Thanks for the response. Well, here's some more tips.

Here's another stupid training game I came up with while practicing with my new joystick.

Set the CPU to make the opponent jump. Then do a jab shouken underneath and without hitting the opponet, which incidently will cross to their other side.  learn to rapidly do this from side to side of the opponent (to do it real quick you must be able to do a DP motion without hesitation).

Another combo - good link up combo is jab, jab, jab, hard shouken.  This combo is an excellent wake up game since if the opponent is blocking the jabs you can realise this and not do a shouken. Do a hadoken instead for the safest chip, or if your feeling moxie hop in with a shunpyakyu (and if you're feeling reckless hop up with a med Otoshi).

Once you get that string down graduate to this harder string - CLK, CLP, CMP -> Jab Shouken, Medium shouken. This does slightly more damage but it's hard to avoid throwing the dragon if the opponent is blocking.  If you can reliably do so practice using a hard or ex shouken for more damage.

Now some shorter startegies than the one I gave with cammy to tide over until I can really study the matchups.

Blanka

This match is odd whoever chooses to play turtle has a lopsided advantage in this fight.  Blanka's standing normals break pretty much all Sakura's attacks and her crouching HP returns the favor. So it's a pokes and focuses. Blanka's crouch HP has a huge range and it makes it hard to get close enough with Sakura to use her usual medium kick link to shunpyakyu.

If you do decide to jump on blanka the roundhouse is the best bet.

Don't throw fireballs from half a screen away.  The best range for them is 3/4 screen - If you start a fireball at range hold the button until blanka jumps then release it - hit short hoping jump becomes a liability here where it is usually an asset against the fireball.  Thing is, the range of the full charge ball can't hit him full screen so, eventually if the player is smart he'll stop jumping at you when you show fireball and just walk. It's for this reason I think giving Sakura the ability to dash cancel her fireballs would even this (and more than a few other) matches out.

The normal roll can be stopped with sakura's jab.  With practice you can jab 2-1 to jab shouken then med shouken. Either Blanka will stop unprovoked rolls or he'll lose. Blanka's backstep roll is useless against Sakura (and nearly all the other Shotos) since it's so badly telegraphed you can Shouken him out of it.

Balrog (Boxer)

I'm guessing you're throwing too many fireballs here.  Boxer is one of Sakura's easier matchups since he can't win a poke war with her but has the hyper armor attacks to punish fireball abuse.  Balrog also has trouble dealing with Sakura's crossup jumping HK. LK Shunpyakyu can stop most rush punches if timed - and indeed Balrog usually goes down from poke / Shunpyakyu ruses.  As with Cammy, Sakura's Ultra beats out Balrog's, unlike Cammy the reverse is not true (or at least I've not seen it occur)

Zangief

And Abel are Sakura's worst matchups since she has no 'wakeup' to punish them hovering for the grab.  About the only think you can do is jump away with a roundhouse - but even that is chancy. To win against Zangief you must be absolutely perfect with your link combos when you do go to the attack. Zangief's piledriver also takes Sakura's shunpyakyu away - against him the move is unsafe on hit since he can (and will) throw you after hitting him with it (which is grossly unfair. No move in the game for any character should be unsafe on HIT Capcom).  There's not much more to add to this - Zangief / Sakura is an 8/2 split, maybe the worst match in the game and more lopsided than Zangief / Dan (which is 7 / 3 )

Akuma

You can beat Akuma in the poke game (Sakura is the best Shoto at poking but her specials are the worst aside from Dan, and heck Dan has a better dragon punch). Keep your feet on the ground (unless he goes raging demon of course).  If Akuma plays fireball games use the EX Otoshi at full screen or EX Shouken at midscreen to punish him.  Once you get in close STAY in close with jab strings interspersed with LK Shunpyakyus. Don't use your super - more than most fights you'll need your ex moves.

Jun 7, 2009 -- 11:26AM, Ryoga wrote:

Once you get that string down graduate to this harder string - CLK, CLP, CMP -> Jab Shouken, Medium shouken. This does slightly more damage but it's hard to avoid throwing the dragon if the opponent is blocking.  If you can reliably do so practice using a hard or ex shouken for more damage.

i would say you try if you are close enough: cr LK, cr LP, (cr) HP -> HP Shououken or EX Shunpuu for the air launcher. With a little distance and afraid to miss the HP try MP instead; That's pretty much your combo above. :P

Thanks Ryoga for the tips you gave on my weakest match-ups! Thankfully, I began winning against Blankas and Balrogs! Zangief is always hard, but at least I win sometimes.

I have a question regarding certain jumpy characters: Vega and El Fuerte. I seldom fight them so I don't have any idea how to face them! And they have moves I don't know how to block! Any suggestions?

Jun 24, 2009 -- 7:56AM, scoopersakura wrote:

Thanks Ryoga for the tips you gave on my weakest match-ups! Thankfully, I began winning against Blankas and Balrogs! Zangief is always hard, but at least I win sometimes.

I have a question regarding certain jumpy characters: Vega and El Fuerte. I seldom fight them so I don't have any idea how to face them! And they have moves I don't know how to block! Any suggestions?

Sakura's crouching fierce is among the best anti-air normals in the game, if not the best, so it should come out against any player that loves jumping too much.

Jab Shouken stops Vega's wall springs since they are so badly telegraphed. Any time you connect it follow with the medium shouken.

Sakura's ability to vary her fireball releases plays with the head of both Vega and Fuerte from more than a half screen away.

Other than those notes I haven't studied either of these characters in detail but I will and see what I find.