EPT
GSL Round of 8 Preview: Eight Bit Fighters
![[image loading]](/staff/fishuu/mmaVsOz.jpg)
- MMA - Can he prove that his TvP isn't weak like his brothers?
- Oz - How good is he? Is he truly a top protoss in the world, or are we all under his spell?
Both are coming off disappointing performances at MLG Providence; Oz got beat by teammate and eventual champion Leenock in the Open Bracket before losing again and getting eliminated by Keen, the young and highly talented terran from MvP. Our defending champion MMA, who is currently defeated this season and already has a MLG title under his belt, was quickly sent home, losing two straight matches to DongRaeGu and Leenock and ending a disappointing weekend for the entire Slayers squad. Don't let their losses fool you, though; Oz got beat by his teammate and the player who would go onto win the tournament and Keen, whose best match-up currently is far and away TvP. MMA, even more unlucky, had to face the two best players in ZvT on the planet and got knocked out of the bracket before he could even get rolling.
Coming into this match, you would think MMA is the favorite. He hasn't lost so far this tournament, is the defending champion, and Oz is in his first big GSL tournament. That might be true, and MMA is more experienced with the pressure on him, but you can't look past how much the Slayers terrans have been struggling against protoss lately. Not only is MMA's weakest match-up against protoss, but his terran brothers, Ryung and Ganzi, were also eliminated this weekend from MLG and IPL from their games against the inhabitants of Aiur. He was able to defeat MC in the first round of this season, but you really couldn't tell anything from that one game. MC tried to do an all-in, he botched it, and all MMA had to do was play above water to seal the win.
Oz has been continuing his meteoric rise. Coming from being the designated Korean on FXO to being considered one of the best protoss in the world, the former Brood War pro is finally reaching the potential that he always had. He has shown impressive PvT's this season, but he will need to step up his game if he wants to take down the champion. MMA might not have the best TvP in the world, but you can't look past the Son of the Emperor. It's going to be an explosive series, and it could really go either way depending on who recovers best from the jet lag in time and can prepare best for his opponent.
Prediction: 3-2 Oz
![[image loading]](/staff/fishuu/puzzleVsJjakji.jpg)
- Puzzle - Can he stay consistent? We all know his monster potential, but can he finally put it all together?
- Jjakji - The least known of the final eight, can this terran known for his unique builds make a Cinderella run to the final?
Puzzle has masterful micro. From the time he made thousands of jaws drop, going over 500 in APM during a battle against Sheth in the round of sixteen and going on to the win Code A championship, Puzzle has been touted as the protoss of the future. He came into Code S with all the momentum in the world, looking like he might be the protoss to take the mantle from MC and win a championship for Aiur. Sadly, this didn't come to be, not being able to get into the quarterfinals until this month and even having to go battle in the Up-and-Downs to stay in Code S last season.
Now, with all eyes on him, Puzzle will try to fulfill his destiny by getting to his first GSL semifinal. Like the two players in the first quarterfinal match, Puzzle also had a disappointing showing at Providence, losing two close series to Hero and Ganzi. Don't let this fool you, Puzzle still has the talent to become the November champion, but he will need to bring everything together to get there. The biggest factor in this match might by the jet lag. While Puzzle was preparing for Providence and flying around the world, Jjakji has been at his training house, the only player at HoSeo in GSL, getting all the practice he wants for his opponent.
Jjakji is the most mysterious of the eight in the quarterfinals. He is continuously picked as one of the final players in group selections, but he hasn't shown the same dominating play that most of the quarter-finalists have shown already in this tournament. In the last round against MVP and Gumiho, he showed some interesting builds, but I would still consider him the weakest of the eight still remaining in the tournament. From what I've seen from his peers, Jjakji is surely respected, a lot saying he could be the next big terran in Korea. But where is this overwhelming talent? Right now, through the first two rounds, I would say he has been decent, but the least impressive of everyone still left. Will he finally take off the cape and mask, showing us his true power, or we will see Puzzle make up for his poor performance at Providence and make quick work of HoSeo's ace?
Prediction: 3-1 Puzzle
![[image loading]](/staff/fishuu/aliveVsLeenock.jpg)
- Alive - Known as one of the strongest players in the world during practice and laddering, can the soft-spoken terran reach his true potential?
- Leenock - Coming off the greatest weekend of his life, can the MLG National Champion continue his momentum to another $50,000 and his first GSL championship?
I am extremely excited for this match. Words literally cannot describe how much this match makes me happy. Yes, we have some other great matches lined up for the quarterfinal, and neither of these two have the name MVP, but I'm telling you, this has the potential to be absolutely one of the best series in GSL history.
Leenock is coming off his historic run at MLG Providence, coming out of the Losers Bracket to win it all and take home $50,000. He not only took out Naniwa 4-1 in the final, but also had to beat the likes of Idra, Huk, Oz, MMA, DongRaeGu, and even MVP 2-0 to get a chance of playing in the final. After losing 2-0 to DongRaeGu in the Winners Bracket, Leenock caught fire, blazing by everyone in his path and capturing his first big championship. With thousands of people chanting his name, the sixteen-year-old raised the gigantic and highly dangerous sword-like MLG trophy into the air and basked in his victory.
