by: kollin

MarineKingPrime: The Once and Future Kong?

Most other tournaments seem to feature more and more Zergs as they go on. Iron Squid, for the most part, is no different. However, one beacon of hope shines through the infested darkness to light a path to victory. The micro master himself, MarineKingPrime. One year ago, he would have been a worthy savior indeed, as he swept through all Zergs in his path with his powerful TvZ. But as 2013 begins, it's a different story. While Marineking still shows phenomenal TvT and TvP, his play against Zerg has been found lacking. Top class Zergs have troubled him in GSL play, while surprising losses to players such as Scarlett and Lowely in recent competition have forced many to realize that MKP is not the TvZ superpower he once was. While it's far from impossible, the trio of Nestea, DongRaeGu, and Life will be very difficult for MarineKing to beat, and will require him to be at his absolute best.

New Year's Resolutions

MKP became known as a member of the ‘Kong Line’, for how often he placed second in GSLs, a league best total of three (four, if you count Code A). After getting pummeled by arch-nemesis Mvp one too many times in Korea (4 - 18 overall record), MarineKing was finally able to get the monkey off his back by travelling abroad. To this date, the only premier tournaments Marineking has won are MLG Winter Arena and MLG Winter Championship, both in early 2012. MarineKing went on to pick up a few more good results at other foreign tournaments, but for one reason or another, stopped being a regular on the international circuit.

Like the MLGs of the past, IronSquid II could be a great chance for MKP to end a lengthy dry spell. Heading into 2012, MarineKing was on streak of mediocre results in GSL, bouncing between Code A and Code S. Similarly, the months leading up to 2013 were very stale for MarineKing, stranded as a good player who just couldn't force himself into the championship picture. The set ups seem even more parallel when you consider that it will be the Zerg considered the best in the world in his path.

Life's Hard, but not Impossible

If we look back at MKP and Life's first meeting in the Ro8 of Code S Season 4, we see a series that looks fairly one-sided with a 3 - 1 victory in Life’s favor. In a period where Zergs were uniformly passive and greedy, MarineKing was destroyed by the aggressive, active Life. So used to being the one putting on the pressure, MKP dealt ever so poorly with Life's runbys and big mid-game forces. Even when MarineKing did his trademark proxy barracks, Life countered perfectly with a 10 pool. MarineKing went into the match as a favorite, and the result ended up being the one that finally convinced people Life was a championship caliber Zerg.

However, that was many months ago. Life has gone on to become the most successful Zerg in the world, and while his style has not been perfectly imitated, Zergs have put considerable effort in varying up their play. This time around, MarineKing will be prepared. He'll know to check his greed occasionally since he could be punished by a rush, and know that he can't always move freely out onto the map with small forces, as Zerg could have invested into an army of his own. Additionally, he'll have seen how Mvp used mech effectively against Life’s speedling heavy style. Contrary to his name, MarineKing has been using mech more often since losing to Life which means he's learned his lesson and mixed up his traditional arsenal of massively cheesy and massively greedy bio play.


ST_Life, The Comeback Kid

Marineking’s opponent, ST_Life is unquestionably the best player in the world right now. From being an online cup player, a huge asset to ZeNEX in the team leagues, to being the first royal roader in the GSL, Life has quickly rose to the top of pack. He combines impeccable mechanics with flawless game sense and incredibly effective aggression. It's all topped off by a cocky/nonchalant attitude in and out of the game that really compliments his winning ways.

The Favorite

Life only really broke out on the scene in 2012, when he got into Code A and placed in the Ro32. From there he just scraped through the Up&Downs and the people who hadn't been following his online exploits could easily have thought he was just another Zerg who was turtling his way to a 12 minute hive. He quickly proved these naysayers wrong, demolishing some household names with ease. From the PvZ specialist JYP, to the TvZ monster TaeJa, Life looked unstoppable with his unorthodox 10 pools and constant speedling runbys. His ZvT especially stood out as a strong match-up, where he took back the initiative for Zerg through a variety of strategies like roach timing attacks, 2 base infestor play or the good ol’ 6 pool. To make things even worse for his opponents, Life showed he could play the standard, turtling style of vs Terran just as well as anyone else, making him a true, all-around threat.

