AFK Kitchen: WCS Valencia 2017

While the heat raged outside, the Feria Valencia provided little refuge to fans as some of the top talent in StarCraft burned up the stage on the latest stop on WCS Circuit: DreamHack Valencia. There is an underlying hype to events the closer we get to Blizzcon as the WCS point counts grow and players identify themselves as contenders through consistency in performance. Deep runs from fan favorites such as Snute, SpeCial (MajOr), and Kelazhur ensured that hype stayed until the grand finals. Most importantly, I don’t believe fans have ever been more aware of the supply than they were this past week.

In the round of 16, the WCS Jönköping champion Neeb nearly fell to Probe as they went to game 5. It was an intense back and forth series, and in the end a misguided army made friends with a few disruptor shots and Neeb went on to face SpeCial once again in the bracket stage. If you didn’t get a chance to see this TvP, I highly recommend grabbing some sangria and watching the fun. Fans of the rivals could not have asked for a better series as the two traded map for map. SpeCial making interesting use of proxy factories and constant aggression, while Neeb showed his usual focus and control under pressure. At Austin and Jönköping the Mexican Terran and American Protoss met, each time ending in a 3:2 finish for Neeb. Valencia was the same except it was SpeCial who moved forward.

Kelazhur and MaSa, two NA staples on the rise, met in glorious TvT combat. MaSa boasted a 71% win rate against Kelazhur and a 70% TvT win rate overall (vs Kela’s 55%) as they went into the RO. 16 series. Both players spread their brand of hate and discontent on the battlefield, trading win-for-win in an action packed series. Variance in the openings from both players kept the early game fresh and the drop vs. drop action created a lot of nail biting moments. Come the ace match, victory went to Kelazhur as he thwarted MaSa’s drop and swung back to crush the Canadian Terran’s army, obliterate his production, and defeat him in a series for the first time since September 2016.

Notable absentees from the upper stages were PtitDrogo, who fell to the hydras of True in the Ro 16, and ShoWTimE. The talented German Protoss came up short in the group stages once again, falling in Stage #2 to Denver and Strange as he left Valencia claiming a single map. Both players are talented and resilient and will hopefully pull out some great games in the upcoming HomeStory Cup.

In the final leg to the finals of WCS Valencia, Elazer and Snute defined themselves as the top contenders in the semis, both stomping their opponents out of the tournament. Elazer took True to school in ZvZ with a 3:1 victory, while Snute took out fellow fan favorite SpeCial in a 3:0. Despite the Terran dropping all three maps, the series was by no means a shutout. SpeCial showed excellent use of mech and highlighted his ability to stay in his opponent’s face throughout an intense series. Questionable tank positioning vs blinding clouds and a failed proxy marine rush (that iNcontroL is convinced was the result of Juanito forgetting gas for reapers) definitely contributed to the demise of the Mexican Terran, but he walks away from Valencia with another quarter finals finish and the head of his rival Neeb mounted outside his command center. SpeCial’s consistency in play (and attendance) leave fans of Juanito wanting more and more.

The finals. Snute’s rocky start to the event was quickly dismissed by his commanding victories on the road to the finals (Neeb (2:1), SortOf (2:0), Scarlett (3:1), Kelazhur (3:0), SpeCial (3:0). Elazer showing the same prowess as he plowed through Has (3-1), Nerchio (3:1), and TRUE (3:1). Many cringe at the thought of a ZvZ final and the start of the series was what the memesters might call “ZzzzzvZzzzzz.” Elazer telegraphed a lot of pushes that couldn’t stand up to a player like Snute, who cashed in those plays for a 3:1 lead by game four. But in game five, Elazer pulled it together and the heat was palpable. Fans were treated to intense ling/bling micro battles and exciting macro games. Taking the series back from a 3:1 deficit, game seven on Defender’s Landing was personally my favorite of the series. Both players one game away from victory. Snute on the back foot after losing 2 games at match point. Elazer showed incredible focus, decision making, and pure talent as he defended Snute’s aggression smartly. Never over compensating. Always reading his opponent and anticipating follow on pokes. As the saying goes, “he protec, but he also attac.” This solid defense, saving a critical hatch from near death on several assaults, was followed up by an attack of his own that solidified his victory over Snute and his first 1st place finish in a WCS event.

A big congratulations to Elazer on his first victory and to all the players who competed. While only one champion departed the Feria Valencia on Saturday, many players highlighted their growth and potential for dominance and I look forward to seeing how they perform in the coming months before Blizzcon.

Also, I’d like to shout out feardragon (FYAYSN)! One of the hardest working community members showed an excellent performance. No one is as polished as the established talent on their first go, but he sounded at home next to StarCraft’s best which is a great sign for a first event. Looking forward to seeing him continue to grow and we’ll hopefully see him at more events!

