EPTEU Challenger: Day 2 Preview
by Peanuts
With the 2014 Challenger System in full swing, every player is playing each set like it's their last. Because it could be!
VP.sLivko vs. Ai.GoldensLivko is one of a slew of Zergs who rose to prominence in 2012 in the era of Broodlord-Infestor. Though he took several online titles, the Russian was never able to secure a win on LAN, with his highest finish coming from a Ro4 at IEM Singapore. Since the release of HotS, he has had little success, failing to advance any further than the Ro32 in Premier League. He’s always been able to make his way back up into Premier, but with the new format, the threat of elimination is more real than ever.
For AI.Golden, the past few months have been a roller coaster. After winning RedBull Training Grounds, he was coasting on the best win of his career. It seemed to be a return to form for the former online champion. However, as he went into Battle Grounds, he announced that he would be retiring. After an outpouring of support, Golden soon delayed his military service and began streaming and hosting a myriad of online events. He still has yet to turn this momentum into a strong tournament showing.
Prediction: sLivko wins 3 - 2. Mostly because he would snap me in half if I said otherwise.
mouz.HasuObs vs. 
AT.uThermalHasuObs is one of the top players in the German scene, always placing high in the national EPS. Though his results in larger international tournaments rarely stood out in the past, HasuObs seems to be hitting his prime late in his career. Following a top eight finish in WCS EU Season 2 back in 2013, he recently made a brilliant run through the IEM Katowice Open Bracket where he defeated both Jaedong and Leenock, while playing close series against HyuN and Dear.
As for uThermal, the Dutch Terran is looking better than ever. After a fairly stagnant 2013, he’s exploded back onto the scene, taking several online cups in convincing fashion. One of the group of new, young foreign Terrans, he plays a solid macro style, with a sprinkling of cheese. Recently, he showed an incredible display, 2-0ing jjakji at DH Bucharest. Though he would later be knocked out by TY and jjakji, the showing was enough to prove that the young Terran is a serious player.
Prediction: HasuObs 3 - 1 uThermal
FireCake vs. VerdiFireCake is famous for all the wrong reasons. Initially rising to prominence after his record setting swarm host game against Liquid`Mana, he showed no sign of reforming his ways and continue to play excruciatingly long games. He then proceeded to be kicked from Vega Squadron after his infamously poor in-game manners became spotlighted thanks to Golden. For all his infamy, there's no doubting FireCake is a competent player, making it to the Ro32 in the last two Premier League seasons.
VERDI joins the club of “retired” players who are finding success yet again. Despite early success in SC2, the Russian Protoss stagnated in 2013. His highest finish was a Ro16 finish at DH Stockholm, a far cry from his victory at IeSF the year before. The unretired VERDI seems to be just as good as before, once again fighting his way through the qualifiers to earn a shot at the Premier League.
Prediction: Verdi 3 - 2 Firecake
Acer.Bly vs Liquid`MaNaBly is one of the most resilient players in the European scene. Despite not taking a major tournament, the Ukrainian has pushed on for years. Taking online cup after online cup, Bly continues to prove that he’s always a strong player. In team leagues, he’s always served as a solid, consistent player, able to trade evenly or take down a handful of players. In game, his play style can best be described as “The Little Zerg that could”, playing scrappily, surviving on low economy and taking every trade that he can. In WCS, he hopes to take his first finish higher than the Ro32.
Liquid`Mana is a man searching for a comeback. After a wonderful spree of tournaments runs in 2012, culminating in 2 victories at Dreamhack Summer and ESWC, he started off 2013 strongly, with a 5th place finish at the IEM World Championship. However, he slowed down as the year went on, eventually falling out of Premier League. As the year drew to a close, Mana found himself teamless, out of Premier League, and unable to break out of the Ro32, even at HSC. Thankfully, his 2014 has seen a good start. He signed with Liquid following a strong performance at IEM Cologne and has performed well in teamleagues since.
