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Code S RO4 Preview: Classic vs Trap

Forum Index > SC2 General
17 CommentsPost a Reply

Code S RO4 Preview: Classic vs Trap

Text byTL.net ESPORTS
June 11th, 2019 05:30 GMT

Code S Semifinals Preview: Classic vs Trap

by Wax

[image loading]
2019 Global StarCraft II League Season 2: Code S


If the spring of Protoss has plunged the community into a pit of rancor and discontent, at least we can say it was in service of this semifinal match: The two best Protoss players in the world will face off in a best-of-seven series with a Code S finals spot on the line.

In one corner we have Classic, the de facto best player in the world following Maru's shocking RO32 elimination. Classic's run to the finals in Code S Season 1 wasn't just a one-off performance—his victory in the subsequent Super Tournament #1 showed this battle-worn soldier wasn't going to fade away meekly into the night. BlizzCon or not (visa pending), Classic seems determined to win a Code S championship in the final year of his career.

Facing Classic is Trap, a long-suffering veteran who could finally realize his full potential as the next great macro-Protoss in the tradition of Rain, Zest, and Stats. Perseverance has rewarded many other players before Trap—notably Stats, GuMiho, and TY who won their first major championships in Legacy of the Void. Now, it might be time for Trap to follow in their footsteps and win his first championship since MLG Anaheim in 2014.

Will this blockbuster match live up to it's billing? Errr... probably not.

Classic has a dominant head-to-head record against Trap, with a 4-0 lead in BO3+ matches and a 9-2 overall map score advantage. Two of Classic's series wins came not long ago in Code S Season 1, where Classic defeated Trap in both the RO32 (2-0) and RO16 (2-1). The latter match was actually set up directly by Classic, who was so confident against Trap that he hand-picked him as his initial RO16 opponent during the group selections. While the content of the games wasn't terribly one-sided in Classic's favor, it's worrisome for Trap that he lost all three maps where they got into the 'standard' Chargelot-Immortal-Archon vs Chargelot-Immortal-Archon mid-game battles.

The overall PvP statistics paint a slightly rosier picture for Trap, whose WCS 2019 win-rate of 60.91% (67-42 map score) only trails slightly behind Classic's 62.22% (28-17 map score). However, when we isolate the records to just live, GSL matches, Classic once again comes ahead with an absurd 7-0 record in series compared to Trap's mere 3-2 (both losses against Classic).

Going outside the realm of PvP, Classic has cultivated an all-around aura of being a brilliant planner in Code S. Obviously he's not infallible—he did get crushed 4-2 by Maru after all. But the breadth of build orders he used against soO, Rogue, Dark, and even Maru in defeat make you believe that he can out-strategize anyone who's not a god-tier opponent. While Trap made an important career breakthrough by defeating TY and INnoVation in consecutive quarterfinals (he said he finally feels like he can play in broadcast games as he does in practice), he still hasn't proved he can win at the level above that.

'...until proven otherwise' is a rather boring mentality to have when doing predictions, but in Trap's case, it seems well deserved. Trap was hard-stuck in the Code S RO16 for years before making a breakthrough in 2019. Why should anyone trust him to immediately succeed in higher rounds?

TL.net users seem to agree, with Classic leading Liquibet predictions by over 6:1 at the time of writing. Trap might finally be figuring things out on the GSL playoff stage for the first time in his career, but Classic figured those things out a long time ago when he won his first Code S title in 2014.

Prediction: Classic 4 - 1 Trap



Credits and acknowledgements

Writer: Wax
Images: AfreecaTV
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TL+ Member
ZigguratOfUr
Profile Blog Joined April 2012
Iraq16955 Posts
June 11 2019 06:53 GMT
#2
6:1 is impressively one-sided. Against INnoVatioN it was only 4:1. (note that all the memeing about PvT somehow doesn't seem to affect Liquibets much. People are happy to vote for Patience to get out of Group D in polls, but not so much when imaginary points are on the line).
Gemini_19
Profile Joined June 2010
United States1242 Posts
June 11 2019 08:24 GMT
#3
Yeah this is gonna be brutal. I wouldn't be shocked at a 4-1 but at the same time I'm not expecting it.
@GGemini19 GM Protoss | http://www.twitch.tv/geminisc2 | I <333 HerO & Trap | Check out my Build of the Week series on /r/allthingsprotoss, TL, or Spawning Tool
Tempest
Profile Joined October 2015
United States147 Posts
Last Edited: 2019-06-11 10:45:46
June 11 2019 10:45 GMT
#4
On June 11 2019 17:24 Gemini_19 wrote:
Yeah this is gonna be brutal. I wouldn't be shocked at a 4-1 but at the same time I'm not expecting it.


