EPT
![[image loading]](http://www.teamliquid.net/staff/Pholon/Octavarium/Oct1.png)
People, people gather round! We have arrived at the PokerStrategy.com TeamLiquid Starleague Round of Eight. Quite a mouthful ey? I hope everyone is ready for the coming weekend as there will be none but exciting matches. If you're not hyped enough yet, here's my personal take on the matches to come, mixed in with some good old Dream Theater. So don your space-dye vest and get ready to preview the matches through my eyes.
![[image loading]](http://www.teamliquid.net/staff/Pholon/Octavarium/Oct2.png)
I. Someone like him
Content to live each day just like the last.
Idra is the guy that plays standard. Siege Expanding versus Protoss, 1 Rax Expand versus Zerg. Not even budging to the Meching trends on Desti and overall always playing at his best as his games versus Xiaozi showed.
It's wonderful to know that I could be something more than what I dreamed
His opponent is Nony who, after (questionable?) rumours of inactivity, pleasantly surprised a lot of us when we saw him in action versus Idra earlier in the tournament. Drama around their meeting this weekend has probably overshadowed any other. Idra called his 3-0 victory, Nona called his opponent the underdog - mix in his wife's cheerful and we have the recipe for a match where both the stakes and emotions are as high as can be.
Pholon predicts: I doubt Nony can be the test that stumped Idra, but I don't think he'll leave him unscarred : Idra 3 - 1 Nony
Pholon hopes: Although Idra losing would be good drama (and he does have plenty of anti-fans) I'd really like to see an Idra - Ret finals. I'm hoping for IdrA to take the series.
![[image loading]](http://www.teamliquid.net/staff/Pholon/Octavarium/Oct3.png)
II. Medicate
Artosis sitting next to me, he asks me how I feel
Of course I'm rooting for my countryman Ret. Not to say I'm a raging Ret fanboy, I just don't know the other guys as well and I'll be the one to wear my clogs, don my cheesehat and support my motherland. Dulce et decorum est pro patria cheeri, right?
I've tried to follow his progress (thank the internet Gods for Livestream), learning and then there was always Artosis' "What's up buddy?".
Not sure I understand his questioning
These interviews puzzled me immensely though. One day Ret is saying he doesn't feel as confident yet about his and the next it's a video of Tosis saying "Yeah he gonna roll, no question". I've been struggling with Tosis' blind faith for a while and I guess this'll be the time to let it out.
Dan, what the fuck?
I don't know what to make of it anymore. I'm not nearly skilled enough to conclude anything sensible about high-level ZvZ. Although his victory over CastrO was convincing, I'm just going to assume Ret as the underdog for this round. He'll need his fan's support more and that's what I'll be there for, right? I'll walk beside you buddy.
For many years where have I been,
Eyes open, but not getting through to me
Eyes open, but not getting through to me
His opponent will be Sen, whom I don't know at all. *shrug* I was very impressed with his play versus Draco - time will tell how good his ZvZ is.
Pholon predicts: Like I said, it's really hard to predict this. If Sen plays anything like in the last round, he'll certainly put up a good fight. Could go 3-2 or 3-1 either way.
Pholon hopes: I hope Ret will win, apart from being supportive of the Dutchie I also feel that TL's mainly western community cares less about Sen and it'd be cool to see some Idra vs Ret rivalry in action.
![[image loading]](http://www.teamliquid.net/staff/Pholon/Octavarium/Oct4.png)
III. Full Circle
Reavers in the Sky with Scarabs, diamond daze, saves the day for
Protoss - show me the way to drive a victory home again.
Foreign Protoss tyrants JF and White-Ra are still in this and I expect this series to be the best PvP of this Starleague. Kabal certainly gave White-Ra a run for his money in what I thought were very entertaining games and JF managed to 3-1 GosiTerran. They were the first JF games we've seen in a pretty long time and, although he failed to win with an unscouted in-base 2 gate (lols), his overal play still seems pretty good.
Pholon predicts: A close series, but I expect Ra to take it solely on experience (and allegedly being more active). 3-1 to White-Ra.
Pholon hopes: White-Ra all the way, I like the guy.
![[image loading]](http://www.teamliquid.net/staff/Pholon/Octavarium/Oct5.png)
IV. Intervals
His deadly lings - feel his mortal wrath
remove all obstacles from his path.
The last match is probably the one I'm most psyched for: Mondi is in shape, tearing through Brat_Ok in the Round of 16, and with yet another instance of an Infested Command Center. I really enjoy Mondragon's style of playing Zerg and with TvZ being my favorite match-up I reckon this will be an excellent series.
Fall prey to some madman's impulsive designs
Under Peruvian skies we find Mondi's opponent Fenix. Idra pretty much summed my thought up in his interview: Mondragon will probably be better equiped to deal with Fenix's playstyle than Kolll. Still, when their aggressive styles clash we'll be sure to see some awesome battling going on.
Pholon predicts: Mondragon will probably take this 3-0 or 3-1. The games we've seen out of him so far we're really good and I know he's able to fend of a 2 Rax.
Pholon hopes: Although I'd like a change in the seasons with all the ZvZs in the lower side of the bracket, I'm still at heart a Mondi fan - Go Dissy!
![[image loading]](http://www.teamliquid.net/staff/Pholon/Octavarium/Oct6.png)
V. Razor's Edge
We move in circles. Colliding with our fate
We're back at the Round of 8. Half of the players still in the TSL will be left behind in the four fatal tragedies unfolding this weekend. Are we hyped yet? It's only a matter of time before these prophets of war take to battle once more :D Have fun!
Broadcast times:
LLL.ret vs 
DuskBin.Sen //
mouz.Fenix vs 
ToT)Mondragon(Sat 20:00 CET, 14:00 EST, 11:00 PST (Cast by Blake "Chill" Muzar and Sean "Day[9]" Plott)
mouz.IefNaij vs 
mouz.White-Ra // 
CJ_IdrA[Media] vs Liquid`NonYSun 20:00 CET, 14:00 EST, 11:00 PST (Cast by Dan "Artosis" Stemkoski and Nick "Tasteless" Plott)
Watch Ro16 VODs here
Artwork by disciple
