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Philadelphia, PA10406 Posts
Confessions: I'll have a good, fulfilling life if CJ loses to Khan. If they win, I'll have the same thing, but incrementally happier.
After last night, I have no idea what to expect here. Khan's b-teamers brought out the absolute worst in CJ's strong line-up.  Iris was done in by beautiful timing defenses from  oDin, and Kwanro just totally failed, as he is wont to do. Can it happen again? Sure hope not, but my confidence is understandably shaken.
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Predictions
sKyHigh <  Stork
In sKyHigh however, I believe. This guy is a strong player normally who just turns it on in the playoffs. Now we haven't seen his TvP yet this month, and that is his worst mo, but you really never know. While this match-up clearly favors Stork (and he is the favorite here), but with the way sKyHigh has been meteing out punishment to his opponents, I wouldn't be surprised at all if sKyHigh rolls here. This might be the game of the night however, almost a must-win for Khan, and a huge boost for CJ.
Kwanro > Miracle
No idea what to think here either. Kwanro is a strong player, he has no right losing to Miracle twice in a row. But if Miracle busts out as creative and deadly a build as the one he pulled last night, then Kwanro could be in trouble yet again. But whenever Kwanro plays, he's in trouble, it's just his style. He's (reluctantly) the favorite here, again.
EffOrt > great
I have it 2-0 CJ here, but to be honest, I'm expecting to be wrong on at least one of those first two games. This game worries me a bit, as great's prowess as a zvz sniper has been felt in these playoffs. EffOrt should be a step better than Calm; great's last victim, and I don't see him falling here, as he's also looked very impressive throughout. EffOrt was the only CJ player last night who actually laughed (no doubt a cold, pitiless laugh) and then preceded to regain his (-_-) and stomp his opponent. (And boy was it bad). EffOrt is a baller.
Much < JangBi
Should it actually somehow be 3-0 CJ at this point, you can be rest assured that it will not stay that way. JangBi crush Much like bug. End of story. I can't remember the last time Much actually played a close game, let alone won one. I'd be more confident with IdrA in the line-up instead of the jawbone.
Iris > firebathero
This should also be a crucial match-up tonight, maybe the most evenly matched on paper. FBH's TvT has always been his best match-up and despite his recent slip-ups overall, he's coming off playing some of the greatest TvT yet played. Iris is also on a TvT hot-streak of sorts, and has played quite a bit of it recently. More of a gut call than anything else, I'll always be more confident in Iris than FBH.
Movie > Juni
As I've said, I'm likely wrong at least once here, hopefully on the first game, so we can get it over with. Should it come to the sixth game, it'll be up to Movie to determine the outcome of this game. If Blockbuster Movie shows up, then poor Juni doesn't stand a chance against Movie's best mo. If the B-Movie that played one-base against Killer (in one of the worst games player this year) arrives, then Juni will pad his curious 3-0 record in ZvP televised games. With Movie having lost in terrible fashion yesterday, expect him to play in amazing fashion and remind us all why Movie is the most tantalizing prospect in starcraft.
ACE(s):
Khan: Has two real choices; great and JangBi. Stork really isn't as strong a pick, as JangBi has been playing better than he has, and they both have similar strengths and weaknesses. However, depending on the performances tonight, we could also see great from Khan. great executed perfectly against STX, sniping Calm, and against EffOrt, he is Khan's best hope.
CJ: This being CJ, you never know who they've had practicing for this, but EffOrt makes the most sense. He has deadly records in all match-ups, and is an excellent player on outsider. I don't think a Terran from CJ makes much sense, either Stork or JangBi would be a strong counter, and Outsider is not a map so slanted that it would call for a Terran. Then again, expect someone totally random like Snow.
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United States10774 Posts
I like today's matchups for KHAN a lot more than yesterday's
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On July 26 2009 03:20 QuickStriker wrote:
Well I'm not a blind fanboy as well and I'm being as realistic as I can to tell you and all right now that SKT1 shots of taking this league is still well strong at the Grand Finals. No matter who it is, they do have a strong lineup but...... let's save it after today's match and after the semi-finals....
Never said KHAN WOULD take the Proleague, just that their chances are very high if they make it past CJ.
Of course SKT still stands a strong chance, being in the Grand Finals and all, but if KHAN made it to the Grand Finals I would genuinely be worried for SKT. Not saying SKT WILL lose, but if KHAN beat STX AND CJ then KHAN just might beat SKT.
I see KHAN as the underdog against both STX and CJ. And KHAN already has a lead on CJ. If they manage to take out CJ before even reaching the super ace then I think SKT has huge cause for concern.
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United States10774 Posts
On July 26 2009 02:00 AlwaysGG wrote:
CJ will 4-1 this and win the superace. because i dont see protoss from khan can take effort or kwanro
and if they sent FBH on ace it is just suicide
HAHA no protoss can take kwanro? Effort is favorite a versus Jangbi/Stork, but Kwanro? LOL. Build some extra cannons and you win  Even though Samsung tosses skip out on that sometimes, I think they would know what to do against Kwanro. Kwanro wouldn't be sent out as the ace anyway.
