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Power Rank as of 11/01/2009
| Rank |
Player |
Prev |
High |
Description |
| 1. |
Flash
(T) (stats) |
+4 |
1 |
Lee Young Ho has been at top form lately, going 10 - 0 in October and sweeping through both his MST and OSL groups. Of course, he's also led KT in stellar Proleague R1 opener and while hero is the only really big name he toppled, it's difficult to argue with stats like that. Having gone through some off time due to KT not making the PL playoffs last season, Flash used October to show that the rest has done him good and that he's back with a better TvZ than ever before. |
| 2. |
Jaedong
(Z) (stats) |
-1 |
1 |
For once, I predict there will be a ruckus about how high Jaedong is on the PR. The truth is, The Tyrant was clearly not at his best in October. Dropping ZvZs to Zero, Hyuk and 815, he looked pretty bad. Having said that, no one except Flash looked really good this month either, and while going 2 - 3 will drop him down one slot to make way for the marauding KT Terran, it's not going to make him drop to Calm. Of course, he's going to have to seriously pull his weight in November if he wants to stay in the top three for long. |
| 3. |
Inter.Calm
(Z) (stats) |
-1 |
2 |
Dear Calm, I really wanted to put you higher this month. I mean seriously, your play against Backho was amazing, and truth be told you have been on a monster streak lately. To say I was pushing for you for #1 this month would be an understatement. I was positively giddy with excitement after your OSL group and to be fair, you are 9 - 2 this month, and in second place for PL wins. The problem is obviously not in your wins then, but in how you won some of those games. Your ZvP, it needs some fine tuning, as the game you almost lost vs Sangho showed. Dude, I really, really, really want to put you at #1, and I'm confident that in this next month I'll be able to. Please do it. DO IT. Your fan, riptide. |
| 4. |
Stork[gm]
(P) (stats) |
+3 |
1 |
The Fall or not and map imbalances aside, Dinotoss is here dishing out the dirt. Going 5 - 1 this month and crushing both his individual league groups, Stork is looking good once again. Call him neo-Yellow, the silversmith, call him what you like, but it's hard to argue with a Protoss who is just so consistent. While I don't rule out the possibility of him failing in a final, if he continues to play the way he has this month, the road to one is most definitely open for the KHAN player. |
| 5. |
Bisu
(P) (stats) |
-2 |
1 |
He lost to Shine, yes, and yes, it was bad. Yet, despite his OSL failings, he has been pulling SK Telecom 1 along like always, going 4 - 0 in Proleague with a PvP that is looking positively stunning. As much as anti-fans would be delighted with me dropping him further down the list, the fact remains that Bisu would need to lose a lot more to give up #5. Along with Stork, he is currently at the top of the Protoss hierarchy, and one bo3 loss isn't going to change that. |
| 6. |
Fantasy
(T) (stats) |
-2 |
2 |
Fantasy started off the month with a really bad game against Stats on Destination. I'd like to say his form improved thereafter, but truth be told it didn't, and his two position drop is clearly indicative of this. With that said however, Fantasy is still 3 - 1 in Proleague, and due to his OSL seed hasn't got a chance to play any games there. His MST loss, though disappointing, is not enough to push him down further than this. Like Jaedong however, his position on the PR is pretty precarious as we head into what is likely to be an action packed November. |
| 7. |
Effort
(Z) (stats) |
+2 |
1 |
If anything, this entry is going to be the cause of a tempest in a teacup. Effort above Hyuk, but he beat him, amirite? Well, it doesn't work that way.While both Zerg players are looking very strong at the moment, Hyuk needs more all round form before he can climb higher on the rank, especially against the names that grace the top half of this list. Effort on the other hand has been consistent on all fronts for some time now, and crawls up one spot from last time due to getting more play time. As we head into November, the CJ Zerg certainly has the opportunity to make up for the brief vacation he had as a result of his team dropping out of the PL playoffs, and if he continues to show his current form in the month to come, the top half of the next PR may well be his for the taking. |
| 8. |
Shine[Kal]
(Z) (stats) |
- |
8 |
Broodwar is full of unlikely heroes, and out of them, Shine is perhaps the unlikeliest. Yet, from eliminating none other than Kim Taek Yong from the OSL earlier in the month, to the awesome game vs Violet on Destination later on, the Wemade Zerg has been raising eyebrows up and down the proscene. Queens and ensnare aside though, if he continues to pull his weight in PL and rip through the individual leagues as he did in October, he will climb at least a couple of notches in the months to come. At the moment he sits below Effort purely because has yet to establish himself as a big name sniper. I enjoy his play immensely, and as much as I'd like to push him up further than this, knocking Bisu out in a bo3 isn't enough to give him an edge over Effort right now. |
| 9. |
HyuK
(Z) (stats) |
- |
9 |
Sniping Jaedong, Effort and Stork and snagging wins over Hoejja and Kwanro as well, Hyuk has been on the rampage this October. However, the PR has never been kind to flashes in the pan, and this SKT Zerg is going to need to hold it together for longer if he wants to take positions against the big names that sit here above him. In particular, his ZvT needs to be established as worthy of a PR-ranked player, and at present, it simply isn't, as his disastrous loss to Sea showed. Though he definitely has the potential to be a future top 3 contender if he continues his present form, Hyuk is going no higher than #9 in October. Also, before you begin to scream about Shine being above him, ask yourself this question - who is the more well rounded player at the moment? It's a no brainer. |
| 10. |
Kal
(P) (stats) |
- |
4 |
What's the deal with Kal? You hear about him for a while, then he goes on hiatus and returns to rock the leagues here and there again. It's weird, but he's back this season for sure. Going 5 - 2 in October, with one of those losses being to Jaedong, he moved through his MST group with ease, and was Calm's right hand in PL to boot, netting 3 - 2, STX's second highest win/loss ratio so far. While Movie has looked equally good in the individual leagues, the STX player's Proleague run easily gives him the edge, especially seeing how his CJ counterpart is 1 - 3, a near reverse of his own stats. |
Comments (304)
Power Rank as of 10/01/2009
| Rank |
Player |
Prev |
High |
Description |
| 1. |
Jaedong
(Z) (stats) |
0 |
1 |
September was not a good month for the Power Rank. Firstly, virtually no games were played, and the games that did go down were of hardly any consequence. Therefore, with nothing for or against Jaedong this September, The Tyrant heads up this list for the 4th consecutive month. Before anyone asks, no, his loss to Bisu in Allstars is not going to nudge him down enough to drop a spot. LJD is the current OSL champion, and it's going to take more than a loss in a showmatch to dislodge him from the pinnacle of Starcraft. |
| 2. |
Inter.Calm
(Z) (stats) |
+1 |
2 |
The reigning MSL champion, this STX Zerg moves up a spot this September not so much for anything he did. Yet, with Fantasy dropping down the rank due to an overall dip in his standard of play, Calm steps up to take what is rightfully his. Going 2-0 in UPC in the only two games he played this month, he showed us that he is still very much at the top of his game, and there is absolutely no reason to push him further down than this. Finishing August with a MSL victory, Inter.Calm sits pretty at #2 this September, and with good reason too. |
| 3. |
Bisu
(P) (stats) |
+1 |
1 |
I'm telling ya, The Revolutionist was hard to peg this month. Succumbing to the power of assonance and losing two games to Zero and Hero, SKT T1's powerhouse came back with a flawlessly executed, and as we're told slightly modified build that threw the greatest Zerg in the world off his game. If he had done that in a game that anyone really cared about, he'd be moving up this rank at least a little further. As it stands though, it was just an Allstars showdown, and a victory there, albeit a good one, can only be weighed so much. Though Bisu played really well in WCG last month, he doesn't move up a notch here because he did so in September - he's here at #3 because Fantasy's play that was dropping towards the end of August continued on its downward path in September. |
| 4. |
Fantasy
(T) (stats) |
-2 |
2 |
As I just mentioned above, the end of August was not kind to this Terran, and September, as it turns out was no better. With no real games being played this month though, Jung Myung Hoon manages to drop down just two notches and balance precariously at #4. Though his Protoss compatriot didn't have such a hot month either, Bisu's play was at least marginally above him during the last thirty days, and let's not even argue about Calm - Fantasy drops down the rank this month because the PL finals are now a distant memory, and there hasn't been much going for our hero since then. |
| 5. |
Flash
(T) (stats) |
0 |
1 |
Although Flash lost to Sea earlier on this month, in the last week of September he salvaged the situation by nuking himself. Seriously though, the current GOM champion is more than deserving of a #5 spot, and not because of his really fun play against Savior in Allstars. If there were any games worth watching this month, Flash would most certainly have been at top form. Despite a WCG loss, and that to none less than Bisu, the Little Monster stomped through GOM in the last serious games he had, and there is no reason to believe that his form at present deserves anything less than #5. |
| 6. |
Iris[gm]
(T) (stats) |
0 |
2 |
The Berseker does not move this month, and understandably so - he played zero games. As CJ heads into R1 of Proleague though, you can be sure that he's going to have some heavy lifting to do. His individual league performance last season was solid, and even though he didn't walk away with any titles, making the Ro4 in both of them, and taking a fantastic five game series off Bisu in the process nets him a place on this PR as it did on the last. |
| 7. |
Stork[gm]
(P) (stats) |
+1 |
1 |
With results being a moot point this month, it's needless to say that play itself was weighed more heavily in this PR, and by that measure Stork certainly climbs a notch up. Although he did lose to Leta on Outsider in the first week of September, his jawdropping Goon-Shuttle micro in his Allstars encounter vs Fantasy is more than deserving of a slightly inflated rank. Beautifully executing a modified Bulldog build, Dinotoss completely neutralised the SKT T1 Terran's harassment heavy play and brought smiles to the faces of Protoss players everywhere. For leading Starcraft's R&D Department this month, Stork manages to move up a rank on which others have remained largely stationary. |
| 8. |
Kwanro[saM]
(Z) (stats) |
-1 |
7 |
Kwanro is the kind of Zerg you love to watch play. Uber aggressive, and always keeping his opponents guessing, when this pocket rocket delivers, he does so in style. Despite getting stomped by Calm in the MSL finals, the CJ Zerg made last month's PR, and he remains on this month's list, though moving a slot down thanks to a very solid looking Stork. |
| 9. |
Effort
(Z) (stats) |
+1 |
1 |
Like Iris, Effort has played no games this month. He moves up the rank by one then not by his doing, but via the undoing of Yarnc. Kim Jung Woo has not been at his best lately, and following his PL and WCG losses in August I wouldn't dare push him up further than this. The fact remains however that he doesn't deserve to go any lower either. In the recent past he led CJ through a good playoff run, and despite a disappointing performance in GOM wrestled 3rd place from July, and well, the truth is he's done nothing in September that negates any of that. Effort stays. |
| 10. |
YellOw[ArnC]
(Z) (stats) |
-1 |
7 |
So Yarnc did tear through his MST qualifier, but to be fair he did so beating the likes of Wrath, foru and ggaemo. Even if we were to weigh these games at all, his performance during the rest of September is average at best, with five losses in a row during eval and map testing games, and his one win coming courtesy of none other than failbathero. He drops down to ten this month, and at present it doesn't look at all like he'll be around the next time I write these up. |
Comments (446)
Power Rank as of 09/01/2009
| Rank |
Player |
Prev |
High |
Description |
| 1. |
Jaedong
(Z) (stats) |
0 |
1 |
If this PR was written after the first week of August, Lee Jaedong would certainly not be at the top of it. While beginning the month with two wins against his nemesis EffOrt, Jaedong also lost to Orion in the same semi final, and then went on to get stomped by a SKT led by frontman Fantasy in the Proleague Grand Finals, letting down his team, and as his fans would say, himself. From being up in his first game on day one, to dying to a well timed tech switch and tank push in the same and crumbling to a perfectly executed bunker rush in the ace match on day two, The Tyrant lost to Hyuk of all people in the process, and as darkness fell in Pusan on 8/8/9, appeared to be all but conquered.
Indeed, facing Calm in his MSL Semi Final just five days later, and going up against him in no less than his most proficient matchup, the OZ workhorse typed out sooner than anyone ever expected. For most players, a week like that would have meant only one thing, a beginning of a long, excruciatingly bad slump.
Why then is Lee Jaedong at PR #1 today? Because, sports fans, the kid came back the very next day, yes that's right, he came back just 24 hours later to completely obliterate the same Terran who had schooled him so thoroughly less than a week before. From a humbling 3 -1 against Calm, the OZ Zerg recovered well to reverse the scores and go 3 - 1 against Fantasy in the OSL Semi Final, thereby securing a back to back OSL Finals spot, an opportunity he would turn into a back to back OSL win, the first since Lim Yo Hwan himself, and as we all know thanks to the gushing of a million fanboys, the third Golden Mouse in Starcraft history. Indeed, his OSL feats quickly outshine everything else this month, and it must be said, far outweigh his disappointing WCG loss to Stork. As billions of babbling fans bicker and beg for the B word to be used, I'm just here to tactfully avoid that discussion but say that JD, having borne the brunt of many beatings, is now by and large back and ready to bashfully agree that the baton is still very much in his possession. |
| 2. |
Fantasy
(T) (stats) |
0 |
2 |
Jung Myung Hoon started off this month with a bang, and a big one at that. Thoroughly schooling the best player in the world in a game that would prove to be one of the most discussed and debated of the year, Fantasy went out against Jaedong on Outsider in the PL Grand Finals opener and despite some mistakes early on played smart and strong to finally overcome the swarm with a great timing push.
Of course, he didn't stop there. Rolling Hiya as expected, he built on his day one victory over his Zerg rival to deliver in the day two ace match what can only be described as a stellar performance. Showing strategy, timing and micro that has been described as Boxer-esque, the young T1 Terran went crazy on the crazy Zerg, and emerged from the booth carrying not only himself, but his entire team. Now, he did crumble less than a week later to go 1-3 against the same Zerg, and for this reason he does not get #1 this month. Losing 0-2 to Stork in WCG didn't help his cause either, though to put things in perspective the Protoss did also take out Jaedong just three days later.
When all is said and done though, it does take a lot of attitude to proxy rax the best Zerg in the world in the biggest game of your life. It also, however, takes skill, determination, and a lot of belief in yourself and your abilities. Call him the Hope of Terran, or a flash in the pan, call him what you like. The truth is that this kid gave us what is easily the best finals of this season, and in doing so also treated us to what was one of the best games of the year. We haven't seen this combination of panache, charisma and pure, unadulterated guts in a while, and for bringing it to our screens this August, Fantasy is #2. |
| 3. |
Inter.Calm
(Z) (stats) |
+1 |
2 |
This guy really should be at #2 this month, and if not for the Proleague finals, he would be. Netting his first inidividual title and destroying the king of ZvZ on his way there, August was certainly kinder to STX than July was.
Calm, a darkhorse on a darkhorse team, a player who led his outfit throughout Proleague R5 finally stepped up this month to deliver a series we would not soon forget. Playing against the highest ZvZ win ratio of all time, Kim Yoon Hwan played the series of his career. From perfect ling surrounds to beautiful mutalisk timing and scourge snipes, Calm matched Jaedong in terms of mechanics, and indeed, outsmarted him clearly in every game that he won. Jaedong is a believer that having superior hand-speed is the key to victory in ZvZ; Calm proved him dead wrong and used his mind to defeat him. If his tears after the game were indication, the STX Zerg had put a lot of thought and preparation into this game, and it paid off. He was for the first time about to enter the biggest of arenas, and indeed, do so in style.
If the series vs Jaedong helped Calm establish his ZvZ prowess once and for all, it was using the MSL Finals that Calm really rubbed it in. From defending a 5pool with ease in the first game, to performing some magnificent scourge snipes and ling harassment in the other three the STX Zerg showed that he was top dog, and a vicious one at that. For taking down the world's best ZvZ, and then going on to ezmode the MSL finals, Calm sits pretty at #3 this August. |
| 4. |
Bisu
(P) (stats) |
-1 |
1 |
Bisu slips out of the top three this PR for the first time in months, almost single-handedly brought down from a podium position by the Berserker himself. Granted, it's perhaps a little unfair to peg a month's performance on one series, but having trounced his Terran team mate in the same tournament, Kim Taek Yong certainly had the ability to prepare for a perfect PvT bo5. Indeed, one could almost say he delivered. Almost.
Play consistently the whole season and lead your team to the PL finals? Check. Miss the Proleague MVP title by one game? Check. Lose to Iris in a series in which he was the clear favourite? Yup that too.
Realistically, if not for his destruction of WCG Korea, and the dispatch of our #5 in the process, Bisu would be hard pressed to find a spot on this month's PR. Needless to say, if he had actually won one of the regular individual leagues, he'd be safely in the top three. He did however lay waste to the likes of Flash, Luxury and Stork in a KeSPA ranking seeded WCG, 2-0ing the last two in the process, and therefore secures his place right here at #4. |
| 5. |
Flash
(T) (stats) |
- |
1 |
It's been a rough few weeks for Flash. From KT's disappointing exit from the PL playoffs, to the many names they have gone through these past few weeks, Flash cant be happy that despite being the Proleague MVP along with Jaedong he had to sit around in the post season and just practice for GOM and WCG.
The practice time however obviously paid off. Flash is 8-4 in August, and his caps include the likes of Effort and Iris, the latter being defeated as he stepped up to take the his second individual league title. If KT had made the PL playoffs, both July and August could have been very different for the wonderkid. For what it's worth though, the Terran is back on the PR after slipping down to CBNC last time around, and that's certainly something. |
| 6. |
Iris[gm]
(T) (stats) |
+1 |
2 |
Yes, Kwanro beat Iris in MSL Semi, and yes, Flash beat Iris in the GOM finals. The fact of the matter is, however, that the CJ Terran has been playing some pretty decent Starcraft this month. He may have not bagged a title this time around, and I'm sure there are people who are sorry about that, but when all is said and done Byun Hyung Tae really did perform in August.
Called the Ro4 champion by some, it was truly a treat to see a remnant of the last era of Broodwar make it to the top again. Though his 3-2 loss to Kwanro would have brought back nasty flashbacks of DAUM 07 vs GGPlay, his fans no doubt hope that he will be back next season to avenge this loss and make amends.
In terms of titles, Iris is still very much a silver medalist. When it comes to play though, he is truly worthy of a PR spot this month, especially given his 3-2 against none other than Bisu, a series that has been called the best bo5 of the year, and included what by all accounts was simply a fantastic game on Byzantium 3. In fact, that series was good enough to overshadow embarrassing defeats to Kwanro and Flash, and puts Iris on the PR at #6 this month. |
| 7. |
Kwanro[saM]
(Z) (stats) |
- |
7 |
Kwanro is a crazy kid. Losing twice to Miracle in the PL Quarter Finals, it looked as if the Zerg was spending far too much time playing pokemon. Fortunately for him though, both those games were in July. Maybe the water supply at the CJ house changed at the end of the month, or maybe someone just hit b. Whatever it was though, Kwanro evolved, and tore through pretty much everything this month.
Destroying Zero in both the MSL and WCG, this pocket rocket went on to play the series of his life against his team mate Iris, and come back from 0-2 to take the Semi Final. It's worthwhile to note of course that though his comeback was certainly commendable, the bo5 itself was nowhere near the Bisu-Iris tell your grandkids about kind of Starcraft we were privileged enough to see in the previous round.
If he hadn't got stomped by Calm in the finals, he'd have certainly been a little higher in this PR, but the fact that he was says a lot about his current state of play. All in all though, August has been a good month for this little dude, and from nowhere he jumps onto the PR at #7. |
| 8. |
Stork[gm]
(P) (stats) |
- |
1 |
Makers of fine silverware rejoiced once again this August as dinotoss tore through the likes of Upmagic, Fantasy and Jaedong to get stopped short of a gold by his PvP nemesis. I don't know who got a smack down in the KHAN house that night, but some newbie was sore for weeks after.
YellOw jokes aside though, the KHAN frontman is back, and representing his country at that. While he hasn't played enough Starcraft this month to warrant him going any higher on the list, he sits well above the rest of the tail enders for taking down our #1 and #2 in two convincing bo3s.
Looking ahead, it's worthwhile to speculate that September could be an exciting month for Stork as we hear his Warlock is nearing Lvl 80, and the offseason is no doubt giving him plenty of time to raid with his guild. |
| 9. |
YellOw[ArnC]
(Z) (stats) |
-1 |
7 |
Modern Broodwar's tragic hero, the OSL finals was the perfect stage for him to display his fatal flaw - the inability to perform under pressure. He was of course playing against the best of the best, but it goes without saying that someone like Calm would have performed much better in the same situation.
Having said that, Yarnc is someone we instinctively want to root for. He's played long and hard for Sparkyz, and is certainly deserving of a title. As we all know though, in Broodwar you don't always get what you deserve. Though he trounced type-b 3-0 in a rather one-sided OSL Semi Final and then went on to beat Sea and Jangbi in WCG Korea, he fell once again in a ZvZ to none other than his twin, and for that loses any chance of going any higher in this PR. |
| 10. |
Effort
(Z) (stats) |
-5 |
1 |
The CJ Zerg didn't really put much of himself into playing these few weeks, and it shows. Beginning the month by letting his team down with dual losses to Jaedong, he did bounce back to take the GOM bronze medal in a convincing 3-1 of July.
With regards to his PR position though, it was his eventual loss to Flash in WCG that sealed the deal. It's been a while since the CJ Zerg has been below #5, but I'm sorry kids, a Blizzcon win isn't going to push him any further than this. |
Comments (247)
Power Rank as of 08/04/2009
| Rank |
Player |
Prev |
High |
Description |
| 1. |
Jaedong
(Z) (stats) |
0 |
1 |
The August Power Rank's number one slot is by far its easiest to award. In July Jaedong delivered yet another inhumanly strong monthly performance — he cruised past Kal 2-0 in the Avalon MSL's Ro16, topped Canata 3-2 in its Ro8 (after losing the 1set, as is his custom in BoX series), made me look foolish for even suggesting that Zero could challenge him in the OSL, and punched Hwaseung's ticket to Pusan for the 08-09 Proleague Grand Finals.
The Legend Killer's recent wins are brilliant enough to cast a positive light on even his 0-2 loss to Effort in the quarterfinals of GOM. Given Jaedong followed up his promise to "work on [his] weakness that is ZvP" with comfortable wins over Kal on July 11 and 16, his GOM exit on the 12th now looks more like evidence of intelligent practice priorities than some vulnerability in his ZvZ. Of course, Jaedong recovered to 2-0 Effort in the Proleague's semifinal — punishing Effort's favorite ZvZ opening with a 9-pool in the 2set of match 1 and then sending CJ home with a stunning display of simultaneous muta and ling micro in the super ace.
Now blatantly obvious: Proleague has usurped the OSL's position as StarCraft's most prestigious contest. The 08-09 PL's massive season and suitably epic new playoff format have garnered an unprecedented level of attention from from fans, media, sponsors, coaches, and players; the Power Rank ought follow suit. Individual league best-ofs can no longer be the litmus test for PR placement. Even ignoring his OSL and MSL victories but considering his loss in GOM, Jaedong deserves this rank's top spot for carrying Hwaseung with two crucial single-set wins on BW's new biggest stage. |
| 2. |
Fantasy
(T) (stats) |
0 |
2 |
SK Telecom T1's Grand Finals seed is obviously cushy for its players — who, without playoff games to prepare for, have been able to focus on beating the snot out of each other in the MSL and OSL — but somewhat problematic for power ranking. Proleague's absence from T1's schedule means Fantasy and Bisu have played just five games since July's rank, and two of those were against each other in the MSL Ro16. Bisu won both, but the match was hardly decisive — especially its 2set. Holding off and almost recovering from an un-scouted proxy 2-gate at his back door, Fantasy looked at least as impressive as KTY. Thus it's no surprise that in his post-1set interview Bisu confessed "I lost to [Fantasy] a lot in practice" and named Fantasy "greatest amongst Terrans".
