The GSL Group Selection ceremony took place last night, determining the groups for the upcoming Round of 16. The four players with seeds (first picks) were, in order:
Rain (2015 GSL Season 2 Champion) ByuL (2015 GSL Season 2 Runner-up) PartinG (GSL Point Rankings #1) herO (GSL Point Rankings #2)
As reigning champion, Rain was given the ability to swap two players. He chose to swap Solar (previously in Group D) with Flash (previously in Group C), thus finalizing the groups.
The Ro16 will begin on Wednesday, Sep 02 9:30am GMT (GMT+00:00)
Poll: Group of Death?
(Vote): Group A (Rain, Bbyong, Dear, Rogue) (Vote): Group B (herO, Maru, Classic, sOs) (Vote): Group C (ByuL, Zest, Dark, Solar) (Vote): Group D (PartinG, GuMiho, Flash, INnoVation) (Vote): There is no Group of Death
Geezus this is an amazing ro16. I'm so sad for Flash as I see no way him getting out. I am happy Zest will be in ro8 - no way he doesn't get out playing only his best matchup.
Does someone know the reasoning behind swapping Solar and Flash? Neither are teammates of Rain and it just looks like he made the lives of group C easier because they don't have to deal with Flash antics
On August 29 2015 00:56 chipmonklord17 wrote: Does someone know the reasoning behind swapping Solar and Flash? Neither are teammates of Rain and it just looks like he made the lives of group C easier because they don't have to deal with Flash antics
Well, they did say something about Solar helping Rain practice before previous GSL finals and that he should return the favor by putting him in a better group.
On August 29 2015 00:56 chipmonklord17 wrote: Does someone know the reasoning behind swapping Solar and Flash? Neither are teammates of Rain and it just looks like he made the lives of group C easier because they don't have to deal with Flash antics
Well, they did say something about Solar helping Rain practice before previous GSL finals and that he should return the favor by putting him in a better group.
Apparently, both Solar and Flash are buddies with Rain and they are both practise partners. So Rain used his power to avoid Flash/Zest teamkill as Flash asked, and the same thing for Solar (Stork represented him and introduced this plan of switching Solar and Flash to help them both).
Group A: Rain, Dear Group B: Maru, Classic/sOs (yes, I think Maru will surprise us, he always does) Group C: Zest, Dark (or the other way around) Group D: PartinG, INnoVation
I'd have said Group B was the GoD, but with Classic, Maru, and sOs looking less impressive as of late, I feel like Group D is the hardest group. Innovation, Flash, and Gumiho are all looking on the rise, and Parting is always a top-tier pick. I suspect Innovation + Parting, but I could honestly see anyone going out!
Should be amazing. All really great players. Don't think Dear, Maru, Dark, Solar, Gumiho, or God can win it all. But anyone else seems quite possible.
On names alone, Group B is the scariest, but in terms of actual current performance definitely not. Maru has fallen off a cliff this round in PL and looks broken, Classic is clearly no longer the best P in the world, and sOs lacks any consistency.
Group D likely the strongest with the current best in the world (Inno), one of the best P (PartinG), and 2 top mech T's in Gumiho and God.
Group C could be a big sleeper too. Zest on fire and looking in championship form, Byul probably still the best overall Z despite some recent lapses, Dark on the rise again and capable of dominating anyone, and Solar (with his resurrection at last in PL) capable of great, albeit inconsistent play.
Lol. herO said we wanted to make the group of death. He did manage to make the group of (his) death... To be fair, he has shot depending the form Maru and sOs show, but still...
On August 29 2015 00:52 Noonius wrote: kudos on the hidden poll option.
Also 3 protoss in group B makes me very very happy
You can't wait to see Maru destroy them all?
LOL That's not gonna happen.. Maru might have gotten VERY VERY lucky and surprised Classic with the new Widow mine Drop-on-top-of-collosus strategy, but it's not gonna happen again
Maru did not choose sOs because he didn't want him to break his wrists, but then Classic just chooses sOs anyway. I wonder, will sOs still break Maru's wrists for choosing Classic who chose him?
Everyone knows that sOs needs the points desperately if he wants to make it to blizzcon. Then you have Maru who is always a beast at PvT. Classic, who has been playing quite consistently. Plus herO who is getting his groove back again. Hard to pick who will survive that group...
Ro16 is the best phase in the GSL as I always admit. You can never be sure who will go ahead. I really can't wait the match between Classic and Maru. Both of them produce amazing battles between them recently in any tournament, nukes, airtoss, anything, epic!
EPT
Rain (2015 GSL Season 2 Champion)
ByuL (2015 GSL Season 2 Runner-up)
Bbyong 
