EPT
![[image loading]](http://www.teamliquid.net/staff/Meru/2014/WCS_NA/Season2/WCS_NA_s2_3races.jpg)
In 2013, WCS America looked like it would become a predictable tournament dominated by Korean fan favorites on foreign teams. HerO won Season 1 while Polt claimed back to back titles in Seasons 2 and 3, and many believed that 2014 would be more of the same. However, things have not followed that plan, as the atypical Zerg HyuN and the teamless wonder Pigbaby conquered Season 1 and 2 respectively. WCS AM Premier League Season 3 kicked off today and Group A's results have already suggested that this might become another compelling season.
Group A started the night with two Koreans and two Americans. Heavy favorite
HyuN was all but certain to advance, but the second seed into the Ro16 was surely going to be a tight race between the other three players. Americans Guitarcheese and Neeb both impressed in reaching Preamier League, and they would have to show Arthur that his spot in the offline stage was not a guarantee.![[image loading]](http://www.teamliquid.net/staff/lichter/WCSAM/2014/season3/wcsampremgrpa.jpg)
The quality of the second set was in stark contrast to the quality of the first as Neeb advanced over Arthur by ending the game before Colossus and holding 1 of 2 all ins. After losing to a mid game bio push, Arthur could not make both his all ins work. A gateway all-in on Overgrowth was lucky to succeed as Neeb MKP'd his bunker into a loss, but a blink all-in for Game 3 failed to break the American Terran who simultaneously dropped mines in Arthur's main. Neither player was able to show his arsenal of tricks, but it was Neeb that looked a little better.
Undeterred, Arthur would would follow the same pattern in his series against Guitarcheese. The American Zerg won the macro game to open their series and Arthur predictably followed that up with 2 all-ins. While he did see success with an immortal allin in game 2, Guitarcheese wised up to Arthur's gimmicks by the third game. At first the Korean Protoss failed to finish Guitarcheese with an 8 gate +1 attack allin, but he regrouped for a follow up attack with even more gateway units and +1 armor. Solaris Gaming's rising star held strong with roach hydra, however, and propelled himself into the final match of the night.
He would have to wait for the result of the winners' match, which was not as one sided as many would have expected. Neeb presented an interesting adjustment in Game 1 on King Sejong Station. Knowing that HyuN preferred roach hydra viper instead of swarm hosts, he switched his build around to prioritize establishing his factories on three bases instead of a rush to build his raven force. Though he did open with banshees for harassment and to deter HyuN's roach timings, Neeb focused on building tanks and thors with minimal starport units. It looked like a successful adjustment, but HyuN's experience in engaging at the exact moment that mech armies are vulnerable allowed him to eventually overwhelm Neeb. Game 2 was nowhere near as close however, as a 1/1 roach timing ended the game at the 12 minute mark.
The final series was set to decide which American wunderkind was going to reach the Ro16, and it ended up being the longest and closest match of the evening. Game 1 on King Sejong Station was a long back and forth 4M vs muta ling bling macro game. The difference maker, however, was the thor's new attack priority. Despite getting decent engagements on the ground, Guitarcheese's mutas could never survive to become a cloud as thors repeatedly shred them at every turn. This allowed Neeb to take as many bases as he wanted, eventually drowning Guitarcheese in units. Overgrowth was set to see more of the same, but a 2-base muta opening gave Guitarcheese opportunity for harassment that he did not have in game 1. He was able to engage favorably against an army without thors, and his push into Neeb's natural and main ended the game abruptly.
With everything on the line for the two young Americans, nothing but a desperate, swinging punch out could have done their duel justice. In a bleeding 27 minute game on Merry Go Round, neither player would climb above 100 supply. From the first kill at 4 minutes until the closing second, one of the two players was either attacking or on the verge of death. A baneling attack on Neeb's natural looked inches from ending the game, but excellent positioning between buildings and a fortunately unscouted third base allowed the terran to stabilize. Though he had an advantage in tech and upgrades, Guitarcheese's aggression and effectiveness with lings and banelings kept him in the game. The difference would be Neeb's occasional third to Guitarcheese's untenable expansions, and the latter would end up bleeding out first.
Neeb is the first American to reach the Ro16 this season.WCS America Premier League Ro16 Players (2/16)
HyuNNeebNext: WCS AM Premier League Ro32 Group B
Wednesday, Jul 30 10:00pm GMT (GMT+00:00)
Alicia vs iaguzNesTea vs Jim
