EPT
![[image loading]](http://www.teamliquid.net/staff/Manifesto7/oslbanner.JPG)
On Friday, the game 2 round started for the round of 16 games in the third ShinHan OSL. In the previous week, Zergman, FireBatHero, NaDa and Iris all took the first game of the set. With four gamers on the verge of going home and four more looking to earn some rest, this week featured some pivotal matchups.
Here is a look at the bracket as of Friday:
![[image loading]](http://www.teamliquid.net/staff/Manifesto7/ShinHan3OSL/bracketSH3ed1.jpg)
Let's find out who stayed alive, and who went home.
Game One: Hwasin vs ZergMan on HitchHiker
With ZergMan already up a game, Hwasin was going to have to pick a strong strategy out of his pretty little head to stay alive in this OSL. HitchHiker was the battleground, and after using the geyser trick for an extra drone (we don’t see that anymore), ZergMan sent his drone north to the terran base and commenced harassment while taking his natural. Hwasin opened with two barracks and some quick gas, sending his marines south as soon as they popped from the barracks. He managed to bag a drone kill with his first marine and scv, but his follow-up attack with six marines soon found an unpleasant surprise. While Hwasin had felt secure enough with his two barracks to expand, ZergMan had ceased all drone production and massed speedlings. This early force easily tore up a marine group that found them self out of position and a long ways from home. In that instant the game turned on its head, and Zergman’s troops charged up the map.
With the legs on his lings bulked up, ZergMan attacked the CC in progress, and inexplicably Hwasin did not cancel. Things were about to get a lot worse though, as the loss of his early marines left him completely outgunned for the two-hatch mutalisks that took flight. Hwasin moved south again to try and save his main, and in the process, lost his remaining marines to the first mutas. The fliers promptly breached the meagre terran defences, and Hwasin never had a chance. He typed GG, and Zergman was the first player to move to the quarters.
![[image loading]](http://www.teamliquid.net/staff/Manifesto7/ShinHan3OSL/ShinHan3oslro16wk31.JPG)
BroodWar Bob says "where would YOU put the bunker Jimmy?"
Zergman > Hwasin
Totally outplayed. Zergs these days are really showing terran players that they can and will abuse all out macro play. This build was designed specifically for terran FE, and the fact that Hwasin gave away his first seven marines for free just made it that much more effective.
Game Two: FireBatHero vs GGPlay on Arkanoid
FireBatHero's win vs GGPlay on Reverse Temple last week was an inspiring game. One could only hope that these two players would again come with everything on Arkanoid. The players opened at cross positions, with GGPlay opening with three hatcheries before his pool at 11 and FBH fast expanding at 5. Early on, both players were happy to simply macro, with GGPlay focusing on lurker ling and FBH getting the usual mix of tanks, vessels, and bionic.
While FBH's game was essentially by the book, GGPlay was very interesting, simply macroing in his base with lurker ling. He researched drop to expand to seven o'clock, but made no offensive advancements against the terran base. As FBH broke down the barriers between the two, he headed straight for the center blockade of the zerg base. His tanks sieged up and blasted away at the stone temples guarding the entrance. Behind them were numerous lurkers, all waiting for the terran invasion.
![[image loading]](http://www.teamliquid.net/staff/Manifesto7/ShinHan3OSL/ShinHan3oslro16wk32.JPG)
”So, uh, after we kill these lurkers you wanna grab a coffee or somethin’?” – Marine to Medic ten seconds before death.
However, FBH did not take the bait. Using his patience and vessels, he irradiated the defences and set up a massive marine shield. With a direct rally route through the middle of the map, he could re-supply his front lines easily as he looked for a chance to strike. Knowing that he could not stand to lose lurkers for nothing, GGPlay moved his force into tank range and succeeded in pushing back FBH a full screen. Marines in the narrow corridor stood no chance against the lurker spines, but by the same token, the lurkers stood no chance against the sieged artillery and chemical warfare of the science vessels. Like a grim shoving match, the two forces smashed head on repeatedly, both trying to out macro and out manoeuvre the other in tight surroundings.
