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Features \ TeamLiquid Star League Part Deux

TeamLiquid Star League Part Deux

» Jon "Sp1ralArch1tect" Benn
23rd April 2008 - 5486 hits, 120 coms
The first stage of the TSL has finished now with 48 of the worlds best advancing to duke it out. Take a look here at what happened and whos who of the TeamLiquid Star League.

This ladder will go down in history as one of if not the most revolutionary tournaments to hit the Brood War scene ever. The ladder stage is over now and the final 48 have come through GosuGamers gives you a closer look at how things turned out.



In the Mecca of StarCraft, Korea, there are many leagues to prove a players strength and win some cash for doing something you love. Players from all around the country gather to duke it out for thousands of dollars in prize money, and the fame that comes along with it. In the foreign scene there has been WCG for years which carries a large amount of prize money by itself, but the rest of the scene is lacking a chance to get to WCG and win. Now we have the TeamLiquid Star League at the forefront of the competitive StarCraft scene, here is a review on whats gone on in the last three weeks.

Who Qualified?


As the ladder began we saw nearly every well known foreign gamer come out and play their best to get to the top. German Zerg ToT)Mondragon( began the ladder in the lead defeating nearly every opponent that came to challenge him. Now as the ladder ends he still holds that same position, ahead of everyone by a very small margin but nonetheless ahead of the pack. Mondragon has been known as the best player outside of Korea to many Brood War players for quite a long time now, he has say atop GosuGamers rankings for months on end it seems. There is little surprise that he made it to the #1 spot.

Riding on his coattails are some really impressive players who will most certainly give each other a hard time in each game respectively. Testie, Draco, IefNaij, Redeemer, Skew, Tarson, Legionnaire, White-Ra, Nony.... well the point is proven by now, this ladder hosts some of the best players ever to touch a Brood War box. Draco came in at second place further proving that he may have the best chance out of anyone to take this tournament by storm. But he will really have to try since he has been inactive for the past half year or so, and of course his competition will be relentless. The list of gamers who are playing this is just to impressive to put all of them in one paragraph and almost too much for one feature!

TSL Qualifiers Round 1
#31 Canada MYM.Testievs#34 Poland Dunaj
#17 UnitedStates Skew[Media]vs#48 Australia Legionnaire
#18 Ukraine RoX.ALFvs#47 Russia fuSion.spx
#23 Kazakstan 3D.Temujinvs#42 Finland iG.sky
#21 Peru LG)HanDyvs#44 Russia fuSion.Rondo
#24 Poland MYM.Dreivenvs#41 Russia RoX.EX
#28 Russia 3D.Notforuvs#37 UnitedStates NaW-LzGaMeR
#22 Germany ToT)iNfeRnaL(vs#43 Macedonia OctZerg[F2F]
#19 Peru Execllo.CaStrOvs#46 Sweden Qpad.ZpuX
#20 UnitedStates Idra[Media]vs#45Germany Dashwriter
#26 Poland iG.Slidervs#39 UnitedStates Artosis[Media]
#27 Poland BVG.Tarsonvs#38 UnitedStates Excello.ChOseN
#25 UnitedStates RedeemeR[Media]vs#40 Russia RoX.Advokate
#29 Poland [SD]KwaKvs#36 UnitedStates Machine[Media]
#30 Brazil ReasoN[saM]vs#35 Sweden HayprO
#32 Poland ToT)GOsia(vs#33 UnitedStates FT.aCt)Love


Round One About to Begin


The players have been matched with their opponents now and all that is left is to prepare for their respective matches. The qualified players must also abide by some very easy to follow rules and report for a lag test to see if they will be able to play together on the day of the first qualifier. Here are the rules from TeamLiquid.net. There will be a admin present for each set of games and so far Kennigit and Chill have been confirmed to take care of a few of the matches this weekend. This tournament has had its share of rain clouds over its head despite the professionalism it has been run with hackers, and abusers have tried to ruin a good thing but were brought down by the swift hand of justice.

