EPT
Finals! Finals! Finals! Finals! Finals!
Bet that caught your attention? If it hasn't, I may have to do it again! We are finally at the grand finals of ASL6, and the two players who made the finals are both legendary in their own right. But first, some quick notes on the semifinals.
Last vs EffOrt was quite the amazing series to watch. EffOrt took the series 3-2 with a cool tactic to finish things off in the last game, but not before Last tried his hardest to win it for the fans. The games overall were solid, and a must watch for any BW fan, young and old. Flash vs Shuttle was the other series which was subpar in comparison. Flash rolled Shuttle 3-0 in the end. A better TvP series in comparison to Flash vs Mini, but might be rough to watch for Protoss fans all over. Heed thee warning! Please read the recaps by Bigfan and Ty2 below for more details.
The finals is now set to take place in , and will feature Flash vs EffOrt, a rematch that's 8 years in the making. It's time for Flash to get revenge for his OSL loss to EffOrt. However, EffOrt will also not go down without a fight. This is anyone's game folks so make sure to read Bigfan's preview to see who he believes will win. Post your predictions in the thread as well, and be prepared for one of the most hyped finals in recent years.
Which side are you on?
Bet that caught your attention? If it hasn't, I may have to do it again! We are finally at the grand finals of ASL6, and the two players who made the finals are both legendary in their own right. But first, some quick notes on the semifinals.
Last vs EffOrt was quite the amazing series to watch. EffOrt took the series 3-2 with a cool tactic to finish things off in the last game, but not before Last tried his hardest to win it for the fans. The games overall were solid, and a must watch for any BW fan, young and old. Flash vs Shuttle was the other series which was subpar in comparison. Flash rolled Shuttle 3-0 in the end. A better TvP series in comparison to Flash vs Mini, but might be rough to watch for Protoss fans all over. Heed thee warning! Please read the recaps by Bigfan and Ty2 below for more details.
The finals is now set to take place in , and will feature Flash vs EffOrt, a rematch that's 8 years in the making. It's time for Flash to get revenge for his OSL loss to EffOrt. However, EffOrt will also not go down without a fight. This is anyone's game folks so make sure to read Bigfan's preview to see who he believes will win. Post your predictions in the thread as well, and be prepared for one of the most hyped finals in recent years.
Which side are you on?
Table of contents
Liquipedia
The Last Stand
With Last winning KSL, defeating both Soulkey and Jaedong in the process, many wondered if this would be another 3-0 for him or if EffOrt's style of ZvT would prove to be his bane. Alas, the series came down to the wire with an interesting game 5 to boot.
Game 1 on Sylphid:
Last decided to open with his 1-1-1, opting for an expansion when he was able to. EffOrt went for mutalisks off 3 hatcheries, and almost denied Last's scout. With the mutas onroute, Last bunkered down, adding turrets around his base and near his production as well as adding valks to his unit composition. Several small engagements took place, before EffOrt tried for a large runby into Last's main. Last defended frantically, and managed to come out on top, cleaning things up, and surviving the threat. EffOrt went for a last ditch effort trying to break the bunker with his mutalisks/zerglings, but the valk shot were on point as EffOrt's mutas melted into GG.
Game 2 on Circuit Breaker:
Once against Last opted for the 1-1-1 while EffOrt went for 3 hatch speed zerglings. Using 2 lings, EffOrt damaged the first marine, then moved them into the main to kill some workers and draw the vulture back in. Another pair of lings killed the SCV building the expansion cc merely moments before it completed. Last ended up ceding map control, which allowed EffOrt to start his ling flood. This caught Last offguard, as one of his vultures was surrounded and killed while the other was surrounded shortly after. From there, EffOrt left some lings to chase the remaining vulture while he went for the worker line. He followed this up with hydras, a unit that Last was not prepared for to take a fast game 2.
![[image loading]](/staff/BigFan/ASL6/LastvsEffortGame_2.png)
Vulture Surrounds
Game 3 on Neo Transistor:
Last decided to open with a cc first, while EffOrt went for pool first, using his zerglings to try and break Last's wall at the double ramp. Last repairs the wall, and continues his macro while back in EffOrt's base, he added a hydra den. However, when this was scouted, he canceled it, opting for mutalisk play instead. Last faced the brunt of EffOrt's mutalisks, as EffOrt tried to attack from every angle while he took his third base.
