It is day 1 of the WCS America round of eight, and eight players will be competing this weekend to claim the honor of being this year's last WCS America champion. With two North American players, Scarlett and HuK, and six Koreans including Polt, HyuN, and Pigbaby, the competition is bound to be fierce.

Kicking off the tournament will be an opening match between Scarlett and Heart. While Heart will be battling for pure glory, a finals victory for Scarlett guarantees her a spot at BlizzCon.

Throughout the day we'll be bringing you live play-by-play updates, players interviews, and crowd reactions, so be sure to check back often.

The first match will begin shortly after 3 P.M. PST, 6 P.M. EST, and 11 P.M. CET. and you can catch the action by clicking here or visiting our e-sports page.

The casters are ready!

Scarlett vs. Heart

Scarlett practicing minutes before her series against Heart.

Game 1 - Overgrowth

Both players decide to open the series with standard builds, with Heart going for a reaper expand and Scarlett going for a hatchery first. At the 7 minute mark Heart pushes with a full medivac of marines, hellbats, and SCVs to repair. Scarlett loses 14 drones to the push, but manages to hold with the help of Roaches (she built a Roach warren at the 6 minute mark).

Scarlett transitions to Spire play while Heart is looking for openings with hellbat drops on both Scarlett’s main and third base, but Scarlett is able to hold these off with relative ease. Surprisingly, Scarlett decides to get corruptors for anti-air.

Heart pushes with a big force with tanks, marines, and marauders and is able to pick off her Roach Warren. Sieging the space between Scarlett’s natural and third base, Heart is able to pick off trickling units while methodically pushing into her natural.

Heart’s two base push/all-in paid off and Scarlett GGs soon after losing her natural.

Game 2 – King Sejong Station

Scarlett opens with a Spawning pool first while Heart goes for a standard reaper expansion. Heart decides to go for hellion banshee and is able to cancel Scarlett’s third base. Scarlett builds a baneling nest and decides to go for a Roach baneling bust.

Scarlett is able to breach the natural and Heart loses many SCVs but Heart is able to hold off the push with crucial help from his banshees. Heart goes for a counter push a few minutes later and is able to siege Scarlett’s natural and is able to pick off the Roach warren and the Baneling nest, but not before her Baneling speed is done.

Losing all her banelings to tank fire, Heart pushes up to Scarlett’s main and lands manner mules. Scarlett GGs soon after and Heart takes a 2-0 lead over Scarlett.

Game 3 – Merry Go Round

In the first non-two player map of the series, Scarlett decides to change things up with quick speedlings while Heart goes for a reaper expansion. Heart sees four zerglings headed to his base and is able to pick two of them off. Heart builds a bunker next to his completed CC at the natural. Scarlett tries to get the bunker but is unable to, picking off a hellion before backing off.

Heart goes for a marine drop in Scarlett’s main when stim completes while Heart attacks Scarlett’s third base with his helions. Heart continues dropping Scarlett’s main and third base while Scarlett is trying to frantically stave off Heart’s non-stop aggression. Heart is able to pick off Scarlett’s third base and while killing numerous workers in her main base. Scarlett GGs soon after.

Final Result: Heart 3 – 0 Scarlett

HyuN vs. HuK

HuK warming up before his series against HyuN.

Game 1 – Catalina

HyuN opens with a hatch first and HuK goes for a gateway expand. HuK proxies a Twilight Council and a Dark Shrine while HyuN gets his third base. HyuN grabs burrow and is able to scout the Dark Shrine with an overlord, prompting him to lay down spore crawlers.

HuK pressures HyuN’s third and is able to kill off workers and zerglings, but Hyun is able to finally hold it off. This attack gives HuK a worker lead and HyuN’s roaches are forced to back off from Huk’s base because of HuK’s Dark Templars.

HyuN destroys the proxy Twilight Council and Dark Shrine, and HuK starts building immortals. HyuN continues to pressure HuK’s third base and is able to pick it off. HyuN uses tunneling claws to burrow into HuK’s main and is able to pick off workers at both the main, natural and the restarted third.

HyuN continues to push with a mass roach army while harassing the main and is able to pick off HuK’s immortals. HyuN continues non-stop roach harassment and is able to pick off Huk’s third base for the second time. In the final encounter, HyuN tunnels through HuK’s forcefields and lands the killing blow.

Game 2 – Merry Go Round

The second game starts off with a hatch first from HyuN and HuK goes for a cannon rush. HyuN’s quickly pulls off enough workers and HuK is forced to abort and lays down a Nexus and a gateway. HyuN harasses HuK’s economy with a few zerglings that managed to slip into his main, setting HuK further back.

HyuN continues to push his advantage by heavily droning on his third base while HuK gets +1 attack and additional gateways. HuK gets a delayed third base while HyuN begins his characteristic roach pressure. Unpowering the buildings at HuK’s natural, Hyun proceeds to HuK’s main base and is able to pick off workers and sentries.

HyuN continues attacking the main and the third, and HuK is forced to resign.

