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A Tidal Wave in Still Water - Oliveira at IEM Katowice

Forum Index > SC2 General
24 CommentsPost a Reply
1 2 All last
Akio
Profile Blog Joined January 2019
Finland1838 Posts
February 26 2023 11:56 GMT
#6
Great writeup as always, thanks! Labelling Serral's early tapout as an "IdrA moment" really makes the situation a whole lot sadder...
Mine gas, build tanks.
Aeromi
Profile Blog Joined August 2012
France14461 Posts
February 26 2023 12:03 GMT
#7
Great recap for this awesome moment.
https://twitter.com/DrAeromi | Updates on live tournaments: @StarCrafteSport
Poopi
Profile Blog Joined November 2010
France12911 Posts
February 26 2023 13:05 GMT
#8
Oliveira dominating his region this year and then winning the world championship, we can probably crown him the goat already!
WriterMaru
argonautdice
Profile Joined January 2013
Canada2719 Posts
February 26 2023 13:56 GMT
#9
Great, well-rounded recap!

Small correction: Oliveira is the first Chinese player to reach the final of a premier since 2011 when Xigua did it at WCG (and before that Loner at the 2010 Blizzcon invitational). Of course those tournaments were much less competitive (had few Koreans).
very illegal and very uncool
BronzeKnee
Profile Joined March 2011
United States5219 Posts
February 26 2023 16:58 GMT
#10
On February 26 2023 22:05 Poopi wrote:
Oliveira dominating his region this year and then winning the world championship, we can probably crown him the goat already!


Haha, this sums up the SC2 scene so well. Who was the last person to win something big? They are now the best!
Brutaxilos
Profile Blog Joined July 2010
United States2633 Posts
February 26 2023 22:45 GMT
#11
Beautifully written!

I just wanted to add a personal anecdote. My father who has never followed StarCraft, sent me a link on WeChat a few days later with a clip of Oliveira winning. His victory was viral in China, and I had to explain to him just how absurd of an upset this was.

People should realize that Serral came into this tournament as the #6 seed. The #7 seed was Bunny. If Bunny had won Katowice it would've already have been an insane upset. Oliveira was #21.

My dad suggested that maybe Oliveira had just had incredible luck that day. I had to clarify. No. Oliveira not only didn't have luck, he had BAD luck. He had possibly the hardest draw possible in the playoffs. And despite this, he not only won, but DOMINATED.

For all my friends who don't follow StarCraft, I like to tell them, imagine if in the World Cup Morocco had beaten France in the Semifinals, then destroyed Argentina to win the whole thing. That's already insane, but I would argue this was even more unlikely, since Football is played in a Bo1, so it is possible for upsets to happen. Just an incredible story.

My only explanation is that Oliveira was just ALWAYS this good. People don't suddenly improve in 2 months to become the best player in the world. It was just a mental block holding him back. And now that he knows he's the champion, I'm ecstatic to see how well he'll do going forward.
Jangbi favorite player. Forever~ CJ herO the King of IEM. BOMBERRRRRRRR. Sexy Boy Rogue. soO #1! Oliveira China Represent!
yht9657
Profile Joined December 2016
1810 Posts
February 27 2023 03:13 GMT
#12
Great writeup, if any tournament in SC2 history deserves to have multiple TL.net recaps this is the one.

In retrospect, IEM Katowice 2023 feels like the sole beam of light in a sea of darkness that is SC2 scene around the world with China server shutting down, GSL reduced to a shadow of its former glory and future ESL plans still in uncertainty. We all should thank Oliveira for gracing this slowly dying community with a rare sign of hope.

It's probably all downhill from now on for SC2, but there is no better way to mark the end of an era than this tournament.
Argonauta
Profile Joined July 2016
Spain4967 Posts
February 27 2023 09:57 GMT
#13
This was fantastic to read. Olivera indeed was a good end for SC2.
Rogue | Maru | Scarlett | Trap
TL+ Member
coloursheep
Profile Joined May 2011
China497 Posts
February 27 2023 11:37 GMT
#14
On February 26 2023 20:56 Akio wrote:
Great writeup as always, thanks! Labelling Serral's early tapout as an "IdrA moment" really makes the situation a whole lot sadder...