What seals Fantasy's position in this rank are his July OSL games: a harass-crazy, group-clinching comeback vs. Stork on Outsider, and two seemingly effortless wins over Canata in the Ro8. Fantasy abused Canata's passivity with clever vulture and dropship play, advancing one step closer to a third consecutive OSL Finals appearance and scoring a well-deserved pat on the back from Coach Oov. |
| 3. |
Bisu
(P) (stats) |
0 |
1 |
Though Bisu is down 0-1 in the MSL quarterfinals after (quite foolishly) allowing Iris's 2-fac push to catch six dragoons deep in his natural, he is in a much less precarious position than Jaedong was against Canata. When the conclusion of his match with Iris finally rolls around on August 4, Bisu will be playing on almost two weeks' undisturbed practice time — a horrifying prospect for Berserker, given that KTY bested Fantasy just one day after his last OSL appearance. Bisu's win vs. Fantasy was a demonstration of his impeccable game sense ("rather than using a specific build I tried to adjust to the given situation") and easily convincing enough to maintain the the Power Rank's third slot. |
| 4. |
Inter.Calm
(Z) (stats) |
+3 |
2 |
Fans who tuned in to the conclusion of Effort's MSL Ro8 match expecting to see him mimic Jaedong's Day 2 comeback were sorely disappointed. Using smarter builds and sick micro, Calm won two sets in less than ten minutes of game time — completing his 3-0 sweep of Effort and thus making a strong case for his advancement up the Power Rank.
Including a wild 2-0 Ro16 victory over Forgg earlier in July, Calm's Avalon MSL record is now 7-0. Even considering this, however, ranking Calm above Effort would be untenable without a competent showing in PL playoffs — a standard that Calm just barely met over his four appearances in STX's first-round match vs. KHAN. Calm's two losses (uncharacteristically poor muta micro against Great in Match 1's ace and to Jangbi's +1 speedlot timing in the super ace) ended STX's season and kept him awake at night, but neither game would have been played had Calm also lost to FBH in the 4set of Match 1. Including an ultimately inconsequential, but fail-face inducing, win over Juni in Match 2, Calm's July PL record was 2-2: far inferior to Effort's, yet not quite inferior enough to justify placing him lower than Effort given the one-sidedness of their MSL series.
Inspired by Jaedong's example, Zerg-happy maps, and the return of ZvZ Starleague series, Korea's premier Zerg players are pushing advances in ZvZ tactics and micro that demand changes in our perception of the matchup's metagame. With Jaedong winning a greater portion of his ZvZs than any other player in any other matchup and S-class Zergs regularly overcoming what were once considered insurmountable build order disadvantages in ZvZ, "BO loss" has never been a less satisfying explanation for the outcome of a Zerg versus Zerg game. To discount Calm's defeat of Effort based on build order choices is to egregiously undervalue his perfect execution and superior tactics. Calm's post-1set thoughts on the conclusion of his match with Effort betray the skill involved in contemporary ZvZ BO choice: "I’ll have to prepare mindgames, and in doing so I will have to put a lot more thought into it. I will win by using a build that will be better than today’s". |
| 5. |
Effort
(Z) (stats) |
-1 |
1 |
On July 26 Effort devastated Samsung KHAN with one of the greatest single-player performances in Proleague history. His ace games against Great and Stork were a tour de force mind-blowing enough make me forget he also carried CJ past Hite with Match 2 wins over Type-b and Yarnc. But I think the most impressive moment in Effort's 3-0 day vs. KHAN, and the highlight of the PL playoffs thus far, was defending his 12-hatch from Great's 9-pool in the 3set. If you've seen it already, watch it again.
Whether by overpractice, overexcitement, or inexperience, this heroic PL performance also devastated Effort himself. Now, just nine days after he made a strong case for world's best player vs. KHAN, Effort is out of every league and twice victim to Jaedong's ZvZ. Ultimately July was a gut-wrenching, man-making month for Effort: 25 games (across all four leagues), one OSL Ro16 exit, one MSL quarterfinals loss, four ace games, and one third-place title later, he's moved just one slot in the Power Rank. "Roller coaster" is a vast understatement. |
| 6. |
Canata
(T) (stats) |
+2 |
6 |
Canata's Bacchus OSL 2009 and Avalon MSL runs are now fresh in their graves, but he nevertheless deserves to climb two spots in the PR. In the excitement of his MSL quarterfinal series against Jaedong — where Canata played well enough to put himself just one stupid mistake away from the upset of his career — you may have forgotten that Ko Inkyu began this month by qualifying for both the OSL Ro8 and MSL Ro8 (a feat matched only by JD and Zero). Actually, describing Canata's MSL Ro16 win over Piano as a "qualification" is a travesty; in truth it was a brutally one-sided dismantling that left the poor Woongjin Terran looking totally out of place.
This StarCraft season has easily been the best of Canata's career, but I wouldn't blame him for remembering it bitterly. Simultaneous series against Jaedong and Fantasy was an unfortunately painful way for it to end. |
| 7. |
Iris[gm]
(T) (stats) |
- |
2 |
Berserker went bonkers in July: Iris is 11-4 since last month's Power Rank and comfortably past Hwasin to the MSL quarterfinals, where he leads Bisu 1-0 after yet another successful 2-factory rush. Iris's "hard preparation" for his GOM quarterfinal meeting with Effort paid off in a 3-0 sweep, but to use this result as a basis for ranking him above his overworked Zerg teammate would be to punish Effort for being CJ's ace (especially unacceptable considering that, just hours before their GOM match, Effort proved himself manifestly worthy of the role).
Iris's Proleague playoff performance was uncharacteristically inconsistent — he went 1-1 against each team CJ faced — but not underwhelming. With CJ one loss away from a season-ending defeat to Samsung and his opponent Firebathero in total command of their set on Neo Harmony, Iris met his reputation as a cool veteran player. With a perfectly-timed switch to wraiths, he broke FBH's tank line and began a huge comeback that would set up Effort to close out the match. Clutch. |
| 8. |
YellOw[ArnC]
(Z) (stats) |
- |
7 |
Yellow[arnc]'s stock has skyrocketed since he won the OSL Ro16's group of death, and rightfully so. Fake Yellow's top-class ZvT and ZvZ have him looking like a legitimate title threat in this Protoss-less OSL, and served Hite well in their playoff match with CJ: Yarnc narrowly lost Match 2's ace (a thriller!) to Effort, but only after soundly beating both him and Kwanro in earlier games.
For evidence that Yarnc means business in the Bacchus 2009 OSL, look no further than the 1set of his quarterfinal match with Go.go. Yarnc claimed an easy win by scouting both Go.go's proxy 8-rax and proxy factory — an impressive demonstration of star sense, map savvy, and hours upon hours of practice. |
| 9. |
SkyHigh
(T) (stats) |
- |
7 |
Effort dominated headlines for his gutsy performance against Samsung, but Skyhigh was an equally important contributor to CJ's momentous playoff run. Were it not for both of his huge wins over Leta in the playoffs' first round, Entus and their (–_–) faces wouldn't have made it as far as the super ace vs. Hite — nevermind the quarterfinal match vs. KHAN (to say "I figured that if I beat [Leta] both times, the rest of the matches would go well" was an especially polite understatement). And while the rest of his team turned in disappointing results against Hwaseung, Skyhigh quietly went 2-0 with commanding victories over Lomo and Hiya. Skyhigh earns the nıne-spot as the 08-09 Proleague playoffs' (once-?) unsung hero. |
| 10. |
type-b[s.g]
(Z) (stats) |
- |
10 |
Type-b was solid in Hite's Proleague match with CJ — taking advantage of a sadly typical lapse in micro to overpower Savior and even holding his own against Effort — but it's his play against Leta's feared TvZ in the OSL Ro8 that necessitates his inclusion in this rank. In the 1set on Outsider Type-b dominated by keeping Leta's vessel count low and completely shutting down any drop attempts, and in the 3set he clinched the series with a well-executed, impromptu slow lurker drop. Now up against Yarnc in the OSL semis, Type-b will once again be a massive underdog — at least this is a position he's obviously comfortable playing from. |
Comments (707)
Power Rank as of 07/08/2009
| Rank |
Player |
Prev |
High |
Description |
| 1. |
Jaedong
(Z) (stats) |
+2 |
1 |
In his post-MSL Ro16 qualification interview, a very tired-looking Lee Jaedong lamented "My schedule has been so packed lately, it feels as though I'm playing a (broadcasted) match every day." Close: from June 22 to July 4 (13 days) JD played 10 games, or .77 games per day. He led Hwaseung to a sweep of KT, advanced to the GOM Ro8, climbed out of an 0-1 hole (as usual) to make the MSL Ro16, and earned a very comfortable lead in the OSL's group of death. Jaedong's opponents over this stretch — including Zero, Effort, Violet, Leta, Flash, and Stork — would make a pretty decent Power Rank. And he stomped all but one of them (Stork, who had the luxury of facing JD last).
In short, Jaedong just played a stupidly strong month of StarCraft. Neutralizing Flash's bunker rush while losing just one drone, holding Movie's zealot-archon aggression with the bare minimum in defenses, outmicroing Leta's feared 2port while building a fearsome economy — Jaedong did it all this month, and without even flinching from his ruthless game face. How can JD make such an impossibly tough schedule look so easy? I'm with Leta: "I sometimes watch [Jaedong's] games in total awe. I can think nothing but that he's amazing." |
| 2. |
Fantasy
(T) (stats) |
+6 |
2 |
Fantasy hasn't had a schedule near as tough as Jaedong's, but he's posted similar results: eight solid wins and one narrow loss since the June PR. Fantasy made short work of the Avalon MSL's group of death with two spectacular performances against Leta and Movie, and has command of the OSL's Group B after easy wins over BackHo and Type-b. As part of a string of PL victories that helped T1 nab first place from Hwaseung, Fantasy reinforced his immunity to cheese by making GuemChi's cannon rush into proxy robo Protoss's worst fail since Horang2's proxy everything in the 2009 MST.
I probably shouldn't come down so hard on GuemChi — trapping a proxying probe is actually a relatively painless way to escape a PvT vs. Fantasy. Iloveoov's prodigy just owns this matchup (he's 10-1 vs. Protoss this season), and rode it to three of his most compelling wins this month (against Kal, Movie, and Backho). Fantasy has recently taken his unparalleled mid-game TvP harassment to new levels with a curious combination of vulture and dropship play. By airlifting tanks in and out of enemy bases to support his vulture raids, Fantasy executes particularly deadly hit-and-run attacks without compromising his late-game tank count. This clever tactic (see it in action here, here, and here) is yet more evidence that Fantasy is StarCraft's premier strategist — hell, even his spider mines are crafty. |
| 3. |
Bisu
(P) (stats) |
-1 |
1 |
Kim Taekyong claims third in this rank by a tiny margin, and primarily because of his massively clutch MSL Ro16 qualification. Playing from 0-1 after failing a 4gate against JangBi in his Avalon debut, on June 25 Bisu edged Free and overwhelmed Jangbi with composure that defied both his opponents' skills and his dangerous proximity to yet another disappointing MSL Ro32 exit. Dismantlings of Leta (courtesy of a clever hidden pylon), Hwasin, and Snow are indication that Bisu has fully recovered from the three-game slide capped by his momentous loss to Yellow on June 20. |
| 4. |
Effort
(Z) (stats) |
-3 |
1 |
Although Effort is hanging on to his reputation as one of BW's hottest players, he has actually put up fairly mediocre results over the past month: five wins in eight games, and two of them over Guemchi and Cloud. His GOM Ro16-concluding series with Violet was supposed to be a defining showcase of high-level PvZ, but instead turned into a sloppy cheese-fest that only proved GOM is still last priority for top gamers (a fact confirmed by Violet in his interview with TL — KT's desperate push for the PL's last playoff spot limited his practice time to "a little bit the day of the [GOM] match" and thus prevented him from giving Effort a decent series).
Effort's immediate future holds two chances for him to finally prove himself against BW's elite: a potentially critical OSL Ro16 set versus Flash on Friday, and a GOM quarterfinal series with Jaedong next week. At least until then, he belongs just out of the Power Rank's top three. |
| 5. |
Flash
(T) (stats) |
-1 |
1 |
After watching Flash's two most recent games (the 3set and 5set of KT's must-win against STX yesterday) I'm almost disgusted to rank him fifth. Flash blew leads against both Calm and Kal in the same utterly pathetic fashion: by foregoing turrets. Flash's boneheadedness spoiled his birthday and dashed KT's playoff hopes, but it shouldn't eclipse his mind-blowing performance against Firebathero just six days earlier — a game Flash called "the greatest game I have ever played" and the only reason KT was still in the playoff hunt come their match with STX.
Flash proved his TvP is still S-class by outlasting (quite literally, in the epic 1set) Shuttle in the GOM Ro16, but the Ultimate Weapon's sloppy TvZ has him up against a wall in the OSL Ro16 — where he needs to beat Effort just to force a tiebreak (but is out if Jaedong throws his game vs. Yarnc...interesting). Flash fans: try to relax, Youngho's birthday is only once a year (I expect it'll be at least another 363 days before he plays as poorly as he did vs. STX). |
| 6. |
Leta
(T) (stats) |
-1 |
1 |
Over the past month Leta faced each of this rank's top three players, and thus had three opportunities to finally end his entrenchment in the PR's middle slots. Leta seized none: against Bisu, Fantasy, and Jaedong he lost straight up (but exciting!) encounters by a margin substantial enough to keep him out of this rank's top five. Despite his flair for flashy, micro-intense strategies, Leta suffers from a robotic stubbornness that is holding him back against anyone who can match his mechanics: by consistently facing StarCraft's S-class without specially-designed builds or clever tactics, Leta is playing under a unique self-imposed handicap. |
| 7. |
Inter.Calm
(Z) (stats) |
- |
2 |
With STX absolutely demolishing Round 5 of the 08-09 PL, it should be no surprise to see their most reliable contributor in this rank. Calm capped last month's PR period by riding two ingenious strategies to one of the MSL's cleanest Ro32 runs ever, and, his Ro16 berth already secure, spent the remainder of June and July racking up five more PL wins to pad his sixth-best 08-09 Proleague record. Calm's latest outing (vs. Flash) was rather pathetic, but his games against Mind and Upmagic are entertaining glimpses of that certain tenacity which characterizes every great Zerg player. |
| 8. |
Canata
(T) (stats) |
- |
6 |
Your eyes do not deceive you: after five years and 141 televised appearances as a professonal gamer, Canata has finally cracked his first Power Rank. As one of the most consistently mediocre BW players of all time — always good enough to make the MSL, never good enough to break past its Ro16 — Canata needed a particularly remarkable month to place himself on this rank. In June he delivered, destroying Savior twice to reach the MSL Ro16 and holding his own in OSL Group D. The Survivor King looked solid in wins over Kwanro and Anytime, but his hard-fought loss to Leta is by far the most significant item on his June résumé. If Canata plays by.hero like he played Leta, he'll find himself in elimination stages of both major individual leagues — and, perhaps, in an even more unlikely position on the August Power Rank. |
| 9. |
Kal
(P) (stats) |
- |
4 |
Like his teammate Calm, Kal executed an impressive MSL Ro32 run in early June and so spent the last month fueling STX's Proleague domination. Considering he's only played four games since the June PR, Kal's presence here is as much due to a lack of other suitable candidates as it is to his apparent emergence from an awful spring funk that included particularly ugly losses to Zero and Shine[kal].
Up against Jaedong in the MSL Ro16, Kal faces his most important test since their GOMTV MSL S4 Finals. Playing with plenty of practice and a dash of confidence, Kal has a legitimate shot at revitalizing his once-mighty PvZ to capitalize on JD's busy schedule and upset his way into the Avalon MSL's quarterfinals. |
| 10. |
Light[aLive]
(T) (stats) |
- |
3 |
Garbage June performances from Stork, Jangbi, and Violet mean that the Power Rank's 10-slot is once again open to the King of CBNC, Light[aLive]. Light belongs here not primarily for busting Jaedong's sunkens or even out-wraith-ing Leta, but for consistently turning in respectable Proleague results despite playing for the trainwreck that is MBCGame HERO. Light is now 8-2 in his last 10 — a mark that looks almost as out of place on MBC's statsheet as Tossgirl does in the StarCraft Heritage League. So, cheers to Light: the only reason FakeSteve can still be proud to wear his MBC hoodie. |
Comments (464)
Power Rank as of 06/12/2009
| Rank |
Player |
Prev |
High |
Description |
| 1. |
Effort
(Z) (stats) |
+5 |
1 |
Deliberation on the June Power Rank's number one spot should begin and end with this simple rhetorical: if Effort's performance over the past month isn't enough for PR #1, what is?
In case you haven't visited Brood War lately: Effort's record in the current SC season (PL R5, GOM S3, Avalon MSL, Bacchus OSL) is 25-3 — a ridiculous mark that is by far the best in progaming and amongst the most impressive hot streaks of all time. Since May's Power Rank, Effort has lost one game while reaching the Ro16 in all three Starleagues and averaging more than one win per CJ Entus Proleague match. Wait, what?
In the past month Effort has edged both of last season's most feared ZvZers, completed July's precipitous fall from OSL grace, and made everyone who picked a certain seven-point T1 player for their by.Fantasy Proleague team look pathetically uninformed. Though (unlike most other members of this rank) he's thus far avoided all four of the world's most-feared Terrans, satisfyingly straight-up wins over both Stork and Jaedong should be enough to convince even TL's most vicious skeptics that Effort is capable of destroying well-established members of StarCraft's elite. Given that he is dismantling every A-class player he faces with a perfect combination of surgical precision and Maestro-esque flair, Effort's eventual Starleague series opponents should desperately hope he's lying when he says "I think my games turn out better when I face top-class players". |
| 2. |
Bisu
(P) (stats) |
-1 |
1 |
HiyA, Jaedong, Stork, JangBi, and JangBi again is a week so hellish that I find it impossible to come down hard on Bisu for (perhaps foolishly) trying to 4-gate his way past JB from cross positions in the MSL last night. As for his four Proleague outings: though Bisu looked totally unprepared for unfavorable spawn positions on Shades of Twilight and displayed some uncharacteristically sloppy shuttle micro against JangBi, he pulled off just enough clutch play to manufacture two critical ace game wins. If watching Bisu struggle a bit on two days' practice versus KHAN makes you suspect KTY isn't sufficiently invincible for this rank, it's time for a reality check: Stork and JangBi are at very least the third- and fourth-best Protosses in the world. And if you're not convinced of the massive distance between Bisu and anyone outside of StarCraft's S-class, amuse yourself by watching him embarrass HiyA's "Dragon-slaying" PvT on Destination.
Bisu is playing well enough to turn a 30-second delay in spire timing into a one-sided victory over Lee Jaedong — in other words, easily well enough for this rank's number two spot. |
| 3. |
Jaedong
(Z) (stats) |
+1 |
1 |
Jaedong is the only man with a list of recently-defeated Proleague opponents to rival Bisu's, and fresh off reinforcing his entitlement to every Hwaseung ace game appearance with a sick macro-powered win over sKyHigh. The Legend Killer is fast running out of weaknesses; games since May 15 ought to eliminate Jaedong's (mech-induced) reputation as a player who has difficulty adapting to unorthodox play. Against both Leta (whose cowardly SCVs would rather hide inside bunkers than repair them) and jjonga in GOM, Jaedong flawlessly adjusted his play in response to early pressure on Heartbreak Ridge.
Is Jaedong's accidental spire cancel a major reason he's not immediately below Effort in this rank? Absolutely, and especially because it cost him a game to Bisu. Furthermore, anyone who refuses to judge Jaedong based on that mistake is committing an equally crucial one. JD had a chance to defeat his PvZ rival, hand T1 a crushing loss, and climb the Power Rank. He blew it. Jaedong's loss to Bisu is just a reminder that even to a god like JD, StarCraft is still a mouse-and-keyboard game. Several thousand proper clicks and keystrokes stand between me and a win over Bisu — for Jaedong, the tally may be just 1. |
| 4. |
Flash
(T) (stats) |
+4 |
1 |
If you haven't seen the 3set of KT-Hite (the best regular season Proleague match of all time?), a) you're either insane or too busy ogling at Liquipedia b) go watch it before reading another word here you may now continue reading. Looking on in awe as Flash desperately tried to hold on to his bases at 3 o'clock against Leta's much superior ground army, I thought "If Flash wins this game, it will be by sheer force of will". I don't think Flash's talent has ever been in doubt; what has been, at least in my mind, is his command of the Art of StarCraft — that certain elusive quality that separates Champions from robots. Flash's comeback against Leta was made of that stuff, and, if he can bring it with him to the Avalon MSL and Bacchus OSL S2, it may yield a second Starleague title. |
| 5. |
Leta
(T) (stats) |
0 |
1 |
I got a kick out of the KT-Hite crowdhacking episode not only for KeSPA's usual bumbling, but because Leta probably could have beaten Forgg blindfolded (à la Boxer). Instead of another shot at Flash (and his spot in this rank), Leta picked up his sixth win since last month's PR. However because his most notable win in this stretch was probably versus Calm (who Leta 2-port wraithed to death, in style), it's actually his two losses — to Flash and Jaedong — which are the best evidence he deserves to remain at number five. Considering how far back failure to repair that bunker set him against Jaedong, both of these games were extremely competitive and thus excellent expositions of Leta's skill. |
| 6. |
Violet
(P) (stats) |
- |
6 |
With only a few weeks of Proleague play, a handful of GOM matches, and three MSL games to consider, ordering the bottom half of this month's rank is tough. These players are each clearly a cut below the top five, but extremely difficult to differentiate.
Violet's 13-2 record this season is obvious indication he belongs somewhere in this rank, but his wicked play versus Luxury, Bisu, HyuN, and HoGiL is what makes him worthy of the 6-slot. Playing from 6:00 on Neo Medusa, the position KTY himself said "sucks" relative to "any [other] location", Violet outperformed Bisu in every way to take a hard-fought win and help keep T1 from their 9-2 goal for R4. This set remains the most convincing defeat of Bisu since Fantasy's 3-0 shocker almost three months ago. Games with Luxury, HyuN (especially), and HoGiL were wildly impressive PvZs which showcased Violet's solid game management. I'd love to give Violet another crack at this season's OSL and MSL offlines — with the way he's stepped up his game of late, is there any doubt he'd qualify? |
| 7. |
SkyHigh
(T) (stats) |
0 |
7 |
Skyhigh maintains his rank mostly because of how the players around him performed this month. While he remains a serious threat in the Avalon MSL (especially in a group with an aggregate skill level which proves at least 33 people misclicked when voting in the current poll) and continued his dominant play in GOM by sweeping both index and the somewhat over-hyped BaBy, losses to Really and Jaedong demonstrate that Skyhigh's game still needs polish before he will be an S-class BoX threat. Pursuing a FE despite a gas steal and zero scouting information is typical Skyhigh...typical Skyhigh lost to BackHo. |
| 8. |
Fantasy
(T) (stats) |
-6 |
2 |
Fantasy has had a disappointing month. He fell to Flash's superior micro early in the game that was supposed to make up for their WL Roshambo, and then went on to suggest Flash would've crushed him in a macro war anyway by playing a pretty uninspired game against Lomo. Fantasy's saving grace is his harass-driven PvT, which did exactly as a pet matchup should by giving him a much-needed win over JangBi last night. Because his strength is tactics, Fantasy shines in series play. I expect him to return to the Power Rank's top half once he battles through group stages in the OSL and MSL. |
| 9. |
Jangbi
(P) (stats) |
- |
1 |
JangBi began this PR period by riding his ever-impressive PvT to a solid win over Flash on Destination, but he's 1-4 in his last five — so what the hell is he doing here? Loss one was to some well-executed cheese from Fantasy PL phenomenon Much, and loss four to fast DTs from Kal (fair enough). Losses two and three are the reason JangBi is on this rank. He fell just a hair short of victories over both T1's titans, and was probably one poor attack at Bisu's choke from handing KTY his ninth loss on Medusa (in 29 games). JB's recent performances don't quite have that mechanical precision which characterized the early stages of his Lost Saga MSL run, but they're solid enough for #9. |
| 10. |
Stork[gm]
(P) (stats) |
- |
1 |
Stork has played just fifteen games since his 0-3 loss to JangBi in the Lost Saga MSL Ro8, and just five games since the last PR. Of those, he's won four — but two of those were against BackHo, who threw away his first reaver-laden shuttle, and free, who is throwing away all of his recent games. Because Stork's image as "a pretty damn good player who posted pretty damn good results last season" is shared by several players above and below him in this rank, his position basically comes down to two games: wins over Flash and Bisu. In both outings Stork did an excellent job at abusing map features to impressive victories — in particular, making Shades of Twilight's positional imbalances for PvP look as brutal as Katrina's.
