• Log InLog In
  • Register
Liquid`
Team Liquid Liquipedia
EDT 04:27
CEST 10:27
KST 17:27
  • Home
  • Forum
  • Calendar
  • Streams
  • Liquipedia
  • Features
  • Store
  • EPT
  • TL+
  • StarCraft 2
  • Brood War
  • Smash
  • Heroes
  • Counter-Strike
  • Overwatch
  • Liquibet
  • Fantasy StarCraft
  • TLPD
  • StarCraft 2
  • Brood War
  • Blogs
Forum Sidebar
Events/Features
News
Featured News
RSL Season 1 - Final Week6[ASL19] Finals Recap: Standing Tall12HomeStory Cup 27 - Info & Preview18Classic wins Code S Season 2 (2025)16Code S RO4 & Finals Preview: herO, Rogue, Classic, GuMiho0
Community News
Esports World Cup 2025 - Brackets Revealed14Weekly Cups (July 7-13): Classic continues to roll5Team TLMC #5 - Submission extension3Firefly given lifetime ban by ESIC following match-fixing investigation17$25,000 Streamerzone StarCraft Pro Series announced7
StarCraft 2
General
Esports World Cup 2025 - Brackets Revealed Weekly Cups (July 7-13): Classic continues to roll The GOAT ranking of GOAT rankings RSL Revival patreon money discussion thread Who will win EWC 2025?
Tourneys
FEL Cracov 2025 (July 27) - $8000 live event Sea Duckling Open (Global, Bronze-Diamond) RSL: Revival, a new crowdfunded tournament series $5,100+ SEL Season 2 Championship (SC: Evo) WardiTV Mondays
Strategy
How did i lose this ZvP, whats the proper response Simple Questions Simple Answers
Custom Maps
External Content
Mutation # 482 Wheel of Misfortune Mutation # 481 Fear and Lava Mutation # 480 Moths to the Flame Mutation # 479 Worn Out Welcome
Brood War
General
BW General Discussion Help: rep cant save Flash Announces (and Retracts) Hiatus From ASL ASL20 Preliminary Maps BGH Auto Balance -> http://bghmmr.eu/
Tourneys
Cosmonarchy Pro Showmatches [Megathread] Daily Proleagues CSL Xiamen International Invitational [BSL20] Non-Korean Championship 4x BSL + 4x China
Strategy
Simple Questions, Simple Answers I am doing this better than progamers do.
Other Games
General Games
Stormgate/Frost Giant Megathread Path of Exile Nintendo Switch Thread CCLP - Command & Conquer League Project The PlayStation 5
Dota 2
Official 'what is Dota anymore' discussion
League of Legends
Heroes of the Storm
Simple Questions, Simple Answers Heroes of the Storm 2.0
Hearthstone
Heroes of StarCraft mini-set
TL Mafia
TL Mafia Community Thread Vanilla Mini Mafia
Community
General
US Politics Mega-thread Things Aren’t Peaceful in Palestine Russo-Ukrainian War Thread Stop Killing Games - European Citizens Initiative Summer Games Done Quick 2025!
Fan Clubs
SKT1 Classic Fan Club! Maru Fan Club
Media & Entertainment
[Manga] One Piece Movie Discussion! Anime Discussion Thread [\m/] Heavy Metal Thread
Sports
Formula 1 Discussion TeamLiquid Health and Fitness Initiative For 2023 2024 - 2025 Football Thread NBA General Discussion NHL Playoffs 2024
World Cup 2022
Tech Support
Computer Build, Upgrade & Buying Resource Thread
TL Community
The Automated Ban List
Blogs
Men Take Risks, Women Win Ga…
TrAiDoS
momentary artworks from des…
tankgirl
from making sc maps to makin…
Husyelt
StarCraft improvement
iopq
Trip to the Zoo
micronesia
Customize Sidebar...

Website Feedback

Closed Threads



Active: 770 users

[BSL8] Finals Preview: First At Last

Forum Index > BW General
12 CommentsPost a Reply

[BSL8] Finals Preview: First At Last

Text byTL.net ESPORTS
February 15th, 2020 10:30 GMT
logo





Ro4 Preview

(starts in )



The Greatest Underdog of BSL
by Ty2

ru g0rynich


g0rynich doesn’t have a glamorous profile. He’s not a superstar. His crowning career achievement in StarCraft: Remastered was his second place finish in the Italian Esports Open, where he lost 0-4 vs Firebathero. Along the way, he beat Koget and Bonyth in the qualifiers followed by Morrow and Draco in the final event.

