EPT
v ZeNEXPuzzle The Protoss race did quite poorly in the first three seasons of Code A. They never had a player in the finals, and had a mere %20.8 win rate against the dominant terran race. Last season alone, protoss players won only %20 of all their matches, and didn't send a single one of their ranks past the RO16. This tournament started off looking like it would be similarly weak showing as seven of eleven players were immediately sent down to Code B after losing in the first round.
But things finally turned around as the four remaining players won out the rest of the tournament, falling only to their fellow protoss. In all of Code A before this, there had been just two PvPs, both in the opening rounds, compared to seven ZvZs and a whopping twenty TvTs. There have been four PvPs in this round a alone, tripling the total amount in a single season. Protoss went 5-3 against the evil Code A terrans, giving them a winning record against the tyrannical humans for the first time. So it is only fitting that this season we finally have, not one, but two protoss in the final match to determine who gets promoted directly into Code S.
Both finalists gave had difficult paths to the finals. Tassadar beat SuperTournament quarter-finalist and GSTL stalwart Ryung in the first round, a victory followed by wins over Lyn, Noblesse, and Leenock. Puzzle's biggest challenge was a match against MMA in Round 1, But he defeated the MLG champion 2-0 and went on to beat foreigner favorite Sheth, Banbans, and Happy without dropping a single game.
The mirror matchup is the worst for both players. Tassadar has only played four, of which he has lost two, both to San. Puzzle also has a 50-50 record in the matchup, but has recorded wins over strong players such as MC and San. In the pre-fight interviews, both players have predicted strong victories, but admit that the matchup is inherently difficult and chancy.
The Match:
Game 1:
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Dual Site
The builds first diverge when Puzzle takes a second gas, signaling three-gate play. Tassadar four-gates. Puzzle accidentally lets one of Tassadar's probes straight up his ramp; the probe builds a pylon right inside Puzzle's base. Despite canceling a warp-in with a pylon kill, Puzzle can't hold off a four-gate with units warping directly into his base. Puzzle gg's.
Tassadar 1-0
The builds first diverge when Puzzle takes a second gas, signaling three-gate play. Tassadar four-gates. Puzzle accidentally lets one of Tassadar's probes straight up his ramp; the probe builds a pylon right inside Puzzle's base. Despite canceling a warp-in with a pylon kill, Puzzle can't hold off a four-gate with units warping directly into his base. Puzzle gg's.
Tassadar 1-0
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Tal'Darim Altar, cross positions
Puzzle goes for a three stalker rush. Tassadar four gates again. Puzzle gets a fourth gate after failing to kill Tassadar's forward probe. Tassadar seems to have ever-so-slightly better control, and wins a long and tense micro battle inside Puzzle's main.
Tassadar 2-0
Puzzle goes for a three stalker rush. Tassadar four gates again. Puzzle gets a fourth gate after failing to kill Tassadar's forward probe. Tassadar seems to have ever-so-slightly better control, and wins a long and tense micro battle inside Puzzle's main.
Tassadar 2-0
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Crevasse, cross positions
Both players four-gate, but they both end up being defensive. Puzzle makes a twilight council for blink once he sees no attack coming. Tassadar strangely just stays inside his base without teching at all. In fact, Tassadar only even starts his twilight council once Puzzle is already at his front. Puzzle's blink micro means none of his stalkers ever die, so there is nothing Tassadar can do but leave the game.
Very odd game from Tassadar. Hard to say exactly what he was thinking.
Puzzle 1-2
Both players four-gate, but they both end up being defensive. Puzzle makes a twilight council for blink once he sees no attack coming. Tassadar strangely just stays inside his base without teching at all. In fact, Tassadar only even starts his twilight council once Puzzle is already at his front. Puzzle's blink micro means none of his stalkers ever die, so there is nothing Tassadar can do but leave the game.
Very odd game from Tassadar. Hard to say exactly what he was thinking.
Puzzle 1-2
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Crossfire
Both players four-gate. Tassadar shows much worse micro than in the previous three games and, despite being the aggressor, is quickly repelled after his stalkers spend too much time focusing on a pylon. Meanwhile, Puzzle has managed to hide a pylon in Tassadar's base, and so is easily able to break into his opponent's main, and soon after ties up the match at 2-2.
Puzzle 2-2
Both players four-gate. Tassadar shows much worse micro than in the previous three games and, despite being the aggressor, is quickly repelled after his stalkers spend too much time focusing on a pylon. Meanwhile, Puzzle has managed to hide a pylon in Tassadar's base, and so is easily able to break into his opponent's main, and soon after ties up the match at 2-2.
Puzzle 2-2
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Terminus RE, cross positions
Tassadar switches it up for the first time this match by taking a second gas and getting a robo. Puzzle fails to scout it, and so his defensive four-gate puts him quite behind. After sensing that no attack is coming, Puzzle gets his own robo followed by a twilight council for blink, still off of one base. Tassadar goes for colossus tech. Puzzle thinks about attacking, but sees three colossus so just backs off and expands.