I think Trap will pleasantly surprise us. I'm giving it 4-3 Classic, but I think a 4-2 is also possible. Trap is too good to get swept 4-0 or 4-1 imo. Trap is currently better than sOs and Patience at PvP I think (the two who gave classic most PvP trouble recently), and sOs will be a good practice partner for Trap to prepare for classic.
Quick, think of some pithy cliche and toss it here
General_Winter
Profile Joined February 2011
United States719 Posts
June 11 2019 16:39 GMT
#5
Head says it’s Classic. Heart says it’s Classic. Inner voice of Admiral Ackbar says it’s Trap
Nakajin
Profile Blog Joined September 2014
Canada8989 Posts
June 11 2019 16:44 GMT
#6
Everything say Classic but I want Dark to win, so go Trap
Writerhttp://i.imgur.com/9p6ufcB.jpg
yyltyler
Profile Joined February 2018
23 Posts
June 11 2019 16:47 GMT
#7
I hope trap wins. Dark is almost a guarantee in the finals. Trap’s more macro-oriented style will give us longer PvZ games. If it is classic then the finals will feature mostly all ins and early pushes given that is how classic plays PvZ recently.
Tayar
Profile Joined November 2011
United States1439 Posts
June 11 2019 16:48 GMT
#8
i agree that classic will pull it out but think it will be closer, Trap is no slouch prepping builds either and it is PVP. Classic/Dark finals would be swell.
Gemini_19
Profile Joined June 2010
United States1242 Posts
June 11 2019 17:20 GMT
#9
On June 11 2019 19:45 Tempest wrote:
Show nested quote +
On June 11 2019 17:24 Gemini_19 wrote:
Yeah this is gonna be brutal. I wouldn't be shocked at a 4-1 but at the same time I'm not expecting it.


I think Trap will pleasantly surprise us. I'm giving it 4-3 Classic, but I think a 4-2 is also possible. Trap is too good to get swept 4-0 or 4-1 imo. Trap is currently better than sOs and Patience at PvP I think (the two who gave classic most PvP trouble recently), and sOs will be a good practice partner for Trap to prepare for classic.


I hope but Classic has just been the one person that Trap really can't beat this year.
@GGemini19 GM Protoss | http://www.twitch.tv/geminisc2 | I <333 HerO & Trap | Check out my Build of the Week series on /r/allthingsprotoss, TL, or Spawning Tool
Argonauta
Profile Joined July 2016
Spain4953 Posts
June 11 2019 18:09 GMT
#10
On June 12 2019 01:44 Nakajin wrote:
Everything say Classic but I want Dark to win, so go Trap



Trap have much more better chances vs Dark than Classic. In fact, Trap is highly favored to win vs Dark but Dark is favoured vs Classic
Rogue | Maru | Scarlett | Trap
TL+ Member
Tempest
Profile Joined October 2015
United States147 Posts
June 11 2019 18:36 GMT
#11
On June 12 2019 03:09 Argonauta wrote:
Show nested quote +
On June 12 2019 01:44 Nakajin wrote:
Everything say Classic but I want Dark to win, so go Trap



Trap have much more better chances vs Dark than Classic. In fact, Trap is highly favored to win vs Dark but Dark is favoured vs Classic


Not sure where you get those odds from, a betting site?

Dark is slightly favored vs Trap and its even vs Classic per aligulac.
Quick, think of some pithy cliche and toss it here
Argonauta
Profile Joined July 2016
Spain4953 Posts
June 11 2019 21:07 GMT
#12
On June 12 2019 03:36 Tempest wrote:
Show nested quote +
On June 12 2019 03:09 Argonauta wrote:
On June 12 2019 01:44 Nakajin wrote:
Everything say Classic but I want Dark to win, so go Trap



Trap have much more better chances vs Dark than Classic. In fact, Trap is highly favored to win vs Dark but Dark is favoured vs Classic


Not sure where you get those odds from, a betting site?

Dark is slightly favored vs Trap and its even vs Classic per aligulac.


Im not getting any betting site odds, just aligulac. Trap is 41–37 (52.56%) in games and 12–9 (57.14%) in matches against Dark.
Rogue | Maru | Scarlett | Trap
TL+ Member
Ciaus_Dronu
Profile Joined June 2017
South Africa1848 Posts
June 11 2019 21:40 GMT
#13
My bet (and I do hope I get to eat my words):
Classic beats Trap in a nailbitingly close PvP, and Dark sweeps.
Then Classic 4-0s Dark in 40 minutes with a bunch of early pushes and 1 shield-battery immortal play.
Waxangel
Profile Blog Joined September 2002
United States33429 Posts
June 12 2019 00:38 GMT
#14
Betting sites have it at around 70:30 for Classic, which is I think is VERY aggressive for a PvP (which generally doesn't go above 2:1 unless bettors considered it a total mismatch, which they clearly do).
AdministratorHey HP can you redo everything youve ever done because i have a small complaint?
geokilla
Profile Joined May 2011
Canada8240 Posts
June 12 2019 00:59 GMT
#15
On June 12 2019 09:38 Waxangel wrote:
Betting sites have it at around 70:30 for Classic, which is I think is VERY aggressive for a PvP (which generally doesn't go above 2:1 unless bettors considered it a total mismatch, which they clearly do).

Thinking of risking $50 to win $22.12 on Classic to win against Trap. Apparently I had $50 on my account lol. I either bet this, or Toronto Raptors + 3 against GSW for Game 6.
ThunderJunk
Profile Joined December 2015
United States694 Posts
June 12 2019 03:50 GMT
#16
I find it unwise to count out the Protoss on the only team with a team house in Korea.
I am free because I know that I alone am morally responsible for everything I do.
Lysergic1
Profile Joined August 2017
21 Posts
June 12 2019 15:11 GMT
#17
Come on Dark! He needs to win a GSL. And we still have a decent chance of a non-PVP finals! Trap is boring to me for some reason.. Because he doesn't usually stand out in behavior or play perhaps?
Harris1st
Profile Blog Joined May 2010
Germany6944 Posts
June 12 2019 15:40 GMT
#18
Writers curse too stronk?
Go Serral! GG EZ for Ence. Flashbang dance FTW
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