[Up/Down] Day 4 Recap / Day 5 Preview

Results from Live Report Thread by Seeker.

Virus 3 - 2
fOrGG 3 - 2
HuK 3 - 2
Killer 2 - 3
Lucky 2 - 3
Brown 2 - 3

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Killer <Bel'Shir Beach Winter> Virus
fOrGG <Entombed Valley> Lucky
Brown <Antiga Shipyard 1.2> HuK
Killer <Metropolis> fOrGG
Virus <Daybreak> Brown
Lucky <Crossfire SE 1.1> HuK
Killer <ESV Cloud Kingdom> Brown
Virus <Dual Sight 1.1> Lucky
fOrGG <Metropolis> HuK
Killer <Bel'Shir Beach Winter> Lucky
Virus <Daybreak> HuK
fOrGG <Entombed Valley> Brown
Killer <Crossfire SE 1.1> HuK
Lucky <Antiga Shipyard 1.2> Brown
Virus <ESV Cloud Kingdom> fOrGG

Infected

A complete overhaul of the GSL system was enough to send the Code S Virus into remission, but it only came back stronger than ever, with new mutations and adaptations. ST_Virus is back in his usual place in Code S, after 2012 Season One marked his first absence in nearly eight months.

His performance was trademark Virus – a mixed bag. There were devastating all-ins, one-sided shellackings, and of course, remarkable displays of survivability.

Heading into the final match of the night, Virus' set score mirrored his career win rate with two wins and two losses. Just like things tend to fall into place in Virus' favor inside the game, he was put into an unusually ideal situation ouside the game as well. His final opponent was the 3 – 1 ForGG, while only the 3 – 2 HuK was close in score. Interestingly, the head-to-head records had fallen in place so that if Virus won and forced a three way 3 – 2 tiebreak, he would make it through in first place on virtue of having beaten both ForGG and HuK. At the same time, the head-to-head records meant ForGG was guaranteed a place in Code S whether he won or lost, giving him nothing to play for except pride.

Despite his favorable situation, ForGG didn't show any signs of slacking. He gained the upper hand early in a mech vs mech duel, managing to kill off Virus' third orbital command center while also establishing air superiority by crippling Virus' viking count. However, with a Code S spot on the line, Virus reached deep within himself, and clawed back into the game with possibly his best performance ever. Constant blue flame hellion harassment were crucial in Virus' comeback, allowing him to be the actual victor in otherwise equal army trades. Virus' cloak banshee switch after retaking air superiority also proved to be a critical move, as he was able to force thors out of ForGG while also cutting deeply into his tank count. Eventually, Virus built up a large enough lead to force ForGG into an engagement at his natural, crush ForGG's army, and make his way back into Code S.


The Elephant

ForGG rode into Code S with a little too much hype behind him, and his RO32 elimination in the last GSL was cause for massive disappointment. However, behind the 1 – 4 score, people tend to forget that ForGG actually played fairly well. Yes, there was a completely failed marine-tank push on Dual Sight, and yes, there was an auto-loss to MC's void-ray all-in. However, there was also an epic TvZ showdown against Leenock on Daybreak, and a triple CC, macro-pummeling of MC on Bel'Shir Beach. Perhaps his comments about wanting to win a championship on his first go were ill advised, but in no way did he show that his skills were sub Code S (for that, watch his GSTL games).

And so, it was no surprise that ForGG went into this up-down group, rolled up his sleeves, and took care of business. He had the same don't-give-a-f*** attitude from his stream, where he all-ins every game and shamelessly plays three ads. There's an eerie joylessness to ForGG's play, but one cannot deny that his all business attitude gets the job done.


Alas, poor HuK

Whether or not you support the GSL seed system, you must admit that HuK is the only foreigner who makes a good case for its existence. One year after receiving the only GSL seed he had ever needed, HuK came into the up-down matches with just the second GSL invitation of his career. For the second year in a row, he almost made good on it. Almost.

PvP had been HuK's Achilles heel after MLG Orlando, but it turned around with a good performance at MLG Winter Arena. HuK's good PvP form continued in the up-down group, as he took down both Brown and Killer. Though he lost both of his PvT matches, a clutch roach-bust hold against ZvP specialist Lucky put HuK in what seemed like at decent position at 3 – 2. However, fortune had handed Virus the best possible situation in the world, which conversely meant it was the worst possible one for HuK. Though he went 3 – 2 in his group, circumstances out of his control spelled the end for HuK's Code S chances. Though he goes down to Code A for Season Two, his good performance leaves room for fans to be optimistic about his chances of making it into Season Three.


Game of the Night: ST_Virus vs oGs.fOrGG

Why, it's only the best game in Virus' career! Isn't that enough?

Honorable Mention: EG.HuK vs SlayerSBrown.

