Global Tournament
Round of 8
Group A Results
Zest and PartinG advance
Group B Preview
soO, Oz, San, Maru
Brackets and standings on Liquipedia
VODs on YouTube
Ro8: Group A Results
by Waxangel
The GSL Global Tournament came one step closer to becoming simply the "GSL Tournament" as the Code S duo of
![Protoss (P)](https://tl.net/tlpd/images/Picon_small.png)
![Protoss (P)](https://tl.net/tlpd/images/Picon_small.png)
![Terran (T)](https://tl.net/tlpd/images/Ticon_small.png)
![Zerg (Z)](https://tl.net/tlpd/images/Zicon_small.png)
Having won the Code S title three weeks prior,
![Protoss (P)](https://tl.net/tlpd/images/Picon_small.png)
In the winner's match, MMA tested Zest's mettle as well. The WCS Europe runner-up only surrendered game one after very nearly completing a comeback in a base-trade, and then tied up the score with a mid-game ghost timing in game two. However the Code S champ came through in the end, finishing MMA off with a blink stalker rush on King Sejong Station to secure his place in the semifinals.
Detailed results from Live Report Thread
+ Show Spoiler [Click for detailed match results] +
+ Show Spoiler [Click for detailed match results] +
Zest vs PartinG
Zest <Frost>
PartinG
Zest <Overgrowth>
PartinG
Zest <>
PartinG
Zest wins 2-0!
MMA vs Revival
MMA <Waystation>
Revival
MMA <The King Sejong Station>
Revival
MMA <>
Revival
MMA wins 2-0!
Winners' Match
Zest <Merry Go Round>
MMA
Zest <Overgrowth>
MMA
Zest <The King Sejong Station>
MMA
Zest wins 2-1!
Losers' Match
PartinG <Merry Go Round>
Revival
PartinG <Overgrowth>
Revival
PartinG <Frost>
Revival
PartinG wins 2-1!
Final Match
MMA <Alterzim Stronghold>
PartinG
MMA <Overgrowth>
PartinG
MMA <>
PartinG
PartinG wins 2-0!
Zest and
PartinG advance to the Ro4!
![Protoss (P)](https://tl.net/tlpd/images/Picon_small.png)
![Protoss (P)](https://tl.net/tlpd/images/Picon_small.png)
![Protoss (P)](https://tl.net/tlpd/images/Picon_small.png)
![Protoss (P)](https://tl.net/tlpd/images/Picon_small.png)
![Protoss (P)](https://tl.net/tlpd/images/Picon_small.png)
![Protoss (P)](https://tl.net/tlpd/images/Picon_small.png)
![Protoss (P)](https://tl.net/tlpd/images/Picon_small.png)
MMA vs Revival
![Terran (T)](https://tl.net/tlpd/images/Ticon_small.png)
![Zerg (Z)](https://tl.net/tlpd/images/Zicon_small.png)
![Terran (T)](https://tl.net/tlpd/images/Ticon_small.png)
![Zerg (Z)](https://tl.net/tlpd/images/Zicon_small.png)
![Terran (T)](https://tl.net/tlpd/images/Ticon_small.png)
![Zerg (Z)](https://tl.net/tlpd/images/Zicon_small.png)
![Terran (T)](https://tl.net/tlpd/images/Ticon_small.png)
Winners' Match
![Protoss (P)](https://tl.net/tlpd/images/Picon_small.png)
![Terran (T)](https://tl.net/tlpd/images/Ticon_small.png)
![Protoss (P)](https://tl.net/tlpd/images/Picon_small.png)
![Terran (T)](https://tl.net/tlpd/images/Ticon_small.png)
![Protoss (P)](https://tl.net/tlpd/images/Picon_small.png)
![Terran (T)](https://tl.net/tlpd/images/Ticon_small.png)
![Protoss (P)](https://tl.net/tlpd/images/Picon_small.png)
Losers' Match
![Protoss (P)](https://tl.net/tlpd/images/Picon_small.png)
![Zerg (Z)](https://tl.net/tlpd/images/Zicon_small.png)
![Protoss (P)](https://tl.net/tlpd/images/Picon_small.png)
![Zerg (Z)](https://tl.net/tlpd/images/Zicon_small.png)
![Protoss (P)](https://tl.net/tlpd/images/Picon_small.png)
![Zerg (Z)](https://tl.net/tlpd/images/Zicon_small.png)
![Protoss (P)](https://tl.net/tlpd/images/Picon_small.png)
Final Match
![Terran (T)](https://tl.net/tlpd/images/Ticon_small.png)
![Protoss (P)](https://tl.net/tlpd/images/Picon_small.png)
![Terran (T)](https://tl.net/tlpd/images/Ticon_small.png)
![Protoss (P)](https://tl.net/tlpd/images/Picon_small.png)
![Terran (T)](https://tl.net/tlpd/images/Ticon_small.png)
![Protoss (P)](https://tl.net/tlpd/images/Picon_small.png)
![Protoss (P)](https://tl.net/tlpd/images/Picon_small.png)
![Protoss (P)](https://tl.net/tlpd/images/Picon_small.png)
![Protoss (P)](https://tl.net/tlpd/images/Picon_small.png)
After losing to Zest in his first match,
![Protoss (P)](https://tl.net/tlpd/images/Picon_small.png)
Notes and Observations
- After a dull Ro16, we finally got to see some excellent games in the first group of the Ro8. I highly recommend you check out PartinG vs Zest on Frost and MMA vs Revival on Sejong Station.
