Reynor's much-hyped return to GSL Code S came to a quick and anti-climactic conclusion, as the Italian Zerg was eliminated from his round-of-20 group in last place. Instead, it was last season's playoff players Bunny and DongRaeGu who moved on to the round-of-10, while Dream joined Reynor in elimination.
Bunny got off to a rough start on the night, losing to Reynor on Waterfall despite inflicting early-game damage with an unorthodox 3-Barracks stim attack. Reynor showed great resilience to claw his way back to even, and he eventually overpowered Bunny in a macro game. However, Bunny had more tricks prepared, and he hit back at Reynor with consecutive Marine-Tank all-ins off two bases (opening CC-first both times). Reynor simply couldn't handle these powerful early attacks and surrendered the 1-2 loss.
Interestingly enough, the other initial match between DRG and Dream followed a very similar pattern as Dream prepared his own 2-base all-ins from CC-first starts. Dream's version of the strategy was different in that he focused on adding Liberators instead of Tanks as his support units, but the end result was the same: Terran victory.
Dream tried to keep the aggression going to start the winners' match against Bunny, opening with proxy 2-Barracks Reapers. However, Bunny was able to defend quite easily, allowing him to stroll to a victory afterward. Bunny turned the tables and tried to get aggressive with an early Tank-Raven attack in game two, but this time he was the one who lost after running up against a study defense. There was nary a dull moment to be had in the series, as Bunny kept the fast pace of the series going in game three with an early Reaper-Hellion attack. This time, things actually worked out for the aggressor, and Bunny was able to finish Dream with a follow-up Tank push and book his ticket to the RO10.
The losers' match began with DRG trying his own all-in against Reynor, bringing a one-base Ling-Bane attack in game one. Both players ended up on fairly even footing after a good hold from Reynor, with the Italian Zerg eventually going on to win in a Roach-Ravager macro game. Game two seemed like it might be headed to a 3-Hatch vs 3-Hatch macro game from the very start, but DRG turned up the heat with a Roach-Bane all-in. This time he was much more successful, and he forced Reynor to GG out. Not surprisingly, DRG went on the offensive again in game three, trying to catch Reynor off guard with a 12-pool. However, Reynor's Drone defense was fantastic, and the two players were thrust into a Roach-Ravager duel like in game one. After much back and forth fighting between Roach-Ravager forces, DongRaeGu came out on top in a decisive battle at the 13 minute mark, sending Reynor hurtling out of Code S.
The rematch between DRG and Dream ended up being the longest and most fiercely-contested series of the night, with both players desperately trying to claim the last spot out of the group. DongRaeGu went up a point first, overpowering Dream in a fairly conventional game on Data-C. However, Dream tied things up on Inside and Out, dragging the game out to the 18-minute mark and outlasting waves of Hydra-Bane-Viper from DRG. Dream seemed to have a similar plan for game three on Stargazers, but this time DRG stayed stubbornly on Muta-Ling-Bane until he was able to overwhelm Dream by sheer force of numbers.
Code S will continue with Group C on Monday, Aug 29 9:30am GMT (GMT+00:00), featuring Maru, Classic, GuMiho, and Zoun.
Quite a strong showing from all 4 players. Bunny's control was sublime. It really looked like Reynor had the right idea in game 3, but his execution was not strong enough. I hesitate to say, "Welcome to the GSL", but there's something to be said for playing against Koreans in the mostly Korean format in Korea.
That said, I actually think the biggest factor is a difference in online latency. In Seoul Korea, the latency is super sharp, much sharper than you can expect when playing against players halfway across the world - and actually sharper than in most of Europe. That's really the biggest factor. That makes it almost a different game. Just my 2 cents as a long time avid fan of Korean Starcraft.
This result kind of makes me feel again like GSL actually is the most prestigious tournament in the world - even if it doesn't doll out the most prize money.
Korean cuisine - they cannot possibly grasp the fine art of making pasta - and the unbalanced, ever changing air humidity, had its toll on the world champ. and yeah the jetlag as well.