In tournament play, Life has also become famous for his comebacks. Down 0 - 2 against Flash at MLG Dallas, he rattled off four wins in a row to eliminate the BW legend. At the very same tournament, he recovered from a 1 - 3 deficit to snatch the championship from Leenock’s hands. In his most recent tournament in the Blizzard Cup, he came back from 0 - 2 down to wipe out PartinG 4 - 2 in the grand finals. Not only does Life have the skill needed to be a champion, he has the mental fortitude as well. That's the one aspect that MKP just can't cover for, no matter how much he's researched or how many hundreds of hours he's practiced. MarineKing's definitely a better player than most in pressure situations, but he hasn't shown he's absolutely cold-blooded like Life. When the series gets close, it's that aspect of the game that could matter most.


Overall outlook and prediction

As mentioned before, Marineking has been weighed and found wanting in the TvZ department as of late. Despite extremely impressive results in the other match ups, TvZ has been the roadblock in every recent tournament he has played. Life on the other hand, has been nigh invincible in ZvT. With series wins against MKP, TaeJa, BaBy, Ryung, Flash, and Mvp in his most recent tournaments, it would be hard to assemble a better resume if you tried. Both players have very similar aggressive styles, but Life just does it better, as we saw in their Code S duel. Be it the micro, the macro or the decisions, something just made Life the superior player.

On the other hand, Life's confidence has been known to defeat him sometimes, as he has admitted in interviews. There were times when he barely practiced at all for matches, because of how certain he was he could win them. On top of that, there are some rare, but noticeable lapses in his performances, such as GSTL losses to Gumiho and Keen. While they're no pushovers, they're not players you'd expect Life to lose to with his team's success at stake. While a different match-up, Life's two surprising losses to the elephant, Soulkey show that he is mortal, and he can let his once vaunted match-ups (he hit 70% ZvZ win rate at one point, including online cups) deteriorate into weaknesses. These aren't things MarineKing can affect, but he can certainly hope that for whatever reason, Life allows him such a reprieve.

Even with that in mind, it seems Life pretty much has this series in the bag. There are not many players who you could say that about when put up against Marineking, but Life is without a doubt one of them. He possesses an incredible flair in both his attitude and play, which has driven him to multiple huge championships in the space of a few months. Iron Squid II is one of the last premier events in the twilight of WoL and it would be no surprise to see Life cement himself as the final King of Wings and take it home.

Prediction: Life 3 - 1 Marineking

by: Waxangel

Six months ago, this would have been an intriguing duel of present versus the past. Two months ago, it would have been a case of recent history versus ancient history, all overshadowed by Life's colossal figure. Now, with both players having had undergone recent revivals and proving that they're not dead yet, it carries aspects of both. On top of that it's become a key junction on the road to redemption, where only one player will be able to continue forth.

LG-IM_NesTea has long since attained elder statesman status, like White-Ra and Boxer before him. He can seemingly do no wrong, and regardless of his performance in tournaments, fans regard his very existence as a blessing. Yet, unlike his two esteemed colleagues, Nestea is still very much a relevant player in WoL, as diminished as he might be from the days where he won GSLs without dropping even a single map. It's shocking that a thirty year old player is in Code S, in the top four of a stacked Iron Squid II tournament, and that he achieved it all as a shadow of his former self.

One would think that being so revered and being so secure (not to mention having built up quite a bank) would lead a player into complacency, and that may actually have been the case for Nestea during much of 2012. He hung around in Code S for some time, but eventually dropped down to Code B, and looked to be on his way out of the scene. Yet, in the twilight of Wings of Liberty, when he could be focusing his efforts on Heart of the Swarm instead, he's made an unexpected late career comeback.