Yet, that is the height to which g0rynich unexpectedly rises up to once again in the less lucrative, but prestigious BSL. He was a force to be reckoned with that dispatched Dewalt on the regular as a crisp ZvPer and combined smart strategy with well-rounded mechanics and decision making.

g0rynich has had limited success in premier tournaments, and even less so against the opponents he'd regularly contest and was once considered a favorite versus. Time and time again, he was relegated to the status of a second or third tier Zerg after losing to Dewalt constantly and haplessly losing in the unwieldy ZvZ matchup against specialists like trutaCz. His ZvT was no more effective at leaving a good impression. His decline in prominence was portrayed in numerous non-finals finishes in weekly tournaments with few exceptions. He would also lose in underwhelming fashion in prior BSLs without making it to the Top 4.

BSL8 finally puts a halt to this mediocre streak for g0rynich. He arrives as a finalist by soaring over the competition. When met with his previous pitfalls and weaknesses, he has risen and overcome them. His journey started after an uneventful Ro24 where he beat Yeti and Crossy to advance first. He had to face trutaCz in the winner's match of Group D in the Ro16, and the typical g0rynich would have lopsidedly lost, but instead, with a bit of luck involving hidden bases and some bold aggression, he bested trutaCz. The Ro8 was all the more impressive when he dismantled American hope Hawk 3-0 and dismantled Dandy 3-1.

Now g0rynich faces Bonyth, and they both hunger for the gold. g0rynich will undoubtedly prepare even more heavily for the finals and will mix in a good variety of plays like he did against Dandy. Bonyth has on numerous occasions lost to overpool ling all-ins and other chaotic aggression that turns the tables, so mixing in some abusive, aggressive ling all-ins feels natural. For the calculating g0rynich though, a macro and strategy-focused style will likely be the prevailing tone of the series. The economic, laid back 12 or 11-hatch openings feel the best for taking the slight edge g0rynich needs against Bonyth's 1-Gate FE. In other ways, g0rynich may have his own nuances to outsmart Bonyth's predictable style.

On the other hand, Bonyth may choose to whip out his other unique PvZ trademarks like his 2-gate opening or 1-Base reaver play. Bonyth's 2-gate is especially menacing with his zealot control and can create a huge lead in the game. The appearance of either build is likely, and g0rynich will be pressed on all fronts to adapt and overcome if he truly wants to earn first place.

Overall, g0rynich will have to take big swings and risks to outdo Bonyth because playing Bonyth's micro-intensive 1-Gate Fast Expand game will lead to a slow death for the Russian Zerg. A sound economic game or aggressive gambit that puts a halt to the early momentum Bonyth heavily relies on will likely result in a victory for g0rynich.

Prediction: g0rynich 4-3 Bonyth


Unstoppable Force, Immovable Object
by TaardadAiel

pl Bonyth


No introduction is needed for Tomasz “Bonyth” Kamiński if you’ve followed the foreign StarCraft scene for the last several years. Despite taking a break or two and resurfacing, he’s always been a force to be reckoned with, and in his best form, he’s right at the top of the food chain. Back in October, he won the biggest offline event held outside Korea: the Corrupted Cup in Moscow. There is a prize that has eluded him for quite a while now, however, and that is the BSL title.

Bonyth and the BSL go back a long way. When the league’s debut season was held in support of the Polish StarCraft community seven years ago, he earned his first Top 3 finish. And when in 2018 the league grew bigger and the competition stiffer, he became a regular in the Top 4 whenever he participated (save an early exit in Season 3). But he never reached the very top.

And there is a certain pattern to be observed here. Bonyth lost two consecutive finals in BSL Seasons 5 and 6 to eOnzErG and fellow Pole trutaCz, respectively. Then, in BSL7, he finished third after being defeated by eOnzErG again. Even back in 2013, he was eliminated by trutaCz. So when Russian Zerg veteran g0rynich overcame Dandy and reached the finals, a signal bell started ringing in my head. Is this the impregnable fortress that will shatter the Protoss armies of Bonyth again when he is so close to his goal?

Truth be told, Protoss versus Zerg has always been his least favored matchup. The closest he got to being eliminated from the Corrupted Cup was against Hawk in the group stage. But this season, he just breezed through both Castro and Hawk in the Ro16. trutaCz was a tougher nut to crack in the Ro8, yet Bonyth still overcame his old rival convincingly through his usual skill set of impeccable micro and acute awareness. He is in truly amazing form right now, possibly the best of his career so far.