-- gogo Bunny I hope Reynor tries again next season
On August 28 2022 17:04 dailyak77 wrote: Brilliant play by DRG! After being in a mini slump beacuse of a negative mindset, DRG strikes back beating Bomber and Polt!
I felt really good seeing how happy he was after winning against Polt! Last time i watched him he got rolled in the WCS
GOGO DRG!
Edit: Bomber and GuMiho is in Code A DRG and Polt advances in Code S
I guess the bots are now evolving and copying comments from 10 year old events into other threads?
On August 28 2022 17:04 dailyak77 wrote: Brilliant play by DRG! After being in a mini slump beacuse of a negative mindset, DRG strikes back beating Bomber and Polt!
I felt really good seeing how happy he was after winning against Polt! Last time i watched him he got rolled in the WCS
GOGO DRG!
Edit: Bomber and GuMiho is in Code A DRG and Polt advances in Code S
I guess the bots are now evolving and copying comments from 10 year old events into other threads?
Leave it alone, it's letting me reminisce on SC2's golden age.
On August 28 2022 17:04 dailyak77 wrote: Brilliant play by DRG! After being in a mini slump beacuse of a negative mindset, DRG strikes back beating Bomber and Polt!
I felt really good seeing how happy he was after winning against Polt! Last time i watched him he got rolled in the WCS
GOGO DRG!
Edit: Bomber and GuMiho is in Code A DRG and Polt advances in Code S
I guess the bots are now evolving and copying comments from 10 year old events into other threads?
Leave it alone, it's letting me reminisce on SC2's golden age.
Scary times, an AI bot capable of traveling across time and the multiverse...
Sad to see Reynor being as the first one out in this group. Most had high hopes for him, myself included. Hopefully he can recover and participate in the next one, though.
Congrats to Bunny and DRG on advancing. Bunny is looking so strong nowadays.
On August 28 2022 15:12 pandorasheep wrote: Reynor was probably jet lagged
On August 28 2022 15:25 bela.mervado wrote: Korean cuisine - they cannot possibly grasp the fine art of making pasta - and the unbalanced, ever changing air humidity, had its toll on the world champ. and yeah the jetlag as well.
-- gogo Bunny I hope Reynor tries again next season
I mean Reynor was in Korea since August 2nd... And Koreans usually come for offline event to EU or NA region like 1 or 2 days right before event starts......
On August 28 2022 15:25 bela.mervado wrote: Korean cuisine - they cannot possibly grasp the fine art of making pasta - and the unbalanced, ever changing air humidity, had its toll on the world champ. and yeah the jetlag as well.
-- gogo Bunny I hope Reynor tries again next season
I mean Reynor was in Korea since August 2nd... And Koreans usually come for offline event to EU or NA region like 1 or 2 days right before event starts......
exactly. just imagine not being able to eat proper food for that long.
i remember, a few years ago, when we moved to a new part of the city, we no longer had access to our favorite pizza. for a few days its bearable but for a month?? absolutely terrifying, i can tell you.
how do you expect someone to do the goat stuff without properly feeding his machinery
i think jetlag is overrated we do not yet fully understand the effect of an empty pizza belly
On August 28 2022 12:32 ThunderJunk wrote: Quite a strong showing from all 4 players. Bunny's control was sublime. It really looked like Reynor had the right idea in game 3, but his execution was not strong enough. I hesitate to say, "Welcome to the GSL", but there's something to be said for playing against Koreans in the mostly Korean format in Korea.
That said, I actually think the biggest factor is a difference in online latency. In Seoul Korea, the latency is super sharp, much sharper than you can expect when playing against players halfway across the world - and actually sharper than in most of Europe. That's really the biggest factor. That makes it almost a different game. Just my 2 cents as a long time avid fan of Korean Starcraft.
This result kind of makes me feel again like GSL actually is the most prestigious tournament in the world - even if it doesn't doll out the most prize money.
Interesting theory on Koreans being better with low latency. Either way Code S is a merciless of a tournament as it ever was. Really hope we see Reynor back in a new GSL.
