Code A concluded with two final matches, seeing nineteen-year-old Percival earn his first ever Code S appearance with a 3-1 victory over returning veteran ForGG, while PartinG broke an eight-match losing streak against Zest in an emphatic 3-0 sweep.
Percival quickly went up 2-0 against ForGG in the first match of the night, dealing early-game damage with Hellion-Reaper pokes and finishing his opponent off with follow-up Tank pushes. ForGG was hardly known for his precise micro in his prime, and it seemed to be a problem for him against the youngster. Still, ForGG made an adjustment to recover a point in game three, goading Percival into a fatal overreach with his early game units.
It seemed like the two players would finally have a more prolonged bout on Romanticide, with ForGG navigating early game hazards and establishing a strong Mech-army. However, he paid the price for moving out too quickly with his low-mobility army, as Pecival quickly pounced on the opportunity to launch a devastating backdoor attack. ForGG was completely outpaced in the ensuing basetrade and surrendered his final GG of the series.
After the matches Percival mentioned how numerous practice losses to Team NV teammates Maru and Bunny had shaken his confidence, but the actual Code A match had turned out much easier in comparison. The first time Code S player was still realistic about his standing in the big picture of the GSL, however, predicting (correctly) he would be taken first during the group selections.
PartinG headed into his match with Zest with a daunting 5-28 head-to-head record in competitive matches, but pulled out a surprising 3-0 sweep to return to Code S. The series was a neat encapsulation of PartinG's strengths: Game one was a low-econ match, with PartinG using his superior Stalker micro to overpower Zest's tech. PartinG then won a more standard macro game on Romanticide, outmanuevering his opponent before ending him with a series of devastating Disruptor shots. The final game was the most PartinG-esque of all, as he faked a cannon rush while secretly preparing a Void Ray + Shield Battery all-in. Zest fell for his opponent's feint and overreacted on anti-cannon defense, making it all too easy for PartinG to take the victory with his Void Rays.
While Zest's exact military enlistment date has yet to be confirmed, it seems likely that he will have no more chances to play GSL Code S before his military service begins.
The Code S group selections began shortly after the Code A matches, with Rogue holding court as the #1 seed. Though Rogue was not as meticulous or calculating as past #1 seeds (notably TY), he still assembled a favorable, practice-friendly group against three Terran players. Overall, the Season 2 group selections ended up distributing top players evenly throughout the RO16, and there appears to be no obvious 'group of death.'
Deviating from the usual group order, Code S will begin with Group B on Monday, Jun 28 9:30am GMT (GMT+00:00), featuring Dream, DongRaegu, INnoVation, and Dark.
Poll: Group of Death?
Group A (5)
6%
Group B (19)
24%
Group C (8)
10%
Group D (7)
9%
There is no Group of Death (41)
51%
80 total votes
Your vote: Group of Death?
(Vote): Group A (Vote): Group B (Vote): Group C (Vote): Group D (Vote): There is no Group of Death
The groups are interesting. While Rogue will have an easier time preparing, he has the problem that the other terran will be able to see his strats when they play and adjust their gameplay accordingly.
Byun is a fucking genius to realize he just needed to pick a harder opponent than him to not get switched out of Group A which has always been the easiest group
U have to be really on board with the INnoVation train (despite recent results), the "Dream is for REAL" train, and the "one win against Clem reverses everything that happened in the last 3 months for Dark" train to call Group B the group of death
It's more like 3 pretty even groups outside the traditionally meh Group A (which is actually stronger than usual). All-around, it's one of the most even RO16's we've had in a while.
Really surprised to see Zest get swept by PartinG, 0-3.
Excited to see another Code S season start up next Monday -- no clear "group of death," but group B is probably the strongest in terms of star power, and group D is the most balanced.
On June 22 2021 09:58 Waxangel wrote: U have to be really on board with the INnoVation train (despite recent results), the "Dream is for REAL" train, and the "one win against Clem reverses everything that happened in the last 3 months for Dark" train to call Group B the group of death
It's more like 3 pretty even groups outside the traditionally meh Group A (which is actually stronger than usual). All-around, it's one of the most even RO16's we've had in a while.
Uncharacteristic lack of DRG criticism, especially given you hit the other three.
I'm looking forward to group C which seems like the hardest group to call. Any of the 4 players could make it out of that group. I think the other three groups have a clear 2 that should make it, with a potential dark horse that could sneak in if they have a good day.
On June 22 2021 15:41 esReveR wrote: I'm looking forward to group C which seems like the hardest group to call. Any of the 4 players could make it out of that group. I think the other three groups have a clear 2 that should make it, with a potential dark horse that could sneak in if they have a good day.
Nah. Maru is a clear favorite in that group. The only question is who makes it out second.
I'm betting on sOs. He's better in PvP than Zoun has shown lately and I don't have a lot of faith in Ragnarok but he's proven on occasion he can be a strong player especially in late game ZvP. I don't see sOs letting him get there though.
On June 22 2021 10:21 tommey.liang wrote: Really surprised to see Zest get swept by PartinG, 0-3.
Excited to see another Code S season start up next Monday -- no clear "group of death," but group B is probably the strongest in terms of star power, and group D is the most balanced.