Prediction: Mana 3 - 2 Bly
AM Challenger: Day 2 Preview
by Darkhorse
MVP.aLive vs EG.SuppySuppy was one of the more consistent foreigners in WCS America in 2013. Unfortunately, he was kept out of last season's Premier League with a 2-3 loss to the Canadian Terran MaSa in Challenger of Season 1. Suppy has been playing mostly in Teamleagues such as the Shoutcraft Clan Wars and Acer Teamstory Cup since then, and his recent ZvT record has been a mixed bag. The EG Zerg faces a tough draw for his Challenger match, as he will face Korean Terran and ex-teammate aLive.
aLive has had a quiet few months since dropping from last season's Premier with losses to both Taeja and Crank. However, he has since joined a new team in MVP and his practice regimen is almost assuredly improved. In last season's Challenger matches, aLive was able to easily roll over his foreigner opponent KoMa with a 3-0 score, so Suppy is going to have a tough road to Premier.
Prediction: aLive 3-1 Suppy
yoe.Ian vs Wayi.checkIan comes into Challenger for the second straight season, hoping to be another member of the Taiwanese invasion of WCS AM. He was stopped last season with a 1-3 loss to puCK, and will be hoping for a better showing and a spot in Premier. Not much is known about Ian, but advancing to Premier League will certainly help him gain exposure. Seriously, how many more people know who Has is after his legendary foray into last season's Premier?
Speaking of Taiwanese players, Sen was the one to keep check out of last season's Premier League in a close 3-2 series. Check has traditionally had solid online results (most notable was his performance in the online season of Acer Teamstory Cup) but has yet to translate this to solid results at a larger individual tournament. The former KeSPA player will be looking for a better performance than in the previous season.
Prediction: Ian 2-3 check
ROOT.MaSa vs yoe.SlamThe Canadian Terran MaSa showed some serious promise in Season one of WCS America. He managed to defeat Suppy in Challenger, and showed good games in defeat against both Scarlett and TooDming in Premier League. He will be hoping to continue his solid form in TvZ here in his match against Slam. Teammate and fellow young Terran hope Illusion already advanced during Day one of games, and MaSa will be hoping to replicate those results.
Slam comes into Challenger in a similar position to his teammate Ian. Both made it to Challenger through the Taiwan/Hong Kong/Macau Qualifier in Season 1 and both were defeated in Challenger. This season, they made it through the same qualifier with hopes of surpassing their previous result. Slam was steamrolled 3-0 by Revival, but to be fair that was one of the toughest matchups in Challenger, as Revival went on the make the Semifinals in Premier League. Slam will be happy to see that this time he has drawn a foreigner. We don't see Slam much outside of the Taiwanese scene, so it will be interesting to see if he can make waves in WCS AM this season. However, I will give the nod to the young ROOT Terran looking for a second chance in Premier.
Prediction: MaSa 3-2 Slam
MajOr vs KingKongAs far as foreign hopes go, MajOr may be one of the best bets for North America. Always regarded as one of the best foreign Terrans, MajOr has recently been in great form with wins over Symbol, Stardust, Oz and Taeja in the past two months. MajOr had a heartbreaking season one. He started his Ro32 group with a strong upset 2-0 win over Taeja, but unfortunately fell to Crank and Taeja in back to back sets to drop back to Challenger League. After facing a tough group of Championship caliber players in the previous season, MajOr will have a chance against a less known player to reclaim his spot in this season's Premier League.
KingKong comes in as a relative unknown to many American fans, but upon examination of his match history, you can see why he has arrived in Challenger. KingKong is one of the most fearsome players to play in the SEA scene and he'll be looking for a chance to prove himself in his first ever Premier League. Despite KingKong's intimidating aligulac ratings, I am going with MajOr here. He will have the server advantage and has shown impressive play in WCS America in the past. However, I think this will be the closest match of the night.
Prediction: MajOr 3-2 KingKong
