EPT
![[image loading]](http://www.teamliquid.net/staff/Hot_Bid/3MSL/MSL_080914_1.png)
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First Dance
Round of 16 Week One Summary
The MSL Round of 16 opened this past week with the first game of each Bo3. The second and third games (if necessary) will be played next week. Before I talk about the games that happened, I'd like to say a few things about the MSL in general.
1. Format Changes
I know both the MSL and OSL do this to get more ratings and even out the practice-time differentials between early sets and late sets, but putting a week between game 1 and game 2 really hurts superior series players (like Boxer and Jaedong) and benefits the mentally weak (cough, Stork). Currently, We know that the unanimous, no-questions-asked bottom line skill measurement is a Bo5 played in one night. A Bo5 builds tremendous pressure each game, and also gives the creative and adaptable player an advantage, because there isn't much time to react to new strategies and situations. If the most recent OSL Semifinal was played over two weeks, I'm certain GGPlay would have won. GGPlay would have gone home after game two,pored over the new fantasy build with his coach and teammates, and practiced a counter for 12 hours a day until he had all the timings right. If the OSL Finals Bo5 were played over five weeks, I think Stork would have two titles by now.
2. Love for the Old School
I like that we are seeing a wider variety of strategies (at least in TvZ and PvT). It's partly maps and partly metagame, but more players are modifying old school builds to punish the standard greedy FE style. This adds a layer of complexity and unpredictability to every game, and when that max-out 40 minute game finally happens it doesn't seem as standard or boring. Dropships, mech, valkyries, two-hatch play, proxies, who knows what we're going to see next? Somewhere, Boxer is nodding in agreement and foaming at the mouth. December can't come early enough.
3. The Club Day Online Logo
I love this logo. The music, disco lights, and little red guy logo really add to the spectacle aspect of the MSL. It seems hip, cool, and trendy. When I first heard that "Club Day Online" was sponsoring this MSL, I thought it was a social networking site for gamers (it's actually a Korean dancing game). If I wanted to go on a date and support pro StarCraft at the same time, I'd first withdraw some money from my Shinhan Bank account to buy a Gillette razer to shave with. Then I'd invite my date over via her Cafe Daum page, and we'd watch some shows on GomTV while eating Pringles and chugging Coca-Cola and Bacchus drinks. Finally we would play some Club Day Online and hopefully finish off the night with the pink condom from Ever 2008. Of course, all of this would be photographed using my Olympus digital camera and Panasonic camcorder. For our second, third, and fourth dates, we'd probably watch GomTV again.
2Fac Shakur is still alive
Kal vs Iris, FBH vs Tempest, and Jangbi vs Memory
I will discuss these three sets together because each game showed a Protoss dealing with a Terran's two factory build in different ways.
Kal 1-0 
Iris Kal opened 12-nexus and Iris went two factory. Medusa's back natural is great for a nex before gate build because unlike maps with only a front natural, there's a) more territory for the first Terran attack to cover and b) no nexus limiting your goon movement. Fast nexus on this map is actually safer against two fac here than one gate expand is on a front natural map like Destination. It really sucks for a Terran because the only real counter to fast nex on Medusa is BBS, and even that might not work given the distances and terrain.
After Kal picked off a few marines and mines, the first battle looked like this:
![[image loading]](http://www.teamliquid.net/staff/Hot_Bid/3MSL/Kal_Iris_1.jpg)
Kal - 8 dragoons, 1 zealot, shuttle rallied, reaver building
Iris - 3 tanks, 2 marines, 4 vultures (mines and speed), 2 vultures rallied
Kal did an average job with his micro and Iris was forced to retreat after seeing the shuttle. You can see the back natural advantage come into play, because if Kal expanded to his front nat, his expo nexus would be dead. Iris retreated to kill the temples with his tanks, and then rushed in some vultures that did the daeback:
![[image loading]](http://www.teamliquid.net/staff/Hot_Bid/3MSL/Kal_Iris_2.jpg)
The disadvantage to fast nexus is that the P's robotics will be delayed. There will be a window where the Protoss must deal with mines without an observer. As you will see with the other two PvT series, what the P does with his robo is critical. Here, Kal went shuttle and reaver before obs, which allowed that huge mine explosion to happen. However, with his reaver, Kal was able to not only kill three of Iris' tanks at his main cliff but also effectively harass Iris enough that his follow up attack succeeded:
![[image loading]](http://www.teamliquid.net/staff/Hot_Bid/3MSL/Kal_Iris_3.jpg)
While I cry my red, orange, and blue CJ tears for Iris' loss, he stands a good chance to 2-1 Kal next week because the two remaining maps are good for TvP (Destination and Athena). However, as I said in my Ro16 preview, this series is irrelevant because there's no way either of these guys is beating Stork in the Ro8.
firebathero 1-0 TempestIn contrast with Medusa, Destination is a nightmare when defending against two fac. There are multiple routes for vulture harass so the P is forced to hold at his own bridge, which is nauseatingly close to his natural nexus. The bridge also clogs the traditional dragoon fire-and-retreat mine defense. There's also that pesky mineral-blocked back area where the T can siege the P's nat minerals, but mining away the mineral block leaves the P open to vultures sneaking in.