Alas, Last survived and moved on, fully intent on killing the third base. However, strong mutalisk micro, and a lone sunken played a pivtal role in helping EffOrt keep his base alive and clean up Last's force. From there, it was mostly EffOrt. He went for a slow overlord lurker drop, dropping 6 lurkers into Last's expansion to deny mining. Last went for a counter drop, with marines only since the lurker drop caused him to lose sight of his 3 medics and they were all sniped by the mutalisks. While EffOrt lost drones, he killed the marines, and the 2 valks that accompanied them.
Another drop saw Last snipe the spire, but EffOrt scouted and denied Last's third base while he denied another drop, and tried to push up Last's ramp with 2 lurkers/defiler. Last did try to try more drops, and pushing up EffOrt's ramp while finally establishing his third, then fourth, but EffOrt was too far ahead and closed out the game as he forced on Last's fourth then third.
![[image loading]](/staff/BigFan/ASL6/LastvsEffortGame_3.png)
270 degree Surround
Game 4 on Autobahn:
Last opted again for the 1-1-1, and makes a nice wall at his expansion as the cc was being built. EffOrt tries for 2 hatch hydra, going for speed lings first which are killed. Hydras are his followup, but Last is quick to add a bunker to survive. A hydra runby (yes, runby) is denied by Last while the mutalisks have a hard time finding an opening to exploit. EffOrt's last attempt at a bust comes in the form of a lurker bust after he kills the bunker with his mutalisks. Unfortunately for him, Last already has three siege tanks, a bunker, and he scouts the incoming bust on its way. With good defense, Last manages to survive and takes game 4.
Game 5 on Sylphid:
Finally, game 5 of a back and forth series. The best time for EffOrt to bring out strategies that he has done before on stream. In this case, EffOrt opens up with a pool first, pulls Last's marines out of position with some zerglings then goes for the surround. As Last's marine count is thinned, he employs his burrow tactics. Last's multitasking is stressed to its limit, as his scans are being depleted, and he's forced to spend his attention on killing burrowed zerglings all over his base. EffOrt pulls ahead greatly, and once the mutalisks are out, and his third was established, it was pretty much GG for Last.
![[image loading]](/staff/BigFan/ASL6/LastvsEffortGame_5.png)
Last Stand
EffOrt advanced to the finals, 3-2!
Game 1 on Sylphid:
Last decided to open with his 1-1-1, opting for an expansion when he was able to. EffOrt went for mutalisks off 3 hatcheries, and almost denied Last's scout. With the mutas onroute, Last bunkered down, adding turrets around his base and near his production as well as adding valks to his unit composition. Several small engagements took place, before EffOrt tried for a large runby into Last's main. Last defended frantically, and managed to come out on top, cleaning things up, and surviving the threat. EffOrt went for a last ditch effort trying to break the bunker with his mutalisks/zerglings, but the valk shot were on point as EffOrt's mutas melted into GG.
Game 2 on Circuit Breaker:
Once against Last opted for the 1-1-1 while EffOrt went for 3 hatch speed zerglings. Using 2 lings, EffOrt damaged the first marine, then moved them into the main to kill some workers and draw the vulture back in. Another pair of lings killed the SCV building the expansion cc merely moments before it completed. Last ended up ceding map control, which allowed EffOrt to start his ling flood. This caught Last offguard, as one of his vultures was surrounded and killed while the other was surrounded shortly after. From there, EffOrt left some lings to chase the remaining vulture while he went for the worker line. He followed this up with hydras, a unit that Last was not prepared for to take a fast game 2.
Vulture Surrounds
Game 3 on Neo Transistor:
Last decided to open with a cc first, while EffOrt went for pool first, using his zerglings to try and break Last's wall at the double ramp. Last repairs the wall, and continues his macro while back in EffOrt's base, he added a hydra den. However, when this was scouted, he canceled it, opting for mutalisk play instead. Last faced the brunt of EffOrt's mutalisks, as EffOrt tried to attack from every angle while he took his third base.
Alas, Last survived and moved on, fully intent on killing the third base. However, strong mutalisk micro, and a lone sunken played a pivtal role in helping EffOrt keep his base alive and clean up Last's force. From there, it was mostly EffOrt. He went for a slow overlord lurker drop, dropping 6 lurkers into Last's expansion to deny mining. Last went for a counter drop, with marines only since the lurker drop caused him to lose sight of his 3 medics and they were all sniped by the mutalisks. While EffOrt lost drones, he killed the marines, and the 2 valks that accompanied them.