5. SlayerS_BoxeR

It's heartbreaking to put Boxer as the long shot in this group, but with his recent taking over as the main coach of Slayers, being preoccupied by dressing up as an actual emperor and having to deal with the upcoming SlayerS draft that will be trying out new recruits to make up for the recent departures of two of their strongest players, Taeja and Ganzi, the man has a lot on his plate at the second. He didn't look that bad in his Code A series against Seed, someone who has been thought to have Code S ability for some time now, but can Boxer muster up enough magic to return to the premiere league in the world?

Boxer's biggest problem lately, from the games I've seen in the Iron Squid and GSL tournaments, is that he doesn't know how to close the door on an opponent. He gets up big and is in a seemingly unbeatable position, but somehow, someway, lets the victory slip out of his grasp and tastes defeat. When playing against top players such as Jjakji and MarineKing, Boxer doesn't look outclassed at all and has been able to take both to the brink, but wasn't able to seal the deal even with huge advantages in the early and mid-game. Luckily for Boxer fans, his best match-up, even with his recent blunders against Jjakji and MarineKing, is still TvT and he has two of those in the group. Though Creator will probably be too much for him, Boxer just might be able to make it through if he can take down fellow Brood War legend July in addition to Happy and SuperNoVa.


4. IMHappy

Do you want to hear the good news or bad news first, Happy?

Good News: You still have possibly the strongest single match-up in the world, having an out of this world 15-3 record against Zerg in Korea.

Bad News: Your TvT has looked subpar lately and have to play against two players who are pretty good at it. Your TvP isn't bad, but against Creator, that won't be enough to win. And finally, your saving grace, your TvZ, you only have one of. And that match happens to be against July, who recently beat you in the KSL and all-killed your team. Facing July, it doesn't matter how well you play the match-up, because he'll find a way to baneling bust you and send you straight down to Code A.

Happy was on the verge of becoming one of the best five Terrans in the world all the way back in October, even getting to a semifinals before losing a hard fought series to the eventual winner of the tournament, MMA. Since then, he really hasn't done much. His TvZ is still beautiful to watch and even against the likes of DongRaeGu and Leenock, Happy can still find ways to win. However, his other match-ups are just lacking at the moment.


3. Startale_July

July's ZvZ still is pretty poor, but who cares? He's the only Zerg in the group! July hit the jackpot of a group, being the only member of the swarm in this group and being in one with only five players instead of six. With his recent all-kill of Incredible Miracle in the KSL, even beating groupmate Happy, the God of War has to be considered one of the three favorites to get out of this very compact, but difficult group.

He did lose in Code A, but it was in his worst match-up against Leenock, so really nothing to be ashamed of there. For July to make it out of this group, I think he'll have to beat two out of the three Terrans put up against him. It's his best match-up, but Happy, SuperNova and Boxer aren't going to be pushovers. The match-up against Creator will be a toss-up; it's the young Protoss' worst match-up, but he's rapidly improving every time we see him.


2. oGsSuperNoVa

Ask me a month ago with this same group of players, and I have SuperNoVa easily at top of my list on who is going to make it out. But recently, with his finals loss to Violet at IEM Sao Paolo where he was the gigantic favorite, disappointing performance in the round of sixteen in Code S, and the beat down he received from Zenio at Hanover, the ace of oGs has looked far less than unstoppable.

There is no question that he is still one of the two favorites to make it out of the group, but if his woes against Protoss continue, Creator will be able to take him down and it'll come down to how good his TvZ and TvT is. Zenio made SuperNoVa look very stoppable in their Bo5 series at the IEM World Championships, but they are former teammates so that has to be put into the equation on how he fared in the match. He should be favored against Happy and Boxer, but in a best of one, can you put anything past the Emperor when it comes to early game mind games? Not making it back to Code S would be a huge upset for a player who was prime for at least a quarterfinal run, but if he plays to the ability he's capable of, I wouldn't worry about it.


1. CreatorPrime

B4 was able to make it through for Zerg. Maru was able to trick his opponents and make it out of his group on top for Terran. Now, it's up to the third and last of Prime's new faces to make it into Code S for the first time. It's last season's unsung GSTL hero, and possibly Prime's second best player after MKP, CreatorPrime.

This kid loves PvT and he'll get a lot of it in this group, going up against three players, who in truth, aren't very good at the match-up. SuperNoVa has given up on trying to play against late game Toss and has been doing all-ins lately, Boxer got smashed against Seed in Code A, and Happy, at best, is decent in the match-up with two straight losses to Squirtle on his record. The only downside to this almost perfect group is that he doesn't have the best PvZ, but it's been better lately, winning three out of his last four, one of which came against the Zerg he will be facing in the group.

He recently took down a motivated Curious and Bomber in the GSTL, so when Creator is at his best, he's hard to beat. It won't be a cake walk to his first Code S appearance, but Creator has all the tools to be one of the best Protosses in Code S if he gets there. Ever since he broke onto the scene, almost upsetting the champion Mvp in the first round of the Super Tournament, barely losing due to inexperience, people have been waiting for him to mature and become a major player in the scene.

It's time for him to create his own road to Code S and continue the Prime Revolution that his teammates have started in front of him.