Of course, there was only one answer for GGPlay. The armies and terrain called for defilers and he quickly teched to hive. Buying time with his lurkers and picking off careless vessels, he waited for consume to finish. He repeatedly sacrificed huge chunks of his force to kill tanks, knowing that the bionic troops were of little threat. In response, FBH increased his barracks count and continued to rally fresh faced recruits to the front. His drop ships also did their work, halting an undefended hatchery at 11 and forcing GGPlay to spend heavily at 7. On the main battle field though, the tide was turning as he was forced away from the zerg base after a series of deadly dark swarms.
![[image loading]](http://www.teamliquid.net/staff/Manifesto7/ShinHan3OSL/ShinHan3oslro16wk33.JPG)
GGPlay forces the humans back under a cloud of darkness...
Once GGPlay had some breathing room, he was able to ease up on lurkers and make the tech upgrade to ultralisks. Under the cover of darkswarm, it was increasingly difficult for FBH to stay mobile. Although he tore down numerous neutral buildings to open up the battlefield, even the slightest moments distraction meant his troops were under attack. Thanks to well placed nydus canals, his dropship play was no longer effective, and his mineral situation was dire. GGPlay continued to make no move to the terran main, but simply defended and prevented any other expansion attempts. The strategy was clear, starve the terran out and then break in with ultraling. With FBH unable to make inroads in the fresh mineral fields of GGPlay at seven, the strategy proved to be successful and GGPlay tied up the series at a game apiece.
![[image loading]](http://www.teamliquid.net/staff/Manifesto7/ShinHan3OSL/ShinHan3oslro16wk34.JPG )
BroodWar Bob says "think you can kill ultras with irradiated vessels Jimmy?"
GGPlay > FireBatHero
This game was a great back and forth match. GGPlay was taking it into the late stages even before the countdown, and his strategy was perfectly executed. However, FBH gave it a strong test with some crazy macro and nice army control. Had he been able to secure another expansion or more seriously hurt the 7 o'clock base of GPlay, he would have taken the game. Great stuff.
Game Three: UpMagic vs NaDa on Reverse Temple
Winner's curse? I don't hear anyone talking about it right now. Sure NaDa only made it into the playoffs through the wild cards, but he still made it. Now, already up one game to none, he looked to put away Estro's sole individual star and continue to show that the golden mouse breaks all tradition.
Sporting the blue terran, NaDa opened at six while UpMagic spawned at 9 with the teal CC. The early game play of both players was fantastic, as they both went two factory, with UpMagic placing one of them in the middle of the map. His early force consisted of three vultures and a handful of marines which brazenly stormed the downward ramp and caught NaDa's lone tank by surprise. Using his scv, NaDa was forced to fight with mounting losses and wait for new units to pop from his factories. It wasn't gg, but it was a crippling blow to the pantech terran's economy that would be very difficult to recover from.
![[image loading]](http://www.teamliquid.net/staff/Manifesto7/ShinHan3OSL/ShinHan3oslro16wk35.JPG )
"Proxy me?!?! Ill proxy YOU, you mullet headed chipmunk!” – UpMagic’s internal monologue 01/26.
Knowing UpMagic would soon have an insurmountable advantage, NaDa used his much stronger army units to mount a quick counter attack. A pair of tanks and a matching set of goliaths took up position outside of nine o’clock. UpMagic, almost completely negating the scv advantage he gained in his first attack, used a group of scv and his own goliaths to push the attack back. Now the players were on much more even footing as they both took a breath to re-evaluate the situation.
![[image loading]](http://www.teamliquid.net/staff/Manifesto7/ShinHan3OSL/ShinHan3oslro16wk36.JPG )
A hero scv, taking his place in BW history as a giant killer next to the carrier killing marine and SaviOr’s lone lurker from last week.
Despite the quick breather, with such close positions the action could not stop for long. As both players established their natural expansions, starports were built and the drop play began. Both players battled intensely for the narrow plateau that separated their two mains, trying to gain a foothold that would allow them to ferry in troops. During this fight, both players established another expansion, NaDa taking the bottom island and UpMagic with 12 o'clock.
