to regular tornado throw and neutral jumping, but can beat some normals. Gets punished especially hard by neutral jumping. Similar to an uppercut: high risk, high reward.
• Neutral jump/jump back. This handily beats all tornado throws, blocking, sometimes neutral jumping, and sets you up to counter Abel hard, but loses to many normals and Abel's air grab. If you get hit while attempting to jump out, the mixup is either reset, or you get put into a different mixup.
• Backdash. This keeps you safe from all of Abel's options after a blocked step kick, but if the Abel player did nothing afterwards, you're just going to get step kicked again, or possibly swept. Safe, but doesn't get the Abel player off you.

 
While this represents the first step of the mixup only, it serves as a good example of typical Abel mixup. While it doesn't appear especially powerful on paper, in a match you're forced from footsie range into this decision in under half a second. Also, consider the damage potential from each possible outcome: Abel's high stamina and damaging attacks make this mixup favorable for him in almost every situation. When Abel's got you by the short hairs, remember to stay calm, mix up your escape attempts (if he sniffs out of a pattern, you're boned), and above all, don't mash.