However, to put it simply: over the last two months Stork has done nothing that JangBi couldn't. This is the reason JangBi was Coach January's choice for both of Samsung's recent ace games (a crucial point), and the reason Stork must be below JangBi in this rank. |
Comments (649)
Power Rank as of 05/15/2009
| Rank |
Player |
Prev |
High |
Description |
| 1. |
Bisu
(P) (stats) |
+2 |
1 |
Power Ranking in Starleague offseason is usually a messy affair. The absence of best-of series is perfect camouflage for boys amongst men and streaky flukes amongst legitimate contenders. Fortunately for me, Bisu exists.
Unlike other gamers in this rank, Bisu only needs eight Proleague and two MST games to firmly re-establish his position as StarCraft's main man and most legitimate contender. Since losing to Fantasy in the Batoo OSL Ro4 (a result which is looking more and more out of place in Bisu's recent match history), Bisu has gone 9-1 while cracking the Avalon MSL and leading SK Telecom T1 to PL R4's best record. "On another level" isn't really sufficient to explain Bisu's dominance over these 10 sets. He's climbed out of massive holes to beat Light and BackHo, comfortably cheesed his way past Leta for his 40th PL win, and utterly embarrassed Calm, Zero, and Effort.
Yeah, have you watched a Bisu PvZ lately? The guy is making this matchup look so cut and dry that OGN has started bribing him into cute tricks like attacking his own zealots, just to maintain a minimum entertainment level for non-Bisu fans. Slaying Zergs is what Kim Taekyong does, and a skill that will take him far in today's Zerg-friendly map pool — but Bisu's other matchups are looking beyond monstrous as well. How to survive this juggernaut? In his most recent interview, Bisu says: "practice longer than me, have faster hands, and understand Protoss well". You wouldn't suspect it given the confidence pervading his in- and post-game statements, but Bisu is trying hard to seem humble. A more accurate answer would have been "you just can't", and he knows it. |
| 2. |
Fantasy
(T) (stats) |
+2 |
2 |
Fantasy 2-0d his MST group (he's apparently immune to cheese) and he's 5-2 in R4 of PL including that ridiculous win over Jaedong on Heartbreak Ridge...blah blah blah we all know Fantasy is a monster. Instead of harping on his beastliness, I'm going to use this space to dispel some myths about Fantasy with this simple truth: Fantasy's strongest matchup is and always has been Terran versus Protoss.
Fantasy has always been most confident in his TvP — and with good reason. From the beginning of his Proleague career with T1, when his coaches sent him out on Protoss-friendly maps Katrina, Andromeda, and Colosseum, right through to his lip-smacking-good whomping of Movie last night, Fantasy's vs. Protoss play has been just a cut above his other matchups. As he said in his post-match interview two days ago, "Whether it is practice or live, I am always calm when I play against Protoss. I don't really feel as though I will lose. It's just easy."
That Fantasy's forte is clearly TvP — even given his revolutionary TvZ and his much-touted TvT — is strong support for Fantasy as the world's most formidable Terran all-arounder. |
| 3. |
ZerO
(Z) (stats) |
- |
3 |
It's official: for the first time since December 2007, Jaedong is not the Power Rank's highest-ranked Zerg (holy crap, December 2007). Why?
Have you visited Zero's TLPD page lately? Things are beginning to look a bit crazy in there. Aside from 4-0ing his OSL group with infested Terrans for style, over the past month Zero has unleashed a ferocious beatdown on his fellow Zergs to prove that his Lost Saga MSL practice hours have made him a premier ZvZ player to rival even the Legend Killer. Zero's position over Jaedong may be short-lived, but he's earned it: 12-2 since the last PR (losses to Bisu and Leta), rock-solid ZvZ and ZvP play, and a dash of un-before seen confidence could mean Zero is setting up to have a field day with this Starleague season's Zerg-heavy field. |
| 4. |
Jaedong
(Z) (stats) |
-3 |
1 |
Jaedong's teammates at Hwaseung aren't helping his image much — they'll highlight each of his losses by throwing the match instead of bailing him out. Image issues aside, all it takes is a few VODs of Jaedong's recent games to conclude he has actually slipped a bit since his brilliant Batoo OSL victory. JD just seems to be pushing his favorite strategies too hard and playing far too riskily for his skill level (nowhere was this more apparent than in his PL loss to Fantasy). However, I don't think Jaedong fans should be too worried: the Starleague offseason is an ideal time for a reality check (and as I wrote this bit, JD emerged from the loser's game of his MST group to qualify, 2-1). |
| 5. |
Leta
(T) (stats) |
- |
1 |
With Yarnc channeling his brother's sucktasticness in Proleague, Leta has enjoyed a smooth return to his role as Hite's undisputed ace. He's had perhaps the toughest April-May schedule of any player in this rank, yet emerged with nine wins and a fearsome new level of two-port wraith which has Zergs everywhere squirming uncomfortably. Leta makes this immensely fragile build look nigh-invulnerable — impressive, even for a player who's seeded into the MSL Ro32 and just qualified for the OSL Ro16. |
| 6. |
Effort
(Z) (stats) |
- |
1 |
CJ fans rejoice: Effort is ready to assume Savior's mantle. Since his rather pathetic loss to Jaedong in WL Finals, Effort has been on a tear that's landed him amongst R4's top performers, a slot in the Avalon MSL's Ro32, and an upcoming OSL Ro36 appearance. With a few more legitimate opponents in his last month's schedule or a better performance against Bisu on Heartbreak Ridge two days ago, I might consider Effort above even Jaedong — but as it stands, MJY's prodigy will have to prove his mettle in Starleague play before he can vault further up the Power Rank. |
| 7. |
SkyHigh
(T) (stats) |
+2 |
7 |
Skyhigh is raw talent run amok, on an unprecedented scale. To understand what I mean, you need only watch three of his recent games: vs. BeSt2 on May 13, vs. Yarnc on May 2, and vs. Flash on April 16 (they're all good, promise). On one hand, Skyhigh is toying — toying — with the game's biggest names. On the other, he's making outrageous mistakes: consistently losing tanks unnecessarily to Flash (and smirking it off), figuring "ahh, screw anti-air" against a Zerg with mutas spawning.
Despite a boldness bordering on recklessness, Skyhigh has put up massive results over the past month. He's comfortably through to the Avalon MSL, alive in GOM, and propelling CJ in PL (filling Iris's shoes somewhat). Beware: Skyhigh is about to shake up the Avalon MSL. |
| 8. |
Flash
(T) (stats) |
-1 |
1 |
The KTF MagicNs are a sinking ship in Proleague, but, like any captain who isn't a dumbass epic-movie hero, Flash is not about to go down with them. He's 5-3 thus far in R4, but each of his losses should be attributed to immaculate play from his opponent (Effort, Hiya, and Battle Royal OversKy). Although an abysmal record versus his S-classmates has lost Flash much of his Ultimate Weapon luster, he remains one of the game's most reliable, mechanically sound, and consistent players. |
| 9. |
KeSPA
() |
- |
9 |
Considering his impressive OSL qualification run — including a clean, macro-powered 2-0 win over Iris — and ACE's recent Proleague success, I was strongly considering GoRush for this slot. However, GoRush's sloppy OSL Ro36 performance left him victim to a far more powerful force within the Korean StarCraft scene — a force now so formidable it is unquestionably more deserving of an appearance in this Power Rank. Yes, KeSPA.
The Korean eSports Players Association has been simply dominant over the last month — claiming more games (4) since April 16 than either Lost Saga MSL finalist Luxury (3) or JangBi (2). After kicking off its remarkable April-May run with a brutal destruction of RuBy in MST play, KeSPA solidified its position as one of BW's rising stars by upsetting Leta in the 2set of April 28th's STX-Hite match — a game that played a crucial role in STX's eventual victory. KeSPA's 2-0 dismantling of GoRush in the OSL Ro36, the latest in its undefeated streak, only demonstrated what astute SC fans have known for some time now: KeSPA is a veritable menace, tearing through professional BW and leaving distraught (but powerless) gamers and outraged fanboys in its wake. If KeSPA keeps up this frantic pace, it will easily claim a top 30 position in its own June rank. |
| 10. |
Thezerg
(Z) (stats) |
- |
10 |
A truism that's even truer in between Starleagues: the PR's tenth slot is damn hard to fill. Especially this month, I feel the world's top nine BW players are a hefty cut above the rest. That's why I decided to use this spot to throw a bone to the guy I think is far and away the PL R4's most improved player, and a key contributor to its top team. Yay, it's Thezerg!
Thezerg reminds me of Kramer's horse — he loves the slop. Thezerg's play has been far from pretty, but it's produced results: 5-1 in PL (with wins over Hiya and Jangbi, before we figured out he's awful now) and a very respectable OSL Ro36 appearance. Enjoy your month in the sun Thezerg, and kudos for proving T1 is aware there are more than two races in StarCraft. |
Comments (946)
Power Rank as of 04/10/2009
| Rank |
Player |
Prev |
High |
Description |
| 1. |
Jaedong
(Z) (stats) |
+1 |
1 |
Bisu who? We all knew this was coming, there is no need for debate.
Ladies and gentlemen, if you want to name ANYONE "Bonjwa" in these chaotic times, this is the ticket. Jaedong has no weak matchups. Jaedong is 80% in his mirror matchup. Jaedong is the beginning and end of every criteria Zerg is currently measured by. The fact that he just won an OSL is small potatoes in comparison to actually watching his games. What a fucking MONSTER. I wouldn't call him the best at all three Zerg matchups, though, because the best ZvP player on earth right now is someone else. Read on~ |
| 2. |
Luxury[GsP]
(Z) (stats) |
+2 |
2 |
YES, LUXURY IS NUMBER TWO. This guy right here is the best ZvP player on earth, a title held by Jaedong for the last year and a half. Luxury's reformed ZvP is smarter, more aggressive, and more effective than Jaedong's, and with comparable-sometimes-better mutalisk control, his other matchups ain't too shabby either.
Besides a shaky Luxury in ProLeague, which we are all accustomed to by now - it's no secret that Luxury plays like ass every other week for long stretches - where has Luxury been anything but S-class? His series against Leta seemed to be a Zerg trying as hard as he can to lose, but then staging a disgusting comeback out of NOWHERE in the three games he won. The level of play involved in his victories in that series was unreal, and his complete dismantling of Jangbi was more of the same.
It looks wierd having two Zerg players in the top two, but you Zerg players can start smiling and doing whatever it is you do when you're happy. There are two kings right now, and they are both Zerg. Stand up, hats off, give some credit to a guy playing some beautiful StarCraft. |
| 3. |
Bisu
(P) (stats) |
-2 |
1 |
Let me say one thing before I get started on this: I am a huge, huge, huge, HUGE Fantasy fan. Bisu, I could take or leave. So I don't want to see anyone bitching in the comments about "bias" this or "fanboy" that.
Now, Bisu is above Fantasy for two reasons. The first should be obvious - Bisu's average game has been astounding lately, whereas Fantasy has only excelled in series where he has a lot of time to prepare.
Second, let's have a look at Bisu vs Fantasy from the OSL Semifinal. Now, this was a 3-0 drubbing of the highest order. Usually, this would be a strong indicator of who is better. In this specific instance, that's not the case. It shows that Bisu vastly underestimated Fantasy, and shows that his preparation went in completely the wrong direction. That's bad, but given Bisu's long history of success, we KNOW this is not the norm, and we KNOW this is not going to happen so simply again.
Fantasy's abilities lie in his excellent preparation, and his exceedingly flexible, air-tight TvP style. This was not a series that would be won 3-2, and if Fantasy was anywhere as good as he is now during the last OSL final, Stork would be taking as many sleeping pills as he could just to end his miserable existence.
But, it goes back to the first point. I can recognize an oversight in preparation for what it is. It doesn't mean Bisu is a bad player. It doesn't mean he is off-form. Bisu is a wrecking crew, overshadowed by two Zergs vying for the best-in-race crown. The level of games Bisu has played recently is simply higher than the level of games Fantasy has played. We aren't always going to be in the best-of-5 stage of a major league, and being a successful pro requires a broader skill set. Fantasy still needs work in other areas. He just isn't as good as Bisu yet. |
| 4. |
Fantasy
(T) (stats) |
- |
2 |
He is, however, a shitload better than everyone else.
Fantasy is the best Terran on earth, all his flaws included. Second OSL final in a row, second heartbreaking 2-3 loss. iloveoov is building a mechanical titan, but construction is not yet complete. He's well ahead of schedule, though.
What seperates Fantasy from other Terrans right now is his game sense - his TvP is a thing of beauty; not nearly as mechanically impressive as Flash, but wholly more devastating all the same. Fantasy brings intelligence and flexibility against Protoss to an entirely new level, similar to what Sea[Shield] was doing two years ago. I'm sure Protoss pros will eventually figure this out and begin cheesing him endlessly, but I think Fantasy is capable of shrugging it all off. When you watch Fantasy play, you aren't watching an SKT T1 Terran. You are watching the next inevitable step in the evolution of StarCraft. The fish has grown legs, but the lungs ain't done yet.
I fucking love Fantasy because he teaches me more about StarCraft than anyone else - even when he loses. He is just losing too often at this stage of his development to hold a candle to Bisu right now. If you disagree, watch all of the games they've played this month and tell me Bisu doesn't look like the better player. |
| 5. |
Jangbi
(P) (stats) |
-2 |
1 |
What is the deal with Jangbi? He looked invincible during MSL. Yet again, he couldn't elevate his level of play to match that of his opponent - Bisu twice before, and now Luxury. Is Jangbi destined to follow Stork? Time will tell, but it certainly seems so. Samsung players seem to lack the ability to improve a great deal in a short amount of time, despite whatever goal they have in mind. This is a stark contrast to the development of Fantasy, and the improvements Luxury has made since his move to KTF.
Still, Jangbi is a savage motherfucker. Where he goes from here, I can't honestly even guess. He had a great month, another final under his belt. We shall see. |
| 6. |
Stork[gm]
(P) (stats) |
0 |
1 |
I thought more people would catch this - when I posted the order in the last Power Rank's comments I was sure some people would look at Flash and Stork and tell me how wrong I am.
Here's the deal: If you looked at Flash being above Stork and thought, "What is FakeSteve smoking?", you are a clever man. Yes, Stork is above Flash, and for good reason. Maybe everyone's too used to how erratic and opinionated I am.
Stork got bounced outta OSL by Jaedong, but won the first game in the best of 3. Stork got trounced outta MSL by his teammate and perennial canemaster, Jangbi. Stork is never gonna win a series against Jangbi, folks. Get used to it!
Other than that Stork's been all right. He still looks lazy. He is still cheesing. He is still winning. As up-and-down as Stork always seems to be, it appears that this trip downtown is just a little window shopping, not a six-week stay in a five-star hotel doing blow and buying hookers (which is obviously why he plays so bad sometimes). |
| 7. |
Flash
(T) (stats) |
-2 |
1 |
In an alarming turn of the tables, KTF carried Flash through the WL playoffs. Flash didn't win a single game - sniped by Much with a brilliant build and patient defense in the last match of the season (the match that determined who was auto-seeded into the finals), obliterated by Fantasy against T1, and slaughtered by Jaedong during Jaedong's playoff all-kill of KTF.
GET YOUR SHIT TOGETHER FLASH! How much longer can he expect to coast on his mechanics? Flash's play need a serious overhaul if he is going to get back to where he was six months ago. |
| 8. |
by.hero
(Z) (stats) |
- |
8 |
by.hero? What?
Yeah, by.hero is pretty good it seems! I was pleasantly surprised watching his games this month, and I'm sure I'm not alone. He shows a great deal of promise, but more importantly, the games he won this month were strong performances full of very strong, unconvential play. I still think Zero is the next big Zerg (Zero is absent from this Rank because ZvZ does not a champion make - his ZvT and ZvP are so inconsistant that he's barely likely to surpass 50% in the upcoming ProLeague season. Let's not get too excited here.). by.hero makes me reconsider. He's playing well, and should be an asset in ProLeague. |
| 9. |
SkyHigh
(T) (stats) |
- |
7 |
First of all, let me say that SkyHigh is notoriously a player that has significant nerve problems while playing on TV. It's pretty common knowledge amongst progamers that SkyHigh is top dog on the CJ A team in practice. Has anyone else noticed how weird his style is? It's nuts, but it's effective, and with a reverse all-kill on one of the biggest stages in ProGaming, bright lights and a huge, surging crowd.. SkyHigh is getting the experience he needs. It's all gonna get better from here. |
| 10. |
Nada
(T) (stats) |
- |
2 |
This looks odd, I know. It was a choice between Nada and Zero, and Zero just ain't cutting it.
Against Jangbi, Nada showed us what is probably the strongest TvP performance to date. I'm referring to game one, of course. One game isn't enough to justify anything, but if it's at that level, we can certainly say that Nada is on the rise for the millionth time in his career. This guy never totally fades away.
He is also conspicuously absent from WeMade's lineup in their first ProLeague match. Given his lighter load in WL, which he thanked the coaches for numerous times so he could focus on individual leagues, I think we can safely say this is more of the same. Auto-seeded into MSL thanks to a top 8 finish, things are looking up for the greatest player of all time. I can only hope that this isn't another simple flash in the pan, and that Nada is back for real. Given his series against Jangbi, I think it's a very real possibility that Nada will remind everyone who he is in the very near future.
Nada is a legend, and rightfully so. Everyone at this website should be cheering him on as he tries to resurrect his career. |
Comments (479)
Power Rank as of 03/04/2009
| Rank |
Player |
Prev |
High |
Description |
| 1. |
Bisu
(P) (stats) |
+1 |
1 |
Yeah, Bisu is #1. Spoiler babies beware of the text contained herein.
Let's face it - In a tight race between Bisu, Jaedong, Flash, and Jangbi for the #1 spot, Bisu has posted the strongest results, and has looked great in nearly every game he's played. He played great (notice the italics? it's different from the other great) against Jaedong, besides the 'whoops the probe at my wall died, here come the lings' travesty in game 5 that left even Jaedong feeling like he got robbed. Bisu currently has no matchup that leaves something to be desired, and it's not a stretch to say he is a large favourite over absolutely anyone, with the possible exception of Jaedong. Credit where it's due, Bisu is a monster. |
| 2. |
Jaedong
(Z) (stats) |
+1 |
1 |
This placement was pretty easy. We all wondered how Jaedong would fare against Bisu, who has been a wrecking machine. Jaedong has dropped a game here and there, but nothing out of the ordinary.
Against Bisu, the two games he won (let's not discuss game 5) were every bit as terrifying as the games Bisu won. They were savage and poetic at the same time, as if knocked out of some celestial mould. Jaedong's play had inspiration and a driving force that everyone but these two players seems to lack these days: the true spirit of competition.
After game 5, the first thing Jaedong said in his interview was "I just got lucky, this series isn't over". That's all that needs to be said. Here's to OSL, where these two titans may meet yet again. |
| 3. |
Jangbi
(P) (stats) |
+1 |
1 |
Now, on to the players that don't have divine intervention in their repertoire. Of everyone who isn't Jaedong or Bisu, Jangbi stands tallest. He has been crushing his foes with intense bloodlust, playing as aggressively as his conservative style allows. That sounds like an oxymoron, but it's the only way to describe Jangbi's games lately. He's been a total stud, and with Jaedong, Bisu, and Flash eliminated from MSL, there doesn't seem to be much between him and his first gold. As good as Jangbi has been over the last few months, it's rather unfortunate he had to meet Bisu in both of his finals. This guy needs a title, he is far and away the best player without one, and his play lately has been consistant as hell. |
| 4. |
Luxury[GsP]
(Z) (stats) |
+2 |
2 |
Wait, Luxury? What the..
No, this isn't a mistake. Luxury is an MSL Semifinalist, and breezed through his OSL round of 16 group. In traditional Luxury style, he played like total ass in a few games, and like the bad motherfucker that he is in the rest. He battered Leta in a series of games that can only be described as 'a Zerg trying as hard as he can to lose, realizing he'd be better off winning, and staging a sick comeback out of nowhere'. Hats off to Luxury, he's been entertaining as hell lately.
Luxury's inconsistancy is well documented, but lately he's been winning the games that count, and winning them convincingly. |
| 5. |
Flash
(T) (stats) |
0 |
1 |
Oh, Flash. What are we gonna do with you?
After an incredible 12 game win streak, Flash Crashed & Got Smashed & Bashed. Out of both leagues in just two days, playing like ass the whole time. Schedule overload, a tired little progamer, improper preparation, whatever. OSL and MSL are OSL and MSL, that shit has got to count for something or everything we do around here at TL is worthless.
Outside of those games, Flash has been his powerful self, so this position is definitely temporary. Either he'll play terrible again soon and drop, or he'll continue playing great (during appropriate games, mind you) and he'll rise. There's no question this guy is the strongest Terran of the day, and definitely in the running for 'most talented'. However, leagues are leagues, and if you aren't playing in 'em, you are doing something wrong. Better call a mechanic, the robot had a slight malfunction. |
| 6. |
Stork[gm]
(P) (stats) |
+4 |
1 |
I don't want to put Stork here. Unfortunately, the Power Rank isn't about what 'I want'. It's about who's playing better StarCraft. Yeah, I decide who's playing better StarCraft, but hell, I'm motherfucking FakeSteve. I just can't go around shitting on players who are putting up results in acceptable games just because I don't like 'em.
Stork is one of only two players who is still alive in both leagues, the other being at #4 this month. Like Luxury, he's played like total ass in games that don't reeeaaaally matter, but he's given his head a shake and taken the necessary steps to ensure victory in OSL and MSL. He hasn't done it as stylishly, but when push comes to shove the Stork we expect to see has come out without fail. Savior used to lose in ProLeague all the time, too. Hell, so did Bisu. Stork's games this month when his ass is over the fire have been a well-hidden return to form, surrounded by a layer of shit and mucus and losing to Kwanro.
As much as I can't stand the guy, I can't deny he's getting the job done. Even in PvZ. |
| 7. |
Leta
(T) (stats) |
-6 |
1 |
A wise man once said that Leta may run into trouble once he starts playing series games in OSL and MSL. Oh wait, that was me! Lo and behold, Leta is below 50% over his last 20 games, and is out of both leagues as fast as he entered them. The true test here is whether Leta can continue his success in ProLeague in the face of such alarming defeat once true top-level players have the opportunity to prepare against him. Leta's been his same self, slow and methodical with a penchant for unorthodox builds against Zerg. Only now, he's playing people above his station, and they are shitting in his mouse.
Go get me a beer, kid. |
| 8. |
Light[aLive]
(T) (stats) |
- |
3 |
Hello, Light. You know there's only one MBC Terran for me, and it ain't you. If you start playing bad, not only will you disappear from this rank, but I will personally fly out to Korea and slap you in the mouth for taking up valuable Sea[Shield] practice resources.
Light has been spending his time righting the sinking MBC Hero ship. He's gone 9-3 this month, with wins over some big names. He looked great doing it, too. Yes, it's just Winner's League, but in watching the games one can see a clear difference between Light's level of play and the next guy, despite the next guy's adventures in the tournaments Light decided to flunk out of a month ago. |
| 9. |
Hwasin
(T) (stats) |
- |
2 |
I kinda thought Hwasin was making a little comeback, but then Luxury punched him in the dick and took his lunch money. He played an inspired first game, and then got his fudge packed in like he's Willy Wonka and the warehouse is full. See that? No gay joke. Just harmless, delicious fudge. MMmmmmm.
