EPT
Game 1 – Nada vs TT
Arkanoid
Nada (11) opened with a very defensive build. He built a fast starport, academy and got some vultures for in base mines before he even built a CC! I guess his loss last week left him a little paranoid. TT got a fast robo for observers and worked an odd 2 gate goon build into what would later be reaver for harass. Ever had his first nexus down quickly thanks to 2 zealots clearing the neutral objects and his second was about to be laid as Nada finally started a CC at his expansion. Nada made up for it though, once he noticed that his opponent was going to open with a passive build. He executed a nice vulture drop, dropping just one at TT’s first expo and after the toss sent his whole goon army up to deal with it, the remaining 3 vults harassed TT’s main mineral line. This caught Nada up a little but he was still looking to be behind economically. After a very poor tank drop in the usual gap near TT’s first expo, Nada took his other natural and TT got a reaver in the air, as well as production buildings for carriers.
Ever did some poor reaver harass as he built up a carrier force, but his army massing was weak and he lost his top expo to a goly/tank drop before he had the numbers to deal with it. Nada then dropped the other expo and killed it too, but TT now had enough carriers to do some damage.
Too bad Nada was ready for him...
![[image loading]](http://teamliquid.net/staff/ManaBlue/ShinhanOSL2_7_1/nadaTT1.bmp)
Nada, one step ahead of his opponent.
After that, it wasn’t hard for Nada to scan and kill obs for the easy victory.
![[image loading]](http://teamliquid.net/staff/ManaBlue/ShinhanOSL2_7_1/nadaTT2.bmp)
TT didn’t replace the cannons at his expo when it was killed... big mistake.
Nada > TT
Nada is clearly the better player. Now, this map may not be the best indication as Nada claimed that he went 30 and 1 in practice games on it, but TT knows he better cheese again if he’s going to pull out the last game.
Game 2 – July vs. Zergman
Arcadia
July (1) opened with a fast hatch build, before his pool was finished, while Zergman (7) went with a quick pool for harass. Since they were cross positions Zergman had to scout with his initial lings before finding July. Zergman scouted July’s position second, which resulted in him being able to defend his greedy expo with lings.
Both players produced lings exclusively and battled at July’s front door as they threw up nearly simultaneous spires. July’s nat hatch had no drones on it, but his economy was stronger due to his more drone heavy, late pool build. With his extra minerals, July was able to hoard lings as he made some scourge to deal with Zergman’s first mutas. He then ran them into Zergman’s main and got some heavy drone kills.
![[image loading]](http://teamliquid.net/staff/ManaBlue/ShinhanOSL2_7_1/julyzergman.bmp)
July’s later pool pays off big time, but much later in the game.
At that point July took his nat gas and muta/scourged Zergman to death. Game over.
July > Zerg “I guess I can lose ZvZ sometimes” Man
On a smaller map, or with less luck in being scouted late, July would have lost his nat hatch and the game with it. I guess you need some luck to beat a ZvZer like Zergman. Don’t count on it next week though, July.
Game 3 – GoodFriend vs. Bisu
Peaks of Beakekekekekekedu
GF (1) walls in and goes with an old school favourite, 2 fact vult. Bisu (7) one gates into reaver for some harass. As Bisu backs off from the first tank, he fails to read his opponents build and gets hurt early from some vults entering his base. He got mined up and lost probes as well as the secrecy of his reaver build. GF was ready for his reaver and turreted up with tanks. Bisu lost the reaver and goon with it after a little light harassing but he never really did any damage. Even after returning with another 2 reavers, Bisu did little damage and lost both.
![[image loading]](http://teamliquid.net/staff/ManaBlue/ShinhanOSL2_7_1/bisuGF.bmp)
Even Bisu can’t make up for an early wound like this. GF gets intelligence and an economic advantage simultaneously.
Bisu tried to macro his way back into the game and took the bottom right expo, but with both players working off of their naturals, GFs lead was too big. He moved out, took the high ground in the middle and worked over the last of Bisu’s force.
Goodfriend > Bisu
Bisu finally loses one. This is to be expected. He just gave it up because he wanted some TV time next week, that’s all.
Game 4 – Shine vs. TheRock
Tau Cross
Rock (1) proxied 2 gateways in the center of the map while Shine (9) walled in and went for a 1 fact CC build. Shine quickly adapted to Rock’s aggression by making a vult before his machine shop and his tank came out just in time to stop Rock’s first 2 goons.
Shine started a CC while Rock changed gears and went reaver. Shine had defences up though, and got the reaver inside the shuttle with turrets after just one scarab had been shot.
Seeing that this wasn’t working, Rock switched again and went for a 2 gate carrier build once he got his natural up. Shine moved out and walked over Rock before the fleet could grow large enough.
Shine > Rock
Rock played another cool and aggressive game, but he was constantly deflected and fell behind quickly because of it. His crazy tech switches simply didn’t cut it against the cold hard efficiency of Terran metal.
Recommended VOD of the night:
Nada gets this one for his stylish stomping of TT. None of the games were particularly tight, so this face smashing gets tonight’s nod simply for being a satisfying watch. I think I speak for all of us when I say that it would be a crying shame to see Nada lose to this chump. And that’s saying a lot, because I don’t even like Nada that much.
So now all 4 of these series are tied 1:1. I smell an OGN conspiracy. Nonetheless, these will all come down to the wire in one last game and I’ll be here to tell you how it goes down. Same Mana time, same Blue channel.
