In a showmatch put together by ESL and Brood War Clan Liga, Fnatic's Taiwanese star SEn came back after a 0-2 deadlock to win the series 3 to 2 against Swedish Protoss player datoby.
The GosuBet held Yang Chia "SEn" Cheng accountable for the top dog position, with a 73% advantage. The 103 betters who put their minerals on the Taiwanese must have choked on their evening tea after seeing Tobias "datoby" Lundgren dominate in the first two games on Blue Storm and Medusa. But after somewhat sloppy play by the Protoss player and many well-timed hydralisk pushes by SEn, the favorite to win pulled through to the relief of the GosuBetter majority.
The first two games showed a very solid Protoss play, with fast expansion, corsair harass and then complete runovers with a gateway mix with well-placed storms and hard-hitting zealots.
datoby very pleased with first two
- I was very pleased with the outcome of the first two games. They were on two maps that I enjoy. First game I decided to go zealots after scouting with corsairs but since he went mutas the game became a bit different. But my first zealot attack went pretty good. After that I guess the game was pretty much in my hands, says datoby to GosuGamers about the first game.
- Second game I thought he was going to go for lurkers and destroy the temple or some 2 hatch mutalisk build but since I could scout for a really good time I could see exactly what he was doing and countered it easily. Add to that Medusa is a really good Protoss map where you can keep macroing easily, explains datoby.
SEn: "Probably lack of practice haha"
- In the first game I was too concentrated on microing with my mutalisks when his zealots went to my base. It was already too late when I realized that they were there so I knew it was going to be a loss for me, says SEn to GosuGamers.
- As for game 2, I was kinda rusty so I had no idea what I was doing at all. Probably lack of practice haha, laughs SEn.
And as the German show hosts were going crazy on ESL TV, datoby seemed a bit overconfident. Third game on Destination, we saw the Swedish Protoss opt for a Dark Templar drop. But being scouted by SEn, it was for no use. SEn could instead push his way in to datoby's base who had little to put up with without psionic storm researched.
- I should have gone a safer strategy instead, comments datoby.
- He just kinda ran me over.
"Didn't really expect him to go for DT drop"
- I actually planned to build a few scourges and then going on macro mode for hydras from 5-6 hatcheries just to scare him off but they actually took him down hence I was kinda surprised, explains SEn.
- As for the attack timing I didn't really expect him to go for a dark templar drop, adds SEn.
Failed cannon rush made SEn grin
Fourth game was not a pretty sight. On Athena, datoby tried offensive cannoning on SEn's second expansion. With no success at all, as zerglings saw the cannons in time.
- That was kind of a funny game for me. I actually grinned in front of the computer when I saw him losing his scouting probe and failing his cannon rush. I knew victory was on its way to me when about 2 groups of zerglings getting near his base. It was just like how I felt at the time, pure excitement, reveals SEn.
- I was not even thinking about the mass zergling strategy. I should have kept in mind that even though in my opinion SEn is not what he was before, he's still a smart player, says datoby.
The last game, datoby once again had to face defeat by the masses of SEn's hydralisks. Worth noting was datoby building his gateway before his nexus at his natural expansion, which was something datoby did not want to comment much over.
- Well the strategy works out alright and you can scout really early even though speedlings and so on. I thought I would win if the game got into midgame - lategame, says datoby.
- I thought I was in a disadvantage at some point. If I've only waited for him to come out with his high templars before he gets his 3rd up then I would definitely lose the entire series, comments SEn.
- I'm glad that my 5 hatch timing worked well and destroyed him before his HTs could come out and face the world.
For a quick battle report, hit the spoiler button.
datoby vs. SEn @ BlueStorm
datoby scouts finds a Spawning pool with his first probe scout, which forces him to build a Forge before Nexus at his expansion. SEn goes Extractor, overpool build by the book. Continuing the standard, two photon cannons are built for datoby, while SEn moves out his first set of Zerglings. datoby efficiently hinders SEn's drone from building a hatchery - until the Zerglings bash it down.
SEn opting for Lair, as well as a second expansion at the natural. Back in the Protoss base, datoby's first gateway goes up, and so far nothing unusual in this matchup, as the Stargate is on its way.
First corsair goes up for the Swedish Protoss, and goes to scout and sees the Spire.
Not long thereafter mutalisks pops out for SEn as well as a pair of Scourges. The Taiwanese player scouts datoby's base, while adding more and more mutalisks to his pack.
datoby has well placed cannons on the expansion, and has two corsairs out to fend off the mutalisk masses.
Mutalisks pound on an unguarded Pylon in the main and takes it down. First two templars are out, who at the last second manage to merge into an archon.
At the same time, Zealots run all the way to SEn's main, who can kill off a whole lot of Drones before the first batch of hydralisks can fend off what the Germans call 'berserkers'. Slight advantage for datoby right now.
Seven or eight gateways now for datoby, whose units are now in the middle, while SEn's mutalisks are flying all over the map. Snipes a High Templar in the unit clash.
datoby is forced to stay at his expansion, held back by the mutalisks. Needs a well-placed storm, but SEn manages to snipe off ALL the Swede's high templars.
datoby does not sob because of that, and instead moves forward and finds hydralisks in the middle mixed with a strong of mutalisks. Zealots with speed and 1-0 stats, and two archons seem too little for SEn's massive army who can hold back the Protoss offense.
