EPTGSL MARCH 2011 SPOILERS!
Previous blogs on GSL March
Blog 1 - Predictions on all the groups
Blog 2 - Group A & B results and thoughts
Blog 3 - Group C & D results and thoughts
GSL got to see the birth of another baller player this week. SanZenith was not even considered to win anything in his group and my prediction was that he would melt away to the superior play against NesTea, Boxer and Ensnare. Little did I and everybody else expect that he would utterly crushed NesTea in an epic 40 minute ZvP battle, a match up that NesTea probably considers his best? SanZenith was just the better player, utilizing his army and scouting abilities to totally read and destroy his Zerg opponent. SanZenith has gotten himself a new fan and his play almost makes me wish that I would go back to playing Protoss instead of Zerg.
Next would pitch him against the Emperor, Slayers Boxer himself, who managed to lose to Ensnare and thus would make him have his back against the wall and be forced to play his very best to survive the group. I picked Boxer as a favorite along with NesTea to win this group and to my utter surprise SanZenith destroys Boxer and knocks him down to the up and down bracket. I feel very sad for Boxer who really wants to prove that an aging player can do well in GSL, but perhaps his time as a top level player is something of the past with all the new talent that is emerging. Time will tell.
NesTea was now forced to win against Ensnare to have a chance to advance to R16 and after a 20 min battle against his Terran opponent, it was clear that he simply was out matched against Ensnare. Like Artosis said, I think this was the last thing that would have happened in this group. My picks were bad, but I am really excited about both SanZenith and Ensnare, but I really have my eyes on SanZenith that impressed the hell out of me and also beat Ensnare to get a 3-0 in the group. The match between Boxer and NesTea is probably considered a GSL finals matchup and now they fight to see who gets the better advantage in the up and down bracket. Not expected and NesTea played the game solid and confident and managed to break the Emperor in pieces.
In group F my two picks to win this group choya and Lyn squared off against each other in the first match and choya managed to get the upper hand and defeated Lyn. Next match was BanBansZenith (vanvanth) against TheWind. TheWind did my favorite tactic and just roach rushed a greedy player and ended it quickly. I personally have about 85-90% win rate if I discover a non Zerg player trying to fast expand and TheWind denied BanBans his opportunity and just went in and killed him. Simple and clean and you get your win.
Next was BanBan against choya in a short traditional PvP who gets to go 4 gate first to win match. BanBan got the edge over choya and won. The match between TheWind and Lyn was about as I expected it. Lyn got the win over TheWind with his marine tank push and pretty much went in, siege up and darted marines in and out to eventually make TheWind gg. However, next match between choya and TheWind was surprisingly won by TheWind in a very solid game from him. I predicted that TheWind would have little chance in this group based on his play in the last season, but he schooled choya and now goes to R16. In the final match of group F BanBans meet Lyn which ended in a big mid map battle which Lyn won because of Phoenix miss control from BanBans.
Lyn saves my face as he is the only player I predicted right on to go to R16. Some bad predictions from me with only 25% accuracy, but overall great games and I am really excited to see how these players are going to do in the upcoming weeks.
