Here are my predictions for the groups, the list of players is in any order, not trying to predict 1st, 2nd or 3rd places

Group A: Dark, Stats, PartinG/Special

Group B: Rogue, soO, Reynor/Zest/Showtime

Group C: Maru, Innovation, Trap/Patience

Group D: sOs, Serral, TY/Cure

5Z, 3T, 4P race distribution seems pretty balanced to me.

sOs wins the whole thing (for some bizarre reason) is my bold prediction XD

kochanfe

Micronesia1338 Posts

February 25 2020 23:30 GMT

The average skill levels of the groups seem quite even, all things considered. Groups B and D are probably the toughest, with Group C close behind and Group A right on its tail. It seems like Groups A, B, and C each have one very clear underdog while Group D has two very clear underdogs (Has, Armani, and Patience for A, B, and C, and Lambo and Hurricane for D). Serral seems by far the most likely player to advance to the Ro12, although Dark, Maru, Cure, Reynor, and Stats also seem like pretty safe bets.

Assuming Serral, Dark, Maru, Cure, Reynor, and Stats all advance to the Ro12 and Hurricane, Patience, Has, Armani, and Lambo are all eliminated, that leaves three players fighting for one remaining spot in Group A, four players fighting for two remaining spots in Group B, four players fighting for two remaining spots in Group C, and just two players fighting for one remaining spot in Group D.

In any event, there should be loads of awesome games over the next few days – can't wait to see these players fight it out!

AzAlexZ

Australia3303 Posts

February 25 2020 23:33 GMT

I would like to point out the blaze-it factor of getting 5th - 8th place. Seems like a solid plantation investment

BisuDagger

Bisutopia19316 Posts

February 26 2020 02:19 GMT

#10

Let's all ride the Lambo hype train okay?

Fango

United Kingdom8987 Posts

February 26 2020 02:34 GMT

#11

Have to wait until friday to see some decent terran action. Hope they do better than last year at least

gpanda2018

3 Posts

February 26 2020 04:55 GMT

#12

Group D is the death group.

rwala

334 Posts

February 26 2020 05:12 GMT

#13

It's hard to look at these groups and not feel like we're in one of the most competitive eras of SC2. I mean all of these groups are really sick, though it's crazy to think of how scary they would have been with Scarlett, Time, Taeja, Neeb, etc. Another Terran or two would have been nice, tho as long as we don't have a bunch of ZvZs only from the Rof12 on, I'll be happy. (I count 5 T, 8 Z, and 10 P by the way.)

Harris1st

Germany7134 Posts

February 26 2020 06:19 GMT

#14

Love the "every win counts" mentality this year! I mean not only do you get 200 bucks for every win, but also the price pool distribution is so flat that basically every win gives you another 500 $ on top

digmouse

China6330 Posts

February 26 2020 06:36 GMT

#15

Those groups OOF.

dbRic1203

Germany2655 Posts

February 26 2020 06:36 GMT

#16

A:Dark, Sats, Parting
B:Rogue, Showtime, Soo
C:Trap, Maru, Solar
D:Serral, TY, Cure
I want to belief in the concept, that only with consistent practise you can stay on top Level. That s why I hope, that Reynor is failing in the group stage here and gets punished for his off season 2 month non stop partying. So he comes back even stronger afterwards.

vyzion

308 Posts

February 26 2020 08:47 GMT

#17

I'm so excited

10199

4 Posts

February 26 2020 10:30 GMT

#18

cheering for TY

Poopi

France12911 Posts

February 26 2020 10:32 GMT

#19

Shit all the terran action happens on friday and I have little free work time that day, will be tricky to manage
Maru got kinda screwed but he should qualify if he doesn't lose to players he shouldn't lose to I guess?
Group 3 seems free for Serral / TY / Cure unless sOs manages to steal a bo3 from either of them, so in a sense it's not very interesting, but seeing how Serral deals with TY / Cure (and Cure especially since that qualifier) offline is the cool part

Majick

416 Posts

February 26 2020 10:37 GMT

#20

Damn this tournament is so stacked. Even the qualifiers were brutal af. It's crazy that players like Neeb, HeroMarine or RangnaroK didn't even make it to the group stage.

XDEKSDEEXD

622 Posts

February 26 2020 10:39 GMT

#21

Insane RO24 lol. IEM Katowice more and more looking like a worthy successor to Blizzcon

FFW_Rude

France10201 Posts

February 26 2020 19:15 GMT

#22

Awww Has why did you have to end up in the thoughest group

But with PvP...

Elentos

55567 Posts

February 26 2020 19:17 GMT

#23

On February 27 2020 04:15 FFW_Rude wrote:
Awww Has why did you have to end up in the thoughest group

But with PvP...

Has would be even worse off if he traded with any of Showtime, Trap or Hurricane imo. Surely there's a much better chance for him in a match-up as coin-flippy as PvP.

Moonerz

United States461 Posts

February 26 2020 19:37 GMT

#24

Groups are pretty sick. We've got a good chance of getting two Terrans into the Ro12 this year! Really hoping Cure can put in a great performance, hes due for one.

Kitai

United States880 Posts

February 26 2020 23:41 GMT

#25

IEM is always one of the best tourneys of the year. I love that the stakes are raised even higher with the way tournament points are structured this time. My only real sadness is that Tastosis isn't there despite wanting to be :<