Another drop saw Last snipe the spire, but EffOrt scouted and denied Last's third base while he denied another drop, and tried to push up Last's ramp with 2 lurkers/defiler. Last did try to try more drops, and pushing up EffOrt's ramp while finally establishing his third, then fourth, but EffOrt was too far ahead and closed out the game as he forced on Last's fourth then third.
270 degree Surround
Game 4 on Autobahn:
Last opted again for the 1-1-1, and makes a nice wall at his expansion as the cc was being built. EffOrt tries for 2 hatch hydra, going for speed lings first which are killed. Hydras are his followup, but Last is quick to add a bunker to survive. A hydra runby (yes, runby) is denied by Last while the mutalisks have a hard time finding an opening to exploit. EffOrt's last attempt at a bust comes in the form of a lurker bust after he kills the bunker with his mutalisks. Unfortunately for him, Last already has three siege tanks, a bunker, and he scouts the incoming bust on its way. With good defense, Last manages to survive and takes game 4.
Game 5 on Sylphid:
Finally, game 5 of a back and forth series. The best time for EffOrt to bring out strategies that he has done before on stream. In this case, EffOrt opens up with a pool first, pulls Last's marines out of position with some zerglings then goes for the surround. As Last's marine count is thinned, he employs his burrow tactics. Last's multitasking is stressed to its limit, as his scans are being depleted, and he's forced to spend his attention on killing burrowed zerglings all over his base. EffOrt pulls ahead greatly, and once the mutalisks are out, and his third was established, it was pretty much GG for Last.
Last Stand
EffOrt advanced to the finals, 3-2!
End of the Road?
Shuttle had broken through the group stages and into the semifinals through sheer tenacity. Defying the odds one opponent after the next, had Shuttle finally met his match against the immovable wall, Flash?
Game 1 on Circuit Breaker:
Flash opens 1 rax fast expand, and luckily spawns cross positions from Shuttle. The long rush distance has Shuttle opt for a passive followup, doing virtually no dragoon harass and a slow two base reaver. In the newest trend, Flash skips the engineering bay entirely for fast goliaths with range. Shuttle makes a desperate suicide drop that shoots for the money shot reaver dreams are made of, but only gets 3 SCVs.
Shuttle's only unit keeping flash in his base is now dead, giving the go-ahead for a Terran push. Shuttle in a haphazard base trade forces Flash to lift off his third, but Shuttle loses his fourth and third in exchange. Shuttle trades a small army at Flash's natural, while using another at his own natural to cut off Flash's initial push force.
The dust not settling yet, Shuttle throws caution to the wind. He charges headlong into his only timing window, and manages to force Flash to pull SCVs. Before long though the attack peters out while Flash stands strong with 2/1 upgrades. The 1 base deficit spells Shuttle's doom, climaxed in a single earth shattering battle - a heroic last stand.
![[image loading]](https://imgur.com/TDIu4sU.jpg)
Blindly charge forwarrrrd! We'll clog their guns with our goop
Game 2 on Autobahn:
Shuttle takes the initiative by stealing Flash's gas. Flash responds by blocking Shuttle's natural with an engineering bay. Shuttle, however, likely anticipating Flash's response, makes a proxy robotics facility. Shuttle's grade school mischief is unfortunately put to a quick end by an all-knowing scout, and accompanying proxy bunker.
Shuttle cancels his proxy plan and transitions to fast 3 base carriers. The game appears to be flowing smoothly until 3 vultures shut down mining at Shuttle's third. Shuttle, transfixed on camping the top of the ramp of Flash's prospective third, has consequently left the rest of his bases undefended. That would mark the beginning of Shuttle's troubles.
Flash, armed with a handful of vultures and two dropships, goes to work. Expecting Shuttle to cut cannons and have his units out of position, the vultures devastate the main, natural, and third. An especially juicy mine hit kills several stacked probes.
![[image loading]](https://imgur.com/lh0qU3S.jpg)
The money shot Shuttle's reaver can only dream of
Shortly after, both players max out, but Flash's far superior upgrades and bank whittle Shuttle down in a war of attrition.