Game 3 – Deadwing

HyuN opens with a triple hatch before pool while HuK goes for a gateway and a cybernetics core before taking his natural. HuK sees HyuN’s third and begins adding gateways and chronoboosting warp gate. HyuN finds HuK’s probe before he is able to get his proxy pylon down.

HuK decides to hold off attacking and goes for a third base. HyuN goes for +1 range and armor.

A technical error ends the game prematurely and a we’ll be back live when the game is resumed from replay.

HyuN has managed to secure a 75 drone economy ad HuK is trying to push in but HyuN’s zerglings force HuK to recall back. HuK has begun his fourth base while HyuN begins his Spire.

HyuN begins pressuring HuK with hydralisks and HuK suffers worker and army losses. HyuN pushes into HuK’s third base with mutalisk support but HuK’s stalkers are able to hold it off.

HyuN’s zerglings are able to pick off HuK’s fourth base but HuK is able to pick off the majority of HyuN’s zerglings. HyuN builds a fifth base while HuK is trying to transition into airplay. HyuN continues non-stop aggression with zerglings and mutalisks.

HyuN is able to overrun HuK’s army and HyuN has reduced HuK’s supply to 70 while remaxing his own army. Huk produces a seemingly random carrier and continues to try and bridge the 100 supply gap.

In a final engagement HyuN is able to crush HuK’s airforce with mutalisks and carrier, prompting HuK to bow out of the tournament.

Final result HyuN 3 – 0 HuK

Pigbaby vs. Bomber

Pigbaby and Bomber watching Polt play.

Game 1 – Overgrowth

Bomber opens with a barracks expansion while Pigbaby gets a robotics facility before his natural. Bomber continues to pump marines while Pigbaby goes for a non-standard immortal and adds two more gateways.

Pigbaby is able to place his proxy pylon and rallies two immortals, a warp prism, and sentries to Bomber’s base. Pigbaby decides to commit and loses an immortal. Pigbaby is able to cancel Bomber’s emergency bunker and continues to attack Bomber’s CC, which floats away to safety in the nick of time. Pigbaby begins catching up on his economy while camping on Bomber’s natural.

Pigbaby finally returns to his base, which enables Terran to reclaim his natural. Pigbaby drops zealots into Bomber’s main, but Bomber is able to kill the zealots and snipe the warp prism before it gets away.

Looking to counter attack, Bomber moves out with four medivacs full of units and is able to clear out proxy pylons. Bomber moves in to pressure Pigbaby’s natural, but Pigbaby’s colossus and nexus cannon are enough to force hom to back off.

Pigbaby moves out and loses a stray Colossus. Pigbaby pressures Bomber’s natural but is unable to break through and loses both Colossi without doing too much damage to Bomber’s army. Pigbaby continues to commit but loses many stalkers, and his decision to overcommit without a third base puts him behind.

Bomber counter attacks with a medivac drop and secures his third base. Pigbaby moves out but Bomber is able to surround the Protoss army, which ends the game in Bomber’s favor.

Game 2 – King Sejong Station

Bomber opens with a reaper while Pigbaby gets a gateway and a cybernetics core. Bomber is able to slightly delay Pigbaby’s natural with an en engineering bay. Pigbaby gets a robotics bay while Bomber goes for a more unconventional follow up with reactored helions.

Bomber runs two helions into Pigbaby’s natural while harassing the main base with a reaper, forcing a few worker losses and a nexus cannon. Bomber loads two medivacs with marines and widow mines and tries to drop, but chooses not to commit after seeing Pigbaby’s army and nexus cannon.

Both players are transitioning to the midgame, but Pigbaby’s nexus is later than Bomber’s. Bomber moves his army out and pulls his SCVs, going for a massive attack with three ghosts, multiple Vikings, and a big marine and marauder force. Bomber’s engagement failed to crush Pigbaby’s army and Bomber pulls back.

Pigbaby’s army is mostly composed of zealots and archons and he goes for a big engagement, but Bomber’s huge army is able to ward it off, reducing Pigbaby’s army but also his own. Both players are at even supply at this point.

Bomber pushes into the natural but loses a big chunk of his army. The pulled SCVs earlier has resulted into a massive economy deficit for Bomber and he quickly GGs after realizing that he can’t catch up to a late-game Protoss with 60 workers.

Game 3 – Nimbus

Playing on the first four player map of the day, Bomber goes for a command center first while Pigbaby proxies a Stargate on the wrong side of the map. Bomber goes for a three barracks follow up and continues to pump marines.

The first oracle comes out but it is deflected by six marines. The oracle manages to kill two workers before dying to Bomber’s marines. Pigbaby gets his expansion up, but also loses his second oracle. Pigbaby gets a robotics play and attempts to transition to regular play.

A third oracle falls, and Pigbaby queues a fourth one while adding gateways. Bomber pushes up Pigbaby’s ramp and forces his way into Pigbaby’s natural, killing multiple probes, and granting him a significant economic advantage.

