GSL 3 Quarterfinals: Preview

Race Breakdown

Terran: 3 (37.5%)
Zerg: 2 (25%)
Protoss: 3 (37.5%)

It doesn't get much more even than this. Blizzard's balance team must be high-fiving each other. Each race has two very impressive players in the quarterfinals, with TSLRain and choyafOu (though not bad by any means) punching a bit above their weight and giving Terran and Protoss an extra player. Although at a slight disadvantage numerically, the two remaining Zergs are the two previous GSL champions. It's worth noting that this incredibly even spread of quarterfinalists has come despite the much-criticized decision by GomTV to remove map downvoting (a decision that, I might add, improved the spectator experience by reducing the number of Xel'Naga Caverns games to a sensible level).

Team Breakdown

PrimeWE: 2
TSL: 2
fOu: 1
IM: 1
Liquid: 1
oGs: 1

Still a very even spread of players. StarTale joins ZeNEX on the outside looking in while Liquid and fOu get a player into the quarterfinals for the first time.

Matches

They're all matches to watch, so let's run them down. Note that matches will be best of 5, which beyond helping better players in general should help mitigate the damage Steppes of War does to the two Zerg players' fortunes (both Zergs drew Steppes of War, but luckily for them neither got Jungle Basin).

IMNesTea (Z) vs. TSLRain (T)

NesTea is the clear favorite here. Of the Terrans who made it this far, he'll be glad he's playing Rain. Jinro's defensive style might work well against NesTea and MarineKing came within one game of beating him in a best of 7, but Rain still needs to show he can consistently play at the very highest level. The one thing Rain does have going for him is being on the same team as the other top Zerg FruitDealer, but unfortunately for him FruitDealer will be practicing for a game against Protoss.

HongUnPrimeWE (P) vs. TSLFruitDealer (Z)

FruitDealer won 2-0 when they played in the All-Stars Invitational before GSL 3, but that tournament wasn't taken as seriously as this one. From their interviews, both players have been looking forward to this match for a while. With his recent win against HongUn and better past GSL results it's easy to say FruitDealer is a slight favorite, but I think I'd give it to HongUn, albeit with the slimmest of margins, as his recent form seems slightly more impressive.

MarineKingPrimeWE (T) vs. oGsMC (P)

In an interview after his win against July, MC essentially said he thought MarineKing (AKA Foxer) is overrated. MC never misses a chance to stir the pot, but how many times have we heard people put down MarineKing? Too reliant on marines, people say. Perhaps, but he just keeps winning. MC is very good and it'll be interesting to see what strategy he goes with. MarineKing hasn't played a Protoss in this tournament, but he beat SangHo in GSL 2 and sSKS in the All-Stars tournament, so he's not just a TvZ specialist.

choyafOu (P) vs. LiquidJinro (T)

Anyone who can beat IMmvp is a dangerous player, but frankly mvp did not play well against choya. This is Jinro's first Protoss opponent in the GSL, so it'll be interesting to see how his defensive style fares. Jinro seems to focus on siege tank play and while I'm certainly no expert, it seems like Protoss have more options for dealing with tanks than Zerg. Jinro has already gotten farther than any foreign player has ever gotten in a GSL tournament and he's got a decent chance to go even further.