Perhaps it was Nestea's fear for his legacy. His three GSL championships seemed to have made him a lock for best Zerg player, and second best overall player in Wings of Liberty. But the incredible rise of Life has already threatened the first title, while a fellow resurgent veteran in MC is challenging him for the second. After spending so much time with nothing to prove, it would have given Nestea plenty of reason to stir from his slumber.

Taking out DongRaeGu on the way to the Iron Squid II championship would be a pleasant bonus for Nestea, as he would put one of those young upstarts in his place. It would be all the sweeter if Nestea is one to hold grudges. Back in the first Code S of 2012, Nestea and DongRaeGu faced off in a changing of the guard match, where DongRaeGu declared his ascendancy to the Zerg throne by taking out Nestea in a 2 – 1 victory. Nestea should have stomped out that flame when he had the chance, but still, better late than never.

Conversely, the identity of his opponent won't add much meaning to this match for MVP.DongRaeGu. While he certainly respects Nestea for his accomplishments, he's already beat him twice when it mattered in the GSL. To be terribly blunt about it, Nestea was just another old fart DongRaeGu crushed in 2012 as he stood at the forefront of a huge generation change in the Korean scene. It might seem quaint to DRG to face off against Nestea one more time, but that's about it. No, the most meaningful opponents for DongRaeGu lie on the opposite side of the bracket, in his long time rival MarineKing (who he is still 1 – 2 against in finals), and his usurper, Startale's Life.

For DRG, this semi-final match is all about himself, and his own personal quest for redemption. Back in the summer of 2012, when DongRaeGu's stock was near its highest, DRG had two chances to earn the right to play for a championship in his hometown of Busan. He blew both chances. First, he was flattened by MC's timings in the GSL semi-finals, and then he lost a crucial GSTL ace match to Leenock. To say he was scarred would be putting things lightly.

DongRaeGu just wasn't the same after that disappointment. He lost all semblance of consistency, flopping in Code S and WCS Korea while still finding a way to limp into the OSL finals. Even at his best he did not look like the player he was at his peak, and at his worst, he looked like a wreck. One thing was for sure: he had fallen out of the top tier, replaced by new stars like Rain and Life.

It's hard to say what made DongRaeGu finally decide that enough was enough. It may have been the painstaking, 1 – 4 loss to Rain in the OSL finals, which was the first time DongRaeGu had ever been left in tears. It might have been watching Life almost instantly supplant him as the best Zerg in the world. In any case, something changed in DongRaeGu, and he started to make a comeback. It was slow progress, first with a tie-7th finish at IPL5 where he watched his teammate Sniper take the GSL crown. Then it was a strong performance in the groups at the Blizzard Cup, where more than his match results, his in game performances were more solid than they had been in months. Alongside it all was Iron Squid II, where DongRaeGu thoroughly chastised players like Leenock, Creator, and Stephano who had all enjoyed the spotlight during his temporary decline.

Of course, there are few stories of rehabilitation that don't include setbacks, and DongRaeGu's was no exception. He was faced with too tough a hurdle, too early in the process, and Life flung him out of the Blizzard Cup in the Ro6 with a 3 – 2 victory. But DongRaeGu took it in stride, and powered on. He showed the class of a Code S champion against a bunch of Code S hopefuls in the GSL Up/Downs, going 4 – 1 in the group. That was the last we saw of DongRaeGu, as we head into the Iron Squid II grand finals. A championship in Paris would herald DongRaeGu's return, signalling his return from exile and thrusting him back into the picture for best player in the world. It was a title he held one year ago, and it would be poetic if he retook it now.


Overall Outlook and Prediction

While Nestea's recent revival is intriguing, he hasn't done anything yet to suggest he should be challenging for championships (but then again, what is this now, if not a challenge for a championship?). DongRaeGu on the other hand, has maintained a fairly high base level even during his slump, and his recent games suggest he's almost back to his old form. Whether that will be good enough against Life or MKP is a different question altogether, but at least in this head to head, DRG is in better shape.

