[crAzerk]

Community Open #19 - writeup by crAzerk

Because I've learnt some simple BBCode, this writeup will be more compact and neat! Thanks nirvAnA for teaching me (the obvious) !
As said before, I will cover just the finals. In the future I may do more, and while I heard the Semis were more exciting than the Finals, there was no Zerg so I wasn't motivated to do it LOL OK enough rambling , on to the finals!

Finals

Game 1: nGenLight (Protoss) vs Beethoven (Protoss)

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on GSL Dual Sight


Ok, I have to admit I've never seen this map before. Yes, I know they use it on GSL and all, I don't follow it that closely! So anyway, both players opened with a standard gateway -> gas-> CC opening so I spent the opening minutes examining the cool map


The XN Watchtower is a little Gateway! How cute.
Make little Hatcheries next!

Both players went identical builds (4gate, surprise surprise), with nGenLight being slightly (a few seconds?) ahead in placing down his buildings. Their first Zealot and Stalker engaged in a little skirmish in the middle of the map, but unfortunately for Beethoven, his Stalker came in late to the party, and so nGenLight had the higher DPS:


boom goes the Zealot (Beethoven's)

Beethoven, however, aggressively placed his proxy pylon at the ramp of nGenLight.. which I don't think is quite a good move? He lost his Probe too.




With 2 stalkers firing away at his pylon, Beethoven hurriedly tried to warp in 4 zealots:


....
...

but:

It just wasn't in time! Pylon blew up JUST before the 4 zealots could warp in.

With this, Beethoven had to back out, and nGenLight warped in a round of stalkers and moved out towards Beethoven's base. I'm not quite sure what Beethoven was thinking because instead of getting more units for the impending defence, he got a Robo Facility instead!

This meant that nGenLight would have the unit advantage, and indeed:

In this clash, nGenLight had 8 stalkers to Beethoven's 5, and 5 zealots to Beethoven's 4. Clear winner.

And Beethoven GGs.

Ok let me try to be pro like ddengster and provide my

+ [Thoughts about the game] +

The early skirmish in the middle already put Beethoven down, he shouldn't have forced the issue. The proxy pylon was too blatantly placed and easily sniped, if those 4 zealots had come out it may have been a different game.
Also, it seemed like a bad decision to get a Robo Facility when a 4Gate was coming - I have a feeling that Beethoven didn't manage to scout it.
I'm curious as to why Protoss don't open with Robo openers now, especially on maps where you CAN FF your ramp to delay the inevitable 4gate. The delayed warp gate research time makes it even easier to do so (Before the change I was practising PvP with some diamond toss and they couldn't 4gate in time ag my Robo opener too (with ramp-FFs delaying the push)

Game 2: nGenLight (Protoss) vs Beethoven (Protoss)

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on Tal'darim Altar


Both players opened with identical openers again all the way until 4 Gateways - then suddenly Beethoven diverges from the path and puts down a TWILIGHT COUNCIL.

Did I mention he was on 1 gas too? I think he realized his strategy wasn't going to work with 1 gas and quickly put down a 2nd gas at this point, and followed it with a DARK SHRINE. I'm writing the building names in caps to express my bewilderment.

nGenLight began pushing closer with his proxy pylons, backed up by the 4Gate back in base. When he had a sizeable army, he marched in.


nGenLight's 6 zealots 9 stalkers vs Beethoven's 9 zealots 2 stalkers.


By wisely focusfiring down Beethoven's 2 measly stalkers, nGenLight was easily able to kite the remnant zealots with his Stalker army, and systematically took out all the pylons, then went for the Nexus.

Beethoven DID manage to warp in ONE DT though..

Dark Templar: "Don't worry guys I got this." -slices zealot-

After sniping the Nexus, nGenLight continued taking out the buildings, and eventually Beethoven had to GG.

and nGenLight wins the CO 2-0!

On a random note, if there was a Starcraft 2 MMORPG, I would pick the Dark Templar class! Kinda cool isn't it, cloaked, can do massive damage. I love the sound their attacks make too.

+ [My thoughts about the game] +

I've never seen the opening that Beethoven did before - 4 gate into DTs? Off 1 gas? I don't know if it was nerves or anything, or maybe this is just some really high level play that goes beyond my understanding (Beethoven IS in GM league)
A DT RUSH may have worked abit better due to the large distances, but a 4gate half-hearted DT transition (off 1 gas?? I still can't get over this fact) made it seem like he only made the decision mid-game.
I've a feeling it was nerves that got to him though. Tried to ask him about it after the game but I couldn't start a Chat with him for some reason.

Game 3: nGenLight (Protoss) vs Beethoven (Protoss)

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on Marine Arena.

They got bored of standard games and decided to duke it out 1v1 in a Marine Arena showmatch. Winner would take it all.

.
.
Naw, there wasn't a Game 3 because this was a Bo3, Just adding this so you won't get spoiled!

+ [Ending Notes] +

Like what you've read and want me to cover a tournament? Feel free to drop me a PM, and if you are, please read

+ [this] +

Please provide/answer the following in your PM to hasten the process:

1) Date of tournament and when I'll be sent the replay(s)
2) Game(s) you want me to cover (Should be just finals if it's a tournament)
3) Are you ok with my style of writing? Because I can't really write in a objective 'reporter' style (read ddengster's awesome battle reports to know what I mean!), I find it too monotonous to write! Haha. My style is more blog-like, just refer to my 'Road to Masters' series to get an idea.
4) An attractive picture of yourself (males excluded)
5) I'm kidding about 4).

Also, please do support my weekly column 'My Road to Masters' that I will post every Friday in the 'Blogs' section.
As always, feel free to message me in-game as well at crAzerk.187 for a chat or a game!

Thanks for reading!

Quick Comments

nirvAnA:

haha liked the game 3!

[Micksterzone]

Nice Writeup watched the game anyway, but still, nice