Unique Games from early MSL/OSLs

Many people who started to follow the Korean Professional Brood War scene in the later years, like myself, probably have not seen many games from the beginnings of OSL and MSL. Thankfully because of the work of moktira and Thinasy, their collection of MSL and OSL games, almost every televised game from the past is easily accessible for foreigners nowadays. As I never witnessed the exciting early stages of professional Brood War at the time, I began to slowly fill in the gap. Lo and behold, I was not disappointed. While in terms of macro the games were mediocre at best, the variety of maps and strategies the opponents tried to pull off was remarkable.

So here I present to you a selection of games with (at the time) unusual strategies from the first Stout MSL and the OSLs up to Nate OSL 2002.

00-09-11
http://www.teamliquid.net/tlpd/korean/games/7053_ComBi_vs_Grrrr.../vod
Combi goes for a Hydra timing attack against Grrrr... in a ZvZ.

01-02-16
http://www.teamliquid.net/tlpd/korean/games/7017_nO.1_vs_YellOw/vod
Yellow goes for a relay slow lurker drop on an island map ZvT and catches his opponent off guard by the early timing.

01-02-23
http://www.teamliquid.net/tlpd/korean/games/7368_Kingdom_vs_Star)_Boy/vod
Greediness was no alien concept in those times as Kingdom proves with his Forge Expand into 3rd base shortly after. He follows it up with mass Reaver Corsair.

01-03-16
http://www.teamliquid.net/tlpd/korean/games/7367_BoxeR_vs_Star)_Boy/vod
For all those who cry “Terran imba” for every map they see, this is what a Terran map really looks like.
+ Show Spoiler [Neo Blaze] +
Boxer abuses the high ground that surrounds every base by lifting a Factory on the high ground and producing Vultures. This map basically forces Protoss to go fast Robo and Zerg to go fast Muta or drop to effectively stop this kind of harrassment.

01-03-30
http://www.teamliquid.net/tlpd/korean/games/5312_BoxeR_vs_IntoTheRain/vod
Boxer goes 2 Port Wraith vs the Protoss IntotheRain. He responds with Corsairs followed by disruption web and Goons to stop Boxer’s Tank push, while transitioning to Carriers.

01-04-06
http://www.teamliquid.net/tlpd/korean/games/6200_BoxeR_vs_JinNam/vod
One of first ZvTs featuring Defilers. Despite being on the backfoot and on 1 base for most of the game Boxer manages to hold his defense versus JinNam who has half the map.
+ Show Spoiler +

01-09-08
http://www.teamliquid.net/tlpd/korean/games/5637_BoxeR_vs_YellOw/vod
Unable to overcome the map that is Ragnarok, Yellow thinks of a Sunken Rush versus Boxer.

01-10-26
http://www.teamliquid.net/tlpd/korean/games/6370_GARIMTO_vs_TheMarine/vod
Maybe my favorite game from this OSL. One day this Protoss must have thought to himself: "Who needs Dragoons in TvP when you can build Archons. I don't want to deal with the stupid Dragoon AI and spider mines."

02-04-12
http://www.teamliquid.net/tlpd/korean/games/5930_BoxeR_vs_fOru/vod
Going for another unorthodox strategy, Boxer walls himself in while floating his production out to kill the Protoss with an M&M attack.

02-04-05
http://www.teamliquid.net/tlpd/korean/games/6915_SONJJANG_vs_V-Gundam/vod
Gundam abuses the map more than the map makers probably intended with a special tank drop.

03-04-24
http://www.teamliquid.net/tlpd/korean/games/5908_BoxeR_vs_JinSu/vod
Boxer uses blind and cloaked Wraiths to his advantage.

03-05-29
http://www.teamliquid.net/tlpd/korean/games/4296_V-Gundam_vs_Zeus/vod
14 CC on an island map is not economic enough for Gundam, he needs 3 CC before Barracks.

03-06-12
http://www.teamliquid.net/tlpd/korean/games/2217_Nal_rA_vs_Zeus/vod
Nal_Ra rushes Carriers on an island map in PvP.