Anyway, Fudgesin has been fudging up all his fudging games lately, but he's still got a fudging chance in OSL. Luxury fudged him out of FSL, but they'll fudge again in the round of fudge in OSL. If Luxury fudge fudges the fudge, Hwasin is going to take it in the pooper like a prison bitch.
....Aw, I was doing so well.
Is this the simultaneous rebirth and re-death of the red sniper? Stay tuned to OSL to find out. |
| 10. |
hyvaa
(z) |
- |
10 |
This is wierd, I know. An eSTRO player on the Power Rank?
Let that sink in for a moment.
...
...
...
...
Ok, let's face reality. hyvaa has played 23 games since February 1st. When was the last time any eSTRO player had that kinda workload? Over those 23 games, hyvaa has gone 16-7, almost 70 fucking percent. He's looked strong as hell |
Comments (742)
Power Rank as of 02/02/2009
| Rank |
Player |
Prev |
High |
Description |
| 1. |
Leta
(T) (stats) |
+1 |
1 |
***First of all, if you haven't already read it, please read my explanation for the Feb. Power Rank which will give you insight to my madness.***
Nobody is more terrifying than Leta at the moment. Nobody. While some may hew and cry at the level of his competition, nobody can argue with the results. Leta doesn't just win, he humiliates.
Exhibit A: Leta vs Guemchi on Tau Cross. After getting his expo shoved back in his face, Leta used a single dropship, handful of vultures, and a swig of devil juice to harass Guemchi to little pieces. Yes, hindsight is 20/20. Guemchi could have saved himself a huge headache if he had placed a couple cannons. But the fact is he didn't, Leta saw it, and by the end of the game Guemchi was so frustrated he suicided his army at Leta's tanks and quit the game before losing a nexus.
Exhibit B: Leta vs Luxury on Destination. Verses Luxury, the same Luxury I'll be talking about shortly, Leta won with 5 marines, two tanks, and a wraith. It was pure build order domination from beginning to end, where Leta knew exactly what was coming and played perfectly. Luxury was never in control of that game. Not for an instant.
With the array of weapons he has at his disposal, the results speak for themselves. The man has not lost two TV games in a row since May 2008 October 2008 (but before that was May, my bad). OSL, MSL, ProLeague, Winners League, right now Leta has it all. Fear him. |
| 2. |
Bisu
(P) (stats) |
+3 |
1 |
Whereas Leta is winning with the grace of an eagle, Bisu is an embattled ship on the seas. He is everyman's target, facing ridicule and scorn over his MSL picks and performance.
He looked destined to fade into the background this season, with others taking the spotlight in the two major leagues. Then irony hit BackHo with a ho, in the back, and Bisu had breathing room. He promptly went 6-0, got himself back in the spotlight, and is set up to prove himself in one of the strongest OSL groups in recent memory.
Bisu is, perhaps along with Flash, the most studied progamer around today. Through all the scrutiny, he continues to produce results. Look for him to add a hefty $40,000 payday to his wallet over Jangbi, and another badge on his shirt. Most importantly, look for him to grab the number 1 spot next month if he continues his domination. |
| 3. |
Jaedong
(Z) (stats) |
+1 |
1 |
A terran, a protoss, and now a zerg. Jaedong has done what he had to since the last PR, winning 4/5 games in the OSL to make the final 16. Other than that, he gets this spot on scariness points. He is 15-5 in his last 20 games *shiver* and the favorite against anyone in the world in a best of 5 *brrr*. He is an autopick to anchor the best team in the world, and has a foot in both major leagues, as should be expected. You can't take a game from Jaedong, you just have to hope he is feeling generous and gives you one. |
| 4. |
Jangbi
(P) (stats) |
-3 |
1 |
Well Janbi, I hope you enjoyed your perch while it lasted. You are going to have to pull off a big upset to get back up there. Fortunately you have been given the chance in the GOM finals.
The thing about Jangbi is that he is overpowering in every single game he plays. When he wins, he wins with ease, dominating people much like Leta does. His recent MSL qualification was a walk in the park over two baffled terran players. Sunday's GOM semi-final was a 3-0 mauling of Free, a pretty good PvPer.
However when he loses, Jangbi is overpoweringly(?) bad. He looked like a timid puppy against Anytime on Tau Cross, getting smacked around the map despite Anytime's disregard for micro. Against Luxury he barely made it out of his base after being crammed in the mouth with mutas for 20 minutes.
Jangbi has the unique ability to not only beat anyone in the world, but lose to anyone as well. |
| 5. |
Flash
(T) (stats) |
-2 |
1 |
Is it just me, or has the shine come off of Flash just a little bit? To be fair, he hasn't played much this month, and other than losing 2-1 to Bisu in GOM, there isn't much to go on. I am sure he is relieved that Luxury is taking some of the Winners League pressure off of him.
Also, I guess he can be forgiven for his loss to Fantasy (although it did ruin his nice 10 game TvT winning streak). Fantasy is coming up with some nice games these days, spaced in between his lousy ones.
I just can't help but feel that Flash is not so much the "Ultimate Weapon" as he is just a really good player. I just feel it in my guts, and that is definitely the appropriate yard stick here. His OSL group will be an important one to follow. If he crashes out, I'll point to this column here as proof of my genius. If he wins the OSL, well, never trust your pancreas. He is a deceitful little guy. |
| 6. |
Luxury[GsP]
(Z) (stats) |
- |
2 |
BOOM! Hi, how ya doing? My name is Pack Chan Soo. I've got a brother who also plays zerg, but right now I'm sitting on his head.
I'm well known for being a streaky player, which always relegates me to a notch below S-Class. However, when this new-fangled winners league format came along, and I looked at Flash, I saw a miserable kid thinking he would be playing 30 games a month.
So I said, "put me in coach!". And what's funny is that when I sat down I didn't feel like getting up again. So I decided to win all my games. Then I decided to qualify for an MSL and an OSL at the same time.
So now I'm in both major leagues, and I've won 9 of my last 11 games. I win with both cheese and straight up play. Sometimes I kill people with only mutalisks just for fun.
Stick around, and watch me play. Hold up a sign for me (but please spell my name right this time TL) and you can see me win a title GGPlay style or crash and burn out of both ro16's. Either way, it will be a blast. |
| 7. |
YellOw[ArnC]
(Z) (stats) |
+2 |
7 |
Yarnc not only looks like his brother, but is currently playing like him too. Both are in the two major leagues, and both have a difficult OSL group.
He also has an all-kill in the winners league, taking apart MBC with little difficulty (facing all three races too).
Like his brother, he has the ability to produce an epic streak or an epic fail. Hopefully for Park Myung Soo fans, this is just the beginning of something special. |
| 8. |
JulyZerg
(Z) (stats) |
- |
4 |
July hasn't played enough games recently, but he has done what he needed to. He pounded a hapless Mujuk to advance to the OSL ro16. He was then promptly dumped in a group with Yarnc (under 50% ZvZ), Stork (whose PvZ is easily his worst matchup) and Bisu (whose MSL has left some doubters). It would be perfectly reasonable to see July get through this group. With the five terrans stacked in two groups, the road looks shiny and bright for July to make history as the first four-time OSL winner. |
| 9. |
Anytime[gm]
(P) (stats) |
- |
2 |
It comes as no surprise that Anytime is doing well. When you live in the house of the best team in StarCraft, and practice with greats like Jaedong and-
O, wait a minute. That's right. Anytime is in the AirForce now. AIR FORCE. The mats of proleague since time immemorial. Suddenly, there is hope on the bench. The players are watching the games rather than hanging their heads. There is hope!
I realize this may be premature. After all, it was just a couple good days at the office. We all have those...
But has there ever been a player more suited for the Air Force scowl than Anytime? Xellos might be close, but for now Anytime has the angry look he earned at basic training on his face and in yours 24/7.
If you are a coach, the one player you need to snipe is Anytime. Just pray he doesn't shoot back. |
| 10. |
Stork[gm]
(P) (stats) |
-4 |
1 |
I stipulate that the most difficult part of the power rank is number 10. There is no clear cut criteria, and more often than not there are several players banging on the door to be let in. However, I am judging by fear, and one would be foolish to not fear Stork. His PvT matchup is still top three in the world, and he has the ability to pull out wins against almost anyone. His real test will be against his OSL group though. He ranks as #3 in my book there, and needs a great game or two to get out of things alive. He better, because his place on the PR depends on it (and what more motivation could any progamer need?) |
Comments (658)
Power Rank as of 01/16/2009
| Rank |
Player |
Prev |
High |
Description |
| 1. |
Jangbi
(P) (stats) |
+3 |
1 |
****THIS RANK CONTAINS RECENT SPOILERS, BEWARE****
This has caused me physical pain. I hope you're happy, teamliquid!
Now, I know this is going to put some people up in arms. Hell, I was about ready to grab my battleaxe and introduce the masses to the joy of having their heads removed. But, let's analyze a few things:
1) Of the consistantly top 5 players over the last two months, who has not dropped questionable games? Jaedong is only 6-4 in his last 10, with losses against players he shouldn't lose to, if we are to believe Jaedong is still as good as ever. Flash has been playing chumps, and while he has won against those chumps, the games were nothing impressive. Bisu + Show Spoiler [RECENT SPOILER] +
dropped every game in OSL/MSL and is already eliminated from both leagues
2) While the Power Rank focuses primarily on who is playing the best, it is heavily affected by results. Not statistics, results. If a player loses a ProLeague game to a nobody who cheeses him, whatever. If a player comes crashing to the earth like a meteorite in the beginning stages of both majors, we have something that is relevant.
Now, I wouldn't say that Jangbi is the most skilled player around right now. However, he has certainly been the most consistant. Despite the fact that Bisu may be better in two matchups, a player who doesn't win a single game in OSL/MSL can't be #1.
So, Jangbi sneaks into the top spot for lack of a better alternative. No other player in the top 5 during the last six weeks or so has been performing at the level their rank dictates. While I might have a migraine for six hours, and an unsightly blemish appears at the top of the Power Rank for a while, there is no other candidate. Jangbi has been consistantly powerful. His games are top-level, his losses are close games where he himself plays well (which is incredibly important). It seems likely that a resurgence by any of the other giants of ProGaming could knock Jangbi off his post, but at the moment, the rest of the field simply does not deserve the honor.
Yes, I realize Jangbi is not in OSL. But, as a semifinalist in GOM who has showed dominant gameplay throughout, the gap is sufficiently filled. |
| 2. |
Leta
(T) (stats) |
- |
1 |
People who followed the comments on last month's PR (and I use the term "month" loosely, sorry!) will understand this placement. For those of you who didn't, let me recap:
Leta is a player who focuses on safety above all else. He plays a slow, methodical game that should be a learning experience for every aspiring Terran. He plays by the book, and he does it well. My concern with Leta is that his game would need something more should he find himself in a series against one of the best.
So what happens when Leta continues to play well, and the rest of the field don't live up to their names? Leta passes them all by. It doesn't matter how safe and standard Leta plays, considering how well he does it. While it may not be enough to win a title (which is pure speculation right now, we shall see what happens), it's certainly enough that if the top players (who are at least more experienced and in some cases exceptionally strong in series play) don't play like top players, Leta deserves the rank more.
This placement will seem high to a lot of people, I know. The fact of the matter is that Leta's "slow and steady" approach to StarCraft has simply been more effective lately than the other top players' "maybe I'll play great today, maybe I won't" approach. Look for Leta in a semifinal soon, and we'll see what he's really made of. For now, he deserves this placement. |
| 3. |
Flash
(T) (stats) |
0 |
1 |
Flash has played two kinds of opponents recently: Good opponents, and bad opponents. Against all of the bad opponents, he simply took them for a casual stroll along the beach before pointing out some seagulls and snapping their necks while their attention was diverted. Pretty birds! Nothing any other high-ranked player couldn't do.
When Flash played good opponents, he didn't play well. The exception here, and the most relevant series to this placement, was his white-knuckled nail-biting my-mother-is-in-the-hospital-with-an-exploded-pancreas-but-I-can't-miss-these-games series against Bisu in GOM. God, what a series. Exceptional play from both sides, a clinic of how to effectively play Protoss against the best goddamned Terran you've ever seen.
Still, he lost the series, and a shot at the GOM title. His losses to other top players were nowhere near as impressive from a gameplay standpoint. That certainly hurt him. But, after qualifying for both leagues, and the colossal fuck-ups by most of his peers, Flash's spot at #3 is secure. Everyone still views this kid as a threat, and rightfully so. If the other top players fell off the train, Flash has a deathgrip on the handrail outside the last car, his legs flapping in the wind. Technically, he's still on the train. |
| 4. |
Jaedong
(Z) (stats) |
+4 |
1 |
Jaedong's been shaky, his play hasn't been what we're used to seeing. Still, he has come up with major wins at crucial moments. After a somewhat surprising loss to Canata in Survivor, Jaedong won a second game against Skyhigh, who is finally showing more than just his practice partners how good he is.
6-4 in his last 10 games may not look so hot, but if we go back six more, it turns into 12-4. That looks a little nicer, eh? With some questionable Ace match losses, something Jaedong has excelled at for years, Jaedong rises on the Power Rank, but can't claim a spot in the top 3. He's in both MSL and OSL, too. As always with this guy, Jaedong's fate is in his own hands. His success will make or break his Power Rank placement, and a high placement is deserved for overall much more consistant gameplay than the field below him. |
| 5. |
Bisu
(P) (stats) |
-4 |
1 |
What the hell, Bisu?
This should be obvious, with four wins necessary to advance in both leagues, Bisu managed to create four losses instead. Yes, Bisu is out of OSL and MSL. Seriously. Against ZERGS. And he PLAYED BAD!
So Bisu, what the hell? It'd take a string of massive ProLeague wins and a GOM title to keep the Taek-Bang era alive. |
| 6. |
Stork[gm]
(P) (stats) |
-4 |
1 |
Many moons ago, a wise man said 'Stork sucks'.
That wise man drank from a fountain he filled with his own tears, every night, as Stork took win after win, stormed through to an OSL title, and made every Zerg he played (save Jaedong) look rather foolish.
Now, that wise man is back on top of his mountain, screaming at the clouds and whatever else will listen, hoping they don't remember that Stork played like a champion for a solid year.
As you may have guessed, that wise man is a part of me. The mountain he lives on is my pride, my glory, my reputation. And lordy, LORDY, did Stork show me what the fuck is up. I guess he couldn't play bad forever. I also guess (wow, awkward phrase eh?) that he couldn't play good forever, because most of his recent games have been trash. Garbage, refuse, compost, and so on. This guy, the guy who slew Best in OSL, lost in GOM to BACKHO.
I'll let that sink in for a moment.
...
...
Got it? Backho?
...
I KNOW.
+ Show Spoiler [Erection Deactivate] +
Yeah, Stork has been playing bad. He's still Stork, he's still the most talented Protoss player around. I'm sure this is just a momentary lapse of concentration, effort, what have you. Stork's career is far from over, and I fully expect him to turn his sinking ship into a submarine and infiltrate all our gulfs. |
| 7. |
BeSt[HyO]
(P) (stats) |
0 |
2 |
After a dismal November, Best put together a savage win streak. Then, he lost to Skyhigh in GOM. Skyhigh played great, but there were definitely steps Best could have taken to win that series. Still, Best has been performing pretty well lately. He's been thrust into the spotlight after his very quick accustomation to the hectic lifestyle of the ProGamer, and while the road isn't without its potholes, he's been chugging along.
It was a very close call between Best and the next guy on the list for 7th, but in the end, the spot has to be given to Best. |
| 8. |
Firebathero
(T) (stats) |
-2 |
4 |
I hope we're all over the shock of seeing FireBatHero on the PR last month.
Let's face the facts, sports fans: FBH is still playing great. He drops a bit simply because he doesn't yet deserve placement above the five players who topped last month's Rank, and there's a new face to compete with as well.
FBH's recent string of victories has landed him with an 11-4 record over his last 15 games. Those four losses were against Best (Protoss), Mind (TvT mastermind), July (Ok, maybe this one is a little funny, but July has balls the size of watermelons), and Saint (A zerg who can and will win or lose against anyone).
Seriously, FBH is playing well. It's entirely possible that his MSL run will end as soon as he finds himself in a series against a Protoss, but he is playing well. There's not many players who can handle his TvZ and TvT right now, so let's forget his antics and give credit where its due. |
| 9. |
YellOw[ArnC]
(Z) (stats) |
- |
7 |
Wow, finally another Zerg!
Yarnc hasn't been "great" per se, but since Yarnc's problem has never been an inability to play top-level Zerg, but with his inability to play even passable Zerg in every game. Yarnc really, really sucks sometimes.
However, despite the softness of his competition in OSL (910 and Rock, lord have mercy), Yarnc went 4-0 to qualify for the Round of 16. If Yarnc is winning games, he is winning them with ferocity, because there is no middle ground for this man. He is a shining star, or a puddle of goo on the sidewalk. |
| 10. |
Hwasin
(T) (stats) |
- |
2 |
Was I the only one who thought we'd never see this guy's face on the Power Rank again?
Well, despite playing like an infant with no arms or eyes or cognitive ability for months on end, Hwasin has crushed a bunch of people, put together a nice little win streak, and crashed into both MSL and OSL. Well done Hwasin, we all thought you were dead! |
Comments (362)
Power Rank as of 12/14/2008
| Rank |
Player |
Prev |
High |
Description |
| 1. |
Bisu
(P) (stats) |
+1 |
1 |
Hello, hello Kim Taek Yong. Stork's moment at the top was short-lived, because there's a Protoss playing even better than Stork. Yes, it's Bisu.
Some may argue that his MSL was easier than Stork's OSL. That's true. However, by watching the games we can see the complete mastery Bisu currently has in all three matchups. If you watch his recent PvT, you'd be hard pressed to tell which of the top two Protoss are playing. Bisu has gained the incredible macro and aura of invincibility in PvT that Stork has enjoyed for a long time. His PvP is phenomenal, and there's major credit due to Stork for winning 2-1 against this monster. His MSL semifinal and the final itself were total blowouts against some of the strongest Protoss players of the day.
Yes, the Revolutionist is back, and if you're a Protoss fan you're undoubtedly shitting rainbows and singing tra-la-la right now. In a comparison between Bisu and Stork, Bisu edges out superiority by a small margin, but he is superior nonetheless. Viva Revolution~ |
| 2. |
Stork[gm]
(P) (stats) |
-1 |
1 |
Stork is, of course, the only player who is currently competing with Bisu for dominance over the professional scene. And he's making it a close race. Stork has continued the excellent play that landed him first place in last month's Rank, but with a couple of sub-par performances (which Bisu simply hasn't had recently), he is ever so slightly upstaged. People call this the 'Taek-Bang Era', and they're right. Nobody can touch these two players right now. |
| 3. |
Flash
(T) (stats) |
+3 |
1 |
Of all the players around, the only one who comes anywhere near the above two players is this little man. Flash has been nigh-unbeatable in ProLeague once again, a catalyst to his team's mild success. His wins seem effortless; simply rolling over a lesser player (read: everyone but Stork and Bisu). All alone on the Terran frontlines, Flash is holding it down for the home team. Yes, Terran is the home team. |
| 4. |
Jangbi
(P) (stats) |
+1 |
1 |
The MSL Finalist has finally developed some level of consistancy in his play. Though he was torn into messy little strips of gore by Bisu, everything else Jangbi did in his MSL was pretty good. He and Kal have a bit of a history, and Jangbi came out on top. He steamrolled Yellow[ArnC] so badly that I actually felt physically uncomfortable out of embarassment for the poor Zerg player.
In a recent interview with Stork and Bisu, Stork talked about Jangbi endlessly. He said that Jangbi was far and away the best member of samsung khan, that Jangbi literally does not lose to Stork in practice. Quite clearly the kid is doing something right, and his recent results have reflected his budding skill. I don't think we've yet seen Jangbi's limit. |
| 5. |
free[gm]
(P) (stats) |
-2 |
3 |
Free has been playing his heart out. With the Stars gaining a new sponsor, their team is revitalized. Free has been a terror in ProLeague, winning the majority of his matches and being the critical element that allowed Stars to capture first place on the rankings for the first time since 2004. A short-lived first place, yes, but a first place all the same. Difficult task considering the strengths of Lecaf and Samsung, and the recent surge from STX Soul.
With a heavy load to bear in ProLeague, free still managed to clobber everyone in MSL up until the semifinal, where he met Bisu. There isn't a player in the world who would have beaten Bisu in that series, but free did manage a win against Bisu in ProLeague a few days later, further strengthening his team's position. We'll see how long free can keep up this hectic schedule that has been the downfall of so many players before him. |
| 6. |
Firebathero
(T) (stats) |
- |
4 |
Yes, FirebatHero belongs here. Still useless in TvP, that's true. But his TvT and TvZ have become even more unbeatable. FBH is playing phenomenally, and if he ever truly learns TvP he will be the most terrifying beast Terran has to offer. I fully suspect his individual league runs will be a breeze until he runs into a Protoss. With wins over Kal and Daezang directly after his 0-3 loss to Bisu, there's hope. FBH has only lost a single game since that series, against the will-he-or-wont-he Saint. Keep an eye out, FBH is gonna cave some skulls in very soon. |
| 7. |
BeSt[HyO]
(P) (stats) |
0 |
2 |
Best remains something of an enigma. Touted by Bisu as the best player at T1 house and the most likely player to win the next individual league, Best's performance just hasn't been up to snuff. However, with Best more than any other Protoss, the games he plays ooze potential and intelligence. Best is still on his way, but with so many flashes of utter brilliance apparent to our eyes, he's already worthy of a lot of credit. Who knows, maybe sometime soon he'll perform properly in a semifinal or a final. |
| 8. |
Jaedong
(Z) (stats) |
-4 |
1 |
Oh, Jaedong 
As a HUGE Jaedong fan, this pains me. But with the games he's been playing lately, even this may be too kind of a placement. Instead of setting the curve as he was a mere two months ago, Jaedong is steadily falling more and more behind it. He still doesn't make very many mistakes, but the days where he just plain gets outplayed are coming and coming with alarming frequency. Jaedong needs to reinvent himself to reach the top again, and he's certainly capable. He's not playing well enough to be any higher than this right now. |
| 9. |
Kal
(P) (stats) |
-1 |
4 |
Ehhhhhh, Kal is his same old unimpressive self. He managed to beat Stork in MSL, a player who he seems to win against regardless of current form. He lost 1-3 to Jangbi, who played pretty well in the series. But Kal's games haven't been anything special, and the latter part of November (and early december) was spent beating up chobos in sloppy games. Not really what I'd call championship material. I debated putting Kal above Jaedong as well, but after re-watching all of his games from the past 30 days, he just isn't good enough. |
| 10. |
Sea[Shield]
(T) (stats) |
- |
1 |
There are two simple reasons for this.
One is http://www.teamliquid.net/tlpd/games/10516_Jaedong_vs_Sea/vod
The other is http://www.teamliquid.net/tlpd/games/10578_Iris_vs_Sea/vod
Sea's right on schedule, playing exceptionally well with fire in his gut and a warcry on his lips right before the major leagues start. Those two games above are some of the finest StarCraft we've witnessed in this age. These games are what make people wonder why this kid doesn't have a title yet. I know, I ask myself that every day. Maybe that's not healthy. I don't care.
