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With an exciting past couple of days (TL:Attack with Sea[Shield] and the first round of the Proleague Playoffs) many people may have forgotten the GOMTV Intel Classic. While nothing can compete with Sea[Shield] duking it out with some TL.netters there were some interesting games last night in the Semifinals of the Intel Classic.

Jaedong and Shuttle after bulldozing their way through the tournament finally meet in a highly anticpated series. With such high caliber players this was sure to be a exciting series.

Set 1: Katrina SE

The first set of the night begins on Katrina SE, a map that heavily favors Protoss. Having had this map twice in the rotation for the series things were already looking up for Shuttle. But even with the map in his favor this would be far from an easy game for Shuttle.

As the game begins both Shuttle (7) and Jaedong(12) decide to open with standard builds, FE from Shuttle and 9 pool/gas from Jaedong. Having scouted the quick pool Shuttle immediately places 2 cannons at the entrance to his main. Scouting this Jaedong opts to just deny scouting rather than attempt to run bye or attack the cannons.

Both players expand with Shuttle taking his natural and Jaedong taking his natural and starting his Lair. After starting his Lair Jaedong quickly takes his 3rd expansion while Shuttle techs to a Stargate.

Shuttle continues to attempts to scout Jaedong's build even after being stopped repeatedly, but finally Shuttle gets a probe through and scouts Jaedong's quick Lair and Spire. Seeing this Shuttle immediately begins pumping corsairs defend against Mutalisk aggression.

Immediately after Jaedong's mutalisks pop he sends them to Shuttle's natural which only having 1 completed cannon allows Jaedong to harass Shuttle's probes. Shuttle, quick to react, runs his probes to his well defended main and sends an Archon and his corsairs to defend against the mutalisks. With couple a good Archon shots the mutalisks are rendered useless forcing Jaedong to stop his harass prematurely.

But, despite having his harass cut short Jaedong had amassed a large group of lurkers and proceeds to contain Shuttle. Shuttle predicting this had created a Robotics Facility and Observatory allowing him to immediately bulldoze through Jaedong's contain.

Having destroyed Jaedong's contain and broken out, Shuttle decides to take his 3rd base and attack one of Jaedong's bases. Jaedong seeing Shuttle's army running towards his mineral only quickly positions his lurkers up the ramp denying Shuttle's army.

Shuttle, with some poor decision making, decides that he can break the lurker defense into Jaedong's mineral only and runs a predominately zealot army into the lurker's where it they are quickly slaughtered.

After this failure Shuttle starts to fall apart, with Jaedong taking the map Shuttle gradually falls further behind as Jaedong's expansion count quickly increases.

The game settles down for a bit and after massing up an army Shuttle moves out again. Jaedong noticing this immediately counters taking down Shuttles third and takes it down. Shuttle, not being able to attack any of Jaedong's expansion due to lurker/ling/swarm is forced to stand idly by while Jaedong drops a large force at his in base natural with crackling/swarm and also counters Shuttle's newly rebuilt third base killing it as well.

Shuttle realizing he's in trouble goes into desperation mode and tries to kill off Jaedong's expansions, but Jaedong having a large army of ultralisk and zerglings quickly snuffs out Shuttle's army and his hope for victory.

Shuttle GGs and Jaedong takes the lead in the series.

Jaedong 1-0 (P)

Shuttle

Set 2:Blue Storm

As the second set begins Jaedong (7) opts to expand to his mineral only while Shuttle (1) FEs. Shuttle having gone Nexus before forge had a late cannon so Jaedong's lings from his pool after hatch were able to run into the mineral line preventing Shuttle from mining for a few moments.

During this minor harassment Jaedong added a 3rd and 4th hatchery at his natural and starts his lair and hydralisk den so he can produce lurker/hydra. Shuttle in the mean time had gone a heavy gateway/+1 zealot rush rather than a corsair opening.

As soon as the +1 finishes Shuttle moves out in hopes of doing some damage and expanding himself but seeing this Jaedong creates hydralisks to defend. Despite poor micro and heavy hydra losses Jaedong is able to turn Shuttle's rush back.

While harassing with his +1 zealots Shuttle takes his 3rd base and techs to storm. Jaedong continues to go heavy hydralisks with a few lurkers mixed in.

After some minor skirmishes in the middle, Jaedong decides the time is ripe for a drop in the back of Shuttle's main. Shuttle responding with lightening fast speed quickly quells the drop after only losing 1 gateway.

After stopping the drop Shuttle was in a very good position and was ahead but, Jaedong taking 12 is quickly back ahead due to having a superior expansion count.

Shuttle attempting to take bottom right moves out while expanding in hopes of diverting Jaedong's attention until his expansion was completed. Shuttle having a large army of Zealot/Dragoon/Storm/Archon pushes towards the middle and it looks like Jaedong is in trouble but with some skillful observer sniping and keeping a steady flow of units to reinforce his army he eventually kills the majority of Shuttles army. During the fight Jaedong had sent a small force of zerglings to take down Shuttle's expansion as well.

After losing his army and expansion Shuttle is in a horrible position and in an attempt to regain some ground Shuttle retakes bottom right.

Hoping to further his lead even more Jaedong sends a couple overlords full of hydras, defiler, and zerglings to Shuttle's natural and takes it down along with a good portion of Shuttle's army. Immediately after his drop is killed off Jaedong launches another drop towards Shuttle's main and takes down Shuttle's unit producing structures and his tech tree.

