GSL 2013 Season 1 Code A
Ro48: Day One Recap
Your Esport Market Report
Ro48: Day Two Preview
Mvp, Flash, Killer, and more!
Brackets and results at Liquipedia
Code A Ro48: Day 1 Recap
Results from Live Report Thread by NovemberstOrm.
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Genius vs Trust
Genius <Daybreak>
Trust
Genius < Akilon Flats>
Trust
Genius <Neo Planet S>
Trust
Trust wins 2-0 !
Bbyong vs finale
Bbyong <Whirlwind>
finale
Bbyong <Cloud Kingdom>
finale
Bbyong <Bel'Shir Vestige>
finale
Bbyong wins 2-0!
HerO vs YugiOh
HerO <Bel'Shir Vestige>
YugiOh
HerO <Icarus>
YugiOh
HerO <Daybreak>
YugiOh
HerO wins 2-0!
TY vs Avenge
TY <Akilon Flats>
Avenge
TY <Bel'Shir Vestige>
Avenge
TY <Daybreak>
Avenge
Avenge wins 2-0!
YongHwa vs Reality
YongHwa <Neo Planet S>
Reality
YongHwa <Bel'Shir Vestige>
Reality
YongHwa < Akilon Flats>
Reality
YongHwa wins 2-0!
Jaedong vs Lure
Jaedong <Bel'Shir Vestige>
Lure
Jaedong <Whirlwind>
Lure
Jaedong <Neo Planet S>
Lure
Lure wins 2-1!
HuK vs Shine
HuK<Daybreak>
Shine
HuK <Neo Planet S>
Shine
HuK <Whirlwind>
Shine
Shine wins 2-0!
YoDa vs Tear
YoDa <Cloud Kingdom>
Tear
YoDa <Akilon Flats>
Tear
YoDa <Icarus>
Tear
YoDa wins 2-1!
![Protoss (P)](https://tl.net/tlpd/images/Picon_small.png)
![](/mirror/smilies/protoss-big.gif)
![Protoss (P)](https://tl.net/tlpd/images/Picon_small.png)
![](/mirror/smilies/protoss-big.gif)
![Protoss (P)](https://tl.net/tlpd/images/Picon_small.png)
![](/mirror/smilies/protoss-big.gif)
Trust wins 2-0 !
Bbyong vs finale
![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)
Bbyong wins 2-0!
HerO vs YugiOh
![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)
HerO wins 2-0!
TY vs Avenge
![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)
Avenge wins 2-0!
YongHwa vs Reality
![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)
YongHwa wins 2-0!
Jaedong vs Lure
![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)
Lure wins 2-1!
HuK vs Shine
![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)
Shine wins 2-0!
YoDa vs Tear
![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)
YoDa wins 2-1!
The Code A Stock Report
⇧ Chinese Emperor Lure: The second season of NSL - the premiere Starcraft 2 tournament in China - didn't get much buzz outside of the nicely put together intro video they did showcasing the players. Lure, sticking out like a sore thumb, was one of only two Koreans who were invited to to the tournament along with LG-IM's dreamertt. Lure would eventually win the tournament, beating China's top two players in the final two matches. He beat the Macsed by a score of 3-2, and conquered China's most decorated Zerg Xigua in the finals 4 - 2. No one really gave Lure much of a chance against Jaedong in the first round of Code A, disregarding his China conquest as a B-level Korean beating up on players who couldn't even compare to low level Korean pros.
However, Lure gave the NSL some major credibility last night, defeating Jaedong 2 - 1 to knock EG's Korean superstar out of the GSL. While Lure's excursion to China probably unlocked many new power levels for him to unleash on his unaware Korean peers, Jaedong's ZvP woes continued. Holding a win rate under 40% in the match-up, it has become the bane of his existence in Starcraft 2. His ZvZ is S-class, hovering around 70%, but Jaedong won't be fighting for a Ro16 in Code S until he can fix his problems against Protoss.
