EPT
![[image loading]](http://www.teamliquid.net/staff/KizZBG/odtbanner.jpg)
Wow, so we're already done with 1/2 the ro48 stage of ODT? To be honest the first half went by pretty quickly -- It helps to have 2 "playdays" crammed into 1 day I guess. Well after this week, we'll know which 24 players will be fighting it out in a brutal set of 6 dual tournament groups.
Session 1
2pm Korean
![[image loading]](http://www.teamliquid.net/images/liquibet/players/GGPlay.jpg)
![[image loading]](http://www.teamliquid.net/images/liquibet/players/noimage.jpg)
First set: Hitchhiker
Second set: Neo Arkanoid
Third set: Longinus 2
First of all, we should take note that these two have actually played eachother recently in a bo3. In the MSL qualifiers, GGplay defeated O.oc 2-1 on the maps Longinus II, BlitzX, and Reverse Temple. Unfortunately I don't know how the wins/losses went on the particular maps.
For this match, the maps are HH, Longinus II, and Neo Arkanoid. GGPlay simply dominates on Neo Arkanoid, so if he can bring it to the 3rd set he's close to being a sure thing to advance. However, can he get there? Longinus II is terran favored (in general) as always, and I believe the Zergs have lost all non-mirror matches on HH so far during the ODT (although there weren't that many to begin with). Those of you who watched his Survivor group know that he was somewhat shaky, and most likely not in top form. O.oc didn't have to prepare for Survivor like GGPlay had to last week, and should have been concentrating solely on TvZ. Having taken 1 game off of GGPlay already, this rookie already knows that there's no sense in being intimidated by the big-name guy.
![[image loading]](http://www.teamliquid.net/images/liquibet/players/Iloveoov.jpg)
First set: Neo Arkanoid
Second set: Longinus 2
Third set: Hitchhiker
Considering Oov's sloppy and unconvincing TvZ against Child last week, we can no longer safely just hand this one to Oov. But then again I personally have no idea what Hazin's ZvT is like, and the only games I've seen him in are the bland ZvZ's against Yellow in PSL. If Oov chooses to go for solid standard play, the odds are that he will take it in two sets. However if he chooses some cute strat on Arkanoid, I don't know what would happen in the remaining two games.
If I have to bet, I'll be choosing Oov like most of you out there. But there's that open chance of an upset for this match.
Session 2
6:30pm Korean
![[image loading]](http://www.teamliquid.net/images/liquibet/players/Child.jpg)
![[image loading]](http://www.teamliquid.net/images/liquibet/players/Bisu[Shield].jpg)
First set: Longinus 2
Second set: Hitchhiker
Third set: Neo Arkanoid
So looking back to last week, Child did in fact defeat Oov, who played dominantly in Superfight. However, his macro flaws were clearly evident, frequently having 3 idle larvae at multiple hatcheries.
On the other hand we have the reigning Protoss king, who simply hasn't lost a match since... I really have no idea. Bisu would surely like to use his "Bisu Build" for these games, which entails a FE opening. Longinus II is obviously FE-able, and HH, although somewhat more difficult, is definitely possible as well (in fact it may have been Bisu himself that FE'd on HH during PSL). Even if it gets to 3 sets, Bisu has demonstrated his capability in reaver/sair on various occasions. It was an upset of monumental proportions when Oov lost to Child, but it will be an even larger one if Bisu somehow loses this -- in a bo3 no less --.
![[image loading]](http://www.teamliquid.net/images/liquibet/players/GoRush.jpg)
![[image loading]](http://www.teamliquid.net/images/liquibet/players/Sea[Shield].jpg)
First set: Hitchhiker
Second set: Longinus 2
Third set: Neo Arkanoid
As much as it hurts to say this, when was the last time GoRush did something significant? I'm almost certain that it wasn't during 2007. He's lost to Sea in the Proleague Grandfinals Ace Match, won over a slumping-as-usual Anytime for the Shinhan Masters Preliminaries, and got slapped around by Iris in the same event.
Sea, although not having participated in the Shinhan Masters, played solidly during Kespa Cup and went through two tough opponents in Jaedong and Luxury to pass his Survivor League. Although he lost his first game vs Luxury and his second game was somewhat shaky, he still went 2-1 against Zergs that quite frankly have been playing at a higher level than GoRush as of late.
If Sea the monster shows up, this match may be one-sided. If GoRush brings his game and Sea is off by a little, I suspect that even then, the players will be around even.
Match to watch for: I'm going to go against convention here and say that the GGPlay vs O.oc game (and not Sea vs GoRush), is the match to pay attention to. GGplay has been playing uncharacteristically suspect, and if he were to lose to O.oc, he is going to have a lot of junk going through his mind.
We'll see what happens though. 