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I'm very scared. I think 90% of the population expected that if it was going to go to Super Ace, CJ would take the first night and Khan the second. CJ's line up was very impressive last night, just as Khan's is tonight. I'm not going to bother with predictions, as I expected a 4-0 CJ sweep last night.
Come on, CJ, you must advance to destroy Oz! 
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I find it stupid to make predictions now... cus Khan its a team that gains like +99 abilty on the Playoffs... such a great team I love it =D
Its to hard to pick the winners of every matchup thats why I love SC... its like football...
Just GO samsung and secure your semifinal spot!
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I think CJ was surprised how well Samsung was prepared. Samsung really looked like a superior team yesterday.
Now today Skyhigh has to play Stork which can be very tough. Stork seems to be playing reasonably well.
0:1 Samsung
Kwanro will play Miracle. Again I think he underestimated Miracle. It won't happen again but still I am not sure who will be the winner. I give a slight advantage to Kwanro but anything can happen.
1:1
Effort should win against great but it is ZvZ and I am not sure Effort is such a sure bet like Jaedong in that match-up. Not yet. But Effort is a favourite.
2:1 CJ
Much is an obvious underdog against Jangbi and as much as I like him I can't see him taking a game from Jangbi unless he has prepared some sort of weird build.
2:2
Iris vs FBH is a toss up it seems. We all know that FBH TvT used to be really really good but FBH is slumping hard. I actually think that Iris is in a better mental condition and that's what will decide this game
3:2 CJ
For the 6th game I think Juni will take it. Though I believe Movie is overall much better player, Samsung reminded us yesterday that its players can peapre very well for the single games.
3:3
For ace I see Effort from CJ and Stork or Jangbi from Samsung. I think in both cases Effort will be a favourite but will he perform under so much pressure, remains to be seen.
Also I think January's strategy of making players to practice only one map really pays off so far we will see today though. That's why I think that one of the early games which looks in favour of CJ will turn out as an upset. I have a feeling that contrary to my predictions it will be CJ who will count on Movie to win 6th game to push the match to the ace game.
Either way, I am pretty excited about today match and can't wait for it!
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JIJIyO
Canada1957 Posts
On July 26 2009 02:23 IntoTheWow wrote:
OK CJ, you will do this.
Have faith yee unfaithful one.
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cj will win the second round but january is gonna have some crazy zerg snipe prepared for the super ace.
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I think FBH will win against Iris, remember the awesome match he played against Flash? Even though he's in a slump, his TvT has always been superb
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Skyhigh < Stork
Kwanro > Miracle
Effort > Great
Much < Jangbi
Iris < FBH
Movie < Juni
4 - 2 Khan to advance
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Curious why so many people think FBH's TvT now sucks. Considering he's 7-3 in his last 10 games, and his recent losses were against Flash and Hwasin. And both games were more about him fucking up than Flash/Hwasin winning. FBH's TvZ has gone into the gutter due to MnM no longer doing well, but he's still a TvT beast.
I know it probably won't happen, but man it would be awesome for FBH to beat Iris to win the match for Samsung 4-1.
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On July 26 2009 04:27 Aurioch wrote:
I think FBH will win against Iris, remember the awesome match he played against Flash? Even though he's in a slump, his TvT has always been superb
But he just went 0:3 in the playoffs. I think as a spectators we often underestimate the mental side of the game. FBH seems to be shaken and that's why I would give Iris an edge. I think most of us will agree that FBH is overall better in TvT than Iris but it is not just about the innate ability. The games will be decided by the play on that particular moment and what will matter is the mental stranght and the strategy and less the overall skill in particular match-up.
I personally think Iris has a small edge in this one, but I won't be surprised if FBH wins.
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Khan has a huge edge in this series-experience.
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Also, remember that tonight, both Effort and Iris have the GOM semifinal as well, and that definitely serve as a distraction towards the match.
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Germany / USA16648 Posts
really any outcome is possible, there is basically no result I would consider a true upset except maybe miracle beating kwanro again. no huge edges for any single game imho
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I'd be shocked if Much beat Jangbi O.o
Chubby Toss! (O^ ^O)
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On July 26 2009 05:05 Aurioch wrote:
Also, remember that tonight, both Effort and Iris have the GOM semifinal as well, and that definitely serve as a distraction towards the match.
I don't think that serves as a distraction to them. I'm pretty much sure they both ignore it as much as possible. I remember Violet saying in of his interviews that proleague games are more important than GOM and that he did not prepare at all against Effort because of his proleague games. I expect the same to be true in this case. The whole team is counting on both of them...
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Carnac said:
really any outcome is possible, there is basically no result I would consider a true upset
What he said. There's really no good way to predict what will or will not happen, in the thick of the moment, when you have such evenly-matched teams facing each other, with little-known players in the spotlight for the first time. I'm pulling for KHAN, and I do think they've got a good chance to take this...but I'm definitely not counting CJ out.
Go Samsung!
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EPT
