EVER 08 OSL Week 1-1

Utter destruction. Casy knew this map cold, and Jaedong wasn't even born when Nostalgia was in use. He better text July and figure out how to play with only one gas. Casy's early game micro was intense, with his 3 marines basically ending the game vs 8 drones. Vultures were the obvious follow-up, and with Casy's sick sick micro there was nothing Jaedong could do.

I thought BackHo held his own early, repeatedly killing GGPlay's extra expansion and securing his own second gas with the help of a hero archon. However, GGPlay's stubbornness with mutalisks and ability to defend with lurkers bought him enough time to hammer BackHo's exposed production. With that breathing room he was able to mass up his basic units, something we will see from all players on this map. BackHo got too anxious, didn't expand enough while he was on the offensive, and was eventually starved out by GGPlay's aggressive macro. Center control proved to be very important, and GGPlay did a great job by preventing probe transfers to 9 in midgame.

After coping well with BackHo's mass speedlots, GGPlay came right back with another quality game. He punished Casy for his hyper-aggression and took advantage of the late vessel tech to maximize his muta harass. Their close positions in the north also allowed GGPlay to expand to 7 with relative safety and mine his third gas just as his hive popped.

Taking advantage of the close positions, GGPlay simply pushed across under the cover of swarm, and the choke sealed in the terran army. Casy's army seemed out of position, and his irradiate was late as GGPlay advanced in an impressive performance.

Zerg players are making such effective use of nydus canals these days, it has really served as an effective counter to the terran push + dropship combo that has wrecked zerg expansions in the past. It also frees up lurkers that would otherwise be stationed at expos.

After being bunker rushed in the first game, Jaedong got proxy gated in the second. It sucks to be the champ. He made a choice early to retreat and fight the zeals rather than go to the protoss main which possibly could have forced BackHo home. That decision will haunt Jaedong for the rest of the OSL as he watches from the sidelines. BackHo ran over his natural hatchery while defending his proxy gates at the same time. Jaedong's too-late counter with three lings was laughable and the door was open for BackHo to expand and take the game. Weak sauce.

This one was over as soon as Casy scouted BackHo last, which was unfortunately after BackHo had seen the double barracks. Casy's marine micro is the best in the world, but even he could not fend off the protoss defense of zeal/goon/probes that BackHo put up. As the second attack failed, SuperJongMan cried himself to sleep and the Neo-Emperor scarcely lived up to his name. BackHo breaks through to the next round, joining GGPlay in a Liquibet busting day. Don't believe me?
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