Ok I did some lab work tonight vs Chun but this can be applied to most any 3 frame jab character.
Optimal things to do in neutral:
Fish for knockdowns with cr. mk buffered into HK SA at long range. You will be trying to punish their pokes or walk forwards. Only Chun’s cr. kicks really beat it at long range, so if she starts sweeping just wait for it and block to punish with HK SA. As they get closer st HP buffered will work as well and is sometimes better than cr. mk because of the faster start up and hit priority. You can use st mk also to try and keep them out, but you really want to be going for the knockdown. Once you get the knockdown with HK SA you can go into a meaty setup like below. Sometimes just hitting V-Skill slightly after the HK SA will catch them on the other side if they aren’t ready for it or mashing jab also. It’s great if you hit the v-skill as you can do st hp into V-trigger combo for some serious damage.
Optimal meaty setup:
After a HK SA knockdown you can do an immediate dash into one of the frame traps below for a meaty hit. The timing varies slightly by the button pressed and if they are doing a normal or back recovery. You will have to set these up in training mode to learn the timings. A meaty will only hit if they press a button like jab. If they do EX Spinning Bird Kick you will be punished so you will need to vary when and when not to go for a meaty. Be aware of their meter and see what they like to do on wake up. Usually if the first two times you counter hit their jab or they noticed you hit a button on their wake up they’ll usually EX Spinning Bird Kick the third attempt or if they’re near KO, so it’s a good idea to just dash and block sometimes. If they do nothing on wake up and just block you can go into frame traps like below.
Optimal 3 frame traps:
Since Chun has a 3 frame jab and Chun players tend to use it a lot to stop Cammy, the below strings are setup to counter jabs being mashed in between your block string. These strings assume you have no meter or V-trigger, but obviously add them to the combos if you have them to increase damage/stun.
cr mp, cr. lp (CH), st hp xx HK SA - 176 dmg 339 stun (best stun and follow up potential of the frame trap options)
cr mp,cr. lp (CH), st hp xx HK CS - 192 379
(Puts you at perfect jump cross over distance if cr mp, cr lp is blocked, however most Chun’s can anti air it if they walk back so use it only if they are turtling hard or have bad reactions)
cr lp, b+mp (CH), st Hk xx HK SA - 216 dmg 330 stun
cr/st lp, b+mp(CH), st Hk xx HK CS - 240 370
cr. lp, cr. mp (CH), cr. mk xx HK SA
cr. lp, cr. mp (CH), cr. mk xx HK CS
st mp or v-skill, cr. mp (CH), cr. mk xx HK SA - 197 dmg 330 Stun
st mp, cr. mp (CH), cr. mk xx HK CS
Now that we have some good frame traps to use against Chun lets look at what we can do if they block everything.
**Optimal setups if they block the frame traps: ** (This is assuming they have learned to stop mashing jab)
If you notice they have started to block all of your meaty setups, as they have learned you are counter hitting their jab everytime, then this is where you can start trying for grabs. I recommend doing this after you first test for meaty/frame trap hits, as a grab does little damage and puts us back at neutral (basically where Chun wants us). It’s important to vary things up. Use the three different frame traps above to keep them guessing when it’s their turn, but sometimes you’ll also want to do just the first hit of the string and attempt a grab (tick grab). This is to keep them on their toes and forces them to start having to tech the grab or push a button we can counter hit. Keep in mind they can go back to mashing jab at anytime to stop your grab, but if they do just go back to doing frame traps instead.
Once they start teching your grabs (or even before) you can start employing shimmys. Shimmys are where you appear to be going for a tick grab, but instead do one hit and walk backwards a small amount to watch their tech grab attempt whiff. You then immediately walk forward to either grab them or hit a button like st mp or st hp into a combo to punish the whiffed grab. You can also shimmy to make jabs whiff, but you have to be face to whiff punish jabs. With Chun specifically you have to use a medium button to push yourself far away enough so that you have enough time/space to walk back before she jabs, otherwise she will put you in a block state before you can walk back. This sometimes will throw off the Chun player making them stop hitting jab so you can walk forward grab or they will hit another button that you can potentially counter hit with your st hp. The whole shimmy process happens in about 30 frames or a 1/2 second. So try to visualize you doing a cr. mp then a slight walk back, chun’s jab whiffs, then you hitting st hp to counter hit it all in about that time frame.
