A peek at Up-and-downs August

I absolutely love the up-and-down matches. They are an emanator of pure drama, an ultimate test and the loom that weaves the knit of changing generations. They are a mediator of utmost importance and every one - be they champions, newcomers, big stars or foreigners - must respect them as they can both shoot up and drag down players regardless of their abstract status. And in this early September, the up-and-down matches have taken the following form:

GSL August Up-and-down Groups
Group A	Group B	Group C
Leenock	MC	Trickster
Yoda	Losira	Violet
Byun	Check	Taeja
Alicia	Jjakji	JYP
Supernova	Kyrix	MarineKing

Group A

Tough group, little doubt about that. Also full with regular Code S-ers who I bet are not fancying their current position. Alicia, Supernova and Byun are among the strongest participants in this season's up-and-down matches. Ever since he took second at Code A January, Byun has been playing like a beast, even reaching top 4 last season. His TvT is inspiringly good and the TvZ is none too shabby either. The only problem for him might prove to be Alicia - SlayerS' PvT killing machine. Alicia's Code S performance has been a little shaky recently, going out in Ro32 two times in a row, but having in mind that his group is stacked up with terrans, there are high hopes for the Slayers protoss. As Supernova, this terran still needs to show some fine results so that I don't look like a fool when I try to convince people that he is actually good.

Yoda is a guy that made his individual GSL debut two seasons ago and has been improving ever since. A top 8 spot in July shot him to the up-and-downs but, frankly, the pressure of competing among top Code S-ers might prove to be too much for Yoda. He might have the force within him but I suppose he still needs another season or two to finish his lightsaber.

And then there is Leenock - the cute youngster that has been struggling for a Code S spot since the beginning of time. At the start of the year, Leenock was knocked down from the big stage and has been trying to overcome his Code A status three seasons in a row. Many still believe Leenock deserves nothing less of Code S, although I would disagree partially. Leenock has been playing magnificently but fails to yet show a consistent improvement in his skill. Maybe if he gets Code S he will find the motivation needed to grow as a player skill-wise and, ironically, fate will meet him with three players that have been "up there" for quite some time now. This will be Leenock biggest test thus far.

Group B

Holy $#!%, do you see that? Considering the amount of star power injected into Group B, I could easily say that I have seen easier Code S/MLG pools. MC and Losira are one of the best players of their respective races in the whole world so I would presume they will roll back to Code S. The only one that can take a game of them is probably Kyrix, though this suspicion of mine might just lie on Kyrix's old fame. In fact, should winds change and Kyrix falls down, October will be the first Code S missing the Zenex zerg.

I do not wish to express any disrespect to the other two contenders, but let's face it - it will take them slightly more than a miracle for their fairy tale to come true. Jjakji reached the up-and-downs by getting to top 8 over J and Lucky, who are significantly easier opponents than MC and Losira would be. And Check's mediocre performance in terms of results is still haunting him. It is not my intention to jinx him but as the stars aligned it would seem that there is a third Code A in a row ahead of Check.

All in all, the biggest highlight in this group will be the Losira-MC revenge match, its origins way back at MLG Columbus. Moreover, having in mind that losing that greatly contributes to the possibility of dropping to Code A, the tension will be burning the studio chairs and possibly some caster vocal chords. Oh, and did I mention that this is actually the opening match too?

Group C

Group C is enlivened by people with a lot to prove. Right off the bat we see MarineKing and Trickster - names that are still considered among the big ones but showing results in conflict of the grandeur ascribed to them. Trickster got top 8 in July but followed that with a disappointing play in both the next season and, most recently, MLG Raleigh. Like the Kyrix case, though, there has not been a single Code S run without Trickster in the line-up, although a nagging feeling inside tells me that October might just be the first.

MarineKing - and his fans as well - are also on the edge of the chair. The terran that has seen four grand finals but won none will be fighting for his live once again. He was demolished in the last up-and-downs but, fortunately for him there, is only one terran now (although coming from the SlayerS school of TvT ownage). Also, placing second in the group guarantees a Code S spot so that should cheer MarineKing up at least a little.

Of the other three, Violet and Taeja might have the better chances for qualifying. Violet's first appearance in GSL was further rewarded with a Code S graduation and although he is yet to pass the Ro32 barrier, I am always enjoying by the way he handles his race. What is worrying is that Violet has 0% in his ZvT and if his future is to be determined by a match against Taeja that could spell doom for the MVP zerg. Taeja, on the other hand, has not had much success in the individual leagues but has been rocking GSTL like a boss. If he can transgress his GSTL super powers over to the up-and-down trials he will have the situation covered.

So in the end, standing at this crossroad whose ways are almost unforeseeable, one keeps asking himself - will the loom of the up-and-down matches weave a lethal snarl for the heavy hitters? Will the story from GSL July repeat itself and fresh blood will flow into Code S, pushing aside everyone's favourites? GSL might be walking towards the big change in its line-up of regulars and this week could very well be another step.