[TSL4] Day three preview

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ESCDaisy vs IM_First
[GOSUBET]



Although relatively new to the scene, IM_First has not been slacking around and has been busy making a name for himself with the speed of a high-velocity Japanese train. At MLG Summer Arena, he hit like one too, putting to rest four of the best Korean terrans, as well as Snute and Losira before finishing top four. At that point of time we asked “Who is First?” and now we know.

Despite his recent successes, however, First’s televised PvP record is nothing to be too proud of, hovering at some very average numbers. To his luck, so is Daisy’s who’s still bound to the minor glories of the weekly tournaments and only now does he get the chance to shine in a tournament of higher esteem.

In this situation, the only real ground on which one can build some predictiosn is who will prepare those players for the upcoming match. Truth be told, I take Seed over, well, nobody any given day.

Prediction: First 3-1 Daisy

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ST_Hack vs mouzCC.Mana
[GOSUBET]


It is no secret that Mana loves PvT and a win rate of 63% is enough proof of that. He also disclosed to us that Korean terrans scare him not one bit and that made him optimistic about his GSL future. Those who follow the ongoing Assembly Summer will recall his insanely close series against Liquid`Taeja and will nod in agreement: Mana is not all hat and no cattle. Furthermore, if he can win a tournament playing his worse match-ups against HerO, Stephano and Dimaga, what power would be able to stop him claim today’s PvT.

Against the Polish sits Hack, a terran player who is barely staying afloat in Code A, displaying a style of play that is nowhere near impressive. Still waters run deep, however, and going back a few months ago, GSL fans will remember Hack being the one eliminating HuK from Code A with a 2-0. Recently, Hack also introduced some statistical stability in his TvP compared to the disastrous stats in 2011 and early 2012, making him a less predictable opponent.

Expect a Mana victory but don’t count on it coming easy.

Prediction: Mana 3-2 Hack

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Quantic.Sase vs SlayerS_Coca
[GOSUBET]



Thus far in the TSL 4, with the exception of Squirtle, protosses have been losing to zergs and not in a fun fashion (short of Life vs Elf). Sase here is given the chance to balance the stats a bit but facing Coca is not really what you call a guaranteed win.

Earlier this spring, Sase finally lived up to the expectations sowed by his Korean practice and sponging know-how off of Naniwa by making a spectacular run through MLG Spring Championship, following it up with a top eight at DreamHack Summer. Sase never got a major gold finish but with Naniwa out of TSL 4, he might at least get the chance to come out of the shadow of his former team-mate.

Opposing Sase is SlayerS_Coca, the zerg player who ever since his second place at Raleigh 2011 has been making sure that the scene does not forget about him. Although 2012 has not been as kind as last year which brought him two Code S top eights and said MLG silver, Coca has been mixing GSTL all kills with ESV/EWM first places to keep a steady pace of his tournament career.

How appropriate that in his first major crusade for approval in 2012 he is playing someone who just recently was trying to do this exact same thing.

Prediction: Coca 3-2 Sase

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CreatorPrime vs d.SeleCT
[GOSUBET]



We haven’t seen anything memorable from Select in a long, long time and as so I will use this face-off to impose the bold prediction that Dignitas’ terran will walk out torn to shreds. His TvP record lists losses to ToD, Mana, Real and even to the slumping HuK. In fact, his vP victories are mostly against players that have never been considered top protoss users.

Creator is not of the latter. When the Prime protoss is not winning TSL qualifiers, he spends his spare time beating the likes of Jjakji, Maru, Gumiho and Happy, some of those matches part of a six-game win streak in May.

Creator is new, fresh and hip while SeleCT’s good name still hangs on a few good finishes more than a year ago. Despite mostly known for hiz PvZ, Creator will be looking forward to exert some serious ownage onto the Dignitasee.

Prediction: Creator 3-0 SeleCT