Ok so you’ve done all of this and they are still blocking everything and managing to tech all of your grabs making it impossible to get a hit in, so what do you do now? DIVE KICK!
Optimal dive kick setups:
EX instant dive kick (It’s too fast for Chun to react to honestly making it our only true free way in against Chun. It cracks that egg so to speak). This can be attempted after any blocked string above or when you think they won’t be expecting it. Basically why this works over the other options above is after you’ve finished your frame trap string the Chun player believes it is her turn to attack as she has successfully blocked your attacks, but instead you jump over her attack and counter hit it with a fast dive kick. On block you usually have frame advantage if you hit it near the waist or below so you can follow up with a jab/grab or in some cases a mp if you know they like to grab after a blocked dive kick for a counter hit combo (I like st mp, cr mk, HK SA if farther away or st mp, st hp HK SA if closer to connect). If the EX dive kick hits you can go for a follow CS, st HP, or a jab xx instant dash to cross under for a mixup.
Cammys regular divekicks work as well, but dive kicks can be anti aired by Chun’s st lk if they are ready for it (however not everyone can react that fast so definitely test to see if they have a good anti air game). On hit or counter hit you can go for a st lp or cr mp combo depending upon where you hit Chun. You’ll have to test this out for yourself to learn the ranges and timing, but I tend to go for below the waist and follow up with a lp or cr mp xx HK SA on counter that allows for another meaty/frame trap string.
Note: A lot of people tend to grab after a blocked dive kick as if you grab it will sometimes beat their jab if they mistimed the punish or they won’t punish and you’ll get a free grab. If you notice they are grabbing or teching your grab attempt after a blocked divekick or if you hit them too high to be safe you try doing a CS to punish. It won’t always work but it will teach them to respect your divekick if they keep trying to grab after every time they block it. You can also shimmy after a dive kick if you hit it about thigh high.
Below are a few more optional setups against Chun, but are harder to land or are situational.
Optimal Anti Air against Chun
Chun’s jump is very floaty so it’s easy to anti air with b+mp (follow up with dash to cross under), cannon spike, or st Hk (follow up with CS if counter hits). If she does instant air lightning legs after one of her strings, a LK cannon spike will beat it clean. Cr HP is also very effective at punishing it if you are having trouble doing the CS input in time.
Optimal cross up against chun: (also beats jab mashing)
If you happen to get over a Chun player try these combos
jp lk, lp, b+mp, st Hk xx MK SA 225 373 end in CS instead if in corner for 243 403
or if you prefer the easier option jp lk, cr mp, cr mp xx HK SA 212 345 works as well.
Optimal regular jump in against chun:
If the Chun player has no anti air or is poorly timing it this combo works great (only have to hit it twice to stun Chun)
jp Hk, st mp, st hp xx hk CS 292 500
(I use the HK over the HP here because it will sometimes beat mistimed anti air lk’s of hers vs HP losing)
Optimal Crush Counter after EX SBK: (This is for when the Chun player realizes mashing jab isn’t working so they EX reversal instead, but you block)
St Hk (CC), slight walk forward, st. mp, st. hp xx HK CS 310 530
St Hk (CC), f+HK, cr. mp xx HK CS 312 490
Optimal fireball punishes
A well timed V-skill will go through an anticipated fireball for a punish. On hit you can do st hp into special or V-trigger. You can follow up with cr. mp if they happen to block it as you are +2.
You can critical art on reaction with the correct kick based upon range. V-Trigger spiral arrow will also go through them to punish. If used after a cr mk, (cr mk xx fireball) you can try and cannon spike after the mk, but it is hard to land and if you mess up you will get hit by the fireball.
EX Hooligan isn’t fast enough to grab her, unless they stay standing, but it will get you in after a fireball and is +3 on block so you can follow it up with something.
EX SA on reaction will also go under them for some weak damage. I don’t recommend wasting the meter for this unless it’s for KO.
Conclusion:
I think I touched on most things, but if you have any troubles or questions let me know. I’m also sure there is some other tech I haven’t discovered yet, but this is what I’ve figured works against her for now.