Additionally, for all his intelligence, Nestea has shown trouble just keeping up with the pace of younger Zerg players, and DongRaeGu ran circles around him in their last meeting. DongRaeGu has a solid record in his recent ZvZ's as well, winning against VortiX, Scarlett, HyuN, Lucky, Leenock and Stephano, though he did fall to Life in a best of five. While Nestea doesn't have much of a recent ZvZ record for us to go on, he did score an good 3 - 1 win against Scarlett in the Ro8 of Iron Squid II, which deserves some uncertain amount of credit.

When you add it all up, all the factors point to a DongRaeGu victory. The cliche that anyone can win a ZvZ applies, but right now, you can't deny that DongRaeGu is the better player.

Prediction:
DongRaeGu 3 - 1 Nestea

by: Zealously

Iron Squid II has brought together four unique players. One is a King whose crown was slow in its coming, earned only after the harshest of struggles. One is a three-time champion who fell from grace, abandoned by all but his most loyal followers, only to rise once more. One is a bright star who rose meteorically to the top, and is now caught in the constant struggle to stay there. The last is a man who has won it all, but forever lives with the regret of being unable to win in his hometown.

These four players – Marineking, Nestea, Life and DongRaeGu are some of the most famous players in the Starcraft II scene. They have the huge fan bases, they have the stories behind them, they have the emotional investment (some more than others) – everything to make a great finals. No matter what finals we end up with, we’re in for a treat as these four titans battle it out for the championship in the Palais de Congrés in Paris, France.


Nostalgia Trip: MarineKing vs. NesTea

Out of the four possible finals that we can have at the Iron Squid II Grand Finals, Marineking vs. Nestea is perhaps the one that is least expected, but is certainly the one with the most nostalgic value. The two faced off in the finals of GSL Open Season 2 in 2010, where Marineking had his first and perhaps most career-defining choke. The result, MarineKing's painful game seven loss to the Creator of the Universe, is ancient history that we do not really speak of any more.

For the two of them to meet again over two years later, it would mean things have come full circle. If Marineking were to lose again, he would essentially have come back to where he started – with a loss to the old wise man of the scene who effectively counters his every move. If MKP were to win, however, it would be long delayed retribution against the man who began his silver curse. Although Marineking has achieved many important victories since his loss to Nestea in the second ever GSL finals, the symbolic value of defeating Nestea would be inmeasurable.

While MarineKing's investment in this match is largely due to the past, Nestea has much to gain in the present. Beating Marineking again would go a long way to not only proving that he’s back, but that he’s got his eyes set on the top of the scene. On the other hand, he also has the least to lose. Getting as far as he has at the age of thirty is an accomplishment in itself, beating a string of strong players to get to the Iron Squid finals. Furthermore, there's still Code S, his true stomping grounds, waiting for him back in Korea.


Generation Clash: Life vs. NesTea

It feels like it was only yesterday where the former ZvZ maestro Nestea was overthrown by the Zerg prodigy Life on the latter’s way to his Royal Road Championship. GomTV was in the habit of making banners with catchphrases that season, and the slogan they gave Life was a cold "Do you know what a 'Shift in generations' is?" And indeed, Life beat the three-time GSL champion easily and eventually advanced while Nestea was eliminated 0-4, proving that generations had in fact, shifted. The Zerg prodigy moved on to take the championship over Nestea’s teammate Mvp while Nestea continued his fall to Code B. The two continued to go in opposite directions as Life won MLG Fall Championship and Nestea kept showing mediocre play at best.

But Life’s Ro16 elimination in Season 5 seemed to kickstart the IM Zerg, and he moved right through the Code A qualifiers, and eventually found his way to the last WoL Code S. At the same time, he upped his online performances as well, advancing quietly through the Iron Squid brackets. With both of them back in Code S, it is only fitting that they face off again. But the duel could come early, and in a far away land, at the live finals of Iron Squid II.