Hackers Removed and Abusers Punished


Just a few days ago eight prominent players were revealed to be hacking in previous tournaments within the last year, thus disqualifying them from the TSL. Five sites combined to check hundreds if not thousands of replays using the new method discovered by Flag of TeamLiquid to oust these cheaters and put them in their rightful place. You can check out all the details in GosuGamers feature Here, it has an explanation of the method as well as how to use it.

Then as the ladder stage closed down two more well known players were disqualified for abusing the iCCup system to get more points near the end. Both hackers and abusers have been dealt no mercy in this tournament, these two received none either.

G5


In the early days of the ladder stage G5 made a complaint on TeamLiquid.net about his opponent MistrZZZ using a drop hack to defeat him early on in the game. TeamLiquid admins spent alot of time looking over the Polish players replays and decided to remove him from the tournament due to evidence of the disconnect being intentional. MistrZZZ fought to prove his innocence and was eventually cleared of all charges and re-accepted into the ladder, unfortunately for G5 his stats were reset due to some abusing he had done at the same time. Then as the ladder was nearing the end he played three games against LzGamers second account and won all three, this is enough proof for the TSL admins and he has been removed from the top 48.

UltraLing


This player scraped his way into the top 48 by just a few hundred points but unfortunately did so without being honest. On further review after the close of the ladder stage it was discovered that he had played 22 games against the same player in only two days. To be fair the admins at TSL did not just disqualify him they took away four of the games as to make it a reasonable nine games per day, this dropped him out of the top 48.

These two players have been replaced already by a couple of notable names that some argue deserved it more than these two. First off is MYM.Testie, no real introduction needed here since this player has been the best Canadian gamer for years in the past. He was retired from the scene for awhile but came back fighting for the TSL and his chance at the five grand. There are quite a few Testie fans out there and this decision must have pleased all of them. Second was well known American gamer Machine[Media] coming in so close to the top 48 but a few points short he has now been added due to abusing in the ladder. Remember though that he is one of the best Zergs in America right now and definitely deserves his position in the top 48.

Time to Fight!


This weekend marks the first round of the tournament stage in the TSL the games will begin on Saturday at 16:00 CET and go until midnight that same day. Then on the second day, Sunday the 27th, the games will begin at the same time and run until 22:00 CET. If you are one of the players set to play then remember to show up for the lag test on Friday the 25th at 0:00 CET so that you will not be disqualified if there is lag in the game. Replays have already been promised by the staff at TL and they should prove to be one of the best packs this year. Make sure to place your GosuBets for these matches as soon as they have been added and get ready for some great games!

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Comments \ Paging
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8 months ago
#1 UnLTD 2
Where is DinOt??? -_-
8 months ago
#2 Sp1ralArch1tect 6
hes in the top 16 so he dont have to qualify
8 months ago
#3 Trev 2
GOGO Testie,Mondragon,Draco,and LeG
8 months ago
#4 GiTM.Chill 3
LEGEND TOSS SHOW ALL
8 months ago
#5 50CaL.AeriALs Denied comment.
8 months ago
#6 ShoutAbout (GosuCrew) 4
w00tZ!
ReasoN, Dunaj and Slider ftw!
8 months ago
#7 WorldDomination 3
iG.sky is from NORWAY!!!!
8 months ago
#8 gH-close 2
Legendtoss and chosen ftw !!!
8 months ago
#9 Arachnid 1
8 months ago
#10 NrT.UltraLinG 4
It's nice how TL.net admins change their explanations every day, first they didn't said i abused in anyway but i played too many games vs same player in 1 day, but after i found like 10(TEN) more players who did the same and some of them would drop from top #16 or even top #48, they said that this RULE APPLY JUST IN SOME SITUATIONS, saying that i abused the system LOL. so first time(after they saw reps) they said I DID NOT ABUSE, but after they saw that im not the only one who did that, THEY SAID I ABUSE. this TSL is a bad joke.
8 months ago
#11 NrT.UltraLinG 4
The TSL admins even lied me that iccup admins made the decision of removing games, i talked to ICCUP admin and he told me THEY WON'T REMOVE ME ANY POINTS @ ICCUP = I AM CLEAN AND LEGIT, my points got removed only in TSL admins heads and on their ladder, on iccup all of them are still there, proving that i didn't abused in anyway.
8 months ago
#12 NrT.UltraLinG 4
and @ TL.net any user who says i am right and they should treat all in the same way GOT BAN LOL
8 months ago
#13 NovemberRain 3
get over it kiddo, If you continue to argue like this it proves that you're guilty.
in the last 2 days there were so many players trying to get into top 48 that you can play with. you've only chosen flaf who's a teammate of you from nrt.