Sea is playing like a complete badass right now, but of course there's no sense putting him any higher when the looming failure of countless individual leagues behind him can be seen on the horizon as well. It's a shitty place to be for a progamer, and I'm sure we've all got our fingers crossed, willing him to succeed this time. The two games above are why I think Sea[Shield] is the best player in the world, and they are concrete justification for this placement. If you don't believe me, you haven't watched those games, and I strongly suggest you do so. |
Comments (905)
Power Rank as of 11/10/2008
| Rank |
Player |
Prev |
High |
Description |
| 1. |
Stork[gm]
(P) (stats) |
+1 |
1 |
"It's the moment that every progamer dreams of," said Song Byung Goo with the shiny OSL trophy in his hand. The moment that has eluded for so long him has finally come. Stork defeated iloveoov's apprentice by.Fantasy in an intense series of 3-2 to overcome the infamous silver curse. Throughout the entire Incruit OSL, Stork proved to the doubters what he's all about. Many obstacles laid in his path - archrival Bisu, PvP godmode BeSt, and Fantasy, with the entire SKT1 team behind his back raging to have revenge. Yet Stork prevailed.
Although Stork did lose to Kal in MSL quarterfinals, let's not forget Stork had the OSL Finals only a couple days after. It certainly does not justify the loss, but I think it does take away some of its significance. Also note that Stork is performing superbly in Proleague, with a record of 5-1.
Congratulations Stork, you have at last claimed the gold, and the number one spot of this month's Power Rank. |
| 2. |
Bisu
(P) (stats) |
+6 |
1 |
REVOLUTION! REVOLUTION!! You heard it, you saw it: the Revolutionist is back in town. His 11 win-streak tells a story and strikes fear in those who fight against him. The Korean word Bisu translates into dagger; Bisu surely put that dagger in FireBatHero's hopeful heart. Although FBH's Terran verses Protoss had improved tremendously, Bisu just proved to be too much for him as the series ended in three lopsided games. The two time MSL Champion seems focused on earning that third badge, simply destroying everyone who stands in his way. He's performing just as well in the GOM Classics, defeating respectable Calm to advance to the Round of 16. Bisu has also been a revolutionary force for the rather struggling SKT1, remaining undefeated in his 4-0 record so far. |
| 3. |
free[gm]
(P) (stats) |
- |
3 |
Doomed. Boned. Add other synonyms. When I saw Free and Jaedong matched up in the MSL Round of 16, I truly felt for Free. Damnit, this guy has been playing brilliantly, yet his MSL run will soon come to an end. The wrath of the Swarm will be upon him and Free will have to wait another season...Poor Free.
Free is now preparing for a semifinals match against Bisu. Against all the odds, he managed to defeat Jaedong 2-1. He then moved on to firmly deny NaDa's attempt to set a record of most semifinal appearances in history by soundly beating him 3-0. He accomplished much more than just that though; he made a statement. This guy is for reals. |
| 4. |
Jaedong
(Z) (stats) |
-3 |
1 |
Dear Jaedong, we all know you have the potential to reclaim the throne. But unfortunately, you have been under-performing and disappointing your faithful fans.
Simply put, this month was not a very fun one for Jaedong. Eliminated from both individual leagues...Unexpected losses to Roro and SangHo in Proleague...His ZvP invincibility showing signs of weakness against Free and Stork. The Legend Killer seems to be killing his own legend. Get your act together, Jaedong! |
| 5. |
Jangbi
(P) (stats) |
- |
1 |
In his last 12 games, Jangbi has won all but one. He is 7-0 in ClubDay MSL so far. Man, that's hotter than Megan Fox. His matchlist includes wins over Much, Yellow[ArnC], Pure, and Midas.
I didn't think Jangbi would be as good as he is now when he first joined the progaming scene as a chubby little boy. Who would have thought he would anchor the Samsung KHAN squad right next to the big brother Stork? I believe this is Jangbi's perfect opportunity to reach the finals for the first time. Fate has led to a rematch between Jangbi and Kal in the semifinals. Kal ended up winning in a close series last time. At this very second, Jangbi is probably gritting his teeth and practicing to get his vengeance. |
| 6. |
Flash
(T) (stats) |
0 |
1 |
Flash snapped out of his "mini-slump" as quickly as..Flash! See what I did there?
After some disappointing losses across the board, Flash gathered his composure and is back in business. With a record of 9-3, he
sits at the top of the individual Proleague charts. Hwasin, Boxer, and Light crumbled under Flash. Just yesterday, Flash blasted Fantasy 2-0 in GOM Classics to fully erase every doubt I had in my mind. He's hungry for more. |
| 7. |
BeSt[HyO]
(P) (stats) |
-4 |
2 |
True, he is no longer the dictator of PvP. His unbelievable streak 16 consecutive wins was halted. After a highly anticipated match, BeSt bowed down to Stork 1-3. However, that doesn't change the fact that any progamer who does not belong to the Zerg Swarm fears him. Every player knows that with the slightest slip in macro, BeSt will run you over. His outstanding Proleague record of 8-3 is second to only that of Flash. If I were you, I would not want to play against Doh Jae Wook. |
| 8. |
Kal
(P) (stats) |
- |
4 |
On his good days, Kal is arguably the best Protoss on planet Earth. On his bad days, Rock would beat him in a best out of 5 series. This has always been a problem for Kal. The shabby record of 4-4 in Proleague can be attributed to his inconsistency.
Luckily, the good Kal showed up to play against Stork in the MSL quarterfinals. Game sense, timing, micro, macro...everything looked nearly perfect.
Now, which Kal will show up verses JangBi? |
| 9. |
Fantasy
(T) (stats) |
-5 |
2 |
I don't know about you, but I honestly think Fantasy is overrated. I don't mean to take anything away from his great strategies and builds that earn him the W's. He did put up a good fight against Stork. However, my gut feeling tells me that he won't reach another finals for a long time. His mechanics in TvP and TvZ are certainly questionable. A mediocre record of 5-4 in Proleague doesn't help his case, either.
I do hope you prove me wrong, Fantasy. |
| 10. |
fOrGG_V_
(T) (stats) |
-1 |
1 |
fOrGG is the antithesis of Kal; he is probably one of the most consistent players in the league. Even though he was exited out of both leagues earlier than expected, he always displays solid performances. His 4-1 record in Proleague includes critical wins against Mind, Canata, and the like. fOrGG has the potential to beat literally anyone on a good day. |
Comments (957)
Power Rank as of 10/15/2008
| Rank |
Player |
Prev |
High |
Description |
| 1. |
Jaedong
(Z) (stats) |
0 |
1 |
The best Zerg player in the world secures his number one spot of the Power Ranking once again, but the gap is closing. He displayed one of the sickest comebacks in his MSL group, beating down go.go and UpMagiC..Although he failed to qualify for the OSL he is still the most feared player around. It's safe to say every player is an underdog against Jaedong. |
| 2. |
Stork[gm]
(P) (stats) |
+2 |
1 |
Stork, Stork, Stork. The Dinosaur Toss has been ripping things apart in both MSL and OSL. He took down the Protoss rival Bisu on his way to OSL semifinals, while cruising to the MSL Round of 16 with ease. Stork, however, has a lot to prove. He will be tested against the PvP monster BeSt in the Incruit semifinals and forGG in the MSL. Will he actually win a gold this time? Only time will tell. |
| 3. |
BeSt[HyO]
(P) (stats) |
-1 |
2 |
http://www.teamliquid.net/tlpd/players/16_BeSt/games/vs/P I don't think Best needs much of an explanation: how do you beat this man? Best has been playing like a madman, proving his worth in the OSL and Proleague. After smashing his teammate Midas 2-0, the battle of pride awaits. Best vs Stork, Stork vs Best.
They are too good to tell apart. The pride of the Protoss king, master of PvP, legend of fall will be fought on the 24th of October. |
| 4. |
Fantasy
(T) (stats) |
+4 |
2 |
by.Fantasy? OSL Semifinals? Err yeah, Fantasy was definitely not the player I would have picked to be in the OSL semifinals. You better believe it - this guy is for real. A potential Royal Roader, he took down Mind pretty convincingly to pass the Round of 8. He has also been putting up consistent results in Proleague. |
| 5. |
GGPlay
(Z) (stats) |
- |
3 |
I stopped watching GGplay vs Flash Game 3 halfway through, after deciding GGplay had no chance whatsoever. WTF! is what I said the next day. He somehow managed to beat Flash on the heavily Terran-favored Plasma to move on to the semis. Incruit gone DAUM. |
| 6. |
Flash
(T) (stats) |
-3 |
1 |
Flash, what's happening! As much as I hate to say it, the Ultimate Weapon is on a bit of a "slump." He didn't know what it meant to lose, but he has been tasting some sour defeats lately. Out of MSL, out of OSL, followed by unexpected losses in Proleague. Flash must step up his game. |
| 7. |
Hwasin
(T) (stats) |
- |
2 |
The face of STX soul is playing better than ever. Maybe he has a shot at the MSL gold...oh WAIT! Hwasin is playing his nemesis Bisu. Those two have quite a history. Remember when Bisu called him the "Insurance Terran" and humiliated him with Scouts? Hwasin has never beaten Bisu in a series (4-8 against him, overall). What a match this will be. |
| 8. |
Bisu
(P) (stats) |
- |
1 |
Bee Suit has been looking pretty good recently. He played an impressive set of PvPs against Stork, and then beat Backho&Much to advance in the MSL. Overall, his game seems to be coming back to shape. Another revolution sounds pretty cool. |
| 9. |
fOrGG_V_
(T) (stats) |
-3 |
1 |
fOrGG_V_ always shows up to play. He handled Iris and Leta fairly easily in the MSL group stage to earn himself a spot in the RO16. His opponents were tough, too. Iris is known for exceptionally strong TvT, while Leta has been on fire. fOrGG had no problem with them. |
| 10. |
Firebathero
(T) (stats) |
- |
4 |
FBH BEAT A Protoss? No... TWO Protosses! That's right, the once so-terribly-awful TvPer made crushed his MSL group filled with highly skilled Protoss players. He proved a point: his TvP isn't that bad after all. |
Comments (587)
Power Rank as of 09/15/2008
| Rank |
Player |
Prev |
High |
Description |
| 1. |
Jaedong
(Z) (stats) |
+1 |
1 |
Jaedong's been hot lately. He went nearly undefeated in WCG, only dropping one game to BeSt. There's not much else to say about him. |
| 2. |
BeSt[HyO]
(P) (stats) |
+5 |
2 |
It seems after his 0-3 loss to July, BeSt is back. He may have dropped a series to the #1 Zerg in the world and was knocked out of the MSL, but there is still no doubt this man is the best Protoss in the world right now. |
| 3. |
Flash
(T) (stats) |
0 |
1 |
Flash and BeSt are so close right now skill wise and statistically that it was a difficult decision to place one above the other, but BeSt has been out performing Flash by a very small margin. Flash showed strong play in the OSL but his play was dismal in WCG. Hopefully he picks up his play. |
| 4. |
Stork[gm]
(P) (stats) |
- |
1 |
Stork has been great lately, he crushed his opponents in the MSL and the OSL and despite losing to Jaedong in WCG he managed to take down Much and fOrGG. Stork is really hot right now but not hot enough to break the top 3 yet. |
| 5. |
Much[gm]
(P) (stats) |
- |
4 |
Despite Much's recent statistics he's been playing great. He took down fOrGG and Flash before hitting a rough patch but even while losing he's losing with style and showing great play all around. So he gets the 5th spot on PR. |
| 6. |
fOrGG_V_
(T) (stats) |
-5 |
1 |
fOrGG_V_ has hit a bit of a rough patch lately but he's not losing to any scrubs (yet). Much and Stork are amazing PvTers so dropping a series to them isn't to terrible. But he needs to pick up his play to remain on the PR. So he's at 6th for now. |
| 7. |
Sea[Shield]
(T) (stats) |
- |
1 |
Sea is doing great, he's had a couple of bumps along the road in August but he is in both leagues and took down Pure, HerO, and Hades (none of which are scrubs). This is worthy of 7th on the chart. |
| 8. |
Fantasy
(T) (stats) |
- |
2 |
Fantasy is in both leagues, he took down NaDa twice and is currently 1-0 in the OSL Ro16. He's not had enough results to be ahead of Sea but he's getting there. He get's the 8th spot. |
| 9. |
Luxury[GsP]
(Z) (stats) |
-4 |
2 |
Luxury's been having a rough patch lately. He was knocked out of the MSL and lost in his best MU to Jaedong. But he's still in the OSL and still has one of the best ZvZ and ZvT out there. That being said Luxury is in the 9th spot. |
| 10. |
Leta
(T) (stats) |
-4 |
1 |
Leta's been on a beastly streak the past couple months. He's become OGN's star Terran in PL, he's in the MSL after taking down Shuttle twice. He's not had many games this month so I can't put him higher but he still deserves to be on the PR. |
Comments (323)
Power Rank as of 08/07/2008
| Rank |
Player |
Prev |
High |
Description |
| 1. |
fOrGG_V_
(T) (stats) |
+4 |
1 |
Does this look odd to you? It sure looks odd to me. Odd doesn't even begin to cover the unreal boost in play fOrGG showed in July. Results are all well and good (and with an MSL win, I'm sure no one will disagree that he's got 'em in spades), but the real matter here is that no one played better StarCraft in July than fOrGG. Breaking out of his mould in a big way, fOrGG showed the world he's capable of so much more than making thirty thousand units and throwing them away. His games were dynamic, explosive, and most importantly, they were fucking brilliant StarCraft. Gotta give credit where it's due, there isn't a player in the world that came anywhere near fOrGG in July. |
| 2. |
Jaedong
(Z) (stats) |
0 |
1 |
Jaedong suffered a three game massacre at the hands of our new #1, but besides that, he looks just fine. His games against han in the OSL offline prelims were pretty good, definitely more a credit to han than a mark against Jaedong. Jaedong is still comfortably the best Zerg around. As sad as it makes me, I'm not sure how much longer he'll keep this up. Whether he performed up to what is expected of him during July, however, is a certainty. |
| 3. |
Flash
(T) (stats) |
0 |
1 |
Another victim of forGG, Flash looked plain vulnerable during his brief MSL Semifinal. Using a 14cc build order in every game was definitely an oversight on his part, but I won't pretend it means he's down and out, never to return. He got outplayed pretty hard, but you'll notice that the man who struck him down is a few spots above, as it should be. Flash isn't done yet, and with a berth in the round of 16 in both leagues, we'll soon get a clear indicator of where Flash is heading in the near future. |
| 4. |
JulyZerg
(Z) (stats) |
+4 |
4 |
First, let me just put this out there: I LOVE JULY. I've been a fan of July for about five years now, and the fact that he overcame a grueling slump to join Nada in the Golden Mouse club says great things about his ability as a player, and his will to win. July is below the three players above him simply because his competition during OSL was relatively soft. I'd expect most Zergs to beat down Rock and Backho. |
| 5. |
Luxury[GsP]
(Z) (stats) |
+2 |
2 |
Luxury's had a slow month. He's only played two games, and he split them. His spot this month is more a result of other players moving around. Luxury is still "the other best Zerg", the man who fills the void when Jaedong is having a bad week. He's been great for months, and I don't see any change from the two games he played in July. Is Luxury destined to be middleground for the rest of his career?
Middleground or not, Luxury is a damn good player. It wouldn't be right to just drop him for only playing two games in a month, because he's been playing his ass off for quite a while now. |
| 6. |
Leta
(T) (stats) |
- |
1 |
This little guy was terrible six months ago. We all remember his single shining moment, a ridiculous game against Stork from last ProLeague season.
Okay, picture that game. Now picture that happening six times in six different games during July. Impressed yet? You should be. Leta is playing some of the finest StarCraft I've seen lately. If looking at his string of victories isn't enough for you, watch the games. He's seamless and powerful, smart and confident. Leta has become a very good player, and unlike his most often comparison, Ruby, he's managed to find the groove and perform consistently. The birth of a Terran superstar, or a flash in the pan? I honestly have no idea, but Leta's games during the month have been something to behold. Good for you, kid. |
| 7. |
BeSt[HyO]
(P) (stats) |
-3 |
2 |
Seems like the beast has been bitten back. After being completely dismantled by July, Best was the latest victim of the new dynamo above him. It can certainly be expected that a relatively inexperienced player such as Best would take the loss he suffered against July to heart, and the effects seem to have been drastic. This spot is something of a compromise, because while Best played horribly during and after his OSL finals loss, the games he played leading up to that incident were still the best Protoss I've seen in a loooooooong time. Best has certainly got the talent to bounce back from his misery, and that's why he preserves this particular spot. Get your shit together, come back and see me. |
| 8. |
Kal
(P) (stats) |
-2 |
4 |
Kal's had a rough month, but he's still a damn good player. His losses have been numerous, but nothing significant has changed. In every situation, Kal has lost through his opponent playing well, rather than he himself playing poorly. And in most cases, they were damn fine games.
Kal is something of an oddity. He's the last person I'd have expected to go toe-to-toe with fOrGG. Even old, shitty fOrGG, much less new-and-improved badass motherfucker fOrGG. But he did, and their series contained some really cool games. Kal isn't going anywhere, he'll still be around, he'll still win a ton of games. If he doesn't do it quick, however, he's off next month. There are too many good players for one good player to get away with losing for very long. |
| 9. |
Iris[gm]
(T) (stats) |
- |
2 |
These next two spots will cause some bitching in the comments, I'm sure. I don't give a shit. If you've seen Iris's most recent games, you know he's playing like a savage again. I got chills watching him dismantle the chumps in his OSL prelim group. It spoke of one thing: The goddamn Berserker is BACK. Don't prove me wrong, Iris. The Rank is yours to climb. |
| 10. |
Midas
(T) (stats) |
- |
2 |
Another fallen hero, Midas has been playing very well as of late. A recent interview showed him positively bursting with confidence, assuring his fans that the slump is over. Well, for now, his game has backed up the trash his mouth been spewin'. Midas looks like a great player once again, and something about the world just feels a little more... right. Midas gets the same warning Iris does. Don't taunt me with strong play if you aren't going to keep the ball rolling. |
Comments (260)
Power Rank as of 07/06/2008
| Rank |
Player |
Prev |
High |
Description |
| 1. |
Sea[Shield]
(T) (stats) |
- |
1 |
Sometimes, the definition of "Power" changes so drastically that weird things happen.
Weird indeed, that Sea[Shield] is at the top of the Power Rank without a title to his name. Friends, Power can means a lot of things. A Powerful build order can win you a StarLeague. A Powerful mind can keep your career long and properous. A Powerful heart can endear you to the masses, and create a wave of fanatics frothing at the mouth just for a chance to cheer you on.
Yum BoSung has the most Powerful heart of any progamer on the scene. For the last several days, Sea has graciously spent time between practice with his adoring english-speaking fans, playing all manner of games. That includes a brutal 2-0 of your hero, sMi.FakeSteve, that consisted of utterly flawless (and I do mean flawless) control over the growth and prowess of his armed forces. Sea's TvT is perfection wielded as a weapon of unimaginable power, something I have never been on the receiving end of before.
Sea's TvZ is a sinister love affair between Casy's aggressiveness and iloveoov's macromanagement. You think you've seen TvZ? Watch Sea vs Hyuk on Othello, a game that transcends build order and mechanics and settles promptly down to raw, unrelenting will to win.
You think you're familiar with TvP timings? Sea frequently screams out of his base with a massive amalgamation of units and delivers his Protoss foe into the eager hands of the Devil himself. Sea is the reckoning and judgment itself for the hapless children who choose the race that carrier rushes.
Yum BoSung has captivated the entirety of TeamLiquid.net with but a few days of generous (by his schedule) interaction. A fresh crop of fans have seen the light, have snapped out of a dreamy sleep of ignorance during which they cheer for... *scoff*... other players. Sea is the single greatest StarCraft player to ever walk the earth, for reasons that go above and beyond the game itself, and certainly beyond the call of duty for a ProGamer.
Sea[Shield] is #1 on the Power Rank this month, and #1 in our hearts, this day and forevermore. |
| 2. |
Jaedong
(Z) (stats) |
0 |
1 |
Hello Jaedong!
So, there's been talk that Jaedong's ZvT is "shaky". There's been whispers here and there in gutters and back alleys that Jaedong isn't quite what he used to be. Well citizens, there's a reason those opinions are found in the sewers and backstreets: they're completely unfounded.
After the savage beating Jaedong laid upon Hwasin this MSL those doubts are washed away. Those three simple wins gave Jaedong's reputation a hose-down, and the strongest zerg on planet Earth is looking fresh and devastating as ever. Jaedong is a lock for the MSL final, where he will undoubtedly meet the next fellow on this list. |
| 3. |
Flash
(T) (stats) |
-2 |
1 |
Flash and Jaedong have been trading this spot for a while now, and usually the difference is a single game or series. The competition between these two really is that close.
In June, both these players faced essentially their strongest competition besides each other; Jaedong faced Hwasin, Flash faced Luxury. The difference here, is that Flash LOST to Luxury. However, Flash is obliterating MSL and is fresh off an impressive series with an upstart named Lomo.
Like Jaedong, Flash is looking toward the MSL final, and only fOrGG remains in his way. While he has technically been overthrown from the top spot on this ranking, he's certainly still the Flash we've grown accustomed to. |
| 4. |
BeSt[HyO]
(P) (stats) |
-1 |
2 |
Best is still great, not much has changed from last month. He came out of a grueling series with Luxury with a berth in the OSL final, where this Royal Road-walking phenom will face a two-time OSL champion. With these three players tearing everything up, it'd be real nice to have a monstrous clash in the near future so we can properly sort out what's what. For now, it has occurred to me from watching all of his games that Best is not quite at the level of Flash and Jaedong, but he's certainly closest. |
| 5. |
fOrGG_V_
(T) (stats) |
- |
1 |
Let me say right up front: This is not a position earned through bias. I don't even like fOrGG. He certainly has been playing some fine StarCraft, though. His series against Kal was one of the most entertaining TvP series we've seen in quite a while, and in my eyes this spot is unquestionably earned. fOrGG is in for the hardest series of his professional career as he tries to crash the MSL Final party this season.
fOrGG is kind of an odd player. Most of the decisions he makes are merely common ProGamer sense. His micro is laughable at times. He has always made more units than anyone on earth (besides iloveoov of course), and therein lies his strength. fOrGG is very hit-or-miss, but he displayed a surprising amount of flair against Kal. Enough for me to publicly acknowledge that he is really, REALLY fucking good at making units. |
| 6. |
Kal
(P) (stats) |
-1 |
4 |
Kal is hangin' around. He doesn't seem to be a one-hit wonder as many (myself included) suspected he might be after he was outclassed by Jaedong an MSL past. He's still one of the better players out there, teetering on the verge of S class. There isn't a whole lot to say about Kal, and there won't be until he does something impressive or unexpected. Until then, he'll cruise the middle of the PR and everyone will agree that his PvZ is much, much better than Stork's. |
| 7. |
Luxury[GsP]
(Z) (stats) |
+2 |
2 |
Luxury made a hell of a run for the OSL title this season, crown among his achievements a 2-0 slaughter of Flash. Luxury is a monster in every single Zerg matchup when he's playing well, and he certainly has been lately. His series against Best was a nail-biter, and I'm certain we haven't seen the last of Luxury in OSL/MSL this year. |
| 8. |
JulyZerg
(Z) (stats) |
- |
4 |
LOOK WHO'S BACK
July is in the OSL FINAL. THE FINALS OF THE OSL FOR A FIFTH TIME. This Golden Mouse candidate has been slaughtering second-rate Protoss players with style and grace lately. The only reason he isn't higher is that his opponents have been, well, terrible. As any strong player should win a series against a lesser player, so has July defeated Rock and BackHo. What remains to be seen is whether this is Tushin returned in earnest, or merely a hand extended longingly toward an unattainable goal. We shall see, or at least I will, because I'll be watching every goddamned July game live from now until he slumps again. It makes me very, VERY happy to put a player that held my 'favourite player' title until Sea came around on the Power Rank. |
| 9. |
Lomo[fOu]
(T) (stats) |
- |
9 |
Like his teammate fOrGG, I don't particularly like Lomo. But, this ain't about feelings, it's about StarCraft, and Lomo's been doing that pretty well lately.
