EPTEvent coverage of GLS Ro64 Day 3
Todays GSL events felt much different than yesterdays. Tactics were dirtier, battles were fiercer, and worst of all, hopes were dashed. Unlike yesterday, I had hope invested in some of todays contestants. I was suprised to find my heart racing as matches came to their apex. I had followed these players cheerfully for a while now, and this was the deciding moment - you either rise or fall.
On to the matches.
First up was Jooktojung vs. Renniehour. Watching Korean protoss players at work is a real treat. While many of the strategies I've seen are simliar thus far (zealot/stalker/sentry) the forcefield work and unit micro is very entertaining. Luckily, viewers were in for a treat due to the creative use of burrowed roaches by JtJ. The ominous precession of underground roaches made everyone excited for the moment they were about to surface. The matches were rather even. but JTJ took the win.
![[image loading]](/staff/skAnarky/jooktogungRS3.jpg)
Jootojung, primed for combat.
![[image loading]](/staff/skAnarky/RenieHourRS3.jpg)
Don't piss Reniehour off, or he'll forcefield you.
Next up was the hamburger terrorist himself, CellaWeRRa. Cella's casts have brought humorous and playful side to Korean SC2 gaming, and many in the community have embraced Cella with open arms. I approached Cella, introduced myself, and got straight to business.
Me: Do you have any favorite maps.
Cella: Most likely Metalopolis and Scrapstation.
Me: How are you feeling.
Cella: Nervous, I am playing MaruPrime, the 13 year old. He has been trained hard to be a BW gamer and plays SC2 a lot.
Me: You can do it! Let's get a hamburger sometime.
Cella: Yes please make sure many people donate 1$ for my hamburgers!
![[image loading]](/staff/skAnarky/HOLYCHECKRS.jpg)
Terrorist or not, this guy is pure awesome.
And then there is MaruPrime:
![[image loading]](/staff/skAnarky/MaruPrimeRS.jpg)
Picture taken almost past his bed time.
In many ways the antithesis of Cella: uber-young, meticulous to an extreme, crazy one base play, and an efficiency brought on by what I must assume to be coaching, as self training seems a little unlikely here. Maru's play was quite good, showing creative micro moments (my favorite being when he called in a MULE to block a unit from coming past a just destroyed supply depot - didnt work that well, but pretty cheeky).
Cella would often expand quick, and make massive attempts to macro hard, often to the point of putting himself in danger. In the end, these players were evenly matched, and in the final round in desert oasis, both players were baseless, but Cella was simply more behind, and having missed his opportunity to get the most out of his units, he had to concede.
![[image loading]](/staff/skAnarky/CellaLossRS.jpg)
... there are no words
And in the end, Cella seems to have lost in one of the most sublte ways - the inability to capitalize on advantageous situations. Now, that is all very easy for me to say, watching omnipotently as all the events unfold. But being in that position, with no base to support you, but still with victory within reach, the decisions you have to make are subtle and difficult. Cella was handling himself very well, but that is a very tough hole to dig yourself out of, and at many times he was a mere hair away from achieving that. I salute you Cella, and I hope to see you play again.
![[image loading]](/staff/skAnarky/holycheckRS2.jpg)
I know this photo is pretty much the same as the other one. I don't care. It's awesome.
![[image loading]](/staff/skAnarky/MaruInterviewRS.jpg)
Nick: "So, what's your training regimen." Maru: "My coach gives me a sippy cup every time I successfully harass with reapers"
Next up, Eternalprime vs. "FruitDealer". The games rocked, but I don't have much to say for this one, as I was chatting a lot with this guy:
![[image loading]](/staff/skAnarky/TorchSmileRS.jpg)
Torch - even he could not escape the wrath of a Korean flattening iron.
Okay, but before we get to Trevor's story, pics of EPrime and FDealer:
![[image loading]](/staff/skAnarky/eternalprimeRS2.jpg)
EternalPrime, super emo.....
![[image loading]](/staff/skAnarky/eternalprimeRS4.jpg)
... yet surprisingly chipper.
![[image loading]](/staff/skAnarky/FruitDealerRS2.jpg)
Yes, his korean name translates to "fruit dealer": a truck that drives around with a loud speaker advertising fresh produce sold on the quick.
![[image loading]](/staff/skAnarky/FruitDealerSmileWinRS.jpg)
Happy to be a winner.
I had the pleasure of watching many of the earlier matches with Trevor and to talk shop. As many know he payed his own way to Korea. He did this instead of going to PAX and participating in some tournaments on the west coast, since air fair at the time was comparable to the the trip to California. He's fronting his own board costs as well, but GOMTV was nice enough to put him up in his hotel for the first few nights in Korea.
![[image loading]](/staff/skAnarky/TorchspectateRS.jpg)
Talking strategy with TorcH while watching matches was a real treat.
![[image loading]](/staff/skAnarky/TorchBoothSetupRS.jpg)
Setting up for his match.
When asked about his training regimen - who he played with, what approach was he taking - his reply was unenthusiastic: "PCbang - Korean ladder, its not optimal at all." His match up today was TvP, and surprisingly he encountered very few Protoss on the ladder. Furthermore, he found the skill difference between good players and bad seems to be larger on a Korean server: " When you encounter a good player, they play amazing. When you encounter a bad player, and you do quite often, its quite often cheese, or a strange process of scouting my base, and not responding to any of my builds - it's a little confusing at times."
![[image loading]](/staff/skAnarky/TorchCameraRS.jpg)
After game 1, TorcH knows he has to pull out the stops.
![[image loading]](/staff/skAnarky/TorchWinSigh.jpg)
Some very quick on the spot thinking allowed him to create a defense that won him game 2, and he breathes a sigh of relief.
To many, Trevor carried the hopes of a lot of us. He flew there on his own and was going it all solo. But without a stable network to help him train, adapt, and develop, the result can be seen in his games. TorcH's build were unique and refreshing, but a lack of scouting merely lead to his downfall. When faced with a perceivable force, like in game 2, Trevor responded with some quick thinking and amassed a quick Battlecruiser army, crushing his enemy easily. Both other games he merely fell to un-scouted Voidrays.
[center]
![[image loading]](/staff/skAnarky/TorchoverRS.jpg)
For the 2nd time today, I see that expression - both humbling and saddening./[center]
Watching the games, many people saw the flair and potential of a talented gamer merely at the whim of circumstances. I have no doubt that if TorcH continues his pro gaming career, he can achieve great things.
There you go, Day 3. A day of exciting games, but for this fan, disappointing results.
![[image loading]](/staff/skAnarky/TorchinterviewRS.jpg)
Through it all, Trevor was a spirited and happy guy, always willing to talk, and most of all, always excited to help Esports flourish.
Cella and Torch: best of luck in future games! You have a dedicated fan if you decide you want revenge.