Tempest opened one gate range robo obs expo against FBH's two fac. FBH attacked with a similar force as Iris did against Kal on Medusa, except that Tempest has two less dragoons and no zealot, but does have an observer. Tempest's robo support bay was still warping when the attack happened, so a defensive reaver wasn't coming anytime soon. In addition, the cramp space limited his troop movements. Perhaps some S-class dragoon micro could have pulled this off, but alas, Tempest is no Bonjwa Protoss. What happened next can only be described as a chernobyl-level disaster:
![[image loading]](http://www.teamliquid.net/staff/Hot_Bid/3MSL/FBH_Tempest_1.jpg)
Tempest traded all six of his goons for just three vultures, two of which are quickly replaced by FBH's rallies. Tempest also lost loses half his nat mining probes, but at this point it was already over. FBH danced happily into Tempest's main and finished him off easily. Afterward, we the spectators were treated to this vomit-enducing scene:
![[image loading]](http://www.teamliquid.net/staff/Hot_Bid/3MSL/FBH_Tempest_2.jpg)
FBH is looking strong. Tempest looked clueless, and that can only bolster FBH's already soaring confidence. This is without a doubt the most compelling storyline of this bracket. Can FBH really go through Bisu, Jaedong, and Stork to win this MSL? I do not think so, and I will be watching eagerly for him to fail.
JangBi 1-0 MemoryMemory proxied his second factory south of Jangbi's natural while Jangbi opened one gate range robo expand, getting a shuttle before obs. This enabled him to kill the proxy factory's critical first tank. Memory's rallied vultures are late, and Jangbi easily stopped the thread on his nexus. Meanwhile, Jangbi's reaver also scored a few big hits in the timing window before Memory's wraith was built. Memory took his expo and tried to even things up with some dropship harass, but Jangbi kept the pressure up with DT and storm drops while taking four bases. The game culminated in a very Jangbi-esque push break moment:
![[image loading]](http://www.teamliquid.net/staff/Hot_Bid/3MSL/Jangbi_Memory_1.jpg)
You can almost hear the Korean girls and announcers screaming, and Memory GG's out shortly after. Losing on a T>P map does not bode well for Memory next week.
Two gate goon range is the traditional counter to a two factory build. However, for a variety of reasons, Jangbi and Kal were able to hold without doing the standard two gate power goon builds, and rode the eco advantage to the win. To do this you must be risky. Both Jangbi and Kal delayed obs and by their own good micro or their opponents mismicro defended effectively against mines. Tempest, even though he had obs, did not.
The Free Doctrine: Pre-emptive Cannons
Free vs Jaedong
Free 1-0 
JaedongByzantium has an easily defendable mineral third and storm-defendable non-natural gase bases. Unlike Blue Storm, there's no central area for a Zerg to defend its gas bases, because the P army can easily avoid the middle area while still threatening the Zerg's expansions. There's also a largely reduced threat of crackling drops on the P's main, as the overlords must fly over a defended Protoss base or rally point. For these reasons, Byzantium is a PvZ paradise. No Zerg has won against Protoss on this map yet (0-8 ZvP).
Thus, it was not surprising that Jaedong went two hatch muta rush, and it was also not suprising that Free turtled hard. Psychologically, Free has been cheesed out of so many leagues and has had such horrible luck that he has morphed into the safest, most conservative Protoss player ever. He is George Bush toss:
![[image loading]](http://www.teamliquid.net/staff/Hot_Bid/3MSL/Free_Jaedong_1.jpg)
Free would later sneek a DT into Jaedong's main and further damage Jaedong's already hungry drone count, but at that point Jaedong was already well behind. Soon after, an archon zealot attack ended it.
![[image loading]](http://www.teamliquid.net/staff/Hot_Bid/3MSL/Free_Jaedong_2.jpg)
Jaedong fans, I wouldn't read too much into this game. Jaedong is still Jaedong, and I doubt he's hitting the panic button yet. In fact, I'd still give him a better than 50-50 shot at winning this series. Medusa and Athena are far more balanced maps ZvP. If I were Free, I'd prepare one or two cheese builds and roll the dice.
