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Code S RO4 Preview: Maru vs Trap

Forum Index > SC2 General
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Code S RO4 Preview: Maru vs Trap

Text byTL.net ESPORTS
April 5th, 2019 08:31 GMT

Code S Semifinals: Maru vs Trap

Saturday, Apr 06 4:00am GMT (GMT+00:00)

by Orlok
[image loading]

2019 Global StarCraft II League: Code S Season 1


The second semifinal match of the season offers us the classic tale of David vs Goliath. On one side, we have one of the greatest and most accomplished players in StarCraft II history in Maru. On the other, we have Trap, an enigmatic underdog looking to establish a lasting legacy.

Yet again, Maru is on the cusp of making history. At the start of 2019, his situation seemed much changed from his surreal dominance in 2018. It seemed as if the burden of expectations had finally began to chip away at Maru’s aura of invincibility as he gave uncharacteristically poor performances in international competition. IEM Katowice saw Maru knocked out in the group stages with losses to Neeb, Leenock, and Trap. WESG saw Maru nearly cede the bronze medal to Scarlett in a series where he was so flustered he seemed to forget Terran buildings could fly. He looked nothing like he was in his prime, and many StarCraft fans started to wonder if the era of Maru was finally over.

However, GSL Code S has remained a sanctuary for Maru, even if its walls have started to crack. With a decisive 3-1 victory against a soaring Dear in the quarterfinals, Maru has come within a match of attaining four consecutive GSL Code S finals appearances, a milestone reached only by soO in 2013-2014. With another win beyond that, Maru could even replace his record of three consecutive Code S championships with an even more insurmountable tally of four. It's astonishing that Maru is even in a position to challenge these records and keep the question of 'how far can Maru go?' unanswered.

Standing in Maru's way is Trap, a player who comes from the traditional underdog mold. Maru won three consecutive Code S championships in 2018—Trap lost in three consecutive RO16 groups, all in the decider match. It continued a curse of mediocrity that had persisted since late 2013, with Trap achieving a top 16 finish or worse in fourteen consecutive GSL Code S competitions (including qualifiers/Code A eliminations). We frequently praised Trap for looking like a top-tier player for a game or even a series, but it seemed empty without a playoff appearance to show for it. However, Trap finally broke that accursed streak this season and is writing history for himself—if not yet for GSL Code S as a whole. Not only did he advance from his RO16 group with a victories against INnoVation and sOs, he defeated the Terran titan TY 3-2 in a close quarterfinal series to reach his first ever Code S semifinal. At long last, the elusive GSL trophy is in sight.

Even though Trap has momentum behind him, the cold reality is that many of these fairy tale runs end here in the semifinals. A best of seven is an entirely different arena from those before it, one often reserved for the grand finals alone in other tournaments. Not only is a Code S BO7 one of the most mentally stressful and taxing experiences in StarCraft II, it's also the ultimate test of strategic preparation. True championship mettle is tested here, and it’s no wonder that the cast of GSL finalists has become familiar over the years.

There are plenty of GSL tournaments that demonstrate this survival-of-the-fittest mechanism. Neeb strung together an impressive series of wins and emerged as a foreigner hope, but he crumbled in the semifinals after TY forced a tie in a game that would have sent Neeb 3-1 up. Curious once hoped that he could ascend from gatekeeper to champion, but was completely blown away by the cunning Rain. Cure was the Cinderella of Code S on two separate occasions, but the clock struck midnight in both semifinals. When ByuN and GuMiho made their championship runs, it was inspiring precisely because Korea's elite protect the Code S finals stage so fastidiously against the unworthy.

However, Trap finally seems to have some luck on his side, as this best of seven against the king of Code S has a silver lining: it's a Jin Air team-kill. Team-kills have historically been a huge unbalancing factor in StarCraft II, due to layers upon layers of mind-games forged through countless practice matches. It's no coincidence that Maru's teammates Rogue and sOs were two of the few players to make him look vulnerable in 2018 (albeit, outside Code S). sOs thoroughly dismantled Maru in both the Super Tournament and at BlizzCon last year—we don't know the team etiquette in these scenarios, but perhaps Trap can lean on the master of forbidden builds for advice. One can envision a series where Trap is able to bamboozle Maru with a litany of cunning strategies. After all, Classic already awaits in the finals, having twice overcome his weak match-up with meticulously crated build orders.

Classic's run has forced us to think about the possibility that there's no such thing as favorites versus underdogs, or David versus Goliath at this level of StarCraft—that it really comes down to the prepared versus the even more prepared. Unfortunately for Trap, Maru has proven himself to be latter in every single Code S series for over a year.



Credits and acknowledgements

Writer: Orlok
Editor: Wax
Images: AfreecaTV
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TL+ Member
CloudCat
Profile Joined May 2011
Singapore159 Posts
April 05 2019 08:57 GMT
#2
Nice write up liked it more than the dark v classic preview.
So hyped for this. As much as I like Maru, really hoping for Trap to put up a good showing.
Though it is difficult to really get behind the idea of a another PvP grand final (with Classic again no less) so soon after the super tournament II grand final ^^;
Sweetfrost
Profile Joined October 2010
Sweden211 Posts
April 05 2019 12:16 GMT
#3
No prediction today? Is Orlok an opponent to Western values as a whole?
Before practice, we ate Kimchi soup made my MMA. His cooking has made me so depressed that I think we may lose GSTL." -Miya
renaissanceMAN
Profile Joined March 2011
United States1840 Posts
April 05 2019 12:34 GMT
#4
I would probably cry to see Maru win 4 consecutive Code S championships.
On August 15 2013 03:43 Waxangel wrote: no amount of money can replace the enjoyment of being mean to people on the internet
brickrd
Profile Blog Joined March 2014
United States4894 Posts
Last Edited: 2019-04-05 12:39:51
April 05 2019 12:37 GMT
#5
On April 05 2019 17:31 TeamLiquid ESPORTS wrote:
Classic's run has forced us to think about the possibility that there's no such thing as favorites versus underdogs, or David versus Goliath at this level of StarCraft—that it really comes down to the prepared versus the even more prepared.

