EPT![[image loading]](http://i48.tinypic.com/287ky7k.png)
Jaedong, Flash, Kal, Hwasin, Best, Light, Kwanro, and Stats. Out of nearly two hundred other players, these 8 have clawed their way through opponent after opponent to make it to the Bo5 stage. Just for this, every player here deserves to be applauded - it certainly was not an easy road. Unfortunately for some of them, however, this is where it comes to an end. So cheer your hearts out for your favorite player, because while making the quarterfinals is commendable, it is easily forgotten. A trophy is much harder to ignore.
But first, let's take a quick look at the Ro16 victories that got them this far:
Ro16 Results:
BeSt 2-0 
CanataLight 2-0 
heroKwanro 2-1 BogusHwasin 2-0 GuemChiFlash 2-1 ZerOKal 2-0 SaintJaedong 2-0 FireFistStats 2-1 JangBiTwo things to take note of here: first, in nearly every case the "better" player came out on top, with the possible exception of Stats vs Jangbi (who is an absolute PvP monster when he's actually on his game). It's always annoying when a person advances from the Ro16 to the Ro8 only to face an even weaker opponent because of all the sneaking by of lackluster players with some good days or cheesy builds - however, there doesn't seem to be a single instance of that here now. Every player is taking on a substantially stronger and more dangerous opponent in the Ro8 than they faced in the Ro16.
The second thing is the racial balance. As promised in the “Forget the Past” newspost, this is already way beyond the MSL of yesteryear. Whereas last season had a Ro8 consisting of five Zergs, two Terrans, and just one Protoss - the dreaded "Swarm Season" wherein ZvZ was forever on repeat - this season has managed to tone down the Zerg dominance without going overboard and knocking them out altogether (see what happened to Protoss after the short lived reign of the 6 dragons). With a 2 Z, 3 T, 3 P split this time around - there really is no better word to sum up the current Nate MSL than "Equality".
One thing I love about the MSL compared to the OSL is the decision to reseed the Ro8 based on KeSPA rank (one thing I hate is the split Bo5's, but I'll have to take the good with the bad). As you can see in the bracket below, it almost always sets up a more exciting finals possibility than not doing it, and in this case especially. I don't want to jinx it, as with the ever-present curse of Jaedong and Bisu never meeting in a Bo5, but I really do think - if everything goes well - we might see a Jaedong Flash finals here, which would be a programing event along the lines of the Boxer/Yellow match up in the very first MSL.
Of course, knowing our luck, we'll end up with Hwasin vs Light or something. Let's drop the subject. Here's the bracket:
![[image loading]](http://i46.tinypic.com/2cqhdfr.png)
Choices shouldn’t be this easy to make this deep in a tournament, but with a Ro8 as star-studded as this MSL, Stats stands out like a sore thumb. His run so far has consisted of barely making it out of group stages by beating a slumping July twice (losing to Jaedong in the middle in an absolute rape) and then barely making it past a slumping Jangbi in the Ro16. Now I can’t completely rule him out – Bisu, after all, entered his first MSL under similar conditions (losing to his first Bo5 opponent, Nal_Ra, in the group stages, beating mediocre players to advance) and ended up making history when he won the whole thing. Could Stats surprise us all and do the same? Unlikely – there simply is no indication in the games themselves that he is more than just a capable modern toss: for him to actually take 3 games away from the best ZvP in the world right now is too big of a mental leap.
Jaedong 3-0, possibly 3-1 if he does the "lose the first game" thing
I watched both of these players last five games to really try to get a feel for who is going to win this, and it basically boils down to how impressive you think it is that Hwasin stomped Guemchi 4-0, because other than those games he looked pretty limited. If Kal plays this at a Stork-like level, I really don't see Hwasin capable of elevating his game (especially in a Bo5, where he is a notorious choker). I simply cant bet against Kal here, especially when hes playing so strong lately. However, because some of the maps seem to have a slight Terran lean to them, and Hwasin is still a fully capable Terran, I predict he will take the game on Fighting Spirit (a map Kal lost to Really on) and lose the other three.
Kal 3-1
These guys are both similarly skilled and have very entertaining and compatible styles for this match up: Light plays a very conservative, standard bio-oriented TvZ, much like Flash, but unlike Flash he doesn't play it nearly perfectly enough to make Kwanro's hyper-aggressive off-balance Zerg builds useless (Hell, even Flash lost to Kwanro in the last MSL, though he is much improved now). I think if everything goes smoothly, the comfortable Terran maps and Light's solid play will strangle Kwanro out, but if he gets any kind of mental advantage (say a Game 1 win with an early pool build or 2 hat lurker) I really think Light's tendency to do poorly in the later stages of starleagues will kick in and Kwanro can pull out a victory, much like he did vs an on fire Iris 3-2 in the previous MSL. As a side note, despite my excitement for this series, neither of these players has a chance in hell of winning the whole MSL.
Light 3-1, but if it goes to a 5th game I think Kwanro will win it 3-2.
This is easily the most anticipated Quarterfinals series, and the number one question on everybody's mind is: just how good is Flash's current TvP? This is the guy that practically invented the matchup as it's played today, and yet recent losses (and a very poor record against Best in general) are shaking his image as the Goliath-wielding destroyer of Aiur. If he comes as prepared as he is capable of being, then I simply have to give the series to him because I stand by the belief that a Bo5 will go to the stronger player, and Flash - when playing at his peak - is that player. However, with his heavy schedule and emphasis on the OSL, there is no guarantee that the real Ultimate Weapon will be showing up at all. Best, for his part, is playing amazing PvT recently and of course has the added distinction of never having lost to Flash and being one of the few Protoss who could take him down consistently. This one is almost too close to call, but I'll side with the TvP master for now.
FlaSh 3-2
Thanks for reading!
Stay tuned for more MSL coverage when we recap the Quarterfinals!