Lomo has brought a unique style to MSL, and took Flash to five games before succumbing to a superior player. This is definitely a kid to watch out for. He's on his way up, and I don't see him going any other direction in the near future. |
| 10. |
Hwasin
(T) (stats) |
-6 |
2 |
Hwasin got completely totalled by Jaedong. But Jaedong is Jaedong, and if anything the existence of the series itself proves that Hwasin hasn't hung up his hat yet. How many times can I fit the letter H in a sentence? Let's hope Hwasin plays well in July as well so we can find out. |
Comments (398)
Power Rank as of 06/06/2008
| Rank |
Player |
Prev |
High |
Description |
| 1. |
Flash
(T) (stats) |
0 |
1 |
Yes, Flash is still unquestionably the best player on earth. This kid has utterly exploded since his GSI win over Stork. Between that time and now, Flash has gone 23-3, a stretch of dominance that is unheard of in today's field. He has no weak matchups. His games aren't just victories, but sad, one-sided affairs that leave his opponent laying on the floor in the fetal position, weeping and wondering why they ever picked up a copy of StarCraft. |
| 2. |
Jaedong
(Z) (stats) |
0 |
1 |
Jaedong is still unquestionably the 'other best player in the world'. He went 8-2 in May, dropping games to Hwasin and Mind. Jaedong will cruise through MSL until he meets Flash, and if he doesn't meet Flash, he'll win it again. I'll admit that Jaedong doesn't really look as good as he has in the past, but he's damn sure still better than everyone below him on this list. |
| 3. |
BeSt[HyO]
(P) (stats) |
+5 |
2 |
Quietly and quickly, Best became the strongest Protoss in the world. Best played nine games in May, and won every single fucking one. That includes a win over Flash, making him the only Protoss since march 15th to defeat the young phenom. Best is playing with mechanics and game sense that eclipse the abilities of the rest of the Protoss tribe right now. Though there are players with marginally comparable performances, no other Protoss has been winning the way Best has, and that's any damn way he feels like winning. |
| 4. |
Hwasin
(T) (stats) |
- |
2 |
Here's a familiar face! After a brief hiatus, Hwasin is playing great once again. 7-3 in May against all manner of opponents, Hwasin is showing games that match his previous calibre, when he was consistantly the second or third best Terran on earth. Personally, I couldn't be called a Hwasin fan, but I can't deny that he's been handily outperforming certain Terrans of whom I am a fan (cough cough). Hwasin is an immediate and alarming threat to everyone's MSL run. Yes, that includes Jaedong and Flash. |
| 5. |
Kal
(P) (stats) |
-1 |
4 |
Kal is still playing very well. Despite a few oddball losses in ProLeague (Come on, who can predict when lil' Ruby will just up and rape a sucker?), Kal looks to be in the same form he's been in for the last two months. He cemented this spot by taking a lead in his MSL series against Canata. Though Kal may not pose a threat to the four monsters above him, everyone else had better watch the fuck out. |
| 6. |
Much[gm]
(P) (stats) |
- |
4 |
You know, watching Much's games over the last month has been kinda boring. It's also important to recognize that during the last month, Much has lost more games than he's won. So, why is Much in the sixth spot?
Well, he's the only player besides Flash (OSL tiebreakers pending) who has qualified for the round of 8 in both major leagues. It certainly hasn't been pretty, and he's been utter dogshit everywhere else, but Much is winning when it counts, and some proleague games don't mean shit in comparison. |
| 7. |
Nada
(T) (stats) |
- |
2 |
Nada made it to the round of 16 in both major leagues. And though he lost to Hwasin in a close series in MSL, and though his advancement in OSL is in jeopardy, Nada has managed to once again look like a strong overall contendor. For the winningest player of all time, coming out of a slump is neither impossible nor a new experience. By watching Nada play, I see entirely modern trains of thought that show me he is still adapting and learning new things. Things are looking up for the original golden boy. |
| 8. |
Inter.Mind
(T) (stats) |
-5 |
3 |
Mind has been doing the same thing for the last couple of months. It is completely impossible to predict whether Mind will win a specific game, and even harder to predict whether he'll take a series. Mind loses almost as much as he wins, yet he remains a player who can utterly destroy every single player on the planet, and that includes Flash. But, how long are we to tolerate a lack of results? Mind is now out of both leagues, and though he certainly hasn't gotten worse since last month, a player with his errant fluctuation needs results. |
| 9. |
Luxury[GsP]
(Z) (stats) |
-2 |
2 |
Luxury is still better than people give him credit for. Yes, he lost two games to Sea in a fast exit from MSL. But he's also through to the round of 8 in OSL and currently on a 7 game winning streak. Luxury may not be an S class player at this moment, which is why he's so low on the PR. But Luxury still completely wrecks almost everyone who isn't on this list, and he's advancing in OSL. Good enough for me! |
| 10. |
Sea.Pure
(P) (stats) |
- |
10 |
Here's a new face for you all to ponder. Sea.Pure is FUCKING GOOD. His schedule hasn't been the most impressive line of opponents, but he has certainly showed some really sick play. I wouldn't dream of putting Pure anywhere above 10th before he shows me something in OSL or MSL, but for now his excellent play in ProLeague is sufficient. This guy is the real deal, and excellent player mechanically with great game sense. We'll see more from him soon, but for now he gets a polite nod for being such a great player. |
Comments (315)
Power Rank as of 05/03/2008
| Rank |
Player |
Prev |
High |
Description |
| 1. |
Flash
(T) (stats) |
0 |
1 |
Yes, Flash is still the best player. He's destroying everyone he comes across right now, there is no question that he's the current number one. Its looking like someone will have to dethrone this kid for him to move. |
| 2. |
Jaedong
(Z) (stats) |
0 |
1 |
Jaedong is still #2, even though his play lately has been a liiiiiiiiiiittle shaky. Missing out on OSL is pretty bad, but as far as I'm concerned, forgivable. Especially considering that this is the only 'bad' performance Jaedong has had in months. He's still a strong contendor for another MSL title, and as always, a proleague monster. |
| 3. |
Inter.Mind
(T) (stats) |
+3 |
3 |
Mind rises because there are no candidates more worthy of this spot. Mind is in both leagues, getting there by the skin of his teeth as is apparently customary. Mind is a great player, a genuine threat in any league he's in right now. |
| 4. |
Kal
(P) (stats) |
+1 |
4 |
Kal's spot this month isnt really 'undeserved', but it wouldn't be fair to say he got this high this month completely by his own hand. A certain other protoss playing like TOTAL ASS has significantly changed the makeup of the top slots. Regardless, Kal is playing pretty good. We'll probably see him go decently far in one of the leagues, but I still don't see a champion. |
| 5. |
Sea[Shield]
(T) (stats) |
+5 |
1 |
Sea advanced through his OSL group, qualified for MSL easily, and is currently 3-1 in ProLeague. What more can you ask for? Sea is playing great right now. I wish his TvP would be a little more stable, but Sea is a heavy favourite against any Terran or Zerg that he plays right now, regardless of play style. Can he advance past the round of 16 in the individual leagues? Tune in next month to find out! |
| 6. |
Jangbi
(P) (stats) |
- |
1 |
Look who it is! The worst Protoss in the world! Jangbi is a scumbag and a liar, but I GUESS he is playing pretty good. UGH. SIGH.
Really though, Jangbi had something of a breakout last MSL and he's at the top of his game right now. He can be classified as a 'dangerous opponent', and all signs indicate that we haven't seen the best Jangbi will put out. |
| 7. |
Luxury[GsP]
(Z) (stats) |
-4 |
2 |
Despite Luxury's massive, massive failure against Stork last OSL, I'm not ready to give up on him just yet. He's 2-0 in ProLeague and currently in both OSL and MSL. We'll see how he performs in the individual leagues again, and then I can move him in either direction accordingly. Right now, all thats evident is that he's playing worse than everyone above him, but with only two games since his awful performance against Stork, its impossible to give him the boot completely. |
| 8. |
BeSt[HyO]
(P) (stats) |
- |
2 |
Have you checked out this character? Turns out he's pretty damn good. Best is the sort of sleeper that will surprise people in the coming months. He is definitely, at worst, a hazard for anyone in his OSL group. I really like Best's play, he's intuitive and vicious. Welcome to the Power Rank, kiddo. Someone thinks you're good! Hurray! |
| 9. |
Bisu
(P) (stats) |
-2 |
1 |
Maybe if Bisu had MADE IT OUT OF HIS FUCKING MSL GROUP WITH A ZERG AND TWO INSURANCE TERRANS, he'd have a better spot on the PR. Maybe if he wasn't PLAYING LIKE HE BROKE ALL HIS FINGERS WITH A HAMMER, he would have gone farther in MSL. Maybe, maybe, maybe. Bisu sucks right now, but only worse than the eight people above him. The Protoss revolutionist isn't completely out of gas yet, but damn he needs a refuel. |
| 10. |
Manifesto7
(R) |
- |
10 |
This spot actually goes to Stork, but it makes me infinitely happier to put some fat dummy on the list instead.
Let me break it down real easy: STORK SUCKS. Stork has sucked for AGES, but apparently only I had noticed. Stork's games the last few months have basically been nothing but a shitstorm of terrible games against Terran. Every game he either gets completely worked, or he does some retarded proxy robo carrier rush extreme dt bullshit that doesn't even work half the time, whether the terran scouts it or not. YOU SUCK STORK. I can't wait for him to get rolled in OSL (but not in MSL because he didn't qualify!) so I can actually drop him for real. |
Comments (532)
Power Rank as of 03/04/2008
| Rank |
Player |
Prev |
High |
Description |
| 1. |
Flash
(T) (stats) |
+4 |
1 |
Holy hell, Flash has been fucking incredible this past month. Flash and Jaedong have played ten games in the last little while, in three different leagues. The total score of all those games is 5-5. Flash is the only player currently capable of consistantly hanging with Jaedong, and unlike most other Terrans, Flash is currently nigh unbeatable TvP. I don't think anyone can really argue this one, and personally I'd prefer Jaedong in the top slot, but I just can't deny Flash's performance. Despite being knocked out of MSL by Jaedong, Flash won the GSI over Stork, and has secured his first ever OSL Final. |
| 2. |
Jaedong
(Z) (stats) |
-1 |
1 |
Jaedong is still unstoppable, unless you're Flash. Jaedong's dead-even combat with Flash has been a real treat for StarCraft fans everywhere, barring maybe the exchange of tired cheeses in the GSI. With both players playing better than everyone else by such a large margin, the simple turning point of Jaedong and Flash's placement was Jaedong's poor decisions against Flash's metal build on Katrina. Such a small detail, but entirely important in seperating number one from number two. In every other respect, Jaedong has looked as fiesty as ever |
| 3. |
Luxury[GsP]
(Z) (stats) |
+3 |
2 |
Though he's had fewer televised games, Luxury has been looking strong as hell. In his first OSL, he is yet to lose a single game. This placement may look a little high, but if you watch his OSL games and read my comments about a certain Protoss, I think you'll agree. |
| 4. |
Stork[gm]
(P) (stats) |
-2 |
1 |
Stork is still winning, I guess. My problem with Stork is that his latest games have absolutely nothing that would set him apart from every other Protoss out there. His series in the GSI final against Flash was solid, but every other game Stork has played recently is either a proxy something or a carrier rush. Just like every other Protoss. Stork's incredible macro has not shined once in recent weeks, because instead of showing his skill he has been taking easy wins on easy maps with the same bullshit much shittier Protoss players use. With Luxury on the warpath, I would wager that Stork will not make it to the OSL final alive. As with Flash, Luxury is currently playing at a level that transcends proxies, and you can't carrier rush in PvZ. We'll see what happens in the OSL semifinal, but with Stork's uninspired, lazy games, I feel this placement is completely justified. |
| 5. |
Kal
(P) (stats) |
+3 |
4 |
All right, good job. Any second-tier player trying to break into first-tier status should be expected to win handily over weak opponents on favourable maps, and that's exactly what Kal has done. Kal is, admittedly, pretty damn good at PvZ, which will make this MSL final somewhat interesting. Kal will need to beat Jaedong in order to preserve this spot on the Power Rank, which, considering his relatively easy path through MSL, is really nothing more than a courtesy. Now is the time to man up, and we'll have to wait and see what Kal brings to see if he really belongs up here. |
| 6. |
Inter.Mind
(T) (stats) |
-3 |
3 |
Mind got his skull caved in by Jaedong. He's still on the Rank because he's only really lost that one series lately, and his GSI performance wasn't too tragic. I mean, his performance was better than everyone below him, so how would it be fair to give him a different spot? |
| 7. |
Bisu
(P) (stats) |
0 |
1 |
Bisu has been doing all right. Not phenomenal, not terrible. He did make it through groups in GSI, and to the OSL semifinal, but along the way he got completely manhandled by Flash, Iris, and Sea. He hasn't been playing at either extreme of the spectrum, just right in the middle. A middle spot on the Power Rank is a good fit for him, and his progression one direction or another is completely up to him. |
| 8. |
Anytime[gm]
(P) (stats) |
+1 |
2 |
Anytime is currently doing something Anytime has never done before. He's playing better than most, but not dominating. Anytime has always been a big hit or a terrible miss. Currently, he has qualified for the upcoming OSL and MSL, destroyed Stork in the ProLeague Grand Final, and put on a respectable showing at the GSI. No league titles, but nothing to frown at. |
| 9. |
Much[gm]
(P) (stats) |
-5 |
4 |
Much is being demoted to the 9th spot due to his poor performance past the group stages of GSI and OSL. It's like the steamrolling, badass motherfucker that slaughtered his OSL and GSI groups took a vacation, and left a confused old man on his own, trying to figure out what all these moving colors on the screen are. He played BAD. But, there are new leagues coming, and he's already qualified for one of them. If he makes it through ODT, he's got another chance at the big time. |
| 10. |
Sea[Shield]
(T) (stats) |
- |
1 |
Well, I didn't want to put Sea back on the rank until he did something better than what he usually does. Unfortunately, there is just no one more deserving of this spot. Sea destroyed his GSI group and qualified for the next MSL in two completely one-sided games. He looked fucking good while he did it, too. When he got to the GSI round of 8, however, he ran into Stork. Stork promptly proxy robo'd him on Blue Storm, and then carrier rushed on Katrina, and Sea was back out on the street. We watched Flash walk all over Stork later in the tournament, so no forgiveness here. Still, there are new leagues coming, and another season of ProLeague is bound to begin soon. We'll see what happens! |
Comments (209)
Power Rank as of 02/07/2008
| Rank |
Player |
Prev |
High |
Description |
| 1. |
Jaedong
(Z) (stats) |
0 |
1 |
Lordy, lordy, the new king is still on his throne. Jaedong is looking incredible right now. His only loss in his entire OSL and MSL run so far has been a single game to Best in which he tried some wierd all-in on the terrible map Demon's Forest. Every other game Jaedong has played has been complete domination from start to finish, the likes of which we haven't seen since the heyday of the Maestro. |
| 2. |
Stork[gm]
(P) (stats) |
+1 |
1 |
Stork didn't make MSL, but that happened months ago. He went 3-0 in his OSL group with apparent ease, though, looking strong as ever. Stork is still a force to be reckoned with, and he'll need to show some form of weakness besides his PvZ to make him fall, because his PvZ doesn't seem to be holding him back right now. Maybe its fortunate that the only Zerg Stork has had to play recently is Rumble. Nevertheless, his PvP and PvT are the best around. |
| 3. |
Inter.Mind
(T) (stats) |
+1 |
3 |
Mind is doing very well. His win percentage isn't stellar, but he isn't crashing and burning in his MSL title defense, and he bulldozed the offline qualifiers on his way to OSC. Everyone should be watching this guy, because I get the distinct impression that he ain't done yet. |
| 4. |
Much[gm]
(P) (stats) |
+1 |
4 |
Speaking of bulldozers, you might as well paint Much yellow and put a fat lazy union worker on his back. Every one of Much's matchups look solid as hell right now, and he's on a 5-game winning streak. He has a tough road ahead of him in OSL, so we'll be able to see exactly where Much fits in with the three players above him. |
| 5. |
Flash
(T) (stats) |
+3 |
1 |
Flash is looking strong too. Since dropping off the rank months ago and reappearing in January, Flash has done nothing but win. Win, Win, Win. Awkward losses to Stork and Rock in his OSL group were quickly rectified by the utter mutilation of the tiebreaker. Flash is now in the round of 8 in BOTH leagues, though his opponent is Jaedong in either case. This will be yet another massive test for the little man, who's had quite an unfortunate list of opponents in his short individual league career. |
| 6. |
Luxury[GsP]
(Z) (stats) |
- |
2 |
Damn, where the hell did Luxury come from? He slaughtered his MSL round of 32 group, he massacred his OSL group 3-0. The only black mark on Luxury's resume for the last month is his loss in MSL to Jaedong, but since it seems apparent that EVERYONE loses to Jaedong right now, we can hardly hold it against him. Luxury has finally outshone his brother somewhere other than ProLeague, and with a shmuck for an opponent in the OSL Round of 8, things are looking up. |
| 7. |
Bisu
(P) (stats) |
-5 |
1 |
Bisu ain't dead yet - but he sure pissed me off. Bisu lost two consecutive PvZs in an MSL Round of 32 group of his own creation. On top of that, he got destroyed by Luxury and July in his OSL group. What saved him was the complete domination of Xellos and July in the group's tiebreaker matches. Bisu still has the gumption to make it out of groups, and with Much as his first opponent, he certainly has his work cut out for him. Resurgence? Failure? Tune in next month to find out! |
| 8. |
Kal
(P) (stats) |
- |
4 |
All right! What started off as a joke in the ProLeague updates I wrote can now be laid to rest. Here's the deal: I don't hate Kal. I never have. At this moment in time, Kal is showing that he desperately wants to be something more than an average, second-rate protoss. He's made the semifinal of the current MSL in convincing fashion, so now my unfair hatred has a new target. FUCK YOU, JANGBI. YOU SUCK. |
| 9. |
Anytime[gm]
(P) (stats) |
- |
2 |
Anytime's ridiculous loss to Nada in MSL is what kept him from being placed any higher than this spot. Aside from that, Anytime has looked pretty good. He hasn't lost a single game in the ProLeague playoffs this season, and he easily qualified for OSC. Anytime seems to have the puzzle almost put together, but until he finds the last few pieces he won't be hefting any trophies. |
| 10. |
Light[aLive]
(T) (stats) |
-1 |
3 |
The last spot goes to Light because Light has been... well... he's been all right. He was on the rank last month, and with a passable performance in January, he preserves his Power Rank prowess for another month. I've got my eye on Light, because he seems to play really well one moment and then just terribly the next. Maybe some consistancy will follow with these repeated league qualifications he's gathering. |
Comments (214)
Power Rank as of 01/03/2008
| Rank |
Player |
Prev |
High |
Description |
| 1. |
Jaedong
(Z) (stats) |
+3 |
1 |
The only thing keeping Jaedong down these last few months was his hapless ZvP. He's unquestionably the strongest ZvZ and ZvT player around, and during games 3 and 4 of his OSL final victory over Stork, he looked damn good at ZvP too. Jaedong has fewer medals, but right now he's playing a more complete game than Bisu. Jaedong is the best goddamned player in the world. |
| 2. |
Bisu
(P) (stats) |
-1 |
1 |
Bisu lost to Stork in the OSL Semifinal, but the two of them are still neck-and-neck in the race for the Best Protoss crown. Bisu may have lost to Stork, but the list of players that dominate Bisu is very short. He still seems incapable of losing to Zerg, and with his MSL group containing nothing but, he's in good position. Bisu's high finishes in both OSL and MSL trump Stork this month, because Bisu is still just playing better. |
| 3. |
Stork[gm]
(P) (stats) |
0 |
1 |
Oh, Stork. Stork is STILL completely useless against Zerg. His performance against Jaedong was abysmal; he wasn't even in control of the single game he won. To top that off, Stork didn't make MSL. He got stomped by Ruby and Luxury. Is that any way to finish the month? A terrible performance on the biggest stage, and then losses to second-rate chumps in Survivor? Stork's opportunity to prove himself a champion and not just a grinning nerd is slowly slipping through his fingers. |
| 4. |
Inter.Mind
(T) (stats) |
+1 |
3 |
Mind hasn't had a busy month. He's played nothing but ProLeague, and has won more than he's lost. Mind's real test will be his performance in the new MSL, but for now I can't credit or discredit him with anything I didn't already know, so he'll stay put this month. Mind's games are still very entertaining, and he still seems always on the verge of getting his face stomped in before he wins. He reminds me a lot of Iris, and if he can borrow some of Iris' execution finesse he'll be a major Terran force. |
| 5. |
Much[gm]
(P) (stats) |
+5 |
4 |
Maybe his wins aren't the prettiest, and maybe he doesn't have the greatest win:loss ratio, but Much is on fire. He played 18 games in December. He won OSC through a difficult bracket, with a 3-2 win over Sea to cap it off. He might be 10-8 for the month, but numbers lie. Much is getting the job done, and is looking like a strong contendor wherever he plays right now. |
| 6. |
Sea[Shield]
(T) (stats) |
+3 |
1 |