On August 28 2022 12:32 ThunderJunk wrote: Quite a strong showing from all 4 players. Bunny's control was sublime. It really looked like Reynor had the right idea in game 3, but his execution was not strong enough. I hesitate to say, "Welcome to the GSL", but there's something to be said for playing against Koreans in the mostly Korean format in Korea.
That said, I actually think the biggest factor is a difference in online latency. In Seoul Korea, the latency is super sharp, much sharper than you can expect when playing against players halfway across the world - and actually sharper than in most of Europe. That's really the biggest factor. That makes it almost a different game. Just my 2 cents as a long time avid fan of Korean Starcraft.
This result kind of makes me feel again like GSL actually is the most prestigious tournament in the world - even if it doesn't doll out the most prize money.
Interesting theory on Koreans being better with low latency. Either way Code S is a merciless of a tournament as it ever was. Really hope we see Reynor back in a new GSL.
Interesting, but I think it is down the list in terms of factors. It is mainly a classic home-field advantage and a format the Koreans know better.
Also, Reynor has been in a better shape than he is currently. He was knocked out in the first round of the playoffs in last HSC, 3 EU zergs went farther.
Imo, the best game in this group was the very last one. It perfectly showcased what a genius DRG really is. When it came to the point where DRG was continuesly harassing the turtled Dream, I thought the same as State and Tasteless, that the trades where not in favor for DRG, loosing so much and killing almost no critical units. But then I think I realized, what strategy DRG had in mind.
He wanted it to look like wasted attacks. He wanted Dream to think, that he got frustrated and had no real tactic anymore but to throw tons of cannon fodder at is defense without any sense. This was the first step of DRG´s amazing master plan. I believe he prepared this mindf**k already in the two games before. I even go so far to claim that he lost the 2nd game on purpose.
It came to me at the time when he was attacking the northern expo for the 3rd or 4th time. He focused down the static defense there, forcing Dream to rebuild it or split his main army by sending anti air units to defend. It not only kept his opponent too busy to do proper counter attacks, he also forced Dream to spread his whole army into a defense line from north to south. Behind that he pushed the creep to Dreams front door, who was too busy rebuilding defense structures and sensor towers instead of dealing with the creep spread. It also takes longer to rebuild structures (choose SCV, choose what to build, choose where to build it) than reinforcing the army. The nidusworms where just an easy way to keep the pressure on at least two areas at once. It looked like he wasted tons of Lings and Banes but he aimed for the structures in the first place. And his economy allowed him to just max out over and over again, just seconds after the last big push. And Dream seemed to totally forget about the fact, that MT´s also cost minerals. He spent a lot into rebuilding them at an almost outmined expo instead of securing the one in the lower left corner. I think he wanted to slowly bleed out DRG, not realizing that he was the one, who bled out much faster. DRG just contained him with the mutas, killing missile turrets with hit and run guerilla attacks, reinforcing his mutas on the way south and pumping zerglings out to the front without interruption. At that point, Dream just couldn´t keep up with the production speed of the Zerg. DRG made up to 68 fully upgraded Lings at a time, while his opponent was maxing out slower and slower with every attack wave. The last step in DRG´s masterplan was to ensure, that Dreams unit count stayed lower and lower by focusing down as much supply depots as possible. All production buildings are useless when you get supply blocked. And when you get supply blocked at around 150 in this stage of the game vs Zerg, you pretty much are already pushing daisies, no matter what you try. Ok, that is lot to read, I wonder if anyone will even get this far, but if you did, thanks a lot. I just needed to share my thoughts about this amazing game, mostly because I was kinda surprised, that Tasteless and State didn´t seem to realize what DRG was trying to achieve with his "waste" of units. They compared the units lost but didn´t consider the sick amount of structures, that DRG destroyed and what structures he primarily focused. Or I´m totally wrong about everything and DRG just tried to nail Dreams coffin with a sledgehammer and no real strategy behind it. But after I watched the game several times, I really don´t think thats the case.