and in the rules, as i remember you can play with the same opponent more than 10 games in a day only in extreme situations > when your rank is so high that you cant find any other player to play. That's why you abused the system and they didnt.
8 months ago
#14 TiQ.aEquitas. 1
Advokate vs Inc - nice:)
8 months ago
#15 NrT.UltraLinG 4
First time THEY SAID I DID NOT ABUSE AFTER THEY SAW REPS so they changed their mind, WHY? and no, i don't get over it, i spend alot of time to qualify and i did it WITHOUT ANY ABUSE.
If i continue argue proves that im gulity? what should i do if i got kicked from top 48 for nothing, just cuz they didn't want me there? SURE I AM ANGRY, SURE I FEEL DISADVANTAGED, SURE I WISH I MET THE TSL ADMIN CREW TO FACE
8 months ago
#16 Scorch 2
that doesn't change anything about you abusing, right? and please don't say taking away 4 games is too hard a punishment.
8 months ago
#17 NrT.UltraLinG 4
if i abused WHY THE TSL ADMINS SAID IN THE FIRST STATEMENT I DID NOT ABUSE? they said this AFTER they saw replays. if they would see reps and would say "YES THIS IS ABUSE" i would say omfg they are so stupid how can they think that is abuse, but i would understand the decision. but if they SAY IT'S NOT ABUSE but it's just a number of games rule and when i found out that MUCH MORE BROKE THE SAME RULE, they CHANGED THEIR MIND???
8 months ago
#18 NrT.UltraLinG 4
ANYONE WHO WANTS SEE MY GAMES VS FLAF TELL ME, I WOULD GLADLY SHOW THEM TO ANYONE SINCE THEY ARE ALL CLEAN.

IN THE LAST DAY OF TSL I ALMOST LOST LIKE TWO OF THOSE GAME AND I DON'T KNOW SINCE WHEN I DIDN'T PLAYED GAMES LIKE THAT (FULL OF EMOTIONS AND OF DESIRE TO WIN). after every game i was happy and i told myself "i can beat him again, and can qualify" and in the last game i ALMOST LOST THE GAME AND THE SPOT IN TOP #48 vs some ling rush, BUT I MANAGED TO SAVE MYSELF AND I WAS SO PLEASED WITH ME. All this for what? For TSL admins come to me with AN UNWRITTEN RULE and said i broke it!
8 months ago
#19 Economist_ 1
I know how angry you are. It is pretty hard to judge somebody abusing or not. And the method has not been clearly presented so far
8 months ago
#20 Economist_ 1
Or because MYM.Testie is right after you, bad luck
8 months ago
#21 kotkaski 1
LEgend ! LEgenD! LEgend! and Mistzzz ftw
8 months ago
#22 Lordzik 2
#NrT.UltraLinG
First time they said you are not absue because replays was fine, but when they saw you had played 22 games against the same player in only two days. Tehy change your play list and removed four of the games.
I dont understandt why you said something else...
8 months ago
#23 badlydrawnboy 3
#10 Cry me a river, go somewhere else and whine..
8 months ago
#24 NrT.UltraLinG 4
when they said im not abuser THEY KNEW I PLAYED 22 games vs same person and they saw replay. in the statement they posted about kicked players it's said clearly that i was kicked from top 48 for playing too many games ( NOT FOR ABUSING IN ANYWAY) but after they saw many did the same thing they started say i abused lol
8 months ago
#25 Manipulator 4
Ret will win anyway !!!
8 months ago
#26 NrT.UltraLinG 4
#23 good taste of music u have LOL justin timerblake is ur idol?
8 months ago
#27 phys.nev 2
if the rule said u can't play more than 7 (or 9?) games per day and u played 22 i can't understand how u can complaint about it..
8 months ago
#28 Nb.Sea 1
#26 I like the Timberlake and u are not in the next round
8 months ago
#29 Pieman 2
Ultraling, stop whining and abusing, you would not have had any chance to the top anyways so who really cares if you were kicked out?
8 months ago
#30 MofD)Dust 3
jeez ultra stop spamin here with your cries, go to admin with that.
8 months ago
#31 Gamtja 3
Ultraling, who plays his Teammate in iccup ladder??, I mean, if I want play my teammates I open meele games on iccup but not duell mode..