- Zest didn't look especially convincing in PvT, so I'm very interested to see what will happen if he faces Maru down the line. Remember, Maru was the only player to hand Zest a series loss during his Code S championship run.
- In his post-match interview (Daily Esports (kr)), PartinG mentioned that he now collaborates with San to make builds. In particular, he gave him credit for developing the gateway pressure into delayed Soul Train build he used to defeat Revival. With two masters of Protoss Bulls**t working together, Zerg players might start considering early retirement.
- Zest's SKT kill-list in individual leagues now includes Soulkey, Rain, soO, and PartinG. What a beast!
Group B Preview: soO, Oz, San, Maru
by stuchiu
![Protoss (P)](https://tl.net/tlpd/images/Picon_small.png)
Along the way, he's never compromised his playing style. Eschewing popular trends, Oz makes his own builds, hits his own timings, and uses his own intuition to try and outthink opponents who stick to the conventional wisdom. Sometimes this works and he gets to a Ro4 or the finals. Other times he goes down in flames with his experiments. He'll drop off the radar for months, almost completely forgotten, only to show up again and surprise us with a deep tournament run. Then he'll begin the cycle all over. That's the kind of player Oz is.
It's good for Oz that he enters this tournament right on the tail of one of his best tournament runs yet. Oz nearly went all the way at WCS America, reaching the finals before losing 2-4 to HyuN. Whatever Oz is doing, it is working for now. For the player who left Korea in search of opportunities, his best chance might actually be waiting for him back at home.
![Zerg (Z)](https://tl.net/tlpd/images/Zicon_small.png)
For all the pain soO has had to endure, he's at least earned a lot of respect for making it to two consecutive GSL finals. If it makes him feel any better, he's already shown up Dear (the player he lost to in the Code S Season 3 finals last year) by continuing to play at a championship level while Dear has gone crashing and burning out of Code A. In the Global Tournament, soO might have a chance to get a more direct form of revenge on the player he lost to in the finals. With Zest already awaiting in the semifinal bracket, we might just be days away from a charged rematch of the Code S finals.
![Protoss (P)](https://tl.net/tlpd/images/Picon_small.png)
Whether it was because San finally had the mental security of having found a foreign team, or because FlashWolves kept sending San to enough tournaments that he overcame his live tournament nerves, he finally began to show his potential. His tournament results have been better than ever, and he even won a breakthrough championship at ASUS ROG Winter. Both San and FlashWolvwes have benefited greatly from their relationship: San is now a champion, and FlashWolves are known by everyone as a team to be reckoned with.
All this has now led San back to Korea, where he will try to break the mold by becoming the player who left home and came back even stronger.
![Terran (T)](https://tl.net/tlpd/images/Ticon_small.png)
Maru has some of the best macro in the world. He also has some of the best micro and multitasking in the world. It all combines to allow him to play a constantly attacking style of TvP that lets him ignore all the established notions about match-up. There isn't a disadvantage he can't overcome by simply being faster than his opponent. In a way, Maru takes away as much hope as he gives. Yes, he's showing an extraordinarily high level of Terran play and keeping the race relevant in Korea. But the solution he presents is not one any other Terran can hope to imitate.
When Rain won his PvP Group of Death last season, he was scared out of his mind that Maru would make it to the finals. Thankfully for Rain, the Terran hope lost to Life in a close 2-3 series in his 'weak' match-up. But despite that setback in the GSL, Maru had no trouble qualifying himself for the Global Championship, and he destroyed all three players he met in the online Ro16: Flash, Action and Impact. Even in this group stacked with championship class players, Maru is just a step above everyone else.
Overall Predictions:
Maru is the overall favorite here as his TvP has to be the best in the world. If he can't make it out of this group, then expect balance complaints to go through the roof.
Despite being a GSL finalist, soO could have a tougher time than expected. Oz is sure to pull something unexpected out of his wizard hat, and he's well-known as a savvy cannon-rusher. San is also a player notorious for his PvZ timing attacks, and has even been collaborating with PartinG to create even more devious all-ins. However, the fact remains that soO was excellent in ZvP last season, and came very close to defeating Zest to win the Code S championship. We have to pick him to advance here.
Oz > Soo
Maru > San
Maru > Oz
Soo > San
Soo > Oz
Maru and Soo advance