The turning point of the game occurred when NaDa went all-in to dislodge UpMagic from that narrow cliff. As he unloaded his dropships into tank fire, UpMagic countered at his natural and easily overran that light defences there. Having lost his natural, NaDa tried to utilize his newly won plateau to invade UpMagic's main. However, every tank he lost was irreplaceable, and his lack of income caught up with him.
![[image loading]](http://www.teamliquid.net/staff/Manifesto7/ShinHan3OSL/ShinHan3oslro16wk37.JPG )
”Estro fighting!” (Seriously, how often do we get to say that?)
UpMagic > Nada
This was another fun game to watch. The early skirmishes were intense, and while NaDa made a nice comeback, it wasn't quite enough as UpMagic held the positional and economic edge. This sets up a great final game between two intense competitors.
Game Four: Iris vs GoodFriend on Reverse Temple
Iris, last year's best TvT player, completely handled GF in the first game of the series. In the second TVT of the night on RT, GoodFriend looked to make a statement as the highest ranking KTF player in the tournament. However, his play would have to be much more convincing than last week.
Iris opened at 9 with the yellow terran, while across the map GF was at 3 in white. Iris opened with a factory and quick second CC while GF decided on a single port for cloaked wraiths. It seemed like a good idea, but Iris was prepared with both an academy and armoury completed by the time the first wraith was completed. GF tried to keep his air force a secret as long as possible, but was forced to reveal his hand as Iris pushed at his doorstep with his first three tanks. The wraiths picked off two tanks by the time a goliath arrived to stem the damage. However, with a much faster expansion and second factory, Iris was quickly able to replace his losses, and the wraiths became non-factors in the face of the goliaths.
Now macroing off four factories, Iris was able to push GF's smaller ground army around, forcing the KTF tanks to abandon their position in the middle of the map. With three new dropships, Iris soon commenced aerial attacks on GF's main, bleeding him of supplies and units he could scarcely afford to lose. He tried to counter attack in Iris' main, but his units were too slow to push and another big drop from Iris was killing all his supply.
Knowing a place in the quarters was imminent; Iris mopped up the tanks harassing his depots in the south and rolled out with even more troops. GF's main was a flaming mess of rubble after repeated drops, and he was in no position to mount another offensive. As Iris took the rest of the map, GF spent his money on turrets, trying to defend his remaining territory. His defences ended up being insubstantial however, and after another ten minutes of pointless skirmishing, GF admitted what everyone else already knew, and typed GG.
![[image loading]](http://www.teamliquid.net/staff/Manifesto7/ShinHan3OSL/ShinHan3oslro16wk38.JPG)
This is four times more celebration than you are allowed as a CJ player. No instant ramen or paint chips for YOU tonight Iris!
Iris > GF
Iris proves he is still a TvT monster and moves on to the quarter finals to play Zergman. GF goes home.
Current Standings
Here is an updated bracket of the current OSL standings (click on the picture for a better view):
![[image loading]](http://www.teamliquid.net/staff/Manifesto7/ShinHan3OSL/bracketSH3ed2.JPG)
Game of the Night
While I suggest you watch NaDa vs UpMagic, if you are only going to watch one game you cant miss GGPlay vs FireBatHero. This was a really entertaining game with some great army control and overall strategy by both players.
VOD’s
You can find the games available for download here:
On January 26 2007 17:32 TL.net Bot wrote:
0126 Shinhan OSL Season3 R16 was just uploaded to the tracker by Cadical.
Download the .torrent file or view more Details.
0126 Shinhan OSL Season3 R16 was just uploaded to the tracker by Cadical.
Download the .torrent file or view more Details.
Post Game Discussion
For a full discussion and recap of all of last week’s action, check out Live2Win’s thread here:
http://www.teamliquid.net/forum/viewmessage.php?topic_id=49253
See you next week!
Mani
![[image loading]](http://www.eden.rutgers.edu/~edfu/pics/bracketSH3.jpg)
thank you for the report