But g0rynich has shown so far that he means business too. This is the furthest he’s ever got in the BSL, and he collected several scalps on his way, including BSL4 champion Dandy. However, it’s actually ZvP where g0rynich shines the most. He’s a different kind of Zerg from trutaCz and eOnzErG; he’s a pragmatic, calculating player who will do what it takes to patiently build a strategic advantage rather than risk blowing a temporary lead with aggression. Late game ZvP is his forte, and he’s not averse to creating huge lurker fields and using static defense while steadily building up the infrastructure he needs to ultimately overwhelm the opposition. We saw the Russian veteran do just that versus Yeti, the only Protoss he’s had to face until now. And while Yeti had his chances, g0rynich implacably steered the game into the macro slugfest he excels at. With plenty of time to prepare for a Bo7 series and fine-tune all his builds against his opponent’s strengths and weaknesses, g0rynich is a formidable foe indeed.

And yet Bonyth is exactly the kind of player that can and will disrupt all those well laid out plans. His trademark aggression should not be confused with impulsiveness. His hard-hitting blows are just as fine-tuned. g0rynich would need to execute perfectly in defense throughout the series because the hammer will inevitably fall and cause all sorts of mayhem to his economic infrastructure. I doubt that he’d gamble with too much early aggression beyond what is absolutely needed to set up a favorable strategic position. Ultimately, all of this might very well not be enough. He’s definitely reinvigorated and has the benefit of experience from his extended career, but Bonyth is on fire. The Polish Protoss has everything ready at his disposal to storm and climb the top of the BSL and win the title he undoubtedly yearns for.

Prediction: Bonyth 4-2 g0rynich




[image loading]


BSL Website - Discord - Liquipedia - Facebook - Twitter - Twitch





Writers: Ty2, TaardadAiel
Graphics: Edit
Editors: EsportsJohn

Facebook Twitter Reddit
TL+ Member
BulgarianToss
Profile Joined May 2011
Bulgaria484 Posts
February 15 2020 11:10 GMT
#2
Thanks for the write-up guys!

I think g0rynich's style is going to make this match very entertaining to watch, especially if he is able to hold on for the first 10 minutes. He plays smart macro games without risking the lead and knows all the zerg manoeuvres to prevent protoss from gaining too many expansions. I still favour Bonyth and wish he'll win, but hopefully we will get a tight series + a decider game .
music is the best thing in the world
Szinkler
Profile Joined July 2018
Hungary394 Posts
February 15 2020 11:33 GMT
#3
Gogo Bonyth! Going to be an amazing finals!
ZZZero.O
Profile Joined July 2011
Poland1506 Posts
February 15 2020 11:46 GMT
#4
Amazing job as always, I love these previews !

Pizza & box of caviar for TL.net team !
https://www.patreon.com/Bombastic || https://liquipedia.net/starcraft/Bombastic_StarLeague || https://linktr.ee/bombastic
Brainojack
Profile Joined March 2018
Canada195 Posts
February 15 2020 19:41 GMT
#5
Great previews. Hype!
TelecoM
Profile Blog Joined January 2010
United States10671 Posts
February 15 2020 20:32 GMT
#6
Nice preview write up, lets go Bonyth.
AKA: TelecoM[WHITE] Protoss fighting
ffswowsucks
Profile Blog Joined August 2005
Greece2294 Posts
Last Edited: 2020-02-15 22:55:18
February 15 2020 22:54 GMT
#7
Can't wait for tomorrow.I am pretty sure we will see some nice games!
Terran in particular is a notoriously strong race for a no brain skillhand bot style.
bd.Makin
Profile Joined August 2012
Chile104 Posts
February 16 2020 01:21 GMT
#8
Lets go bonyth win this and start streaming again 😋
MaD[AoV]
Profile Joined August 2011
Norway170 Posts
February 16 2020 10:09 GMT
#9
Bonyth will go 4-0 ! You heard it here first
C'est la vie.
M3t4PhYzX
Profile Joined March 2019
Poland4187 Posts
February 16 2020 10:23 GMT
#10
great writeup, always enjoying these