⇧ CJ Entus: In the world of e-sports, it's been an amazing two days for CJ Entus. Not only did they sign the two most popular and successful Korean League of Legends teams in the world, but the team's two unlikely Code A StarCraft stars made it through to the Ro32 in strong fashion. After looking like a top tier Terran a few weeks ago,
![Terran (T)](https://tl.net/tlpd/images/Ticon_small.png)
![Protoss (P)](https://tl.net/tlpd/images/Picon_small.png)
The bigger surprise for CJ Entus was their trainee
![Protoss (P)](https://tl.net/tlpd/images/Picon_small.png)
![Protoss (P)](https://tl.net/tlpd/images/Picon_small.png)
⇧ Protoss: There was a Protoss in every single match on the first night of Code A, and not counting the PvP to start the night, they went 4 - 3 against their non-mirrored opponents. If this was Zerg we were talking about, I'd be throwing down the sell symbol, but you have to remember that any victory for Protoss in the GSL the last few months is a gigantic victory for the beleaguered race. Only having five players qualify for Code S this season, they need new blood to get into Code S for the upcoming Heart of the Swarm season, and the four players who advanced for Protoss on the night could be the ones fans are waiting for.
![Protoss (P)](https://tl.net/tlpd/images/Picon_small.png)
![Protoss (P)](https://tl.net/tlpd/images/Picon_small.png)
![Zerg (Z)](https://tl.net/tlpd/images/Zicon_small.png)
![Terran (T)](https://tl.net/tlpd/images/Ticon_small.png)
![Protoss (P)](https://tl.net/tlpd/images/Picon_small.png)
Instead of being pressured or intimidated by his new role, Avenge has stepped up in a big way, breaking through the qualifiers into Code A and taking out
![Terran (T)](https://tl.net/tlpd/images/Ticon_small.png)
⇔ Huk: Following
![Protoss (P)](https://tl.net/tlpd/images/Picon_small.png)
![Zerg (Z)](https://tl.net/tlpd/images/Zicon_small.png)
The most impressive thing about Huk's run this tournament was that he was in a quarterfinals of Code S in 2011. We've seen foreigners have short lengths of success in Code S like Jinro or Naniwa, but we've never seen a foreigner be able to get into Code S during two radically different time periods. So while it would be easy to sit here, say Huk did no better than I expected, and say he should go to League of Legends, I won't. He's still one of the best foreign Protoss in the world, and he is still a factor in any foreign tournament he enters.
⇩ Baby: I have to sell stock on at least one player on the night, so I'm going with
![Terran (T)](https://tl.net/tlpd/images/Ticon_small.png)
4 - 13 in his last seventeen games, Baby is on a heavy downturn. Team 8 is still thriving under the leadership and skills of their captain Jaehoon, but Baby hasn't been able to keep his role as ace with Jaehoon and Cure playing better throughout the season. Avenge had no problem being brutally honest about that fact in his winner interview, saying he thought Cure (who he had faced in the Code A prelims) was a better player than BaBy.
BaBy has the skill to turn things around, and he showed how good he can be when rolling over a very tough competitor Symbol in the previous Code A. But this is not the best time to be investing your esports dollars into BaBy. Jaehoon, on the other hand, might be the next bonjwa of Starcraft, so feel free to buy without heed.
Code A Ro48: Day 2 Preview
Afternoon Matches - 04:10 GMT (+00:00)
![Protoss (P)](https://tl.net/tlpd/images/Picon_small.png)
![Terran (T)](https://tl.net/tlpd/images/Ticon_small.png)
The first match of day two features the virtually unknown Labyrinth, who has perhaps already created a base of anti-fans that will stick around for a long time. His road to Code A included wins over Whale, TurN, Sparta and – most notably – his teammate Bisu.
Although the players he beat to get to this point are decidedly decent, they don't nearly match up to Labyrinth's opponent – LG-IM's First. Since switching to Starcraft II in early 2012, First has evolved to become quite a force both online and offline, grabbing two high placings at MLG tournaments and a championship at IEM Katowice over TvP expert MVP.Dream.
