This is not an arena for second chances, or what ifs. This isn't the time to make mistakes or plan for next year. This is a moment to look at the present, and embrace the impossible. Victory is one match away. So is defeat. Starcraft's finest are here, and they're ready to rumble.

Some will falter, some will fall, and some will not be stopped.

The Shinhan Winners League 2009-10 playoffs are upon us, and it is time that we gathered around the streams, brought out the trash talk and rooted for our teams. These playoffs are about progaming, its teams and players, its fans and followers. The games to come are about Broodwar, its ins and outs, its moments great and small that we will always carry with us. The matches we look forward to this week are all about the all kill, the possibility of a single player stepping up to play the series of a lifetime, and deliver a team to victory, a shot at glory that only Winners League can offer.

These playoffs are about preparation, and hours upon hours spent in the practice room.

These playoffs are about nerves of steel and unwavering hands.

These playoffs are about hopes, dreams and careers coming down to a single moment of greatness.

These playoffs are about the unstoppable.

Last year, it was CJ Entus, Skyhigh their Mister Farenheit. This year, who will defy the laws of gravity? As always, only time will tell.

The round robin phase of WL recently concluded on a high note, and despite a fair amount of controversy fans have a lot to look forward to as the knock-out phase gets under way this week. Following a thrilling run through regular WL, 4 teams have been picked to duke it out for the grand prize - the title of Winner's League champion, bragging rights, and a hefty sum of money.



Before we go into any detail though, here's a look at how the teams did, as well as a short rundown of how the playoffs work. Essentially, the top 4 teams are determined by their score in the round robin. In the event of a tie (like in the case of Woongjin and STX), the difference between wins and losses is looked at to determine the victor. In the playoffs, #4 plays #3, and the winner of this will play #2 (MBCGame), and then the winner of that plays #1 (KT Rolster). As you can see, coming in #1 in the ladder is extremely coveted because it basically gets you an autoseed into the finals. Still confused? Well, Harem brings us a short column on last year's playoffs, and that might sort things out for you.


Unfortunately for the Oz fans, they did not make the playoffs this year, and will have to watch from the sidelines as the other teams battle to claim the title. So, on to the teams that did make it. Actually, instead of teams, we shall focus on the players that define each team.




Indeed, Guemchi is the tiger which has defied everyone's expectations. Often obscured by his stronger Protoss teammate, Free, he has really come to shine in this season's Winner's League, and thanks to his excellent performance, his team has clawed their way out of mediocrity to manage a playoff spot. If things go as expected, there is no doubt you'll be seeing more of him and the regular outfit of Woongjin players in action during the playoffs. While last time when they met STX, they managed a narrow 4:3 victory, this time, STX will definitely bring their A lineup to the table, and Woongjin is going to have a tough fight.


Another unfamiliar Protoss face, Stats has been the KT mainstay Protoss over Violet for the period of Winner's League. His results so far have been really impressive, 7-3 with losses to Sea and Leta. Initially, everytime he was sent out, we thought the KT coach was just letting the team's amateurs gain some experience, but now it seems he might actually show up in a serious lineup. However, almost all the regular proleague players were left out in this Winner's League, so we feel that the KT coach might be planning something for the playoffs.


Flash. Need we saw more about him? He's on fire, and is KT's trump card. He first provided them a direct ticket to the finals, and will most likely engineer their victory there too. He started the season not seeing much play, in most part due to Stats' rampaging of the opposition, but he later climbed the ranks rapidly. People who bought him in fantasy saw him skyrocket late in the season to tie Light at first place with 61 points. His record of 19-3 is one that sends shivers down any opponent's spine, and with 5 ace match victories under his belt, we're betting KT'll be pretty confident should it come down to that. Unfortunately, not everyone is without their flaws. This week, Flash took a beating at the hands of Leta, who took down the entire KT lineup, performing an all kill on the team that people had once thought was undefeatable. We bring the game to you in this week's Game of the Week.





Calm, STX's premiere Zerg. His 8-5 record is deceptive, as STX's wins are pretty evenly distributed amongst a number of their players. Often either taking on the responsibility of starting off the set or cleaning up the remnants, he is usually either played in STX's first or last positions. An interesting fact to note is that everytime Calm starts off at the head of the lineup, he loses. Just look at his losses vs Light, Kwanro, and even SoO, and SKT1 Zerg. Perhaps the STX coach should make a note of this - no point wasting a great Zerg player on a jinxed position.


Kal is up here because he has the most wins on STX. However, both Shuttle and Modesty are also up there, 8-2 and 6-2 respectively. Like Woongjin, STX seems to suffer from the lack of Terran players - their star, Hwasin, having underperformed since 2008. The good thing is Winner's League doesn't require you to play all races, so STX is all set to rock the stage come playoffs, and with their team of veterans and upstarts, they might cause an upset yet.


Ah, we've saved the best for last. Light, is indeed a sex machine, for his play has been hella sexy this round. A mediocre Terran overshadowed by Sea since forever, he has broken out of his shell, and assisted by the format of Winner's League, has gone all to show everyone what he's worth. In fact, in this week's set against KT, the duel between the two teams for the #1 spot, Light could've achieved victory for MBC had he taken the ace game from Flash. Let not the numbers deceive you, the two teams are actually closer in score, and in win-loss difference than it seems. Should they make it to the final to meet KT Rolster again, the showdown between the two stars will be a fight that you would not want to miss.



Lest we forget about it, we have a FPL update this time! We may have neglected to bring you updates for most of the round, and for that we apologise, but here's Waxangel with a wrap up of FPL in Fantasy Finale.



We've come to the end of the song (and newspost). Before we leave you though, be reminded that the playoffs ahead may very well be the last Winner's Leagues games, so if you've ever enjoyed Winner's League enough to stay up for it, if you've ever abandoned your real life friends to endulge in some starcraft, now is not the time to be paying that back. There will be time after Winner's League ends, but for now, you know what you must do. Watch those games, and follow the coverage team as we take you through the ins and outs of the games ahead.

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