Sea is on fire too. Like Much, he played 18 games in December. Sea went 12-6, with half of his losses coming from his 2-3 loss to Much. On his way to the OSC final he even wrecked poor UpMagic in a strong display of dropship chess and veteran patience. Sea is in MSL and has favorable matchups in his ODT group. Sea deserves this spot for his great play this month, but a strong performance in at least one of the major tournaments will be needed to maintain position. |
| 7. |
sAviOr
(Z) (stats) |
-5 |
1 |
Savior is standing on his last legs in this Power Rank. He only had 3 games in December, so I'm wary of moving him any further. He's a seed in MSL and if he can conquer his difficult ODT group, he'll look a lot stronger in my eyes. Right now, Savior is definitely slipping. What I can't tell right now is how far, and whether its permanent. Savior is hard to put my finger on, and hopefully the coming month will give us some definitive answers about the future of Ma Jae Yoon. |
| 8. |
Flash
(T) (stats) |
- |
1 |
I don't like him, you don't like him... Maybe some of you like him, I dunno. That doesn't matter. What matters is that Flash is playing really, really good. Straight wins, too. No cheese from the kid in quite a while. Flash cruised easily into both leagues this season, so we'll see what he can do. Gotta give credit where it's due, even if Flash does look vaguely like a confused fish. |
| 9. |
Light[aLive]
(T) (stats) |
-1 |
3 |
Light is still looking pretty good. His loss to Jaedong in OSL is the only game in recent memory where he looked completely outclassed. he's only 2-2 in December, but the games were decent. He's in MSL and ODT, so he has ample chances to prove himself. He's already one of the strongest Terrans around, but he'll need some results to back that up pretty quick. |
| 10. |
Xellos
(T) (stats) |
- |
10 |
Hello, old friend! Yes, ladies and gentlemen. Seo Ji Hoon. Motherfucking XELLOS. Xellos is in both leagues with a Semifinal MSL appearance and a quick 2-0 of his ODT group. Xellos is starting to look fucking good again and it gives me warm, happy feelings down in my gut. And a little farther down, if you know what I mean. We can only hope this isn't yet another flash-in-the-pan veteran resurgence, like the ones poor rA has been pulling out lately. If Xellos is getting his game back, the whole world is in trouble. |
Comments (310)
Power Rank as of 12/01/2007
| Rank |
Player |
Prev |
High |
Description |
| 1. |
Bisu
(P) (stats) |
0 |
1 |
Hurrah, hurrah, hurrah. Bisu wears his crown so fashionably. Yes, he lost to Mind, but that is the only series in the last three months wherein he didn't play like the best goddamned player on earth. His heroic comeback in game 2 of his series against Savior and his brutal domination of the third knocked the wind out of any doubt that Bisu is anything but the reigning world champ. |
| 2. |
sAviOr
(Z) (stats) |
+1 |
1 |
Savior lost to Mind too, but he also pushed Bisu farther than Bisu has ever been pushed in a PvZ series. Watch the second and third games of the Savior/Bisu series and honestly tell me that any other Protoss in the world could have won those games. You can't, because no other Protoss could. Savior's ZvT remains suspect only because he used to be untouchable, but had he sealed up the series against Bisu, we'd have seen a Savior OSL Final appearance without a shadow of a doubt. There's no player that has performed as consistantly this month, besides Bisu of course. |
| 3. |
Stork[gm]
(P) (stats) |
+1 |
1 |
Stork grabs the third spot because he's had a good month. He breezed through his OSL group and dismantled the little babyface Flash once again. After bringing Bisu so close to destruction in their MSL final meeting, it's ridiculous to think Stork stands no chance in their upcoming OSL semifinal match. Like the players above him, Stork will have to be knocked off in order to fall significantly. |
| 4. |
Jaedong
(Z) (stats) |
+1 |
1 |
Ahhh, Jaedong. This is Jaedong's OSL breakout. He creamed Light, and with Hwasin gone, he's basically a lock for the OSL final. This is the draw we've been waiting to see this little man mangle. If he can step up his ZvP and if Stork takes out Bisu, Jaedong has a legitimate chance at the OSL title. A loss or two in ProLeague amidst preparation for OSL doesn't fool me. |
| 5. |
Inter.Mind
(T) (stats) |
- |
3 |
Last month I said I had my eye on Mania and Mind. I called for them to step up and show me something incredible. Mind answered that call. His macro isn't earth-shattering, his micro isn't mind-boggling, but Mind's game sense is top fucking notch. He proved to me (and everyone else) that he's a force to be reckoned with, and if he can show me this isn't just a flash in the pan, Mind has nowhere to go but up. For now he sits below Jaedong, because there's very little that suggests Mind would be capable of standing in his way. |
| 6. |
Hwasin
(T) (stats) |
-4 |
2 |
Hwasin hasn't been playing as well as we're accustomed to. Still, you'd be a fool to think he isn't going to wreck everyone that stands in the way of another MSL/OSL double berth. It's too early to tell if this is a bump in the road or the beginning of a downfall, and while it sure ain't pretty, Hwasin is still currently one of the best Terrans on the planet. |
| 7. |
Sea.Up
(T) (stats) |
- |
6 |
UpMagic, like Mind, needed to show something special to break into the Power Rank. He certainly did just that. Not only did he beat Hwasin, but he beat Hwasin with solid, standard play. Game 3 of their series is the best TvT I've ever seen UpMagic play. However, Hwasin would fare a much better chance against Jaedong than UpMagic can hope for, and he's still useless against Protoss. Since this is Power Rank, not Who-Won-The-Series Rank, UpMagic sits lower than Hwasin because Hwasin's TvZ and TvP are fearsome. Credit is due, however. UpMagic's elevated play against Hwasin in an OSL round of 8 earns him his spot on the Power Rank. Only time will tell if his success is fleeting. |
| 8. |
Light[aLive]
(T) (stats) |
-1 |
3 |
All right, let's face it. Light got mangled by Jaedong. His saving grace is that any Terran would probably get mangled by Jaedong. This was a fairly successful OSL run on Light's part, and with a different draw its entirely possible that he would have advanced further. A loss against impossible odds won't make me give up on Light just yet, though he'll have to remain competitive to retain this spot. |
| 9. |
Sea[Shield]
(T) (stats) |
0 |
1 |
I said Sea would mangle his OSC group, and he did. There isn't a single player left in OSC that could sensibly be called a favorite over Sea, because his play right now is devastating. Sea's ProLeague presence isn't as big this season, which leads me to believe there is much more preparation going into his individual league performances. He'll need results to climb the Rank, but a Power Rank without Sea would just be foolish with how good he's playing right now. |
| 10. |
Much[gm]
(P) (stats) |
- |
4 |
I loathe using TLPD stats to enforce Power Rank spots, but I feel this is worth mentioning: Much is on a ten game winning streak, dating back to early October. 5-0 in November, Much is playing like he's hungry for OSL group stages once again. His games were agaisnt Chalrenge, GoGo, free, Stork, and GoRush. Not the best of the best, but hardly third-rate chumps. The most important thing to note is that Much's overall play is better than everyone except the nine players above him. It wouldn't be fair to give the tenth spot to anyone else. |
Comments (248)
Power Rank as of 11/01/2007
| Rank |
Player |
Prev |
High |
Description |
| 1. |
Bisu
(P) (stats) |
0 |
1 |
This is a no-brainer. Bisu is still 'bonjwa'. Bisu is still the best goddamn player on earth. If you disagree with this selection, I have one simple question for you: Are your parents blood related? |
| 2. |
Hwasin
(T) (stats) |
0 |
2 |
Hwasin was another easy choice. I keep waiting for Hwasin to plateau, but it just hasn't happened yet. Hwasin even had Bisu's back against the wall in MSL. He's the only player currently capable of giving Bisu so much hell in a series, and for that he's a lock in the second spot. |
| 3. |
sAviOr
(Z) (stats) |
0 |
1 |
The word 'slump' gets thrown around a lot at TL, but the simple fact remains that Savior is still playing great. It's very likely he'll make a sixth MSL finals appearance this season, and he's 2-0 in his OSL group. For performing so well in both leagues, I can't give him any worse than spot #3. |
| 4. |
Stork[gm]
(P) (stats) |
0 |
1 |
Stork in spot 4 is logical. The top four on this Power Rank are a cut above everyone else in ProGaming right now, but Stork's loss to Savior in MSL means he stays a spot below him. Stork's PvZ still plagues him, but his other matchups are still top-notch. Regardless of his early MSL exit, Stork is qualified to the OSL round of 8, and still looks strong as ever. |
| 5. |
Jaedong
(Z) (stats) |
+3 |
1 |
Through the month of October, Jaedong went 5-0. That's right, he didn't lose a single game. On top of that he's on a ZvT hot streak that dates back to July, amassing 13 consecutive wins. Jaedong's ZvP is still a concern, but his ZvT and ZvZ are so untouchable right now that anything lower than top 5 is an insult to his ability. |
| 6. |
Iris[gm]
(T) (stats) |
-1 |
2 |
Iris hasn't done anything to show me that he's not in top shape. Despite a loss to SangHo on Protoss-friendly maps in the MSL qualifications, Iris is still baring his teeth. His OSL group is the 'group of death', containing Light, Hwasin, and July. If he fails to make it out of the group, he'll have to really turn it on in November to maintain his spot on December's Power Rank, but right now no one can find a legitimate fault in his play. All signs still point to Yes on Iris' OSL road. |
| 7. |
Light[aLive]
(T) (stats) |
+2 |
3 |
Light gains a few spots because of his relative MSL success and his 2-0 status in his OSL group. Though he'll be hard-pressed to escape his group over Iris or Hwasin, he's playing very well. I'll admit his losses to Kwanro looked bad, but let's not forget he beat GoRush and Lucifer to get there in the first place. Besides the hiccup against Kwanro (that's what we're calling it, for now), Light has elevated his play since last month. Moreso than the next guy on the list. |
| 8. |
free[gm]
(P) (stats) |
+2 |
3 |
I can hear you asking, "FakeSteve, why isn't Free higher than Light? Free beat his MSL Round of 16 opponent!" Yeah, he did. He beat Lomo, but it took three games, and he looked like shit while he did it. Game 1 was such a drubbing that we should be able to expect Free to take Lomo out in a similar manner in game 2. Instead he played like he'd lost his fingers in a threshing accident. Afterwards, he was thoroughly embarassed by Savior. Free is under Light because despite his statistically better MSL performance, Light was in both leagues, and is still playing great in OSL. Gotta give some credit though, which is why Free climbs to spot #8. |
| 9. |
Sea[Shield]
(T) (stats) |
-2 |
1 |
I can hear even more people saying, "Oh FakeSteve, why is Sea on the Power Rank? He lost in MSL Round of 32!" Yeah, he did. However, he played an amazing game against July, and performed exponentially better against Kwanro's slick ZvT build order than Light did. On top of that, Sea is 5-1 in the current ProLeague, and everything in his game says he'll destroy OSC with ease. Sea has a lower spot than free and Light because they admittedly went farther in MSL, but no one with a lick of sense can say that Sea isn't playing exceptionally well right now. |
| 10. |
Anytime[gm]
(P) (stats) |
- |
2 |
Ohhhh, this one is going to ring some alarms. Anytime is 8-1 in ProLeague right now, and is the largest reason his team Lecaf has a perfect 8-0 record. Anytime is playing fantastically; he's destroying everyone he comes across with style and grace. If you aren't clear on why Anytime gets this spot over GGPlay, watch Anytime's ProLeague wins, and then watch GGPlay's game against Shudder. That ought to clear it up for you. Anytime will have an easy run qualifying for OSL, and if he keeps the form he showed through October, he'll go very far in the next tournament. Remember, this is Power Rank, not The List Of People Who Qualified For OSL/MSL Two Months Ago. |
Comments (195)
Power Rank as of 10/02/2007
| Rank |
Player |
Prev |
High |
Description |
| 1. |
Bisu
(P) (stats) |
0 |
1 |
As excited as everyone likes to get over a stray loss or two, the fact remains that Bisu is still the best player in the world. Beyond being the two-time, defending MSL champion, he is into the Ro16 of the MSL and started off the OSL with an embarrassingly one-sided win over GGPlay. |
| 2. |
Hwasin
(T) (stats) |
+3 |
2 |
Hwasin is 18-6 since August, with huge wins over huge opponents <i>and</i> a WCG Korea title. But WCG Korea is not a Starleague, and Hwasin has yet to prove himself as a player who can take down the best of the best when the stakes are at their highest. That caveat aside, Hwasin is playing better than he ever has. He’s even showing the stylistic flickers of intense brilliance that define a star, moments like his “goliath bomb” against Light in their epic TvT. |
| 3. |
sAviOr
(Z) (stats) |
+3 |
1 |
Savior’s suffered some difficult losses as of late, but they’re been against the cream of the crop, players like Sea, Hwasin, Light, and Flash. Looking at the big picture, Savior is into the MSL Ro16 and 1-0 in the OSL, to say nothing of his third-place finish at WCG Korea. It’s hard to fault a player over a few losses when he’s posting such consistent results. |
| 4. |
Stork[gm]
(P) (stats) |
0 |
1 |
I felt like I was in The Twilight Zone when Stork beat July and lost to Hwasin at WCG Korea, but that doesn’t change the fact that Stork is 12-6 since August with easy wins in the MSL and OSL. |
| 5. |
Iris[gm]
(T) (stats) |
-3 |
2 |
Iris is a huge question mark for me this month. He’s only played six major games since his OSL loss to GGPlay, but I can’t help but remark upon the fact that he missed the MSL with an 0-2 loss to SangHo[Shield] in the very first round of the offline qualifiers. Losses like that don’t inspire much in the way of confidence. I don’t mean to slight SangHo—he’s very good, to be honest—but Iris is a perennial Starleague contender; we have to hold him to a higher standard. |
| 6. |
GGPlay
(Z) (stats) |
-3 |
3 |
Putting GGPlay at the #6 slot this month feels like an insult to him, but in reality, it’s a testament to how good the top four look at the moment. If GGPlay wants to retain such a high slot in the Power Rank, however, he’s going to have to show stronger play than he did against Bisu. GGPlay has never been a strong ZvP player, but a domination of that magnitude is bound to raise some eyebrows. |
| 7. |
Sea[Shield]
(T) (stats) |
+2 |
1 |
With his staggering Proleague record, respectable WCG performance, and spot in the MSL, Sea was an easy choice for the #7 slot this month. What concerns me about Sea, however, is that his MSL group consists of three hyper-aggressive Zergs. Sea could find himself in trouble if he continues to rely upon his fast expansion builds. |
| 8. |
Jaedong
(Z) (stats) |
-1 |
1 |
Jaedong <i>is</i> ZvT. If someone asked me to define ZvT while I was watching Jaedong play, I would simply point to the screen and say, “That’s it right there. That’s the definition of the matchup.” Jaedong is 10-0 in his last ten ZvTs, with wins over Boxer, Xellos, Light, and Hwasin. He executes in a way that no other Zerg has managed to mimic. Jaedong’s problem, however, is that his ZvP is atrocious. But he’s in luck! There are only three Protosses in the OSL, and neither Stork nor Rock is known for his PvZ prowness. As long as he manages to avoid Bisu, Jaedong could make an enormous splash this season. |
| 9. |
Light[aLive]
(T) (stats) |
- |
3 |
Light has looked amazing since July, going 11-6 with losses only to Savior, Bisu, Hwasin, Jaedong… and Rock. And in that same frame of time, Light has beaten Savior, Bisu, and Hwasin. He's also in both Starleagues. Could this be the season in which Light realizes his full potential? |
| 10. |
free[gm]
(P) (stats) |
- |
3 |
With his strong showing at WCG and easy move into the Ro16 of the MSL, Free is deserving of the #10 slot this month. My problem with Free is his consistency. Though I shudder at the thought, Free reminds me of a Protoss version of Midas; he’s as likely to beat himself as he is the other player. |
Comments (105)
Power Rank as of 08/01/2007
| Rank |
Player |
Prev |
High |
Description |
| 1. |
Bisu
(P) (stats) |
0 |
1 |
By this point, I sincerely hope that all doubts regarding Bisu have been put to rest. Yes, his PvT could use a tweaking. Okay, his Proleague record isn’t great. Alright, Flash managed to eke out a 2-0, cheese win against him. But is he the best player in the world right now? Without question. |
| 2. |
Iris[gm]
(T) (stats) |
+1 |
2 |
Iris has shown that he is among the very best in the world in all three Terran matchups, something that no one, aside from oov and Nada, has ever been able to claim (you could make a case for Xellos and Boxer, but I wouldn’t). Beyond putting Iris in truly elite company, that puts him at the #2 slot for this month. |
| 3. |
GGPlay
(Z) (stats) |
+5 |
3 |
Time and time again, I’ve been the person championing GGPlay’s skills. It’s no secret that I think highly of his play or that I’ve thought highly of it for a very long time. This month would have been the perfect excuse to put GGPlay in the #2 slot if I’d wanted to. I mean, he won an OSL! He beat Iris! But when I look at GGPlay in relation to the players above him, there’s no doubt in my mind that Bisu and Iris are the better-rounded, stronger players at the moment. |
| 4. |
Stork[gm]
(P) (stats) |
-2 |
1 |
Stork has really disappointed me in these past months. His record is astonishing, to be sure, but when the stakes have been at their highest, Stork has crumbled—twice. I still view Stork as a top-tier player with the world’s best PvT, but is he a championship player? I used to think so. I’m not so sure anymore. |
| 5. |
Hwasin
(T) (stats) |
+1 |
2 |
Nothing’s happened to change my opinion about Hwasin. He’s been consistent in the Proleague, and it took the eventual winners of both the OSL and MSL to oust him from the two Starleagues. |
| 6. |
sAviOr
(Z) (stats) |
-1 |
1 |
Savior is still a very strong player. I don’t see many people arguing that point. What needs to be mentioned, however, is that Savior is no longer the Jesus Zerg. He no longer has a sixth, anti-cheese sense. If you nail him to a cross (metaphorically speaking, of course), he might not come back faster, stronger, and more alive than ever. He’s still strong, though, and I don’t want to see any more people screaming “SLUMP!” when “all” he’s done lately is make both Starleagues—again. |
| 7. |
Jaedong
(Z) (stats) |
- |
1 |
Even with his horrible, horrible series against Rock, Jaedong is 21-6 since June, and he just made his first OSL. Remembering his games of past and looking at his games of present has led me to two conclusions: his ZvT is world-class, and his ZvP needs work. And for once, the statistics support my opinion! Jaedong’s winning percentages by matchup are as follows: 66.67% ZvT, 78.26% ZvZ, and a mere 50% ZvP. Does Jaedong have what it takes to overcome an OSL-caliber Protoss? Or with only two Protosses currently in the OSL (and the potential for only two more), will he even have to worry about them? |
| 8. |
Flash
(T) (stats) |
-1 |
1 |
After his uninspired performances against GGPlay and Stork, one might have thought that Flash was nothing but hype. I, for one, don’t think much of his late-game management—or even his mid-game management. But given Flash’s age and the fact that he just cruised into both Starleagues, he deserves a low slot in the Power Rank. |
| 9. |
Sea[Shield]
(T) (stats) |
+1 |
1 |
Sea’s recent performances have been too strong to ignore. He’s a staggering 16-5 in the Proleague, and his OSC run was stopped by a 1-2 loss to Jaedong, who’s looked practically unbeatable ZvT as of late (he’s 9-1, losing only that single game to Sea, in his last 10 ZvTs). Even with strong ODT and Survivor groups standing in his way, Sea is a heavy favorite to advance into both Starleagues. |
| 10. |
Firebathero
(T) (stats) |
-6 |
4 |
After watching his series against oov and Savior (and GGPlay in the 2006 ShinHan 3 OSL), I am convinced that FirebatHero has two legitimate matchups, though TvT is clearly his best. Watching Stork and Rock disrespect him, however, caused me to review both his TvP and his career TvP record, and neither is pretty. With few exceptions, FirebatHero only wins against weak opponents or on advantageous maps. Then there’s his recent 0-2 performance in the ODT to consider. This #10 slot is a gift to honor the memory of his consistent, strong play. If FirebatHero wants to stick around next month, he’s going to have to turn things around. |
Comments (183)
Power Rank as of 07/06/2007
| Rank |
Player |
Prev |
High |
Description |
| 1. |
Bisu
(P) (stats) |
0 |
1 |
After he trounced GoRush, I knew I had to keep Bisu at the #1 slot for this month. And the reason for that—I’ll go into even more depth later—is that I don’t think Stork would have stood a chance against GoRush in that series. Both Bisu and Stork are hot right now, and I’ll even admit that Stork is on more of a tear; his record’s a little better, anyway. (Stork is 36-16 since March. Bisu is 31-15 in that same span of time). But a strong Zerg could have derailed Stork’s tear at any point, and that’s exactly what happened. At this point in time, Bisu would be the favorite, or at least be given relatively even odds, against just about any player in the world. That’s not something you can say about Stork; his PvZ doesn’t allow it. |
| 2. |
Stork[gm]
(P) (stats) |
+1 |
1 |
I had an incredibly difficult time choosing whether Bisu or Stork should hold the #1 slot this month, and it came down to this: Stork got lucky. Bisu didn’t. By all rights, Stork should not still be in the MSL. He lost 0-2 to Savior in the Ro16, and at no point in those two games did he show any degree of feel for PvZ; he looked bad. But Oversky joined the military, and Stork managed to wriggle his way back into the Ro8.
Bisu didn’t get that chance. He lost to two cheese builds in a row, and just like that, he was out of the OSL. Stork’s record as of late is beastly, but I can’t in good conscience bump Bisu, the reigning MSL champion and most well-rounded Protoss player in the world, from his perch until he starts to falter in his play or someone clearly better rears his head, and neither has happened—not yet, anyway. |
| 3. |
Iris[gm]
(T) (stats) |
- |
2 |
I’ll come out and say it: Iris looked unimpressive in the group stages of this OSL. Reach demolished him, and he looked sloppy in his win against Shark. It’s as if, when he arrived in the Ro8 and saw Savior attempting to block his path, he screamed, “NEVER AGAIN,” and immediately started practicing 20 hours a day. He underwent a complete transformation in the course of a single week.
