Day 3 of MLG Orlando is underway, and I’m here bringing you all the best in the sights of this epic tournament, mostly from Starcraft 2, but we’ll see if we can’t sneak a few Halo pictures in here somewhere .. Let’s get down to business and look at some highlights from this afternoon’s championship play – some truly great stuff here.
EG.IdrA vs SlayerSBoxer – Zerg vs Terran
IdrA took an early 3 game lead in the best of seven series, let’s take a look at game 4 and on of this best of 7 series in which SlayersBoxer is fighting for his tournament life.
Game 4: Some great baneling harassment from IdrA and also great surrounds on Boxer’s units. Despite this apparent disadvantage, Boxer is able to hold off attacks and press in repeatedly with marines, hellions and tanks. After IdrA loses an expansion he makes one final push which, in one shot, a siege tank detonates all of his baneling prompting the GG from IdrA to make it 3-1.
Game 5: With the score now 3-1, IdrA attempts to step up his game to finish the Emperor. However, Boxer, apparently having watched MarineKingPrime’s matches earlier in the day, lifts off his initial command center and takes the gold expansion, easily doubling his income early on, looking for an early win to massive crowd reaction. Early bunker rush IdrA is parried with drone/zerglings. Attempts by IdrA to dislodge Boxer from the gold base proved futile – Boxer makes an impressive push and wins despite IdrA’s superior positioning, presumably through focusfiring, and so the Emperor’s tournament hopes were still alive 3-2.
Game 6: After the impressive game 5 from Boxer, IdrA looks a little rattled . And the abuse just kept on coming with a perfectly executed bunker rush with SCV and Marine support, able to snipe down the expansion with the marines from the bunker, which IdrA immediately GG’d, tying the score up 3-3. The winner of the next game would take the series, and IdrA’s manager quickly stepped into IdrA’s booth to calm him down.
Game 7: Heading into the final game of the series with the score now all tied up, IdrA seems much more calm and collected than he did in the previous three games. And a good thing too, as he needed to pull out all the stops. And pull them out he certainly did – Boxer opened up with some hellion play quickly attempting to take the gold expansion near IdrA’s base. However, IdrA spotted this and forced a cancel, setting Boxer’s strategy back quite a bit. However, he then attempted a mass hellion attack which was held off, barely – however, he only lost three workers in the exchange. The game quickly transitioned to a later phase, IdrA using a mass mutalisk strategy – this caused Boxer to ultimately crumble despite an extremely valiant effort, Boxer is eliminated from the tournament. GG, well played sir!
And now, some other highlights from throughout the day –
Stephano vs Kiwikaki – Zerg vs Protoss
A close back and forth game 1 seems to have only fueled Stephano’s desire for a second straight championship weekend after winning IPL3 last weekend. He steamrolled Kiwikaki in 2 games, eliminating the Protoss from the tournament.
Stephano vs Boxer – Zerg vs Terran
Game 1: Unusual scout timing rom Stephano stop Boxer from using any proxy timings. Excellent defenses overall against the Emperor from Stephano, with early hellion pressure being stopped time after time. Stephano does extremely well throughout the rest of the game, completely outplaying Boxer with impressive Zergling Micro and outstanding placement in Infestor fungal growths, he ends up taking the win in game 1.
Day[9] notes the importance of Stephano’s upgrades and use of really fast unit like zerglings instead of big, hulking powerful units to get the advantage, unlike most zerg players who favor units like banelings, brood lords, roaches and other more hulking units.
Game 2: Boxer opens with a proxy barrack/bunker play which is held off by pulling workers off the line. Pressure is continued from Boxer which the French Zerg ultimately ends up crumbling under despite impressive control and Mutalisk hurrassment.
Game 3: Going into Game 3, I’m a bit conflicted – on one hand, I’d love for Stephano to take it all the way to the finals, yet I love Boxer’s play style. Anyway, back and forth game here but Stephano was unable to hold off the combination of Seige Tanks with marines and marauders.
SaSe vs Boxer – Protoss vs Terran
SaSe trying to take down yet another Terran legend here. They trade blows, taking one game apiece, but game 3 in particular I thought was impressive.
Game 3: SaSe goes into a robotics build with heavy sentry play, holding off Boxer’s Marine/Maruader drops with some impressive tech switches to dark templars midattack, however he ultimately crumbles under a truly massive bio army and is eliminated from the tournament, which is a shame, because I think that SaSe’s playstyle is truly innovative among Protoss pros.
Photo Dump!
EGHuK and MarineKing shake hands before their match
MC setting up for his match against Fnatic.Rain which he won
HuK and MarineKing trolling each other during their match.
HuK <3s winning
Stephano during his match with Boxer
That's it for now – be sure to check out my interview with QxG Sase and my interview with QxG Destiny. Check back later tonight as I wrap up MLG Orlando and have photos of the epic finish to this event.
Dustin Steiner is GameZone's eSports Correspondent! Follow him on Twitter @SteinerDustin
