GSL Season One
Code S

Group E Recap
PartinG and Bbyong advance

Group F Preview
Maru, Classic, Hydra, Symbol

Brackets and standings on Liquipedia

VODs on Twitch

by Waxangel

Despite what was going on in the rest of the world, there weren't any surprises in Code S. At least for one day, SKT_PartinG made good on boasts to return to championship form as he topped group E in the round of 32. Close competition between KT_MyuNgSiK, CJ_Bbyong, and JinAir_TRUE made it look like any of the three could advance in second place, but it ended up being the Terran player who survived to reach the Ro16.

PartinG was barely troubled in his first match against MyungSiK, using blink tactics and a cannon rush to take a fast 2-0 victory. However, the famously aggressive TRUE gave him a much stiffer challenge. After his upgraded blink stalker timing was brutally rejected in game one, PartinG resorted to a gold base Soul Train build in game two on Habitation Station. TRUE almost pulled out a 2-0 win by striking with roaches and lings before PartinG was fully prepared, but his slow transition to a macro game allowed PartinG to recover and win a comeback victory. PartinG very nearly lost in game three as well after his early gateway attack failed, but was once again able to capitalize on TRUE's over-aggression to come from behind.


Though TRUE looked impressive against PartinG, he was unable to secure a Ro16 spot in the end. Instead, that honor went to Bbyong one of the two remaining Code S Terrans. After suffering a loss to TRUE in his initial match, Bbyong overcame Myungsik with strong SCV-pull timings to earn a rematch against TRUE in the final match of the night. The one who laughs last indeed laughed loudest, as Bbyong won the rematch 2-0 to make his way to the Ro16. Bbyong's mech outmanuvered TRUE's swarm hosts on Heavy Rain (TRUE's only slow paced game of the night), and his bio was able to mow down TRUE's waves of muta-ling-bane to clinch the victory.

Observations

• Win or lose, TRUE is one of the most entertaining players in the world to watch. His hyper-aggressive style means there's plenty of action to go around in his games, and his unexpected timing attacks often force him and his opponent to figure out bizarre situations on the fly. It's a shame TRUE's out of Code S, and we hope he gets more play time in Proleague.
  
  
• Bbyong and Terran survive to see another group! He is getting picked sooooo fast in the Ro16 group selections

Ro32 Group F: Race for Survival

Countdown: [unparsable timestamp format]

by lichter

Let's cut to the chase: with only 3 Terrans in Code S, and only one having advanced so far, this is by far Terran's worst season in the GSL since its inception. For a race so used to dominance, it must be both a humbling and challenging time. Even Zerg and Protoss fans are rooting for Terran, for the sake of having more variety of match-ups to watch.

Enter the Terran's Little-Big Prince, Jin Air's Maru. To many, he is Terran's only hope. Yes, Bbyong made it to the Ro16, but that's like having a single lottery ticket as your back-up financial plan. As the winner of last year's OSL against the seemingly overwhelming favorite SKT T1 Rain, Maru's historic win was a turning point of his career. It was the moment he went from prodigy to powerhouse. That it would be his only gold medal in 2013 was a disappointment to some, but his gameplay never let his fans down. His four Ro4 placements in Code S Season 3, Season 3 Finals, the Global Finals, and Hot6ix Cup, shows that he is inching ever closer to that second triumph.

However, he will have to improve his susceptible TvZ if he is to survive this season. While his army control in TvZ is impressive, he's prone to overextending and getting stalled by counterattacks. Maru's TvP is his best match-up, especially in the mid game where his drops and multi-pronged harass can dizzy even the best players. However, Maru has more style than substance in the late game, and he has difficulty handling the Protoss deathball once it is safely assembled. That he has shown flashes of both MarineKing's micro and Mvp's tactical savvy in the past suggests that he has what it takes to rise above the few obstacles standing in his way and attain greatness. But can he do it in this very tournament?

He must first overcome SKT_Classic, who to some may be considered a traitor to the human cause. A Terran in Broodwar, The Chinterran switched to Protoss during the middle point of last season's Proleague – apparently it suited his style better. With very few players finding success in race switching so late in their careers, Classic proved to be the exception: he went undefeated in his first 8 games against Terran and Zerg, and 4-3 in PvP.

By far the most improved player last season, the new Chintoss earned a spot on SKT's roster this season, and continued his impressive form with a record of 4-1. One of those wins came during the Round 1 Semi Finals, in the Final Match against Samsung Galaxy's RorO. Everything was on the line, and his selection as SKT T1's final player showed how much confidence iloveoov must have in him. It was a memorable game on Frost as Classic's unorthodox cannon rush threw RorO's game into disarray, and he became the first player in Proleague to beat Galaxy's Ace in a Swarm Host game. Though his first foray into the international tournament scene ended in disappointment at the hands of Polt in the quarterfinals of IEM Cologne, it was a match that more demonstrated Polt's skills than revealed Classic's faults. The Chin of Victory debuts in Code S in a favorable group that contains only Terrans and Zergs in matchups where he has a 70% winrate.

Maru and Classic must feel aggrieved that they weren't able to draw some easier opponents, such as the two players in the second match. CJ_Hydra and Symbol have both struggled in HoTS, with Symbol's 56% winrate in ZvZ the only matchup above 50%.

Though Hydra's slump in Proleague has been well documented, he was still able to advance himself to Code S by beating Dream twice in Code A. To many, it looked like more luck of the draw than a contender's will to win, but let's not forget that Hydra was once a champion in BW, winning the PDPop MSL on the back of his stellar ZvZ. And just a few months ago, he was looking like a much better player, winning the IEM Singapore qualifier and placing top four in the main event. If Hydra is ever to truly succeed EffOrt – the god-slayer is once again CJ's Zerg ace – now is his chance. But with his recent struggles and the disappearance of the skillful play he showed in IEM Singapore, he will find it difficult to stay afloat in his first Code S season.

Symbol continues to cool in the shade as a perennial dark horse in every competition he enters. The closest he has ever come to be celebrated as a champion was Code S Season 1 2013, losing narrowly to RorO in the finals. His year continued to darken as he'd place lower and lower in Code S each season, and it seems like we're now calling him a sleeper out of a sense of respect rather than real belief. His quick elimination at the hands of Rain in the Hot6ix Cup and narrow wins against Trust and MyuNgSiK to escape his Code A group should not fill his fans with confidence, but let's keep in mind that Symbol is an extremely cerebral and adaptable player. He played BL-Infestor when it was the best for him, and went for heavy all-ins when times changed. Swarm hosts may be his new answer.

Predictions: With the weight of the Terran race on his shoulders, most players would buckle under the pressure. But not Maru, whose steely confidence in the booth has already been put to the test in the OSL Finals. Though he bears a weakness against Zergs, none of the ones present in this group have shown that they have what it takes to best him. Classic, meanwhile, gets to avoid PvPs, and has the most momentum among the players present. Hydra and Symbol, though championship contenders once upon a time, just haven't performed well as of late. Predicting two players who face off first to advance is usually a low probability pick, but it's hard to think anything else could happen in this group.

Maru < Classic
Hydra > Symbol
Classic > Hydra
Maru > Symbol
Maru > Hydra

Classic and Maru advance.

Writers: lichter and Waxangel.
Graphics: GomTV, SpoTV, shiroiusagi.
Editor: Waxangel.