Zest got swept again a couple hours later in ESL Open AM 2:0 lol
In my opinion, Group D is also a contender for the group of Death. Trap will advance most likely, but who after him? Probably Solar, but could also be PartinG and even Special isn't impossible
On June 23 2021 01:43 HolydaKing wrote: In my opinion, Group D is also a contender for the group of Death. Trap will advance most likely, but who after him? Probably Solar, but could also be PartinG and even Special isn't impossible
If Juan makes it out of that group I will be VERY impressed. He's the underdog in every potential match up in my opinion.
Solar's ZvT is VERY strong, and Parting and Trap are both absolutely lethal in PvT. Which by Special's own admission is his weakest match up.
I can see him upsetting one of them, but upsetting 2 or 3 matches in that group to advance? That's a tall order.
On June 23 2021 01:43 HolydaKing wrote: In my opinion, Group D is also a contender for the group of Death. Trap will advance most likely, but who after him? Probably Solar, but could also be PartinG and even Special isn't impossible
...Is that what the kids call a group of death these days? Back in my day, a group of death was when everyone in a group was a good bet for winning the whole tournament. Looking at these groups, I'm not even sure it would be POSSIBLE to assemble a true group of death anymore.
Seriously, what would that group look like right now? Maru, Rogue, Trap, and...? I guess if you put those three in and someone like Dream, I'd be willing to give it a stamp of approval.
On June 23 2021 01:43 HolydaKing wrote: In my opinion, Group D is also a contender for the group of Death. Trap will advance most likely, but who after him? Probably Solar, but could also be PartinG and even Special isn't impossible
...Is that what the kids call a group of death these days? Back in my day, a group of death was when everyone in a group was a good bet for winning the whole tournament. Looking at these groups, I'm not even sure it would be POSSIBLE to assemble a true group of death anymore.
Seriously, what would that group look like right now? Maru, Rogue, Trap, and...? I guess if you put those three in and someone like Dream, I'd be willing to give it a stamp of approval.
There's levels to it.
I called the Group of Flash, Innovation, Life and Parting the group of Galactic Xenocide when I first saw it.
On June 23 2021 01:43 HolydaKing wrote: In my opinion, Group D is also a contender for the group of Death. Trap will advance most likely, but who after him? Probably Solar, but could also be PartinG and even Special isn't impossible
...Is that what the kids call a group of death these days? Back in my day, a group of death was when everyone in a group was a good bet for winning the whole tournament. Looking at these groups, I'm not even sure it would be POSSIBLE to assemble a true group of death anymore.
Seriously, what would that group look like right now? Maru, Rogue, Trap, and...? I guess if you put those three in and someone like Dream, I'd be willing to give it a stamp of approval.
There's levels to it.
I called the Group of Flash, Innovation, Life and Parting the group of Galactic Xenocide when I first saw it.
In hindsight Flash was quite weak in sc2 and PartinG wasn’t as hot in kespa era iirc? But it was peak INno and Life indeed.
On June 23 2021 01:43 HolydaKing wrote: In my opinion, Group D is also a contender for the group of Death. Trap will advance most likely, but who after him? Probably Solar, but could also be PartinG and even Special isn't impossible
...Is that what the kids call a group of death these days? Back in my day, a group of death was when everyone in a group was a good bet for winning the whole tournament. Looking at these groups, I'm not even sure it would be POSSIBLE to assemble a true group of death anymore.
Seriously, what would that group look like right now? Maru, Rogue, Trap, and...? I guess if you put those three in and someone like Dream, I'd be willing to give it a stamp of approval.
There's levels to it.
I called the Group of Flash, Innovation, Life and Parting the group of Galactic Xenocide when I first saw it.
In hindsight Flash was quite weak in sc2 and PartinG wasn’t as hot in kespa era iirc? But it was peak INno and Life indeed.
Ironically enough it was Flash and Parting who advanced out of that group if I remember correctly. Might have been Innovation instead of Flash, but I know for sure Parting advanced and Life did not. I remember because I was a huge Life fanboy in that era and I was shocked to see him drop out of that group.
On June 23 2021 01:43 HolydaKing wrote: In my opinion, Group D is also a contender for the group of Death. Trap will advance most likely, but who after him? Probably Solar, but could also be PartinG and even Special isn't impossible
...Is that what the kids call a group of death these days? Back in my day, a group of death was when everyone in a group was a good bet for winning the whole tournament. Looking at these groups, I'm not even sure it would be POSSIBLE to assemble a true group of death anymore.
Seriously, what would that group look like right now? Maru, Rogue, Trap, and...? I guess if you put those three in and someone like Dream, I'd be willing to give it a stamp of approval.
There's levels to it.
I called the Group of Flash, Innovation, Life and Parting the group of Galactic Xenocide when I first saw it.
In hindsight Flash was quite weak in sc2 and PartinG wasn’t as hot in kespa era iirc? But it was peak INno and Life indeed.
PartinG was an absolute beast in much of the KeSPA era. He took 2nd place vs Life in GSL 2015 with a 3-4 finals scoreline, he had an invincible build that nobody else could pull off for a while, and other solid results 2014-2015. He arguably had the best micro in all SC2 history, regularly beating Maru in micro battles.
EPT
![[image loading]](/staff/Waxangel/GSL/2021/season2/codesgroupsseason2.jpg)