So its clearly that you tried to abuse..
I mean you played how many games? 21 or sth. vs your teammate. its just lol

And you won 87% of those games.

So ya you are abusing!.
8 months ago
#32 psyCrowe 5
lol ultraling nobody cares at all about your whining, your just making yourself look like an idiot, and cant even back yourself up with a good arguement.

its clear case of abuse, and shows how desperate you are to make a name for yourself but cant do it legitly :)
8 months ago
#33 NrT.UltraLinG Denied comment.
8 months ago
#34 Caladan 2
Get over it, ultraling. The TeamLiquid admins are biased, that's really nothing new, is it?
You should have known this and played more against other players - simple as that.
8 months ago
#35 NrT.UltraLinG 4
btw #28 i wouldn't be proud with that :DDDD and i SURELY wouldn't tell any1 that so they can make fun of me how stupid i am :D
8 months ago
#36 NrT.UltraLinG 4
Caladan all i want is ppl know what TL admins are doing with their league, as u can see alot of ppl understoon and said that was not fair, but sure there are brainless ppl too and they start with "U ABUSE" without knowing even 20% of the story
8 months ago
#37 NrT.UltraLinG 4
Pieman it doesn't matter if i had or not chances, i think i could even get top #16 ( small chances for that), but it doesn't matter, i WOULD'VE LIKED TO PLAY MY CHANCE, if i make it or not it's my business, but i MADE IT to top 48 so i should be there now.
8 months ago
#38 Sp1ralArch1tect 6
"haha funny how u guys talk without have any idea what's happening, and gamtja i made it to top 48? WHERE ARE U?'

No you didnt....
8 months ago
#39 Nb.Sea 1
#35 but u still not in top 48
8 months ago
#40 Mesh 2
no hungarian in tsl :(
omg but love is there, gogo love^^
8 months ago
#41 NrT.UltraLinG 4
#38 yes i did even the news on gg.net it says it lol
8 months ago
#42 Aphasie 3
Actually, i dont think ultraling should be punished if he didnt break any rules. All though what he did is dodgy and certainly cowardly (if he knew he would win).
As long as the rules doesnt state anything about number of games and playing vs teammates, i'd say he's in the clear. A fair amount of mondi's games he certainly knew he would win and yet he played many games, cuz he is a better player. It would be ultralings choice whom to play as long it complies with the rules.