Game 3 on Sylphid:
Flash uniquely goes straight vultures, and starport while Shuttle dragoon expands. Flash's fast mines give him map control, keeping Shuttle in the dark. The unassuming Shuttle didn't even bother pressuring the bunker, focusing instead on killing the scout SCV. Flash then drops speed vultures, trading for a few probes. Shuttle is saved from further damage by two well positioned dragoons.
Shuttle, not content with sitting still, begins to get two shuttles worth of zealots and gateway units. The pseudo 3-base timing fails to make any headway though as Shuttle settles with expanding some more. Flash only widens his encroaching grasp of the game by intercepting a probe transfer to Shuttle's fourth. Left to his own devices, the passage of time itself is enough to make one feel Flash is ahead.
Such fears are realized by a disastrous engagement at Flash's third, out-muscled even with storms with the heart of Jangbi. Like an oppressive wind, Flash swoops into Shuttle's natural, making himself at home.
![[image loading]](/staff/2Pacalypse/manytank.png)
that is many tank? yes?
A clean sweep, no one could have expected any less of Flash. As for Shuttle, a noteworthy run was had, but you can only get so far.
Flash advanced to the finals!
Game 1 on Circuit Breaker:
Flash opens 1 rax fast expand, and luckily spawns cross positions from Shuttle. The long rush distance has Shuttle opt for a passive followup, doing virtually no dragoon harass and a slow two base reaver. In the newest trend, Flash skips the engineering bay entirely for fast goliaths with range. Shuttle makes a desperate suicide drop that shoots for the money shot reaver dreams are made of, but only gets 3 SCVs.
Shuttle's only unit keeping flash in his base is now dead, giving the go-ahead for a Terran push. Shuttle in a haphazard base trade forces Flash to lift off his third, but Shuttle loses his fourth and third in exchange. Shuttle trades a small army at Flash's natural, while using another at his own natural to cut off Flash's initial push force.
The dust not settling yet, Shuttle throws caution to the wind. He charges headlong into his only timing window, and manages to force Flash to pull SCVs. Before long though the attack peters out while Flash stands strong with 2/1 upgrades. The 1 base deficit spells Shuttle's doom, climaxed in a single earth shattering battle - a heroic last stand.
Blindly charge forwarrrrd! We'll clog their guns with our goop
Game 2 on Autobahn:
Shuttle takes the initiative by stealing Flash's gas. Flash responds by blocking Shuttle's natural with an engineering bay. Shuttle, however, likely anticipating Flash's response, makes a proxy robotics facility. Shuttle's grade school mischief is unfortunately put to a quick end by an all-knowing scout, and accompanying proxy bunker.
Shuttle cancels his proxy plan and transitions to fast 3 base carriers. The game appears to be flowing smoothly until 3 vultures shut down mining at Shuttle's third. Shuttle, transfixed on camping the top of the ramp of Flash's prospective third, has consequently left the rest of his bases undefended. That would mark the beginning of Shuttle's troubles.
Flash, armed with a handful of vultures and two dropships, goes to work. Expecting Shuttle to cut cannons and have his units out of position, the vultures devastate the main, natural, and third. An especially juicy mine hit kills several stacked probes.
The money shot Shuttle's reaver can only dream of
Shortly after, both players max out, but Flash's far superior upgrades and bank whittle Shuttle down in a war of attrition.
Game 3 on Sylphid:
Flash uniquely goes straight vultures, and starport while Shuttle dragoon expands. Flash's fast mines give him map control, keeping Shuttle in the dark. The unassuming Shuttle didn't even bother pressuring the bunker, focusing instead on killing the scout SCV. Flash then drops speed vultures, trading for a few probes. Shuttle is saved from further damage by two well positioned dragoons.
Shuttle, not content with sitting still, begins to get two shuttles worth of zealots and gateway units. The pseudo 3-base timing fails to make any headway though as Shuttle settles with expanding some more. Flash only widens his encroaching grasp of the game by intercepting a probe transfer to Shuttle's fourth. Left to his own devices, the passage of time itself is enough to make one feel Flash is ahead.
Such fears are realized by a disastrous engagement at Flash's third, out-muscled even with storms with the heart of Jangbi. Like an oppressive wind, Flash swoops into Shuttle's natural, making himself at home.
that is many tank? yes?
A clean sweep, no one could have expected any less of Flash. As for Shuttle, a noteworthy run was had, but you can only get so far.
Flash advanced to the finals!
FEAR ME
EffOrt vs Flash, a TvZ finals yet again.