This match appears to be the most clear-cut of all the matches in Day 2. First has very strong PvT, certainly among the best in the match-up. Labyrinth gets bonus points for making it through the Prelims as a complete unknown, but this match should be quite one-sided.
First 2 - 0 Labyrinth
![Terran (T)](https://tl.net/tlpd/images/Ticon_small.png)
![Zerg (Z)](https://tl.net/tlpd/images/Zicon_small.png)
The last few days have been tough for the Ultimate Weapon, losing two ace matches in Proleague and taking losses to players he was considered favored against.
His Code A opponent, Sola (AKA Bbatta), has very little relevant information to go on while judging his abilities. On one hand, he took out Stephano in Proleague and managed to get through the prelims while many KeSPA A-teamers didn't. On the other hand, he has no recorded games against Terran which makes gauging his form in the match-up very difficult.
Flash always has a horde of fans hyping his every move and making excuses for his every loss, but with the games he has shown against Zerg overall – not just in his recent rough patch – makes him the favorite in this match. However, given how little we know about Sola's ZvT, there is always the very small possibility that the Samsung Zerg, no doubt learning from RorO, breaks out as a surprise and knocks another favorite out. Flash has certainly shown some weakness recently, and if Sola properly exploits his predictability, he may stand a chance.
Flash 2 - 0 Sola
![Terran (T)](https://tl.net/tlpd/images/Ticon_small.png)
![Terran (T)](https://tl.net/tlpd/images/Ticon_small.png)
Dream vs. Maru is an intriguing match-up. When Maru was supposed to attend IEM Katowice but couldn't because of his age, Dream (who is not even a calendar year older) took his place. Of course, Dream went on a tear and took down a string of good players to end up in second place, losing to First in the finals. I still can't help but feel that the Prime Terran missed out on his chance for a true breakout in Katowice, after failing to live up to his significant hype early last year.
But, with Dream taking his place in Poland, Maru had no choice but to stay in Korea and watch as his replacement tore through one great player after another. This sets the stage for quite the grudge match between the two, with Maru wanting to show that he was the guy that was supposed to tear up Katowice, not Dream.
With Dream having a very poor TvT record historically, and Maru having great TvT practice partners in MKP and ByuN, it looks like the Prime Terran is the favorite. However, he will have to watch out – Dream will replace him in every sense if he should slip.
Maru 2 - 1 Dream
![Terran (T)](https://tl.net/tlpd/images/Ticon_small.png)
![Protoss (P)](https://tl.net/tlpd/images/Picon_small.png)
Killer is back in the GSL after taking on the role of the wise old veteran on MVP, receiving praise from just about every MVP player for giving good advice, keeping the team motivated, and generally being a great teammate. But Killer explicitly rejected the notion of a full switch to coach in his qualifier interviews, and he fully intends to kill people until he gets back into Code S. His opponent would not be Happy at all if this came to pass, and so he intends to stop Killer before he gets even close to his goal.
It is undeniable that Happy is quite a forgettable player, receiving little attention despite being quite solid. He was the only Terran before Mvp to beat Rain in Code S Season 4 – a very significant feat, but somehow this was quickly forgotten. In general, everything Happy does is quickly forgotten as everyone has their eyes fixed on his teammates Mvp and Nestea. With all three currently in Code A, Happy now has a chance to finally, just maybe, make a name for himself (though don't count on it - he's been overshadowed in similar situations before).
Killer isn't a bad player at all and has every chance to improve further, but right now their recent TvP stats speak for themselves – Happy is 7-3 while Killer is sitting at 3-7. Happy may be unremarkable, but he is very solid and thus a favorite going into this match.
Happy 2 - 0 Killer
Evening Matches - 09:10 GMT (+00:00)
![Terran (T)](https://tl.net/tlpd/images/Ticon_small.png)
![Zerg (Z)](https://tl.net/tlpd/images/Zicon_small.png)
Both good players, Byun and Revival have had suffered from poor records in their recent TvZ games. Although Byun played decently in Code S, he took several losses to Zergs in his Up/Down groups, only managing to beat Jaedong out of the four Zergs he ran into. Revival, on the other hand, has been a little bit more convincing in the match-up, most notably pulling a miracle comeback against Light in Proleague. Still, neither player has been terribly convincing recently, meaning that the series could go either way depending on which player is in better shape tonight.