Fast forward to only days later and Leenock will be trying to make one of the greatest runs in Starcraft history. If he can somehow win the National Championship of MLG and GSL in only two weeks time, he would put his name in the history books. Now, let's not get ahead of ourselves, because not only will Leenock be tired for his quarterfinal match, but he is playing possibly one of the best players left in the competition.
Yes, his name isn't MVP, and yes, he might talk quieter than what you think is humanly possible, but Alive is a bomb filled with potential that could explode at any moment. If you've watched his stream, you can see how good this guy is when he is on his game. At one time this season, he had an 80% win rate on the Korean ladder and beating every single pro in sight, showing off some of the sickest games in the world. After having disappointing season after disappointing in the GSL, hanging on by a thread to stay in Code S, Alive finally burst out of his shell this tournament, getting out of the first round and following that up with a 2-0 in the round of sixteen.
The question with Alive is if he can bring out what he shows on ladder and in practice when it really counts. He was able to play very well in the round of sixteen, but he still has another level that he hasn't shown that I think he can achieve in the GSL. Just like Leenock, who had nerve issues until recently, he is still looking for his defining moment in his career. Leenock finally got his coming out party at Providence, winning over thousands of new fans, and this tournament might be the chance for Alive to put his name with some of the best players in the world.
It can't go without saying that Leenock does, at this moment, have the best ZvT in the world and Alive will need to play at his highest level to beat the young MLG National champion. In the end, there are a lot of variables in play coming into this series.
Will Alive be able to translate his skills from practice to the big stage?
Will Leenock be too exhausted from playing almost forty games at MLG and the plane ride back to Korea?
If both players are able to play at their very best, you guys are in for a treat. Grab your food early and settle in for this one. It's going to be good.
Prediction: 3-2 Alive
![[image loading]](/staff/fishuu/mvpVsSC.jpg)
- MVP - After not being able to beat MMA in last season's GSL final or win the title at Providence, can MVP bounce back with a win in the quarterfinals?
- sC - Sidelined due to illness, will this wildly entertaining terran be able to knock out the strongest player in the world?
This is quite the intriguing match-up. On paper, of course, MVP should be the favorite, seeing as he still doesn't lose to anyone not named MMA in TvT, but sC should be able to give him a run for his money. Before his lung collapsing and having to be sidelined for a while due to illness, sC was one of the fastest rising players on the planet, giving us some of the best games in GSL history. In my honest opinion, his two series against Nestea (GSL May) and San (GSL March) are the greatest series ever played in the GSL. His wildly aggressive style leads to many back-and-forth games, leading to many classic battles including sC. Sadly, in both of those series mentioned, sC lost both of them, barely losing to Nestea and not being able to withstand the storms of San.
Neither will have the advantage of preparation, seeing as both were at Providence. MVP was able to get deep into the tournament before falling to Leenock, and sC was unable to make it to the championship bracket due to losing an extremely close series against MarineKing that went to the seventh game in an extended series. But if I had to say this benefits anybody, it would have to be sC. MVP is widely known to have trouble with his wrists and having to play in so many tournaments in a row (GSL, WCG, AoL, and MLG) has to be leaving some sort of wear and tear on his aching wrists. MVP didn't look his sharpest this weekend and will he able to withstand the aggression that sC will surely be bringing out in their series?
Well, MVP is MVP. After picking TOP to beat him months ago, I made a promise not to bet against him until he proves me wrong. He might have nagging injuries and playing in every single top level tournament known to man that he can attend, but he still finds a way to get the job done. He might have trouble if he has to face Leenock next round in the semifinals, but I believe his style of play is the perfect counter to what sC usually brings out in his TvT. Not to say that sC can't have something up his sleeve or pull the upset, but I can't bet against the Game Genie Terran. Also, you can't forget that the last time these two met in Code S, MVP promptly knocked sC down to the hell known as Code A that he was only able to get out of this season. Will history repeat itself, or will sC finally get the marquee series win that he has been searching for?
Prediction: 3-1 MVP
Poll: Who will be GSL November champion?
"The Game Genie Terran" MVP (91)
35%
"The Prince of War" Leenock (79)
31%
"The Wizard of Aiur" Oz (59)
23%
"The Phantom Terran" Jjakji (12)
5%
"The Ladder Bonjwa" Alive (11)
4%
"The Aggression Terran" sC (7)
3%
259 total votes
"The Prince of War" Leenock (79)
"The Wizard of Aiur" Oz (59)
"The Phantom Terran" Jjakji (12)
"The Ladder Bonjwa" Alive (11)
"The Aggression Terran" sC (7)
259 total votes
Your vote: Who will be GSL November champion?
(Vote): "The Wizard of Aiur" Oz
(Vote): "The Phantom Terran" Jjakji
(Vote): "The Prince of War" Leenock
(Vote): "The Ladder Bonjwa" Alive
(Vote): "The Game Genie Terran" MVP
(Vote): "The Aggression Terran" sC
)