Falling apart due to the harassment Shuttle once again goes into desperation mode and all-ins against Jaedong's lurker wall but Jaedong having a substantial economy had produced a large army and is able to mow down Shuttle's remaining army.

Realizing the game is lost Shuttle GGs.

Jaedong 2-0 (P)

Shuttle

Set 3: Othello

Being down 2 games in the series against the best zerg in the world was obviously taking it's toll on Shuttle. Going into the 3rd set there was a look of frustration on Shuttle's face while Jaedong was, as always, calm and collected.

The game starts and once again Shuttle (7) goes FE again while Jaedong (9) goes for the overpool/speed build. Scouting this Shuttle immediately lays down a forge then follows it up with 2 cannons to defend against the early speedlings.

But Jaedong evidently not fearing the 2 cannons runs bye them managing to get 4 zerglings into Shuttle's main. Shuttle quickly reacts and places a cannon in his mineral line. Jaedong begin's harassing Shuttle but with some impressive micro by Shuttle he is able to kill of the zerglings after only losing 2 probes.

During all of this Jaedong managed to take his natural and 3rd base unmolested and was in a decent economic position despite being behind after the relatively ineffective zergling attack.

After the early game fighting both players settle down to macro and tech up. Jaedong decides to go for a Lair while Shuttle tech's toward a Starport.

Soon after Shuttle's Starport/Citadel starts Jaedong's Lair pops and he immediately lays down a Spire.

Having amassed 3 zealots Shuttle sends them out in hopes of snagging some drone kills and is able to take down 3 drones before his zealots are killed by the Zerglings.

Using his Spire to produce Scourge Jaedong takes down Shuttle's corsair before it could do any real damage but not before the corsair scouts the Den/Evo. Forgoing mutalisks Jaedong begins to pump hydralisks.

Shuttle, expecting mutalisks cannons up and warps in 2 archons not realizing Jaedong had transitioned into hydralisk play early.

Shuttle moves out in hopes of doing some damage but his archon/zealot force is immediately crushed by Jaedong's large hydralisk force.

After slaughtering Shuttle's early game force Jaedong takes the 12 O'clock mineral only and begins massing hydra/lurker/mutalisks.

As soon as Jaedong's mutalisks pop he sends them out and with some impressive micro takes down Shuttle's newly created third expansion, all of his high templar, a dragoon, and finally an archon putting Shuttle in a very weak position not having high templar to storm Jaedong's heavy hydralisk army.

Jaedong, not wasting any time immediately drops Shuttle's main with a large lurker/hydra force. Shuttle's army being out of position due to him heading towards Jaedong's 3rd goes into desperation mode after the overlords are unloaded and all-ins into Jaedong's third but mismanaging his observers and letting Jaedong's scourge snipe them Shuttle's army is rendered useless to Jaedong's lurker defense.

Shuttle GGs and Jaedong advances to the finals of the GOMTV Intel Classic.

Jaedong 3-0 (P)

Shuttle

Up next on the other side of the Semifinals bracket is BackHo vs Flash.
Many anticipate Flash to take this down but BackHo has proven to be wild card in tournaments. Either way this is sure to be an exciting series!

Predictions

Set 1: Colosseum

Having played 5 games in official matches on Colosseum Flash is very familiar with this map. Not having had a chance to really see BackHo play here we are left in the dark as to what style of play he will opt to go for on this map.

Colosseum lends itself to straight up play due to it's ability to block for Terran and the cliffs lining both sides of the entrances allow for easy defense against rushes. Since the nature of this map tends to lean towards conventional play we are most likely to see a standard macro game by both players. This will play into Flash's hands and it should give him the lead in the series.

Flash 1-0

BackHo

Set 2: Othello

Neither of these players has had much recorded play time on this map before now, so it's hard to predict how they will play this game out. Flash will most likely open with a standard FD or Siege Expand and let his mechanics over power BackHo. BackHo fresh of his loss on Colosseum will most likely opt for some cheese or all-in since Othello has proven at times to favor both styles of play. I think it can go either way, but BackHo is a master of cheese so I have to give this set to him.

Flash 1-1

BackHo

Set 3: Wuthering Heights

A multitude of styles and openings have been used PvT on Othello since it's introduction into progaming. Being 11-11 statistically it's balanced but many players believe it favors Protoss due to Terran not having an easily accessible 3rd base. Even considering this I have to give this game to Flash.

If Flash loses to BackHo on Othello to cheese he will most likely play very tight and safe to prevent going down in the series. Another cheese is likely from BackHo but it will most likely shatter against Flash's usually stellar defense.

If it goes to a long game BackHo will surely lose, if BackHo cheeses I give him a 40/60 chance of taking Flash down. Considering this I have to give this set to Flash.

Flash 2-1

BackHo

Set 4: Blue Storm

The series ends here. BackHo is not a Jangbi so he will not take Flash down here. Blue Storm is Flash's home ground, he made his name here with his superior anti-carrier play and continues to dominate here.

It will be a cold day in hell that BackHo beats Flash here.

Flash 3-1

BackHo

Note: This is written on the offhand chance BackHo takes the series to the 5th and final game.

Set 5: Colosseum

If BackHo makes it to the 5th and final set he will have to face Flash once again on Colosseum. This could not be any worse for BackHo. Flash's mechanics will dominate again like they did in the first game. BackHo might cheese here, but as stated in the first prediction on this map, it is really easy to defend against all-ins or rushes. BackHo will go down the path of standard play if he wants to have any chance at beating Flash here. That being said, Flash will most likely take this set down easily.

Flash

BackHo

Thanks for reading and I hope you enjoy the match!

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