Which game did serral do that in?
NeWHoriZonS
Profile Joined April 2018
55 Posts
February 27 2023 14:00 GMT
#15
On February 27 2023 20:37 coloursheep wrote:
Show nested quote +
On February 26 2023 20:56 Akio wrote:
Great writeup as always, thanks! Labelling Serral's early tapout as an "IdrA moment" really makes the situation a whole lot sadder...


Which game did serral do that in?


Game 5 vs Ragnarok
It's kinda debatable if the hold was actually possible, but he clearly didn't try as hard as he should have
Reynor in game 5 vs Oliveira didn't leave until he was +100 supply behind, that's what you're supposed to do in this kind of tournament
Durnuu
Profile Joined September 2013
13322 Posts
February 27 2023 14:02 GMT
#16
On February 27 2023 01:58 BronzeKnee wrote:
Show nested quote +
On February 26 2023 22:05 Poopi wrote:
Oliveira dominating his region this year and then winning the world championship, we can probably crown him the goat already!


Haha, this sums up the SC2 scene so well. Who was the last person to win something big? They are now the best!

He can't be the goat he isn't even in the current TLPD top 10
BUNNYYYYYYYYY https://i.imgur.com/BiCF577.png
Harris1st
Profile Blog Joined May 2010
Germany7153 Posts
February 27 2023 14:48 GMT
#17
On February 27 2023 12:13 yht9657 wrote:
Great writeup, if any tournament in SC2 history deserves to have multiple TL.net recaps this is the one.

In retrospect, IEM Katowice 2023 feels like the sole beam of light in a sea of darkness that is SC2 scene around the world with China server shutting down, GSL reduced to a shadow of its former glory and future ESL plans still in uncertainty. We all should thank Oliveira for gracing this slowly dying community with a rare sign of hope.

It's probably all downhill from now on for SC2, but there is no better way to mark the end of an era than this tournament.


They saved the recap when Serral won for this very special occasion
Go Serral! GG EZ for Ence. Flashbang dance FTW
[PkF] Wire
Profile Joined March 2013
France24238 Posts
February 27 2023 16:00 GMT
#18
fantastic write-up !!!
argonautdice
Profile Joined January 2013
Canada2719 Posts
February 27 2023 17:55 GMT
#19
Another amazing thing I realized that Oliveira literally won the championship primarily off his TvT. Like if he didn't 4-0 Clem and Cure in his group he would've been eliminated. And Maru's TvT was probably one of the toughest he needed to overcome. Even Heromarine's TvT is no slouch, having beaten Maru in the group stage.
very illegal and very uncool
Gescom
Profile Joined February 2010
Canada3510 Posts
February 28 2023 14:50 GMT
#20
Brilliant on all fronts. I can't congratulate TIME enough.
Jaedong Hyuk || Bisu Jangbi || Fantasy Flash
Narberal
Profile Joined February 2023
China3 Posts
March 01 2023 01:53 GMT
#21
What a great and detailed post!
The prophecy is not known, the hope is never lost.
xiaoyao93027
Profile Joined March 2023
2 Posts
March 04 2023 14:23 GMT
#22
Fantastic article!
It's full of details, full of professions, and full of sincereness.
And at last
" Don’t worry, Oliveira, the image of you winning the world championship will never leave our minds."
This bring full of emotions to me.

En Taro Olivera. En Taro TIME.
VGhost
Profile Blog Joined March 2011
United States3618 Posts
March 11 2023 15:40 GMT
#23
Nice write-up.

Watching some of the last few series now - if anyone else reading this hasn't seen it, vs. Reynor game 2 is just a whole lot of fun.
#4427 || I am not going to scan a ferret.
victoriyaeeva
Profile Joined March 2023
United States1 Post
March 22 2023 07:47 GMT
#24
efvergf
StarcraftHistorian
Profile Joined November 2022
United States162 Posts
March 22 2023 13:29 GMT
#25
Great write up, so honored to see my pics used so much by TL
1 2 All last
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