GSL 2013 Season 1 Code S

Ro32: Group D Recap
HyuN, BBoongBBoong, YoDa, Squirtle


Brackets and results at Liquipedia

by: Waxangel

Results from Live Report Thread by Shellshock1122 .

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- Underdog BBoongBBoong surprises with a first place finish in Group D

In the biggest upset of the season, the teamless BBoongBBoong topped a group containing YoDa, HyuN, and Squirtle on his way to the Ro16. BBoongBBoong, a player who drifted between Code A and Code S in 2012, showed some of his best play yet to triumph over his more illustrious peers.

His first series was a 2 - 0 steamroll of the runner-up in the previous Code S, HyuN. After taking an easy victory through a mass speedling rush in game one, BBoongBBoong proceeded to outduel HyuN with roach-infestors in game two to take a quick sweep.

Things threatened to go downhill just as quickly for BBoongBBoong, as he then faced Squirtle in the winners match. With a 2012 ZvP win-percentage in the thirties, BBoongBBoong looked like an even bigger underdog than he already was, and Squirtle set about demonstrating that point by executing a perfect immortal-sentry all-in to take game one. However, BBoongBBoong fought back in game two, easily fending off Squirtle's fast dark templars to even the score. BBoongBboong then applied the finishing touch to his triumphant night on Icarus, taking the lead with an early zergling rush and finishing Squirtle off with hydralisks and roaches.

Reaching the Ro16 in itself was great for BBoongBBoong, but he revealed that there was even more good news after the games. According to BBoongBBoong, he is close to joining a new team, with the announcement soon to come. Already in the Code S Ro16, BBoongBboong could prove to be the best value signing among the recent free agents.

- Squirtle takes second place, HyuN joins Sniper in Code A

As a player who experienced the runner-up curse first hand, Squirtle took it upon himself to introduce HyuN to one of the GSL's long standing jinxes. Besides a few exceptional individuals, GSL runner-ups find it difficult to make it past the Ro16 of the proceeding season, and Code S Season 5 (2012) runner-up HyuN couldn't buck the trend.

Squirtle and HyuN entered the final match of the night after both had suffered losses to BBoongBBoong, and took wins against LG-IM's YoDa (as the only employed member of the group, YoDa ended up being the target of everyone's ire). An exciting game one saw HyuN take to the air, committing heavily to roach-bane drops to try and overwhelm his opponent. However, HyuN failed to be cost efficient with his attacks, and was overrun once Squirtle stabilized on defense and counter-attacked with his deadly army. After a few words with fellow teamless player and ex-TSL teammate Symbol, HyuN went into game two looking to finish Squirtle in the mid-game with mass hydralisks and roaches. Squirtle initially looked vulnerable after his stargate opener, but through good force-fields, blink stalker micro, and smart positioning of his forces, he was able to deflect HyuN's attacks with surprising ease. Once colossi were mixed into the Protoss army, HyuN hydralisk heavy army was burnt to a crisp, alongside his Code S hopes.

With HyuN's loss, both finalists from the previous season of Code S have been eliminated from the Ro32. Such a happening has only occurred once before in the history of Code S, when both Mvp and MarineKing dropped out of the Ro32 group stage of 2011's Code S March, after gracing the finals stage of Code S January. That time around, MKP and Mvp promptly redeemed themselves by reaching the finals of the following GSL World Championship. With WoL coming to a close, HyuN and Sniper will probably have to wait until HotS to prove themselves again.

Writers: Waxangel.
Graphics: Meko.
Editor: Waxangel.