go go Bonyth ! ! !
odi profanum vulgus et arceo
InDi
Profile Joined April 2010
Spain90 Posts
February 16 2020 13:12 GMT
#11
Great writeup! For Aiur Bonyth!
RAPiDCasting
Profile Joined July 2009
Korea (South)594 Posts
February 16 2020 15:38 GMT
#12
The faster caster. @RAPiDCasting
chrisolo
Profile Joined May 2009
Germany2606 Posts
February 16 2020 16:52 GMT
#13
lets go Bonyth !!!
¯\_(ツ)_/¯ - aka cReAtiVee
Please log in or register to reply.
Live Events Refresh
Next event in 1h 33m
[ Submit Event ]
Live Streams
Refresh
StarCraft 2
Nina 231
StarCraft: Brood War
Sea 1609
Mind 315
TY 128
BeSt 85
Dewaltoss 81
Leta 66
sSak 54
Backho 48
Sacsri 14
Dota 2
monkeys_forever610
ODPixel555
XaKoH 317
canceldota88
League of Legends
JimRising 560
Counter-Strike
Stewie2K1365
shoxiejesuss251
Other Games
summit1g10756
Fuzer 221
SortOf87
ROOTCatZ84
Mew2King63
Trikslyr22
Organizations
Other Games
gamesdonequick2223
StarCraft 2
Blizzard YouTube
StarCraft: Brood War
BSLTrovo
sctven
[ Show 12 non-featured ]
StarCraft 2
• AfreecaTV YouTube
• intothetv
• Kozan
• IndyKCrew
• LaughNgamezSOOP
• Migwel
• sooper7s
StarCraft: Brood War
• BSLYoutube
• STPLYoutube
• ZZZeroYoutube
League of Legends
• Rush2330
• Stunt466
Upcoming Events
The PondCast
1h 33m
OSC
4h 33m
WardiTV European League
7h 33m
Fjant vs Babymarine
Mixu vs HiGhDrA
Gerald vs ArT
goblin vs MaNa
Jumy vs YoungYakov
Replay Cast
15h 33m
Epic.LAN
1d 3h
CranKy Ducklings
2 days
Epic.LAN
2 days
CSO Contender
2 days
BSL20 Non-Korean Champi…
2 days
Bonyth vs Sziky
Dewalt vs Hawk
Hawk vs QiaoGege
Sziky vs Dewalt
Mihu vs Bonyth
Zhanhun vs QiaoGege
QiaoGege vs Fengzi
Sparkling Tuna Cup
3 days
[ Show More ]
Online Event
3 days
BSL20 Non-Korean Champi…
3 days
Bonyth vs Zhanhun
Dewalt vs Mihu
Hawk vs Sziky
Sziky vs QiaoGege
Mihu vs Hawk
Zhanhun vs Dewalt
Fengzi vs Bonyth
Esports World Cup
5 days
ByuN vs Astrea
Lambo vs HeRoMaRinE
Clem vs TBD
Solar vs Zoun
SHIN vs Reynor
Maru vs TriGGeR
herO vs Lancer
Cure vs ShoWTimE
Esports World Cup
6 days
Liquipedia Results

Completed

JPL Season 2
RSL Revival: Season 1
Murky Cup #2

Ongoing

BSL 2v2 Season 3
Copa Latinoamericana 4
Jiahua Invitational
BSL20 Non-Korean Championship
Championship of Russia 2025
FISSURE Playground #1
BLAST.tv Austin Major 2025
ESL Impact League Season 7
IEM Dallas 2025
PGL Astana 2025
Asian Champions League '25
BLAST Rivals Spring 2025
MESA Nomadic Masters

Upcoming

CSL Xiamen Invitational
CSL Xiamen Invitational: ShowMatche
2025 ACS Season 2
CSLPRO Last Chance 2025
CSLPRO Chat StarLAN 3
BSL Season 21
K-Championship
RSL Revival: Season 2
SEL Season 2 Championship
uThermal 2v2 Main Event
FEL Cracov 2025
Esports World Cup 2025
Underdog Cup #2
ESL Pro League S22
StarSeries Fall 2025
FISSURE Playground #2
BLAST Open Fall 2025
BLAST Open Fall Qual
Esports World Cup 2025
BLAST Bounty Fall 2025
BLAST Bounty Fall Qual
IEM Cologne 2025
TLPD

1. ByuN
2. TY
3. Dark
4. Solar
5. Stats
6. Nerchio
7. sOs
8. soO
9. INnoVation
10. Elazer
1. Rain
2. Flash
3. EffOrt
4. Last
5. Bisu
6. Soulkey
7. Mini
8. Sharp
Sidebar Settings...

Advertising | Privacy Policy | Terms Of Use | Contact Us

Original banner artwork: Jim Warren
The contents of this webpage are copyright © 2025 TLnet. All Rights Reserved.