Insurance Salesmen
Bisu vs Hwasin, Stork vs ForGG
Bisu 1-0 HwasinNormally, Konglish is hilarious and ill-fitting. Remember the "who wanna piece of meat boy" sign a Casy fan held up? But Bisu's cheerful was spot on:
![[image loading]](http://www.teamliquid.net/staff/Hot_Bid/3MSL/Bisu_Hwasin_1.jpg)
During Bisu's slump, he never lost his mechanics. He still possesses the best multitask of any pro (see the PL game against by.hero for tri-location zealot harass). If Bisu just believed in himself, he is still capable of being the best player on the planet. I assume that when Hwasin closed his eyes and prayed before the match, he was asking the BW gods to grant Bisu insecurity.
Bisu opened two gate range nexus and teched to shuttle / DT. Instead of harassing Hwasin's main, Bisu instead delayed Hwasin's mineral third. Some moderately effective vulture harass ensued, and Hwasin took a fourth base while Bisu, already on four bases, advanced to Arbiter and 15+ gates.
When Bisu plays well, you question how he manages to ever lose a game. This game, Bisu was playing well. The screenshots tell the story far better than my words can:
+ Show Spoiler [Bisu vs Hwasin] +
![[image loading]](http://www.teamliquid.net/staff/Hot_Bid/3MSL/Bisu_Hwasin_2.jpg)
![[image loading]](http://www.teamliquid.net/staff/Hot_Bid/3MSL/Bisu_Hwasin_3.jpg)
![[image loading]](http://www.teamliquid.net/staff/Hot_Bid/3MSL/Bisu_Hwasin_4.jpg)
![[image loading]](http://www.teamliquid.net/staff/Hot_Bid/3MSL/Bisu_Hwasin_5.jpg)
![[image loading]](http://www.teamliquid.net/staff/Hot_Bid/3MSL/Bisu_Hwasin_6.jpg)
![[image loading]](http://www.teamliquid.net/staff/Hot_Bid/3MSL/Bisu_Hwasin_7.jpg)
Once upon a time Hwasin was a quirky one matchup wonder. However, once he became solid in all three matchups, Hwasin also became boring and utterly predictable. Hwasin would go 1 fac cc into three base maxout, and Bisu knew it. There was no FBH-like dropship harass that hurt Bisu's economy so badly in the MSL Group D. Bisu's macro chugged along unmolested and rolled over a hapless Hwasin. Given their history, a Bisu win was expected, but the way he won was impressive. Sharp, scary Bisu was back, and Hwasin already looked like he was dreading next week.
Stork 1-0 fOrGGForGG opened FD instead of two factory. Stork went super fast templar tech off one gate, proxying his citadel in the area above his natural minerals. As a result, he easily stopped the FD push and delayed ForGGs natural CC as if it was StarCraft: Ghost. Stork's first carrier popped shortly after ForGG's CC finished. The macrofest we exepcted did not happen, because the best PvT player on the planet resorted to what is becoming his most reliable build: proxy DT into 2 base carrier. That sound you hear is every Terran on ICCup collectively groaning.
![[image loading]](http://www.teamliquid.net/staff/Hot_Bid/3MSL/Stork_ForGG_1.jpg)
Lots of carriers later, ForGG types out. ForGG is slumping, having lost his last six PvTs since August. Even though Stork will spend the majority of his this week practicing for the big OSL Semifinal showdown with Best, he will still have enough left to close out ForGG.
Smoke and Mirrors
Type-b vs Yarnc, Nada vs Frozean
These two matches barely matter because whoever comes out is going to get smoked in the next round by Jangbi or Jaedong.
YellOw[ArnC] 1-0 type-b[s.g] Yarnc overcame an inferior build (9 pool vs Type-b's 12 pool) using a few sneaky lings and superior mutalisk micro. There isn't much else to say about this game other than that the twins seem to spend all their waking moments playing that muta control game.
NaDa 1-0 FrOzeanThe TvT turned into a forty minute split map affair, with Nada being more efficient with his drops and units. I know I predicted Frozean to win and said he was a big favorite, and let me say I jinxed the crap out of him. I planned this all along, of course. I am 100% responsible for Nada's win by declaring Frozean the favorite, so all you Nada fans can thank me. Right now, Nada is flying under the radar. He's an underdog and nobody expects him to beat Jaedong or Bisu or Stork. He's dangerous precisely because there's no pressure on him and he has nothing to lose.
Next week, the dramatic conclusion of the Ro16 over two play days. I want to see as many third games as possible, and I hope the Ro8 has plenty of non-mirror matches. The Ro8 I'd like to see happen is Stork vs Iris, Type-B vs Jangbi, FBH vs Bisu, and Nada vs Jaedong. Make it happen MSL! See you next week.
Thanks!