Thats my opinon...
8 months ago
#43 Rumso 4
#42
agree

punish all or nobody , but again TL.net shows that this isnt professionall anymore.
8 months ago
#44 FiNRG 3
iG.Sky = Whistler right? so he is Norwegian :P
8 months ago
#45 NrT.UltraLinG 4
Aphasie i can't say i KNEW i would win vs FlaF, but i thought im better than him, and if u check my match list i play alot of games vs same players even if i lose(expecially zvz, i can't play zvt/zvp like 10 games in a row, but i can easily play 10 zvz's without getting bored... example of many games lost:
1-4 vs OctZerg (i wanted re but he didn't agree cuz he was one rank higher)
0-7 vs zazu(i don't remember exactly why we didn't played more, probably he didn't waned)
1-5 vs notforu
if u look my matchlist i played many games in a row only vs zergs cuz as i said after few zvp's or zvt's in a row i'm getting bored of mu, but ZvZ is kinda more exciting for me and i rarely get bored playing, in a day i played @ pgt like 44 zvz's vs same guy, and the score was even like 22-21 or something like this
8 months ago
#46 Santiago4ever 1
I really like how it all worked out so that there are NOT A SINGLE MIRROR GAME! Round 1 is gonna kick ass.
8 months ago
#47 zergeater 1
@Ultraling: Someone just need to look at your matchlist. On page 1 and 2 you played dozens of games vs your weaker compatriot/clanmate. He didnt participate on TSL.

When you look then in NrT.Flaf matchlist he also played dozens of game vs a romanian TSL participant called TSL-DeathAngel. Who is this? A third clanmate/friend beside of beeing a countrysman?

Funny that i dont see bunch of games vs Ultraling and DeathAngel? Why? Aware of loosing points and both cant benefit? So Flaf for sure was the better opponent for you both.

This is a complete other situation as when a Mondragon A- playes White_Ra a other foreigner on A- 2 or 3 games to often where both doesnt know eachother, cant farm points cause both want to be as high as possible and won + lost vs eachother.

The problem in my opinion is that the TSL Admins just didnt expect that in the last hours people might farm points from friends that dont need even to qualify. So there where no exact rules and yes their argumentation maybe could have been better. But its the first big tournament so they must experience such situations. I dont think they are biased at all and according to the facts i wrote up at first in my opinion you didnt deserved to be in top #48.
8 months ago
#48 NrT.UltraLinG 4
who are u to say i didn't deserve to be there? who decides if i deserved or not? i think POINTS decide, i had points to be in top 48 so i DESERVED. ur talking about DeathAngel vs FlaF, DeathAngel is also NrT members, but go see what scores were between DeathAngel and FlaF, and find out that FlaF beat DeathAngel more times and dropped him from top #60-70 or something, just one day TSL ends, DeathAngel was just few hundred of points behind top #48 when he played with FlaF and Flaf BEAT Deathangel and TOOK his points.
I didn't played vs DeathAngel cuz i was most of time 2 ranks above him
8 months ago
#49 NrT.UltraLinG 4
NrT.FlaF vs TSL-DeathAngel score per total is 17-16 and per total DeathAngel lost 120 vs FlaF
also in last 3 days of TSL FlaF beat DeathAngel 14-10 and DeathAngel lost 200 points. (the 14-10 series are included in those 16-17)
anyway Actually DeathAngel LOST points vs FlaF, not gained, if FlaF would helped his teamates and compatriots why wouldn't he help DeathAngel too?
All 3 of us are romanians and NrT- members
8 months ago
#50 zergeater 1
Who i am? Just a casual user and i wrote in _my opinion_ isnt that enough? You dont even need to answer if you dont want to.

According to just a robotic ladder system points may be points in any case. But for a human brain points vs different randomly top foreigners that participate and want to win are =! points from playing short games vs a weaker clanmate who doesnt participate. You should have known that it eitherway obviously looks like an abuse. But sure in this case it was worth to put all on this card cause otherwise you wouldnt have qualify in the short remaining time. Still this has nothing to do with sportsmanship or earining it more to be in the top 48 than other ones who didnt played the remaining time by winning in short games vs their clanmates.
 

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