Tassadar has a hard time moving out on the map since Puzzle's blink stalkers are constantly threatening his main. As a result, Tassadar's natural starts mining long after Puzzle's, but Tassadar is somehow still ahead in probes. Tassadar eventually establishes his natural and starts a dark shrine after building a warp prism. But Puzzle moves across the map with four immortals and a huge blink stalker force. He fakes blink into Tassadar's main, pulling his opponent's colossi away from the front. With the colossi distracted, Puzzle attacks at the front. Tassadar sends his colossi back to the front, prompting Puzzle to actually blink into the main and snipe the now isolated colossi. With his damage-dealers gone, the rest of Tassadar's army quickly falls, and he goes from being at equal supply to 30 supply down in a matter of seconds. Tassadar gg's.
As the casters pointed out, Puzzle was down 27-37 probes by the time the battle came, and 27-41 by the end. I wonder if that was intentional or a slip in macro. Or perhaps Tassadar misjudged how many probes he could afford to make.
Puzzle 3-2
Tassadar switches it up for the first time this match by taking a second gas and getting a robo. Puzzle fails to scout it, and so his defensive four-gate puts him quite behind. After sensing that no attack is coming, Puzzle gets his own robo followed by a twilight council for blink, still off of one base. Tassadar goes for colossus tech. Puzzle thinks about attacking, but sees three colossus so just backs off and expands.
Tassadar has a hard time moving out on the map since Puzzle's blink stalkers are constantly threatening his main. As a result, Tassadar's natural starts mining long after Puzzle's, but Tassadar is somehow still ahead in probes. Tassadar eventually establishes his natural and starts a dark shrine after building a warp prism. But Puzzle moves across the map with four immortals and a huge blink stalker force. He fakes blink into Tassadar's main, pulling his opponent's colossi away from the front. With the colossi distracted, Puzzle attacks at the front. Tassadar sends his colossi back to the front, prompting Puzzle to actually blink into the main and snipe the now isolated colossi. With his damage-dealers gone, the rest of Tassadar's army quickly falls, and he goes from being at equal supply to 30 supply down in a matter of seconds. Tassadar gg's.
As the casters pointed out, Puzzle was down 27-37 probes by the time the battle came, and 27-41 by the end. I wonder if that was intentional or a slip in macro. Or perhaps Tassadar misjudged how many probes he could afford to make.
Puzzle 3-2
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Xel'Naga Fortress, Tassy clockwise
Both players four-gate. Tassadar is the the early aggressor, but cancels his forward pylon and retreats after his initial attack goes poorly. Once Tassadar has left his base, Puzzle instantly cancels a gateway and makes a second assimilator! Puzzle makes a robo. Tassadar gets a second gas himself and makes a council for blink. Tassadar gets aggressive once blink finishes, and almost breaks through Puzzle's defenses with three waves of attacks. But with each attack, an immortal comes out for Puzzle just in time, prompting Tassadar to blink into Puzzle's army to focus it down, which negates the blink advantage of Tassadar's stalkers. Eventually the armies have shrunk so much that Tassadar only has six stalkers, which is not enough to take down an immortal with zealot support. Tassadar is forced to back down, which allows Puzzle to get blink for his own stalkers. When the final blink battle comes, Puzzles stalkers are all completely healthy, while Tassadar's are all injured from previous engagements. Puzzle's superior blink micro seals the deal, earning him the title of Code A champion and the first player to be instantly promoted to Code S under the new tournament format.
I am very glad that Puzzle has finally lived up to the potential he showed in the ZOTAC Team Invitational II back in January. I remember trying and failing to navigate some Chinese website to see who this player was that could beat Losira, MVP, MMA, Clide, MC and Ensnare all within a few weeks of each other. Hopefully this win has been enough to reinvigorate his game and propell him to similar victories in Code S.
Puzzles wins 4-2
Both players four-gate. Tassadar is the the early aggressor, but cancels his forward pylon and retreats after his initial attack goes poorly. Once Tassadar has left his base, Puzzle instantly cancels a gateway and makes a second assimilator! Puzzle makes a robo. Tassadar gets a second gas himself and makes a council for blink. Tassadar gets aggressive once blink finishes, and almost breaks through Puzzle's defenses with three waves of attacks. But with each attack, an immortal comes out for Puzzle just in time, prompting Tassadar to blink into Puzzle's army to focus it down, which negates the blink advantage of Tassadar's stalkers. Eventually the armies have shrunk so much that Tassadar only has six stalkers, which is not enough to take down an immortal with zealot support. Tassadar is forced to back down, which allows Puzzle to get blink for his own stalkers. When the final blink battle comes, Puzzles stalkers are all completely healthy, while Tassadar's are all injured from previous engagements. Puzzle's superior blink micro seals the deal, earning him the title of Code A champion and the first player to be instantly promoted to Code S under the new tournament format.
I am very glad that Puzzle has finally lived up to the potential he showed in the ZOTAC Team Invitational II back in January. I remember trying and failing to navigate some Chinese website to see who this player was that could beat Losira, MVP, MMA, Clide, MC and Ensnare all within a few weeks of each other. Hopefully this win has been enough to reinvigorate his game and propell him to similar victories in Code S.
Puzzles wins 4-2
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Puzzle has yet to be solved.
Puzzles wins 4-2
Puzzles wins 4-2
EDIT: Thanks Ares!
