Code S Group C: HuK smashed

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Code S Season 1 is as of today one foreigner shorter as HuK goes out with 1-4 in score. Last season's champion Sniper also took the stairs down to Code A, his demise an advocate of the power level of the group.

Cheesed and being fully outplayed was what EG's HuK got out of this group, as he quickly welcomed the end of his time in Code S. Chris had the questionable privilege to be picked up by the champion itself and it all ended disastrously after a spine crawler rush put Sniper in the lead and a stellar defense of HuK's 2-base play closed the series in the third set. It was micromanagement blunders by Sniper and clutch forcefields that allowed Chris to take one game of the zerg but in the end that did not count for much: 1-4 still meant Code A, heralded by double rax cheese from Gumiho in the losers match.

Even Sniper could not make the jump to Ro16, however, as both terrans proved to be too much of an obstacle. The reigning champion threw banes, ultras, infestors and whatever else weapons there are in the zerg arsenal but he just couldn't walk the miles to victory. He would either battle Bomber, who was on the very top of his play today, or Gumiho who brought along his signature "I'm at 17 places at once" playstyle, out-trading Sniper at every step of the way.

Most important of all, though, was seeing two terrans make it out of the group, something we haven't seen in a long while. Truly, Sniper's ZvT is not exactly a model for the match-up and HuK's overall performance has been on the very bottom for long months but the small terran triumph, combined with what happened at Katowice last weekend, will certainly get people talking. Did the recent patch was that big a hit to the zerg race? Is this the end of the swarm reign? Have the race scales been balanced once again? It's certainly too early to say at this point and it will be up to the remaining Season 1 GSL games (and whatever tournaments there are between now and March 12th) to finish the tale but hopes should be higher in the community.

Finally, in the last playday before the weekend, HyuN, Bboong, YoDa and Squirtle will be playing out Group D. HyuN finally made his break out last season and is looking stronger than ever, his chances in the group further elevated by the fact that his first match is against a player who's never been considered a Code S material. Having Yoda's fluctuating results in mind as well, this leaves Squirtle as the only other worthy challenger in Group D. He's not without a burden as tomorrow he goes out to represent a race that faces GSL extinction, him, MC and PartinG the only protosses left in the tournament.

Code S Ro32 Group C