WCS Valencia was one of the best events of 2017 and a great highlight on the road to Blizzcon. There were a lot of exciting games that aren’t covered above, so if you have time I’d suggest checking out the VODs on the StarCraft YouTube channel.

The allioli is the star of this show. A garlic and olive oil mayonnaise variation of traditional aioli, it goes well with meat, cheese, bread and while your physician might frown upon this practice, it tastes fine off the spoon. Eating it with chorizo (a type of pork sausage) doesn’t exactly make it better for you, but it sure tastes good.



This is an aggressive all-in that aims to get you from hungry to munching well before the mid-game. For those using uncooked chorizo, slice into ¼ inch pieces and start to fry with a little olive oil. In the immersion blender cup, combine the yolk, garlic, water, vegetable oil, and lemon juice. Place the blender on the bottom and run until blended. Shouldn’t take more than 30-45 seconds for everything to combine (the mayonnaise appearance happens almost immediately). Transfer to a bowl and whisk in the olive oil. Do a macro poke after ⅔ of the oil is added to see if it’s ready, add more if necessary. Finish with salt and pepper to taste and transfer to a serving dish. Flip the sausages in the pan and finish them off. No fork needed, just toothpicks or fingers!

Who doesn’t like a bit of fried potato? Who doesn’t like a bit of fried potato dipped in garlic mayo or slathered in tomato sauce? Probably that cheesy bastard on ladder, but you wouldn’t give him your patatas bravas anyway.



A lot of early game build up for a mid-game punch. Put the oil in the pan or fryer on medium heat. Slide the potatoes into large bite sized chunks. For your regular russet potato, length wise, length wise again, and then into fourths usually works depending on the size of your potato. The most important thing to remember is that the pieces need to be the same size. Submerge them in a bowl of water while your oil heats up.

When the oil is ready (it should sizzle after you add a potato) strain the potatoes, shaking off excess water or using a towel to pat them dry. Fry them for 10 minutes. Remove potatoes with a slotted spoon and place on a plate with paper towels.

When the potatoes are about 3-5 minutes from finishing, start to saute the tomato sauce on medium heat in the medium pan. If you learned anything from Goodfellas, it should be to slice garlic thin and keep stirring the sauce. After you remove the potatoes, snatch 2 tsp of oil from the pan and mix it in with the sauce. Add the paprika, vinegar, tobasco, mustard and continue to stir for another minute.

Plate the potatoes, sprinkle with salt and pepper, then drizzle the sauce in the middle and serve with a side of that allioli you made earlier. Booyakasha!

Garlic and shrimp go together like ByuN and reapers. Except you’re far more likely to pull off this recipe than you are to ever replicate ByuN’s reaper magic. By the way, did you vote for ByuN as the Terran rep for GSL? No? Well here’s the link! https://us.battle.net/forums/en/sc2/topic/20757617303



It doesn’t get simpler than this, folks. Slice the bread and set aside (baguettes work well, feel free to toast beforehand). Heat the oil over medium heat in the frying pan, then add the garlic. The moment it starts to brown, add the shrimp and stir. Add the peppers, lemon juice, paprika and continue to stir. Finally, add the brandy (not over the flame!), turn the heat to high, and burn off the alcohol. Once the shrimp is pink and curled, it’s ready to go! Transfer to a dish, salt and pepper to taste, and serve with the bread to soak up the spicy juices.

Do you smell that? It’s the flavor packed people’s elbow that’s about to make friends with your mouth. Lamb, spices, sticks, heat, done. Game over. GG NO RE. Make these and you’ll be lying to your mom the next time you say her cooking is the best. This is a widow mine shot and your taste buds are perfectly stacked for maximum damage. This is a feedback and your tongue is at full energy. These meat sticks are Scarlett's burrowed banelings and your hunger is Bomber's bio ball at Red Bull NYC. ARE THESE ANALOGIES SUFFICIENTLY COMMUNICATING WHAT YOU’RE ABOUT TO EXPERIENCE?! Not even close.



There is a slow ramp up for this build. I highly recommend prepping the meat at lunch time so it can soak in the flavor for the marinade. Note on the saffron: it’s expensive. In the picture, that little thing was about $15 and I have been hoarding it for almost a year. But I swear to God it’s worth it. For this recipe, boil water, put two pinches in a bowl, then spoon the 3 tbsp into the bowl and set it aside.

Prepare all the ingredients and have them on standby (grind seeds, chop oregano, etc.). Combine the dry and wet ingredients in a bowl and mix thoroughly in a glass bowl. Cover the bowl and remove from fridge 1 hour before cooking. Skewer the meat and heat your grill or grill pan. Once heated, place the skewers in and cook 3.5 minutes on each side. You want the meat to be slightly pink when eaten. Allow to rest for 3 minutes and dig in!

Note: This dish is also made with pork or chicken, so if lamb isn't your thing, the Gods smile upon thee for the meat sticks are equally righteous with the others as it is with lamb.