Though this scenario sounds quite familiar, doesn't it? That's because it does my dear readers.
Let's take a trip back in time, shall we?
The year was 2010, the year that the Korean Air OSL took place in.
EffOrt was just another player who had barely made it into the tournament.
After advancing in his group, he defeated ZerO, and Kal before facing Flash in the finals.
At the height of his powers, Flash looked unbeatable, until magic was made to happen that night...
Down 2 games, EffOrt turned things up a notch, reverse sweeping Flash to win his first OSL, and ~$32000.
That OSL became a defining moment in EffOrt's career. The ability to overcome all obstacles, beating Flash at his peak and making history all in one night. It showed that Flash can be beaten, but that it takes an extraordinary player to do it. 8 years later, EffOrt is set to face Flash for a second time in the upcoming ASL grand finals.
Many wonder if the same fate will befall Flash again. After all, the situation is eerily similar. Will Flash be bogged down by memories of that night, or will he silence the ghosts of his past?
Now, it's true that EffOrt has had a hard time making deep runs in ASL, typically getting stopped in the Ro16 by other Zergs. He also had a hard time adjusting to the 1-1-1 in its early days, winning a mere 5 games out of 51 against Flash (~10% winrate). A thorough beating that spawned jokes which questioned his motivation as he started playing more UMS games. Infact, his sponmatch results in the last 3 months are none the wiser, with his ZvT winrate sitting at 52% with a losing record to Flash (won 3 of 9 games).
However, his offline tournament results paints a better picture, with a winrate of 63%, beating players such as Light, Mind, sSak and Sea over the course of several years. Let's not forget his recent 3-2 victory over Last where EffOrt showed a great form, combining his stellar macro, decisions, and micro with just the right bit of aggression to stop Last from reaching the finals. Many predicted that Last will sweep that series 3-0 yet EffOrt proved us all wrong, pulling off tricks that astounded us, including Flash.
His motivation may wax and wane, but this is still thee EffOrt that we are talking about:
- The same guy who beat Flash 8 years back.
- The same guy who beat Flash in the OGN Super Match, Seoul Cup just last year.
- The same guy who showed that being wild and rampaging through your opponent is good fun.
Alas, Flash is also a changed man. A man that has transcended his former self, perfecting strategies such as the 5 rax 2 port, and 1-1-1 since his return. His mere presence has caused his adversaries to cower in fear, and his macro and decision-making skills are on another level than others of his own race. The magic that Last showed in KSL that helped him beat both Soulkey and Jaedong is magic that Flash himself refined. A father per se, the one who can use them to their best, and put others to shame.
A quick glance at his TLPD records since his return show a preposterous 77% TvZ winrate in offline tournaments, beating the likes of ZerO, Soulkey, Jaedong, Shine, Killer, and hero. An array of Zergs that have different styles of play, yet Flash has beaten them all on all kinds of maps. He toppled both Shine and hero in previous ASL finals going 3-0 and 3-1 respectively while he wrestled with the rest, coming out on top in disadvantageous situations such as his game vs Jaedong on Circuit Breaker this ASL. To put it simply, Flash has worked hard on improving every aspect of himself, even his mental state. This is quite evident after he went on to beat hero in the ASL4 finals, despite hero taking a won third game from Flash's hands on Gladiator (TS: 1 hour 25minutes in clip below):
His sponmatches for these last 3 months paint much of the same bleak picture for the Zerg race, an 80% winrate with no Zerg having a winning record against him. EffOrt comes the closest, but his winrate is still mediocre, and no amount of spit will make it look nicer. Having secured 3 straight ASLs, ASL 2, 3 and 4, before being knocked out of ASL5 by Snow, Flash is certainly the favourite to take this ASL as usual. He is favoured against every single player out there, and you can be sure that Flash still hasn't forgotten that night, that he is looking for revenge.
![[image loading]](https://www.teamliquid.net/staff/BigFan/Hero_Article/Cup2.png)
And as we all know, Flash delivers and delivers hard!
How many have forgotten his revenge on Soulkey after his ATB loss?
How many have forgotten his trouncing of Last in ASL3, making Last look like such a weak player?
If there's another thing Flash is good at, it's preparation, and while EffOrt will be looking to pull the same magic as he did in the past, he's going to need a lot of luck, and a tough mental state against such a fearsome foe. This series is Flash's to lose, but EffOrt is certainly not out of it. Flash is no Last, and he will not underestimate EffOrt. He is well aware of his style of play, and he will be on the lookout for the same kind of tricks that did Last in.