If Life were to win the re-match between the two, it could very well mean that Nestea would fall again – his spirit crushed by another loss to a player of half his age and with twice his cockiness. The championship for Life would solidify his position as the world’s best player, adding yet another star-studded tournament to his checklist. While Nestea has the least to lose in the tournament, this match would be the one he'd want to win the most for pride's sake. Nestea's reputation as a ZvZ expert is also on the line. A few months ago, the newer generation of Zergs showed that they could beat the Professor without trouble, but with Nestea's return to form, a ZvZ final could be an opportunity. Could he become a ZvZ expert once more, with purely smart play?


The Re-Re-Rematch: MarineKing vs. DongRaeGu

Tasteless and Artosis once joked that MLG might as well cut out the open brackets and pool play from their tournaments and just spend the money on flying in MKP and DRG instead, the two facing off time and again in both MLG Arenas and MLG Championships. Much has changed since last summer, with the two of them being somewhat replaced by the Zerg duo of Life and Leenock.

But lately, DongRaeGu has been on the rise – playing well in Blizzard Cup especially. Marineking, too, has made a case for an imminent comeback with wins over many strong players over the last several weeks. The story of MKP and DRG isn’t as one-sided as that of other potential match-ups, with both of them stealing championships away from the other.

The comeback case for DongRaeGu is perhaps the more touching, with the former MVP ace falling unceremoniously off the scene after his 0-3 loss to MC in the semifinals of GSL Season 3. He has since made a comeback and has shown improving form over the last month(s), but with Life and Leenock taking all the trophies, he cannot yet make a case for being the best Zerg in the world. Beating Nestea and then moving on to beat Marineking would mean a lot for DRG and it would give him a strong start to his candidacy for the world’s best Zerg going into 2013.

For Marineking, a win over DRG would not only knock the MVP Zerg down three steps on any ladder he is attempting to climb, but it would give him the boost of confidence that he has shown he needs so badly. When MKP was full of confidence last spring, there was no stopping him as he terrorized foreign events.
With a win at Iron Squid II, especially over his rival DongRaeGu, he would likely get a lot of such confidence which would catapult him back into relevancy in 2013.

Stolen Identity: Life vs. DongRaeGu

In many ways, Life's career right now is very similar to that of DongRaeGu several months ago. Coming into a tournament, he is the immediate favorite, and any player he gets matched up against is the underdog no matter the match-up. Life, like DRG, has several premier tournament wins, including Code S and Blizzard Cup. And like DRG, Startale has been made team league favorites "because they have Life", just like MVP was once a team league favorite because they had DRG. Although Life's team league results aren't as insane as DongRaeGu's results were before his breakout, there is no denying that Life and killing-everything-RaeGu are very similar.

Even the resumes mirror reach other, with both players holding a GSL and MLG championship. All in all, it is fair to say that the two are the most accomplished (perhaps tied with Nestea and Leenock) Zergs in Starcraft II. Depending on how one weighs the primacy of the GSL, winning Iron Squid II would put the winner ahead of the other and make him the most accomplished Zerg in Wings of Liberty. As for the less tangible stakes, there is the obvious issue of revenge. Life beat DRG 3 - 2 in Blizzard Cup and moved on to win the championship that DongRaeGu doubtlessly had set his eyes on.

With the Iron Squid II championship within reach, DRG has the chance to do two things. The first is to stop Life's continued ascent and allow himself to catch up, making the relationship less one-sided and turning it into a true rivalry. The other is, if he were to lose, to fall again. DongRaeGu has proven himself to be resilient by now - he can bounce back if he loses and climb higher if he wins. But Life has the same abilities and the same goal in mind, so if DongRaeGu wants to become the king of Zerg again, winning Iron Squid II is very important.