Byun has shown us that when he's comfortable and confident, he's a force to be reckoned with – but when he isn't he, much like his teammate Marineking, tends to choke horribly. Revival has been playing quite a bit in Proleague and has shown that he can handle himself better under pressure than Byun can, though neither is an ice cold killer. This in combination with his slightly superior recent record makes Revival the favorite in this series by a small margin, but a confident Byun could easily bring out the upsets.
Revival 2 - 1 Byun
![Terran (T)](https://tl.net/tlpd/images/Ticon_small.png)
![Protoss (P)](https://tl.net/tlpd/images/Picon_small.png)
The Ro48-rematch from last season features Center vs. The fallen GSL champion Seed. The LG-IM Protoss' tale of decline has been repeated so many times that I won't go on about it at length, and it will suffice to say that Seed has a lot hanging on this match. Although he managed to claw his way back to Code A from the Prelims, Seed still has a long way to go before he proves that his Code S championship was no fluke.
As for Center, all he needs to do is win. He was the superior player out of the two last season when he knocked Seed out, and he hasn't gotten any worse. He went to the Up/Downs, played well, and was just barely eliminated in the wild card games. If Code S had 33 players, Center would be in. As such, it's Seed who will decide this match. In his Code A interview he explained how he had realized that he needed to work harder than he did after he followed up his championship with an "elimination at the speed of light."
This series will come down to whether or not Seed was actually serious about that. If he has practiced and prepared properly. If he is back in shape.
There are many ifs in this series, but if Seed brings his A-game, Center should not stand a chance even on a good day. But a mediocre, disinterested Seed is at serious risk of getting rolled and banished to Code B once more. With how Seed looked when he was eliminated last season, I'm not convinced he's back yet.
Center 2 - 1 Seed
![Zerg (Z)](https://tl.net/tlpd/images/Zicon_small.png)
![Zerg (Z)](https://tl.net/tlpd/images/Zicon_small.png)
LG-IM has an eye for talent, that much is clear. After being recruited about two months ago, Byul has already had a temporary stay in Code S – crediting Nestea and First for clever builds that got him there. Against his opponent Effort, he might need more great builds. Effort's best match-up ZvZ currently sits at 70% with a string of good performances in Proleague,
Unfortunately for Byul, ZvZ happens to be his weak spot. Although he isn't terrible in the matchup, he has more losses than wins in the match-up, and against someone like Effort who seems to thrive in the mirror match-up, this is really bad news for the LG-IM recruit.
One factor that we must consider with this match-up is Nestea. The three-time GSL champion went out in somewhat embarrassing fashion in Code S, but he seems to have a never-ending supply of intelligent strategies and clever builds. Although Effort is favored in this series, there is no telling what the two LG-IM Zergs have come up with in the teamhouse.
Effort 2 - 1 Byul
![Terran (T)](https://tl.net/tlpd/images/Ticon_small.png)
![Zerg (Z)](https://tl.net/tlpd/images/Zicon_small.png)
There is always something strange about seeing Mvp fighting for his life in Code A. The winner of the second Nestea award does not belong in Code A, and he will no doubt fight tooth and nail to prove that. His opponent, soO, is perhaps exactly what Mvp could have asked for. To say that soO hasn't performed up to expectations in Proleague would perhaps be somewhat of an understatement, as he is taking loss upon loss in in bewildering fashion.
In fairness, soO's best match-up this season has been ZvT where he is currently 3-3, but his wins have not been particularly impressive (beating Thorzain and Last and going 1-1 against Innovation). Mvp did not play the best games of his career in Code S either, but an Mvp with preparation is always a (relatively) good Mvp and a serious threat to any player, especially one with mostly mediocre performances recently. So unless soO immediately shapes up and brings some of the preparation that KeSPA teams are always credited for, I don't think the SKT Zerg stands much of a chance here.
Mvp 2 - 0 soO