Much like his finals against Shine where Flash scouted all over, Flash is more than likely to play cautiously, but optimally. There is even a chance that he'll totally vary up his strategies, eliciting to go for some cheesy builds to play the mind games. Anyone remember his proxy rax on Crossing Field against hero in the first game of the ASL4 finals? He totally caught hero offguard, netting himself a free win, and there's a chance he'll do it again. Conversely, EffOrt might pull off his own cheese to try and take the first game which would be a huge mental win, a chance to remove the mental shackles of a flawless Flash. This may be just what he needs, and it may change the tide of the battle.
For such a series, it's always rough to make a prediction, because it heavily depends on the state of the players. The past has shown us that Flash is almost always playing at his best form, showing flawless games, and wow-ing us with moves such as the commando dropships against Shine on Camelot (TS: 1 hour 19minutes in clip below). It's EffOrt that's rough to pin down. Will he bring the same spectacular micro that was on display in his semifinal series vs Last? Will he make good decisions, and rise to the occasion, or will EffOrt look like his old self from a while back when he was struggling to make much happen?
One thing to also remember is that Flash tends to overthink things at times. He himself even stated this personally, and this was the reason he lost the first game of the Ro16 group to Jaedong on Neo Transistor. If EffOrt can tap into that, if he can make Flash overthink things, it'll go a long way into helping him secure the first game, and in due time, the grand finals.
Considering the players, and their history, it's a safe bet to say that Flash will take this series. A single series from a long time ago will not determine his fate, and you can certainly be sure that Flash will be ready for whatever EffOrt brings to the table. Of course, EffOrt is likely to take a game off Flash due to his usual shenanigans, but anything outside 3-1 seems out of the question with Flash's recent form. If Flash is diligent with his scouting, and remains as solid as he's been all season long, then this will be a rough series for EffOrt's fans to watch.
Regardless, this series will be heated with sparks flying, and promises to be epic if both players live up to their potential. Make sure you tune in to one of the most hyped finals in years as Flash faces off against EffOrt!
Though this scenario sounds quite familiar, doesn't it? That's because it does my dear readers.
Let's take a trip back in time, shall we?
The year was 2010, the year that the Korean Air OSL took place in.
EffOrt was just another player who had barely made it into the tournament.
After advancing in his group, he defeated ZerO, and Kal before facing Flash in the finals.
At the height of his powers, Flash looked unbeatable, until magic was made to happen that night...
Down 2 games, EffOrt turned things up a notch, reverse sweeping Flash to win his first OSL, and ~$32000.
That OSL became a defining moment in EffOrt's career. The ability to overcome all obstacles, beating Flash at his peak and making history all in one night. It showed that Flash can be beaten, but that it takes an extraordinary player to do it. 8 years later, EffOrt is set to face Flash for a second time in the upcoming ASL grand finals.
Many wonder if the same fate will befall Flash again. After all, the situation is eerily similar. Will Flash be bogged down by memories of that night, or will he silence the ghosts of his past?
Now, it's true that EffOrt has had a hard time making deep runs in ASL, typically getting stopped in the Ro16 by other Zergs. He also had a hard time adjusting to the 1-1-1 in its early days, winning a mere 5 games out of 51 against Flash (~10% winrate). A thorough beating that spawned jokes which questioned his motivation as he started playing more UMS games. Infact, his sponmatch results in the last 3 months are none the wiser, with his ZvT winrate sitting at 52% with a losing record to Flash (won 3 of 9 games).
However, his offline tournament results paints a better picture, with a winrate of 63%, beating players such as Light, Mind, sSak and Sea over the course of several years. Let's not forget his recent 3-2 victory over Last where EffOrt showed a great form, combining his stellar macro, decisions, and micro with just the right bit of aggression to stop Last from reaching the finals. Many predicted that Last will sweep that series 3-0 yet EffOrt proved us all wrong, pulling off tricks that astounded us, including Flash.
His motivation may wax and wane, but this is still thee EffOrt that we are talking about:
- The same guy who beat Flash 8 years back.
- The same guy who beat Flash in the OGN Super Match, Seoul Cup just last year.
- The same guy who showed that being wild and rampaging through your opponent is good fun.
