GSL Season Three
Code A
Group E Preview
Shine, TY, Byul, Skyhigh
Group F Preview
Tails, Hush, Flash, Symbol
Brackets and standings on Liquipedia
Group G:
Will the Sky Rise?
by Darkhorse
In a week packed with an utterly absurd amount of Starcraft II action, Group E begins the only two group set of this season's Code A that will be played in a reasonable sequential order. Of course we understand that GSL is bending over backwards to reschedule these groups for players participating in tournaments like IEM and Dreamhack right now, but it does make it hard to follow. Either way, today we have Group E. Group E is notable for being the only Code A group that does not feature a Protoss player and boasts a lineup of interesting players. Trust me, if there is a group that you don't want to miss, it's this one.

It's certainly no easy task to get through the Code A qualifiers, but let's just say that the Starcraft II gods smiled on Skyhigh during the qualifiers for this season. Not only was his semifinal opponent


From a story of Proleague absence we go to a story of wild Proleague success.

These results in Proleague haven't necessarily translated to GSL success yet, but he has only had one season since coming back to Korea to prove himself. Last season, he made Code S before being knocked out with back to back losses to Solar and Parting. A Code S Ro32 dropout certainly isn't all Byul aspires to be or is capable of being, but you almost can't fault him for losing to players like those. This group draw both helps and hurts Byul, as he gets two Terrans to play his best matchup against, and one Zerg to face his worst. Byul's record in SPL speaks for itself: a strong 6-2 in ZvT and a disappointing 4-5 in his mirror matchup. Byul has established himself as a player you'd expect to see in Code S, and he should be able to advance back after his so-so performance last season.
Samsung Zerg and senior member of the League of Injustice



The one key factor working against Shine here is the lack of massive fan favorites and/or recent champions to "upset". In a group full of close competitors and no players with huge fan followings, Shine has trouble tapping into the gleeful malevolence that gives him his power, and his play isn't quite so crisp. In all seriousness, Shine is probably about level with Byul and TY. He went undefeated in ZvZ in SPL this season, and that combined with Byul's matchup struggles should give him confidence there. His ZvT is hit or miss, and whether he hits or misses could easily decide who gets out of this group.
Finally we have

Unfortunately for TY fans his hype train derailed quite quickly. Since Round 1 he has been a sub par 7-10 in SPL, and he has record has gotten progressively worse every round. Perhaps even worse is his disastrous performance in GSL this year. In Season 1, he didn't even make Code A when he lost to YongHwa twice in the qualifiers. He may have at least made Code A in Season 2, but he was eliminated quickly again with losses to Supernova and TRUE. Finally, he barely made the top 16 at his one overseas opportunity, losing to MC in the first round of the bracket stage at Dreamhack Bucharest. TY is going to have to snap this string of disappointments, and soon, if he ever wants to get the hype train back on the rails again.
Overall thoughts and predictions:
Shine < TY
Byul > Skyhigh
TY < Byul
Shine > Skyhigh
TY < Shine
Byul and Shine advance.
Group F:
The Trial of God.
by Zealously


Over a year ago,

When it comes to style, it's hard to argue against the claim that Tails has it in loads. But for all his funny hairstyles and generally good track record in team leagues, success in individual leagues has always eluded him. At first trying his best to make it in Korea, Tails eventually gave in to the promises of greener pastures overseas and tried his hand at the WCS EU qualifiers. Falling woefully short every time while his teammates finale and Vampire, better known as duckdeok and Super, respectively, rose to fame. Today, he returns to Code A in the hopes of making it further into the gauntlet that is Code S than he did last season. While placing top 32 in GSL is no mean feat in today's competitive landscape (especially considering the fact that he beat soon-to-be GSL champion

With this in mind, it is perhaps only fitting that his opponent be CJ's

But fear not, I can confirm with utmost certainty that Hush is (the) real (deal). With victories against









To

1) It could be the season that sees him locked out of GSL for an entire year, having missed out on seasons 1 and 2 as well.
2) Logically, it represents his last realistic shot at a Blizzcon spot. Winning this GSL, however unlikely, would put him in contention for top 16 in the Global Rankings and allow for point hunting overseas. While the international circuit has been generally unkind to Flash historically, he would not need an obscene amount of points for the Blizzcon dream to become a reality. Elimination here, however, makes the top 16 an almost unreachable goal.
With these two facts in mind, Flash will be as motivated as can be. With KT not set to play in Proleague for another 9 days, he will have had at least some time to focus on advancement from this group and into Code S, where he will have to make what is essentially his final stand. Without a path into Code S, Flash's goal of becoming the best Starcraft II player will be even further out of reach by the time the next WCS season comes around. Saying that ”Flash has to advance” is beyond overplayed at this point, and there should be no question as to the significance of Code S in the eyes of the Ultimate Weapon, but there is a shred of truth to it. Every season that passes without Flash making his presence known in the most prestigious individual league is another season where the likes of


Speaking from a strict gameplay perspective, Flash has landed a very good group He faces two relatively weak Protoss players in Tails and Hush – players he would have no trouble whatsoever dispatching of in Proleague. Also speaking in Flash's favor are his recent games in the Sandisk Shoutcraft Invitational. Going a combined 4-5 against



His toughest opponent will be his first opponent,

But underestimating Symbol is dangerous. Though he might once have been a true paragon of consistency, the former TSL Zerg's match history is no joke. Seemingly weakest by far in ZvZ, he has landed a group where he can avoid the Zerg mirror altogether and focus on the two match-ups where he seems the strongest. Most notably going on a tear in ZvT with consecutive wins against




Overall thoughts and predictions
Although either Tails or Hush will find themselves in the winners' match, this seems like a group to be heavily dominated by the two stars in the group. Flash has been in the spotlight to a much greater degree than the almost forgotten Symbol, but I wouldn't be surprised at all to see Symbol be the one advancing to the winners' match. Flash has a tendency to forget that defense exists, and it has cost him important games in the past. If he comes prepared for aggression, which will almost inevitably be everyone's weapon of choice against him, then he will likely advance as first. Otherwise, he might drop to both second place and beyond. But with the recent strength of the KT Terran's TvZ and the fact that aggression seems so obvious, I have to go with Flash finally coming to his senses.
Tails < Hush
Flash > Symbol
Hush < Flash
Symbol > Tails
Symbol > Hush
Flash and Symbol advance to Code S.