this is a great line, good writing. really captures the essence of what i think is the best way to enjoy SC2. i love a focus on preparation and execution of builds over endless handwringing about the metagame, balance, and which player is historically more successful, which a lot of very good casters are guilty of doing a lot of the time

sometimes the audience attitude toward this game feels more like we're watching wrestling than RTS. "naww, he'll never beat this guy, serral is a titan, he's unbreakable!" might sound good for dramatic effect, but it reinforces a lot of reductive and silly ideas about how match results reflect the state of the game. Innovation memes a few years ago got so out of hand that Terran was automatically UP every time he dropped a map!

Trap can be a weaker player than Maru when it comes to power ranking yet still bring four hot builds, play at peak level, snuff him out, and deserve the win 100%. and frankly that's great starcraft
TL+ Member
Tempest
Profile Joined October 2015
United States147 Posts
April 05 2019 12:59 GMT
#6
No prediction for the series?

Mk ill do it for ya, Maru 4-2 Trap
Quick, think of some pithy cliche and toss it here
Doko
Profile Joined May 2010
Argentina1737 Posts
April 05 2019 13:03 GMT
#7
When ByuN and GuMiho made their championship runs, it was inspiring precisely because Korea's elite protect the Code S finals stage so fastidiously against the unworthy.


Really enjoyed the writing on this article, that line in particular.
Orlok
Profile Joined June 2014
Korea (South)227 Posts
April 05 2019 13:20 GMT
#8
On April 05 2019 21:16 Sweetfrost wrote:
No prediction today? Is Orlok an opponent to Western values as a whole?


I'm officially joining the anonymous writers movement of not having predictions

And no, I love Western values too!
Writer"Don't leave me hangin!"
Argonauta
Profile Joined July 2016
Spain4949 Posts
April 05 2019 14:27 GMT
#9
Im waiting another sOs vs Maru at Blizzcon. Maru seems lost vs Teammates
Rogue | Maru | Scarlett | Trap
TL+ Member
sneakyfox
Profile Joined January 2017
8216 Posts
April 05 2019 14:39 GMT
#10
Another great preview by Orlok. Good insights coupled with great style, well done!
"I saw what sneakyfox wrote on TL.net and it made me furious" - PartinG
Fango
Profile Joined July 2016
United Kingdom8987 Posts
April 05 2019 14:43 GMT
#11
Sadly Trap's chances of winning this season tanked when Classic beat Dark. He doesn't stand a chance against Classic in a bo7 should he win here but would have favoured against Dark imo.

Trap hasn't played a bo7 since the Kespa Cup of 2016 and hasn't ever played one under preparation format, so that's at least something new.
Zest, sOs, PartinG, Dark, and Maru are the real champs. ROOT_herO is overrated. Snute, Serral, and Scarlett are the foreigner GOATs
Hadronsbecrazy
Profile Joined September 2013
United Kingdom551 Posts
April 05 2019 15:04 GMT
#12
LETS GO MARU Kreygasm
No need Build Orders, Only Micro,Favourite Players: Maru, Zest, soOjwa , CJherO
-Strider-
Profile Blog Joined October 2010
Mexico1605 Posts
April 05 2019 15:40 GMT
#13
Rooting for Maru
What is up? IM NESTEAAAA!
tskarzyn
Profile Joined July 2010
United States516 Posts
Last Edited: 2019-04-05 17:39:21
April 05 2019 17:39 GMT
#14
BO3, bet on Toss. BO7, bet on Maru. The gap between these guys is too big and Trap gets 4-1'd or 4-2'd.
General_Winter
Profile Joined February 2011
United States719 Posts
April 05 2019 19:45 GMT
#15
Kind of a non sequitor but does GSL have a 3rd 4th match or does finals just happen and both people who dropped in semis have the same final placement?
Jerom
Profile Joined April 2011
Netherlands588 Posts
April 05 2019 19:51 GMT
#16
Trap has slowly been getting better and better I think. His PvT has seemed pretty solid lately too, defeating TY and maru recently. I think this will be really close.
Charoisaur
Profile Joined August 2014
Germany15968 Posts
April 05 2019 22:47 GMT
#17
PvP finals let's go
Many of the coolest moments in sc2 happen due to worker harassment
sneakyfox
Profile Joined January 2017
8216 Posts
April 05 2019 23:08 GMT
#18
On April 06 2019 04:45 General_Winter wrote:
Kind of a non sequitor but does GSL have a 3rd 4th match or does finals just happen and both people who dropped in semis have the same final placement?


No 3rd place match. It's highly uncommon in Starcraft, it's weird that WESG does it.
"I saw what sneakyfox wrote on TL.net and it made me furious" - PartinG
Topin
Profile Blog Joined December 2010
Peru10081 Posts
April 06 2019 02:33 GMT
#19
team kill >< the onl thing that worries me... lets go Maruuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuu!
i would define my style between a mix of ByuN, Maru and MKP
General_Winter
Profile Joined February 2011
United States719 Posts
April 06 2019 13:46 GMT
#20
Well. He certainly brought the a game today.
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