Iris is 15-3 since May, but more than that, he eliminated Savior and Stork from the OSL. Respectively—and there’s not much room for debate on this—those two are the strongest ZvT and PvT players in the world. And the craziest part is that Iris is best-known for his TvT. |
| 4. |
Firebathero
(T) (stats) |
- |
4 |
Even with his loss to Stork in one of the uglier Bo5s I’ve ever seen, FirebatHero is on such an amazing tear that denying him his rightful slot in the Power Rank would be criminal. FirebatHero is 22-9 since April, advancing to the semifinals of the MSL and holding a 9-1 Proleague record in that time. |
| 5. |
sAviOr
(Z) (stats) |
-3 |
1 |
After watching Savior’s recent performances and discussing the matter with Hot_Bid, I’ve come to the following conclusion: while Savior might not have “it” anymore (Hot_Bid called it “the magic”), he’s still the best Zerg in the world. Losing to FirebatHero in that fashion and dropping a couple games against the new, methamphetamine-charged Iris doesn’t change that, even if those games eliminated him from both Starleagues. Savior is still 13-10 since May against the stiffest possible competition, and he made the quarterfinals of both Starleagues. |
| 6. |
Hwasin
(T) (stats) |
-2 |
2 |
Like Savior, Hwasin lost in the quarterfinals of both Starleagues, but unlike some people, he lost each series by only a single game and looked pretty darn strong regardless of the result. Hwasin is 22-12 since April, and he recently triumped over the new Terran golden boy, Flash, in the Proleague. |
| 7. |
Flash
(T) (stats) |
- |
1 |
Trying to place Flash in this month’s Power Rank was a frustrating experience for me. On the one hand, his record is incredible, but on the other hand, I can make an “excuse” for every one of his wins. Many of his wins are against players who are weak vT. Others involve favorable maps or cheese builds. Then there was his recent Bo3 against Bisu, which didn’t reflect much in the way of confidence despite his 2-0 win. Still, with an unprecedented career record of 15-3 and losses to only Savior, Boxer, and Hwasin, Flash is getting results. I know he has some skill, but Flash isn't making it easy for me to figure out just how much. |
| 8. |
GGPlay
(Z) (stats) |
+1 |
3 |
Although GGPlay’s Proleague record is a less than spectacular 5-10, he looked good against Hwasin, who’s one of the premier TvZ players in the world. GGPlay is 10-4 ZvT since April, which doesn’t bode well for Flash, his opponent in the OSL semifinals. |
| 9. |
GoRush
(Z) (stats) |
- |
7 |
Though Bisu trounced him, GoRush’s 11-3 record before that Bo5 is enough for me to consider him—or at least his ZvT and ZvZ, anyway—back in form. |
| 10. |
Sea[Shield]
(T) (stats) |
-3 |
1 |
Sea confounds me. His career record of 74-42 puts him among the elite of StarCraft (with his recent wins, Sea now has the highest career winning percentage of any player with 50 or more televised games), and yet he hasn’t managed to advance past the quarterfinals of a Starleague. Still, with a 15-5 Proleague record and his easy victories in the OSC, Sea is deserving of a low slot in the Power Rank. |
Comments (147)
Power Rank as of 06/02/2007
| Rank |
Player |
Prev |
High |
Description |
| 1. |
Bisu
(P) (stats) |
0 |
1 |
Bisu’s recent Proleague results have been abysmal, especially for a player of his caliber. But then there are his Starleague results, which have been impressive. Until Bisu starts looking like a player who doesn’t have the potential to win both Starleagues, I have no choice but to keep him in the top slot. |
| 2. |
sAviOr
(Z) (stats) |
+1 |
1 |
If Savior’s “slump” ever really existed, it’s over now. Savior looks like he could cruise through the MSL Ro16 and is 2-0 in the OSL. Like Bisu, a few losses in the Proleague aren’t enough to keep me from calling these two anything but the best. |
| 3. |
Stork[gm]
(P) (stats) |
+1 |
1 |
Stork’s streak of domination just keeps going. He’s 18-5 since April. My only concern with Stork is his PvZ. Like Reach, it’s just never been his strongest matchup, and Stork is stuck facing, of all Zerg players, Savior in the MSL Ro16—and he’s currently down 0-1 in their Bo3. Luckily for Stork, the only thing keeping him from advancing from his OSL group—or being in a good position to advance, anyway—is a game against Casy, whose career record of 13-25 TvP is enough to make Boxer look like an ace in the matchup. |
| 4. |
Hwasin
(T) (stats) |
+4 |
2 |
Manifesto7 put it best when he said, “Hwasin basically shit all over your last ranking.” And it’s true. Hwasin is 16-3 since April, and even worse, he’s managed to beat several Protoss players. I’ve been studying his games in an effort to figure out how he is posting such amazing statistics, and I’ve come to a startling conclusion: he’s really playing well. |
| 5. |
Iloveoov
(T) (stats) |
0 |
5 |
Oov is still looking good. Though he’s lost a few tough games as of late, none of them—at least not yet—have kept him from advancing in the OSL and MSL. He’s currently 1-0 against Firebathero in the MSL Ro16, and he will advance to the OSL Ro8 if he manages to beat Flash. To top that off, oov is 3-1 in the Proleague. |
| 6. |
Nal_rA
(P) (stats) |
+1 |
5 |
Ra was an easy pick this month. Even though he missed out on the OSL, he advanced to the Ro16 in the MSL and is 8-3 in the Proleague. |
| 7. |
Sea[Shield]
(T) (stats) |
- |
1 |
Since we’re already talking about people who are 8-3 in the Proleague, it makes sense to discuss Sea. Beyond his Proleague results, however, Sea’s MSL performance has been impressive, and his loss to GoRush on the three-geyser, ZvT paradise that is Loki doesn’t change that; he is still the favorite to win that Bo3. As I noted last month, the only reason Sea missed the OSL was because of Reach pulling his now-typical heroics. |
| 8. |
JulyZerg
(Z) (stats) |
- |
4 |
July’s recent play has been reminiscent of the July that we all remember, that hyper-aggressive, ultra-entertaining, chubby-cheeked little man. He hasn’t lost a game since his defeat in the ODT, and I have high hopes that his recent move to SKT1 will reinvigorate him even further. |
| 9. |
GGPlay
(Z) (stats) |
- |
3 |
GGPlay’s record as of late has been scattered—he’s only 10-8 since April—but his play in general has just looked good; it usually does. Add that to his 2-0 record in the OSL, and I’m willing to award him the #9 slot despite my reservations regarding his consistency. |
| 10. |
Reach
(P) (stats) |
- |
10 |
I love Reach. I love him. But I didn’t want to put him in the Power Rank—not this month. Reach has looked untouchable in his PvTs as of late, but his other matchups have looked very… uh… touchable. He’s lost to Jy, Soo, and Nal_Rock in recent memory, which is enough to warrant severe reservations regarding his placement. But looking at the other candidates for this slot—and really, this applies to all of the bottom slots—there’s just not anyone who deserves it more. |
Comments (426)
Power Rank as of 04/30/2007
| Rank |
Player |
Prev |
High |
Description |
| 1. |
Bisu
(P) (stats) |
0 |
1 |
Bisu is still the man—not in the same sense as Reach, but more in the sense of “he’s kicking everyone’s asses.” It’s unholy to actually look at: he’s 19-6 since he started his MSL tear by beating Light. Five of those losses were in PvT, but they’re been, except for Casy on Arcadia, against tough opponents on tough maps. Is PvT really Bisu’s Achilles’ heel, or is the evidence circumstantial? |
| 2. |
Nada
(T) (stats) |
+1 |
2 |
Nada has played only three games since the Superfight, and he went 2-1, losing only to Stork. But the reason Nada has played so few games is that he’s already in both Starleagues. |
| 3. |
sAviOr
(Z) (stats) |
-1 |
1 |
As with Nada, Savior has played very few games lately—two, to be exact. He lost both of them, but they consisted of a ZvZ and a cannon rush from Nal_Ra. Ordinarily I’d overlook both of those losses, but Savior’s response to Ra’s cannon rush was sub-par. It took him too long to recognize and react to Ra’s initial pylon placement; he didn’t look like himself. He looked, dare I say, mortal. But again as with Nada, already being in both Starleagues earns you a lot of leniency in PR placement. Savior’s string of losses—which is being over-exaggerated by many, many people, by the way—would ordinarily bump a person down to Iris’ current spot, but it’s Savior; I’m going to give him the respect he deserves—but only this month. |
| 4. |
Stork[gm]
(P) (stats) |
- |
1 |
It looks as if Boxer’s prophecy could finally come true: Stork is in both Starleagues and is an amazing 12-2 since March, beating, for the most part, top-tier competition in the form of Nada, Iris, GoodFriend, Reach, Yellow[Name], Anytime, and Jaedong. Beyond that, the maps this season look as if they might have some tiny degree of balance. All this bodes well for the big bird. |
| 5. |
Iloveoov
(T) (stats) |
- |
5 |
You’ve probably noticed: oov is on a tear. He went 7-2 in April, cruising into both Starleagues, and his 2v2 against MBC was impressive, to say the least. When someone is looking as strong as oov and getting results, my job suddenly becomes a very easy one. |
| 6. |
Light[aLive]
(T) (stats) |
+2 |
3 |
Light has once again made both Starleagues, advancing to the OSL by way of the ODT and the MSL in light of—ha!—his performance last season. Although he is a Terran, I find his odd combination of TvZ and TvP skill intoxicating. Light is 9-4 since his loss to Hwasin in what will go down as the ugliest Bo3 to ever grace a Starleague, but there might be hope yet for his TvT; he beat oov and ForGG to advance to this OSL, and he’s 5-1 in his last six TvTs, all of which took place in April. |
| 7. |
Nal_rA
(P) (stats) |
0 |
5 |
I don’t like keeping Ra on the list, well, in general, but it’s especially irritating when he hasn’t shown me any results. He only played three televised games in April, and while he won them all, two of those games were against Bifrost and Frozean[Name]—not exactly the cream of the crop. Then there’s his cannon rush against Savior, which doesn’t exactly show whether or not he’s still in top form. Beyond the above ambiguity, he’s not in the OSL. But like I’ve done for other players in the past, I’m giving Ra the benefit of the doubt and assuming that he will continue to disappoint me. |
| 8. |
Hwasin
(T) (stats) |
- |
2 |
My feelings on Hwasin are well-documented, but I won’t fight with results for too long. He keeps winning, and as much as I might spout off about how Hwasin is a one-matchup wonder who keeps advancing sheerly because of advantageous maps, he is still advancing. He’s 7-1 since his 2-3 loss to Savior, losing only to Bisu. |
| 9. |
Much[gm]
(P) (stats) |
-3 |
4 |
Much not making it out of the ODT group of death was disappointing, to be sure, but when you’re a Protoss faced with the task of beating one of the best TvP trios in the world (Light, oov, and ForGG) on Arkanoid and/or Hitchhiker, chances are you’re going to come away disappointed. Much will, however, be present in the upcoming MSL. Similar to his teammate, Savior, I’m keeping a very close eye on Much. If he suffers any more losses, I’m not going to be so forgiving, especially not with the extensive list of worthy contenders outlined in the “close, but no cigar” section. |
| 10. |
Iris[gm]
(T) (stats) |
-6 |
2 |
Since his 1-3 loss to Nada, Iris is 2-5, losing three TvTs—his ace matchup—in the process. And he’s not in the MSL. I try to avoid jumping on performance bandwagons whenever possible, but if Iris keeps this up, he’s going to be out of the Power Rank as quickly as he cruised into it. |
Comments (223)
Power Rank as of 04/01/2007
| Rank |
Player |
Prev |
High |
Description |
| 1. |
Bisu
(P) (stats) |
+1 |
1 |
Well, it happened: someone knocked Savior from his perch. I’m just not happy to do it under these circumstances. Bisu’s MSL victory came after the post-OSL slump of Savior, and the Superfight is a nothing tournament. So the piece of evidence that ultimately swayed my opinion was Bisu tearing through the OSL preliminaries. The guy isn’t losing—not to anyone—and when that’s the case, I don’t have much choice in placement. I just wish things were a little more clean-cut at this point. One thing I can conclusively say is that the trio of Nada, Bisu, and Savior is a notch above everyone else at the moment—a big notch. |
| 2. |
sAviOr
(Z) (stats) |
-1 |
1 |
I can already hear the Nada fans crying, but let me assure you that this was an incredibly difficult decision. Savior beat Nada on unfavorable maps in a prestigious tournament. Nada beat Savior on favorable maps in a less prestigious tournament. Savior lost to Bisu in the MSL finals. Nada didn’t make the MSL in the first place. And both players blew it in the Superfight. It was a tough call, but I think all but the most rabid fans can agree that it was probably the right one. |
| 3. |
Nada
(T) (stats) |
+2 |
2 |
What really impressed me about Nada this past month, to be honest, wasn’t that he beat Savior. Hell, I was actually surprised, given the maps, that Savior beat Casy. No, what impressed me was Nada beating Iris in such stellar fashion. That win alone cemented him the #3 slot. |
| 4. |
Iris[gm]
(T) (stats) |
-1 |
2 |
Losing to Nada was, well, unexpected, but Iris managed third place in the OSL and clean everyone’s clock in the Pre-Masters. That places him above Midas. |
| 5. |
Midas
(T) (stats) |
-1 |
2 |
It’s a stale refrain, but there’s just not any evidence to suggest that Midas isn’t his usual, beastly self. Yeah, he lost to Iris, but what Terran—aside from Nada, apparently—doesn’t? The loss to Anytime was disappointing, but like I said above, the Superfight is really a nothing tournament. |
| 6. |
Much[gm]
(P) (stats) |
0 |
4 |
I have faith in Much, which is why he hasn’t moved this month despite not playing a single game. That sentiment did not hold true for one person from last month. |
| 7. |
Nal_rA
(P) (stats) |
0 |
5 |
I won’t lie and say that Ra’s Superfight performance was impressive, but despite his inconsistent style, Ra has posted consistent results for a long time. |
| 8. |
Light[aLive]
(T) (stats) |
+2 |
3 |
Light is going to have a chance to show off his hopefully new and improved TvT against Shine, and he’s already in the MSL. I’m still holding out hope for Light to reach the whole of his potential, but my patience is not limitless. |
| 9. |
Jangbi
(P) (stats) |
- |
1 |
Jangbi was one of the very first players to qualify for the upcoming MSL, and he cruised through the PSL on his way to the ODT. I’ve had an eye on him ever since he dismantled Chojja in the Survivor League, and he looks like another Bisu: no nonsense, huge skill. While he hasn’t accomplished enough in the major leagues to warrant this slot, he’s showing such potential that I’m willing to give him a low slot in this month of utter stagnation. |
| 10. |
Jaedong
(Z) (stats) |
- |
1 |
I’m taking a leap of faith on Jaedong. The guy has, as a said a long time ago, top-tier talent, and now that he’s in the MSL and has cruised into the ODT, I’m willing to take the plunge. Yes, I know that he made the MSL and the ODT last season and accomplished, well, nothing, but I have a feeling about his performance this season. It’s a vague and terrible thing to say, I know, but I’d rather go with a feeling than with Hwasin. Looking at Hwasin’s ODT group (three Zergs with weak ZvT and only one Protoss), though, I’ll probably have to make room for him next month. iloveoov was the smarter, safer call, but I'm tired of the older generation of players getting all the attention. |
Comments (181)
Power Rank as of 03/03/2007
| Rank |
Player |
Prev |
High |
Description |
| 1. |
sAviOr
(Z) (stats) |
0 |
1 |
I know the 0-3 loss to Bisu looks bad—-and it was—-but if anyone can overcome the OGN Curse, it’s Savior. Given all that he’s achieved in recent memory, I’d be doing him and the PR an incredible disservice if I put him at anywhere but #1. |
| 2. |
Bisu
(P) (stats) |
- |
1 |
I’ll go ahead and say what everyone is thinking: Savior’s play was terrible. But that doesn’t change the fact that Bisu played really well, curb-stomping Savior 3-0 in a final, of all places. The 3-0 over Ra was a slightly different story. Bisu won the build order battle twice and outplayed Ra once. It’s not particularly compelling to watch, but it sure does look good. Still, results are results, and Bisu has proven that he can hang with the very best players in the world. |
| 3. |
Iris[gm]
(T) (stats) |
- |
2 |
Ironically, it took a loss to get Iris into the PR. Before, he was always the standard, go-to Terran who would win when he was supposed to win and lose when he was supposed to lose. There were never any surprises with Iris, except how surprisingly bad his TvZ was. But when the stakes were at their highest, Iris showed everyone just how skilled he can be. Unlike the man below him, Iris brought his very best to the final game of his series against Savior; the only choking that occurred was me on my own tongue. Iris’ 3-0 drubbing of Casy was just a bit of icing on an already-sweet cake. |
| 4. |
Midas
(T) (stats) |
-2 |
2 |
Midas was a bit of a problem child for me this month, but I’m satisfied with his position. As a member of SKT1, he’s disallowed from participating in more than one individual league, which means his results lately have been non-existent. So there’s nothing to prove that he belongs up here, but there’s nothing to disprove it, either. Being dumb and being without skill are different things: it was dumb to choose Savior twice, but it was skilled to go 2-2, overall, against him. I’m giving Midas the benefit of the doubt this month. |
| 5. |
Nada
(T) (stats) |
+4 |
2 |
Like I’ve said in the past, I’ll only argue with results for so long, and Nada has been getting results. But I still stand by my refrain from last month: Nada isn’t playing as well as he was when he won the 2006 ShinHan 2 OSL. The 3-1 dismantling that Savior handed him on a set of really good TvZ maps went a long way towards proving that, but winning and being the runner-up in consecutive OSLs is an impressive achievement, definitely worthy of a high slot in the PR. |
| 6. |
Much[gm]
(P) (stats) |
-2 |
4 |
It’s a shame that ShinHan is doing their Masters Tournament; I’d really like to see more of Much, who’s shown, despite his, well, interesting play, that he is capable of consistent—-and positive-—results. It took Savior to remove him from the OSL, and he just made the MSL—-again—-with an easy win over Nal_Keke. |
| 7. |
Nal_rA
(P) (stats) |
-2 |
5 |
As I said above, the 0-3 loss to Bisu looked bad, but it really wasn’t quite the beating that it appeared to be. Beyond that, I’m confident that Ra would have demolished Hwasin in a third place match, had there been one. |
| 8. |
Casy
(T) (stats) |
-5 |
3 |
Casy’s always been known for his weak TvP, but if he can’t win a TvT, either, he’s just another Hwasin. Going 2-3 and 0-3 against Nada and Iris, respectively, was a huge problem for me. |
| 9. |
Hwasin
(T) (stats) |
-3 |
2 |
Hwasin is here for the same reason as last month: he made it relatively far into both Starleagues. Managing to take Savior to a fifth game was nice, too, but their game on Desert Fox was a pretty clear display of the disparity in skill between the two. |
| 10. |
Light[aLive]
(T) (stats) |
-2 |
3 |
Honestly, I’d rather not have Light in the PR—-I’d prefer Yarnc in his place-—but the maps in both Starleagues are so terrible for ZvT that Zergs just aren’t able to post solid results. Anyway, despite his semi-disappointing Starleague performances last season, Light just cruised back into the MSL, though he’s going to miss the OSL Masters Tournament. Unless something has changed, Light is still a force to be reckoned with in everything but TvT. |
Comments (271)
Power Rank as of 02/02/2007
| Rank |
Player |
Prev |
High |
Description |
| 1. |
sAviOr
(Z) (stats) |
0 |
1 |
Results, style, and arrogance—Savior has it all, and his recent win over Midas was a big “fuck you” to all the fanboys who thought Midas’ group stage win over Savior was anything more than a tough loss on a tough map. |
| 2. |
Midas
(T) (stats) |
0 |
2 |
I’m angry at Midas. As the second best player in the world, I give him good odds against any player <i>but</i> Savior, and yet Midas was dumb enough to choose Savior <i>twice</i>. The decision was both stupid and disrespectful to the fans, all of whom, I imagine, were hoping to see Savior and Midas duke it out in a Bo5 final. I hope the Dual Tournament is as unpleasant as it sounds. |
| 3. |
Casy
(T) (stats) |
+6 |
3 |
If Casy were a mixed drink—work with the analogy, please—his recipe would go something like this: layer two parts skill (TvZ and TvT) over one part luck (TvP), being careful not to break the surface tension on the luck. All it takes for Casy to get eliminated from a tournament, no matter how strong his TvZ and TvT are looking, is to run into a <i>single Protoss</i> during the single-elimination stage. But <i>luckily</i> for Casy, it’s not even possible for that to happen until the finals, meaning that we get to enjoy his sublime TvZ and TvT for at least a little while longer. As I stated last month, Casy is my pick to win the OSL. |
| 4. |
Much[gm]
(P) (stats) |
0 |
4 |
Despite an early MSL exit, Much is still in the OSL, and he’s looking as strong as ever. His games against GoRush were both stylish and dominant, but I give him no more than a Twinkie’s chance in July’s hands against Savior. |
| 5. |
Nal_rA
(P) (stats) |
+3 |
5 |
He just won’t lose, and that’s more than I can say for everyone below him. Ra’s had some really good luck lately, though, with a list of cream-puff opponents in the MSL (Bifrost sucks and Xellos is slumping—again) and no Proleague matches for which to practice. That said, he’ll probably make the MSL finals; Hwasin and Bisu are both pretty weak vP. |
| 6. |
Hwasin
(T) (stats) |
-1 |
2 |
I wanted to drop Hwasin off the list entirely after his loss to Zergman, but then he managed to beat Light in what was probably the ugliest TvT series ever. I <i>still</i> don’t think he’s as good as the statistics imply (and the 0-2 against Zergman has gone a long way towards proving that notion), but making it relatively deep into both Starleagues has to be worthy of some degree of preferential treatment. |
| 7. |
YellOw[ArnC]
(Z) (stats) |
- |
7 |
There’s only one reason Yarnc is on this list, and it’s because of his win against oov. Both games in that series were virtuoso performances. In the second game, he demonstrated the only way to win a ZvT on HitchHiker: completely and totally outclass your opponent. Also of note is that Yarnc has somehow managed to get both his ZvZ and ZvP winning percentages above 50% (for 2006, anyway), indicating that he might not be <i>quite</i> the pushover in those matchups that he used to be, <i>and</i> he’s climbed to #10 on the KeSPA rankings as of February. Time will tell if he belongs, but for now, I’m content to put him at the #7 slot. |
| 8. |
Light[aLive]
(T) (stats) |
-5 |
3 |
Just like Casy has had great luck lately, Light has had horrible luck. Five TvTs in a row—five. He’s 1-4 during those games, and they managed to get him eliminated from both Starleagues. But that doesn’t change the fact that he <i>made both Starleagues in the first place</i> and has absolutely amazing TvZ and TvP. He’s still one of the hottest players out there—in the right matchups. |
| 9. |
Nada
(T) (stats) |
- |
2 |
This was <i>by far</i> the most frustrating slot for me to award. Despite trudging forward in both the OSL and Survivor League, Nada just isn’t playing very well—at all. His only bright spot lately is his TvT—which is all he’s really needed to play—and a combination of maps and good luck might be enough for him to continue advancing, but his skill is much, much lower than it was last season. |
| 10. |
GGPlay
(Z) (stats) |
-3 |
3 |
I’m <i>still</i> not willing to give up on GGPlay. He had the second highest winning percentage of 2006 (behind only Savior), and after watching each and every one of his games from this OSL, I’m convinced that he’s as good as ever. His losses have been a combination of bad luck, bad maps, and tiny mistakes. He was literally one attack away from going 2-0 against FirebatHero. Once the maps improve and the Proleague returns, GGPlay should be back in force. His recent games would ordinarily be enough to get him booted from the Power Rankings, but there isn’t anyone more deserving. Everyone else who might deserve this spot has shown some degree of really unimpressive play recently. |
Comments (201)
Power Rank as of 12/29/2006
| Rank |
Player |
Prev |
High |
Description |
| 1. |
sAviOr
(Z) (stats) |
0 |
1 |
A few hiccups isn't enough for me to call Savior anything but the best. |
| 2. |
Midas
(T) (stats) |
+2 |
2 |
Midas is looking good, but we're still a long way away from the <i>semifinals</i>. |
| 3. |
Light[aLive]
(T) (stats) |
- |
3 |
Light is MBC's new ace--and for good reason. |
| 4. |
Much[gm]
(P) (stats) |
- |
4 |
Much has been nearly unbeatable as of late, but what's going to happen when he runs into a really strong Zerg? |
| 5. |
Hwasin
(T) (stats) |
- |
2 |
Hwasin really is adorable, but I have reservations about his ability to win big games on tough maps. Oh, wait, there <i>aren't any</i> anti-Terran maps in either league. He'll be fine! |
| 6. |
Sea.Up
(T) (stats) |
- |
6 |
Up's got the creativity, and I hope he has enough of it to keep winning; he sure is fun to watch. |
| 7. |
GGPlay
(Z) (stats) |
-1 |
3 |
A few tough losses have me mildy concerned, but GGPlay is still one of the scariest Zergs out there. I doubt the statistics from the current OSL, however, will reflect that. |
| 8. |
Nal_rA
(P) (stats) |
+1 |
5 |
PLEASE LOSE. |
| 9. |
Casy
(T) (stats) |
- |
3 |
He's looking strong, and the OSL consists of nothing but Terrans and Zergs. Like Hwasin, he'll be <i>fine</i>. |
| 10. |
Pusan
(P) (stats) |
- |
10 |
Pusan is showing some of his old brilliance again, but how will his nerves--the thing he said always held him back--hold up? |
Comments (152)
Power Rank as of 11/21/2006
| Rank |
Player |
Prev |
High |
Description |
| 1. |
sAviOr
(Z) (stats) |
- |
1 |
Don’t even try to argue this one. |
| 2. |
Anytime[gm]
(P) (stats) |
- |
2 |
Watch his games from this most-recent OSL. Then watch Nada’s. Then come back here and tell me, with a straight face, that Nada played better. <i>Hint: he didn’t.</i> |
| 3. |
Nada
(T) (stats) |
- |
2 |
I suppose winning an OSL, despite his cream puff list of opponents until the finals, warrants a reward of <b>this magnitude</b>. But if he loses any more games to <i>people like Mingu</i>, you know where his ranking is going. |
| 4. |
Midas
(T) (stats) |
- |
2 |
He’d make a great girlfriend, given that he’s a <i>choker</i>, but alas, I can’t give out spots based upon probable skill at fellatio. If I did that, TossGirl would be #1 every month, and that would be no fun at all. So Midas gets the #4 spot, despite his dubious semifinal performances as of late. |
| 5. |
Sea[Shield]
(T) (stats) |
- |
1 |
We all know Sea’s MO: get into the OSL, dominate everyone, and then run into a strong ZvT player and lose 1-2. He’s done it twice now. One of these days, however, he’ll <i>beat that Zerg</i>, and that day is the day that I pronounce him—finally—a man. Until then, he’ll have to be content with the #5 spot. |
| 6. |
GGPlay
(Z) (stats) |
- |
3 |
GGPlay is one of the only bright spots on the Hanbit Proleague roster, providing his team with numerous victories in what would have otherwise been dismal performances. It took Anytime to derail him this OSL. Before that, many Koreans had, apparently, proclaimed the OSL his for the winning. I, of course, knew better, which is why he is #6 on my list. |
| 7. |
GoRush
(Z) (stats) |
- |
7 |
As with the young man above, it took the ever-sexy Anytime to knock GoRush out of the OSL. While his play this OSL showed promise, overall, I was unimpressed. Combine that with SKT1’s abysmal Proleague results, and you have a #7 spot for the Zerg who, oddly enough, <i>never fucking rushes</i>. |
| 8. |
Bisu
(P) (stats) |
- |
1 |
I really wanted to put Bisu higher; he’s shown such amazing growth and potential lately. But then he lost to <i>Good-fucking-Friend</i>. I wish I could give him something better than #8, I really do, but it’s <i>GoodFriend</i>. I can’t condone that sort of conduct. |
| 9. |
Nal_rA
(P) (stats) |
- |
5 |
I hate Ra. He gives Protoss players everywhere a bad name. But damn it, he keeps winning. So I’m throwing him a bone and giving him my coveted #9 spot, thus allowing him to boast that “One person is ranked lower than me!” |
| 10. |
Jju
(Z) (stats) |
- |
10 |
I don’t like Jju, either, but like Ra, he gets results. Losing to Silver in the most pathetic ZvZ Bo5 ever doesn’t help his case, but I just can't find anyone better to put here. |
Comments (329)
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