Alas, Flash is also a changed man. A man that has transcended his former self, perfecting strategies such as the 5 rax 2 port, and 1-1-1 since his return. His mere presence has caused his adversaries to cower in fear, and his macro and decision-making skills are on another level than others of his own race. The magic that Last showed in KSL that helped him beat both Soulkey and Jaedong is magic that Flash himself refined. A father per se, the one who can use them to their best, and put others to shame.
After all, Flash is the best player of all time, and the best Terran to ever emerge in BW, bar none.
A quick glance at his TLPD records since his return show a preposterous 77% TvZ winrate in offline tournaments, beating the likes of ZerO, Soulkey, Jaedong, Shine, Killer, and hero. An array of Zergs that have different styles of play, yet Flash has beaten them all on all kinds of maps. He toppled both Shine and hero in previous ASL finals going 3-0 and 3-1 respectively while he wrestled with the rest, coming out on top in disadvantageous situations such as his game vs Jaedong on Circuit Breaker this ASL. To put it simply, Flash has worked hard on improving every aspect of himself, even his mental state. This is quite evident after he went on to beat hero in the ASL4 finals, despite hero taking a won third game from Flash's hands on Gladiator (TS: 1 hour 25minutes in clip below):
His sponmatches for these last 3 months paint much of the same bleak picture for the Zerg race, an 80% winrate with no Zerg having a winning record against him. EffOrt comes the closest, but his winrate is still mediocre, and no amount of spit will make it look nicer. Having secured 3 straight ASLs, ASL 2, 3 and 4, before being knocked out of ASL5 by Snow, Flash is certainly the favourite to take this ASL as usual. He is favoured against every single player out there, and you can be sure that Flash still hasn't forgotten that night, that he is looking for revenge.
And as we all know, Flash delivers and delivers hard!
How many have forgotten his revenge on Soulkey after his ATB loss?
How many have forgotten his trouncing of Last in ASL3, making Last look like such a weak player?
If there's another thing Flash is good at, it's preparation, and while EffOrt will be looking to pull the same magic as he did in the past, he's going to need a lot of luck, and a tough mental state against such a fearsome foe. This series is Flash's to lose, but EffOrt is certainly not out of it. Flash is no Last, and he will not underestimate EffOrt. He is well aware of his style of play, and he will be on the lookout for the same kind of tricks that did Last in.
Much like his finals against Shine where Flash scouted all over, Flash is more than likely to play cautiously, but optimally. There is even a chance that he'll totally vary up his strategies, eliciting to go for some cheesy builds to play the mind games. Anyone remember his proxy rax on Crossing Field against hero in the first game of the ASL4 finals? He totally caught hero offguard, netting himself a free win, and there's a chance he'll do it again. Conversely, EffOrt might pull off his own cheese to try and take the first game which would be a huge mental win, a chance to remove the mental shackles of a flawless Flash. This may be just what he needs, and it may change the tide of the battle.
For such a series, it's always rough to make a prediction, because it heavily depends on the state of the players. The past has shown us that Flash is almost always playing at his best form, showing flawless games, and wow-ing us with moves such as the commando dropships against Shine on Camelot (TS: 1 hour 19minutes in clip below). It's EffOrt that's rough to pin down. Will he bring the same spectacular micro that was on display in his semifinal series vs Last? Will he make good decisions, and rise to the occasion, or will EffOrt look like his old self from a while back when he was struggling to make much happen?
One thing to also remember is that Flash tends to overthink things at times. He himself even stated this personally, and this was the reason he lost the first game of the Ro16 group to Jaedong on Neo Transistor. If EffOrt can tap into that, if he can make Flash overthink things, it'll go a long way into helping him secure the first game, and in due time, the grand finals.
Considering the players, and their history, it's a safe bet to say that Flash will take this series. A single series from a long time ago will not determine his fate, and you can certainly be sure that Flash will be ready for whatever EffOrt brings to the table. Of course, EffOrt is likely to take a game off Flash due to his usual shenanigans, but anything outside 3-1 seems out of the question with Flash's recent form. If Flash is diligent with his scouting, and remains as solid as he's been all season long, then this will be a rough series for EffOrt's fans to watch.
Regardless, this series will be heated with sparks flying, and promises to be epic if both players live up to their potential. Make sure you tune in to one of the most hyped finals in years as Flash faces off against EffOrt!
