EPTGame 1:
Mind v. 
Calm on ColosseumGame 2:
Memory v. Lomo on OthelloWinners: on Athena
Losers: on Athena
Tiebreak: on Tiamat
Preview:
The two favorites in this group has to be Calm and Mind. Calm recently won vs Light, GGPlay, and Jangbi and rides a 7-1 hot streak that dates back to January. However those wins all came from proleague and this is Calm's first time participating in a starleague. Mind just came off of a key victory vs Jaedong in proleague, the MSL champion of two seasons ago is the most accomplished player in this group by far. Memory has made the previous two MSLs but crashed out in anonymous fashion both times. His recent form evokes his continuing mediocrity except for a proleague win vs Midas. Lomo has not played in this season's proleague but did manage to win vs Luxury and Nal_rA en route to qualifying for this MSL.
1st Match:
Mind T11 vs Calm Z1 on ColosseumDespite the unusual landscape of the map, both players opt for standard openings. Calm goes 3 hatch muta while Mind seals his choke and one rax expos. After Calm's mutas come out he curiously expos at the natural down at 5 o'clock instead of expanding at the 2nd natural that's right by his base.
During his muta harass Calm finds an opening in Mind's base but is unable to take advantage of it by losing several mutas in exchange for only a couple of scvs. Immediately after witnessing a weakened muta army Mind comes out with about two groups of marines heading for Calm's main to pressure. Calm in the meanwhile has his hive already morphing and doesn't even make an attempt to break out.
After hive finishes Calm morphs a greater spire while laying down a defiler mound. As Guardians are attacking Mind's natural and destroying his economy, Mind counters with a brilliant dropship ferry at Calm's 5 expo. Mind uses his superb marine micro to kill the two lurkers Calm sends to defend and kills the hatchery afterwards. However because T built a dropship first before vessel he doesn't have the tech to deal with guardians at the moment. Calm's guardians stop Mind's natural from working completely. At the same time seeing his only expo destroyed Calm again decides to expo at the far bottom right corner of the map far away from his base. Mind quickly scouts it, sends a dropship and kills the newly spawned hatchery.
Near Calm's main, he attempts to break out of the contain using lurkers and defilers. But becaue of Mind's excellent position, Calm is forced to push too far to deal any real damage. As Mind wastes Calm's swarms and gas, he drops zerg's natural and destroys the hatchery. Calm finally expos at his 2nd natural but after watching his guardians get minced down to pieces he types out.
2nd Match:
Memory T5 vs Lomo T7 on OthelloMemory 8 raxes at center while cutting scvs for a fast factory vulture + marine rush. Lomo defends well using the high ground but loses a couple of scvs to vultures. Memory expos quickly after the rush and goes 2 fact, while Lomo chooses 1 fact 1 port for a one base timing rush counter to Memory's expanding after rush. Lomo wears down Memory's units using good micro and eventually destroy's his natural cc. Memory, wanting to break out of the contain makes a desperate attempt by sending all of his scvs with units down the ramp only to get slaughtered. Memory GGs.
Winners Match:
Mind T9 vs Lomo T2 on AthenaLomo 14ccs, Mind chooses not to rush but to expand himself after factory. Lomo builds two ports after fact and makes wraiths, while Mind attempts to drop goliaths but is scouted. As soon as his economy kicks in Lomo wastes no time and pushes near Mind's base with tanks and wraiths. Mind tries numerous times to get out of the contain but is unable to do so and wastes many scvs in the process. Lomo expands three times while keeping Mind contained. After a final failed attempt at breaking out Mind hopelessly taps out. Lomo advances to Round of 16.
Losers Match:
Calm Z2 vs Memory T6 on AthenaStandard openings for both players. 3 hatch muta for Calm, one rax CC for Memory. Calm makes more zerglings than usual early game but wastes almost a group's worth trying to sneak up Memory's ramp. Calm's mutas look like they're harassing under b.net lag but he does manage to delay Memory. However zerg does not expo nor tech but plans a hanbang muta/ling attack instead. The attack kills all of Memory's marines but by that time he already has 7 barracks working non-stop. Calm fails to do major damage to Memory while crippling his own economy. Calm gg's is knocked out of the MSL.
Final Match:
Mind T11 vs Memory T5 on TiamatMind 1 rax ccs, Memory 14ccs. Both get starport and dropship. Both expo again after coming out with their initial army. However Mind arrives at Memory's 3rd expo first and quickly kills the command center. Memory hesitates before attacking Mind's third expo, but Mind was given enough time to come back with the dropship army and successfully defend his CC. Memory expands at 6 but is quickly scouted and attacked by Mind. Meanwhile Mind expands again at 12, and stops Memory's expo attempt at 2. Having four bases to two, Mind keeps on impeding Memory's various expo attempts. After Memory's natural gets mined out, he gg's, Mind advance to Round of 16.
Afterthoughts:
Lomo is the pleasant surprise. Wonderful play in both games. Hope he will start playing in proleague. Mind showed his superiority in the end vs Memory. Calm lost to the better player first game then threw it away second game. A disappointing MSL debut but he can have no complaints. Good luck to Lomo and Mind in the next round.