Next clash, datoby finally gets a couple of storms off. He successfully pushes back the counter of SEn, who now only holds about 12 hydralisks out on the battlefield. Datoby has a handful of dragoons and zealots along with an archon that can advance to SEn's position.
Seeing no chance to defend himself, SEn says GG.
datoby vs. SEn @ Medusa
datoby finds SEn, sees the spawning pool and and goes for the same build as in the first game. SEn grabs his expansion at his upper pocket.
SEn also adds a second expansion, at the natural. A zergling finds datoby's fast expansion, but gets killed by the two Photon cannons guarding it.
SEn techs up to Lair - will we see mutalisks again? Or hydralisks on this map? Nexus warping in on datoby's expansion.
datoby keeps the probe alive inside SEn's base, sees the lair and the hydralisk den. datoby goes to harass with a zealot in SEn's base, manages to kill two drones before it goes down.
SEn then adds spire at the expansion, but datoby finds it with his first scouting corsair. datoby playing very solid.
A handful of Zerglings moves out on the map, and the eight mutalisks advance on datoby's main. The Zerg air force takes out a photon cannon, but has to move back after taking too heavy corsair fire.
Facing off in the middle instead, datoby's four corsairs take heavy beating, but all the mutalisks are lost (along with the two scourges out). Third expansion up for SEn, at '1 o clock.
Templar Archives up for datoby, and seven gateways soon up and running. The Swedish Protoss then sends his Zealots at SEn's '1 expansion, but is chased away by a solid pack of hydralisks.
Hydra push for SEn, trying to break datoby's well-guarded defense.
datoby moves out instead. Nice hit-and-run by SEn, but datoby's units aren't dumb to follow. Gets a set of nice storms on the Zerg army.
SEn is pushed back by the zealots, dragoons and high templars. But he continues to macro hard and produce loads of hydralisks with +1 carapace. Lurkers upgrade are now also finished, and we see some lurkers mixed in with the hydra-dominated army.
Another great storm by datoby, who continues to have the advantage in this game. A lot of dragoons now for datoby, mixed with a set of archons and lots of zealots. Observer on the way for datoby.
datoby advances out once again, with observers to see all the lurkers. A very big army flanks well on SEn's units, who die like flies to the protoss wrath. GG from SEn.
datoby vs. SEn @ Destination
datoby standard fast expansion, Sen with overpool.
datoby snipes a scouting overlord in his main base. His expansion is up defended by three cannons. SEn with natural and mineral only expansion. As the first corsair up for datoby, he goes to check what SEn is up to - and finds a spire and a hydralisk den.
Six hatcheries soon for SEn. Scourges out that goes straight off for the corsairs in the Protoss base. Two gets killed by the suicide insect.
A Dark Templar on its way to SEn's natural gets spotted by the overlords, but takes out four drones despite that before the hydralisks spit it to death.
datoby takes his second expansion at '8.
SEn going for the attack, a set of hydralisks, which datoby has a tough time to defend against, since he has no psionic storm. A well-timed attack by SEn. This forces datoby to type out. 2-1.
datoby vs. SEn @ Athena
datoby tries an offensive cannon on SEn's expansion, but the Taiwanese player sees it with a Zergling which forces datoby to cancel it.
SEn then masses up a horde of Zerglings, which can pound down the cannons defending datoby's base. A very short game, too much datoby. 2-2!
datoby vs. SEn @ Othello
datoby '1, SEn '7.
datoby goes for a forge, two cannons and a gateway BEFORE the fast expansion nexus. SEn going for regular, natural expansion and a set of zerglings to try and keep the probe outside of his base.
With Cybernetics Core close to complete, datoby adds his second Nexus. Adds citadel and Stargate - does not seem to want to miss having psionic storm this time.
SEn expands at his natural.
First corsair out for datoby, who shoots and manages to kill one of the Overlords before it gets interrupted by two hydralisks.
datoby continues to take out overlords - now taking out the first scouting overlord. Then he moves in to the main of Sen, sees the spire soon finish.
A handful of Hydralisks out now for SEn, going to push datoby's expansion. Is the storm finished? Yes - and it was well placed. datoby can fend off - for now.
Second storm, also well-placed. 'Sehr gut', as the German shoutcasters said. datoby also has speed upgraded on his zealots.
datoby hopes to secure his second expansion, but the many hydralisks of SEn can stop it. A bit too few Zealots for datoby are around to fend off the many hydralisks.
Hydralisks now goes for the natural expansion, and takes out the remains of datoby's units and buildings.
The GosuBet held Yang Chia "SEn" Cheng accountable for the top dog position, with a 73% advantage. The 103 betters who put their minerals on the Taiwanese must have choked on their evening tea after seeing Tobias "datoby" Lundgren dominate in the first two games on Blue Storm and Medusa. But after somewhat sloppy play by the Protoss player and many well-timed hydralisk pushes by SEn, the favorite to win pulled through to the relief of the GosuBetter majority.
And as the German show hosts were going crazy on ESL TV, datoby seemed a bit overconfident. Third game on Destination, we saw the Swedish Protoss opt for a Dark Templar drop. But being scouted by SEn, it was for no use. SEn could instead push his way in to datoby's base who had little to put up with without psionic storm researched.
Fnatic.SEn 3:2 NaW-datoby 
SEn 
datoby 
