StarTale (ST), 2-1 (12-7), took on Prime, 1-2 (10-12), in Tuesday's marquee "Premier Division" matchup. It would be a set of matchups, unique strategies, and quick kills. With StarTale already qualified for the semi-finals, there were some newer players that received their shine. This best-of-nine series would start quickly in Prime's favor thanks to Maru's great Terran play and pressure. With the set in Prime's favor, 4-1, ST sent out their ace, Life, to reverse the damage. Unfortunately, the ace only took out Maru, and Prime won the overall set, 5-2.
Game 1
ST.Avenge vs. Creator.Prime
The first match would be a blitzkrieg. The first mirror match of the night, Protoss vs. Protoss, would end in one decisive blow. Prime's, arguably, best player Creator took on the first player for StarTale, Avenge. Avenge scouted well and took advantage of his safe play to win the first match against Prime. It was a fast chess match with just one major encounter. Instead of running over Avenge with aggression and a quick Colossus, Avenge would out-play him with just one fight. Avenge just seemed to have his buildings up quicker, from the expansion Nexus to the Robotics Bay. His build order beat out Creator's ballsy play. It took only one bad fight from Creator's smaller army that provoked the "GG."
Game Two
ST.Avenge vs. Maru.Prime
Avenge started his play with a four-gate, immortal and sentry build, to begin the match against Maru. The initial push moved marines and workers off the line and harassed Maru's economy and advantages. From there, Avenge transitioned to psionic storm and Collossus, but Maru's quick aggressive counter made timing incredibly important. Maru's counter to the initial harassment was to amass an army crush, a large number of marauders, vikings, and marines, in a final push to win the game. All of Maru's workers were pulled off the line for the suicide push and Avenge's psionic storm research came too late to stop Maru's army. Despite great shields and the last-minute storms, Avenge was unable to kill all the units in Maru's push.
Game Three
ST.SoN vs. Maru.Prime
With the set tied, Maru took on StarTales' zerg player, SoN. Maru took the early lead with great hellion pressure and harassed SoN's worker counts. Maru would continue to use hellions to pressure the natural and SoN's misplay with his 20 zerglings led to a crippling blow to his economy and base. The hellion pressure took advantage of a late queen counter and the lack of a Roach Warren to start the slow death process of the ZvT matchup. Maru's economy advantage led to a quick Thor transition, upgrades, and four factories. That's what double the supply and worker count does for you. From there, it was a foregone conclusion. You gotta feel for SoN's misplays.
Game Four
ST.Sound vs. Maru.Prime
Our second mirror match, Terran vs. Terran, was between Sound and Maru. Maru, again, tried to use early pressure and aggression to take a quick GG, but Sound's great opening prevented any further damage outside of scouting and a few dead marines. Sound's defense proved strong while he transitioned to safer play and reinvested in his economy. Both players geared toward a long game with mech transitions. Maru's crucial surprise engagement with Thors, seige tanks, and hellions created the first gaping advantage after killing the first line of defense and several workers. After seiging up in front of Sound's main base, Sound made the incorrect play to aggressively fight down his cliff and took too many losses. Maru's third game in a row came off another aggressive early play and better overall economy control.
Game Five
ST.Sparta vs. Maru.Prime
Maru took on another Terran player, Sparta, in an attempt to win four straight games. Both players started with nearly identical builds and attempted a quick makeshift base race with each other. Both players dropped hellions and marines to kill each other's economy, but Maru's clutch bunker defense proved too strong for Sparta's army. The base damage from Maru's offense was too much and gave him his fourth straight win. Bring on Life.
Game Six
ST.Life vs. Maru.Prime
Here comes the big guns. ST.Life, one of the best players in the world, against Maru, who's going for the all-kill. One of the best zerg players, Life, showed Maru what early aggression and harass was with his fast spawning pool and zergling harass to get the economy lead. As per the signature, Life transitioned to an unconventional Spire, instead of baneling play, to counter the hellion harass from Maru. Life's Mutalisks, however, were countered by emergency missile turrets and a Thor. Maru's pushed back with thors, hellions, and SCVs in a push because of Life's economy lead. Unfortunately for Maru, his second all-in push was countered by fungal growth and a reverse attack with Roaches. Strike one for Life.
Game Seven
ST.Life vs. Classic.Prime
This ZvP started out with a quick nail-biter. Life's fast aggression with zerglings were countered beautifully with a well-timed and constructed wall by Classic. Classic geared toward a stalker build, creating six gates immediately after his defense held the initial attacks and scouts of Life. His army of stalkers, sentries, and zealots took on Life's entire army and defense in his natural and won the engagement. Classic caught Life without any roaches and took care of the strong fungal micro from Life to out-gun his opponent.
Source : ign[dot]com
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