Bomber pushes out with two medivacs and drops into Pigbaby’s natural, but the drop is pushed back by a nexus cannon and a colossus. Pigbaby pushes up Bomber’s ramp but is unable to break through Bomber’s defenses and GGs after losing the majority of his units.

Game 4 – Deadwing

Both players begin with standard openers, with Bomber going for a reaper expansion and Pigbaby going for a gateway expansion. Bomber transitions into three barracks and Pigbaby gets a robotics bay. Bomber is able to scout Pigbaby’s entire base without getting his reaper killed.

Bomber pushes out with a large number of marines and marauders with combat shields. He is forced to back off after picking off Pigbaby’s cannon, and Pigbaby adds three more.

Bomber tries to drop Pigbaby’s natural but this is scouted and Bomber is forced to back off. Meanwhile Pigbaby gets Colossi out and Bomber adds a second starport. Pigbaby starts Templar Archives and is trying to secure a third base while Bomber is still on two bases.

Bomber pulls his SCVs at 13:45 and attempts to go for a big attack which forces PIgbaby to cancel his third base. Bomber goes for a huge attack that picks all the colossi off and both armies sustain huge losses. Pigbaby loses many workers but Pigbaby is able to hold off Bomber’s big push. The worker count is very similar, with a slight advantage for Pigbaby.

Bomber pulls his final SCVs and tries to go for a final deathblow. The players go neck and neck and both players have reduced their supplies significantly. Bomber is able to finally push out and is able to target fire Pigbaby’s remaining units. Bomber finally pushes through and closes out the series.

Final result: Bomber 3 – Pigbaby 1

Polt vs. HerO

HerO practicing before his games against Polt.

Game 1 – Catallena

Standard openers for both players in the first game, as Polt opens with a reaper expansion while HerO goes for a gateway expansion. Polt’s scouting marine is able to locate HerO’s probe and denies a proxy pylon.

HerO opens with stargate play and produces an Oracle and cues a Phoenix after it. The Oracle is able to get four kills and manages to get out with few remaining hit points. Polt gets a standard barracks setup while HerO is stockpiling colossi. HerO also starts zealot charge.

HerO’s units are caught in the middle of the map but HerO has enough Phoenixes and zealots to kill two medivacs full of units. HerO also begins storm. Both players have secured three bases and HerO storm drops Polt’s natural, killing over 20 SCVs.

HerO continues to harass Polt, who begins to move his massive army out on the map. Polt completes his ghost academy while HerO is able to drop high Templars into Polt’s main.

Polt drops into HerO’s main and is able to pick off both Hero’s nexus and forge. HerO is able to kill Polt’s drop. HerO pushes up Polt’s natural and is able to efficiently engage Polt’s army, storming supporting units. Polt is able to hold but is at a significant army deficit.

HerO continues to harass with Dark Templars, and Polt pushes out with his army but this is easily warded off by HerO’s superior army which grants HerO a victory in the first game.

Game 2 – King Sejong Station

Polt opens with a reaper expansion while HerO goes for a gateway expansion. HerO delays Polt’s command center with the Mothership Core, and realizing it is out of position, Polt sends a reaper and four marines toward HerO’s base, forcing HerO to return.

HerO goes for blink play and also adds a robotics bay while Polt moves in with five helions. Polt loses two helions without achieving much and is forced to back off from HerO’s natural expansion.

Polt pushes out with a significant bio force while harassing HerO’s probes on the third base with a widow mine. Polt catches multiple stalkers out in the middle of the map. HerO sends a warp prism but Polt’s Vikings are able to intercept it, but not before HerO is able to get two zealots and archon out, which get the Starport’s reactor before getting cleaned up.

Polt tries to drop the main and hit the third at the same time but HerO is able to ward off both attacks off. Polt’s army has a significant number of ghosts and he has started cloak for them. HerO loses a couple immortals that are caught out in the middle of the map.

HerO attacks Polt’s third base and is able to force a liftoff. HerO goes for a massive zealot and dark Templar drop into Polt’s natural with a Warp Prism, but not before HerO picks off his ghost academy and loses many units to DTs.

HerO snipes Polt’s fourth base while harassing his third base and dropping Polt’s main. Polt goes for a desperate counter attack that that manages to pick off HerO’s natural but HerO has been able to preserve his worker count to 46 to Polt’s 14.

Both players have lost army supply, but HerO has been able to maintain an economic lead. HerO’s non-stop dark templar harassment has significantly reduced Polt’s worker count and HerO is poised to end the game with a superior army and worker lead.

Polt goes for a last-ditch two medivac drop on HerO’s fifth base, which results in both players having one mining base. Meanwhile Polt moves into HerO’s main to attack HerO’s production while HerO continues to harass Polt with dark templars.

Polt’s two medivacs are caught out of position and loses one of them. HerO continues to press his advantage by rebuilding his army and is finally able to crush out a second victory against Polt.

Game 3 – Nimbus

Polt changes things up in this four player map with a command center first build while HerO goes for a gateway expansion. HerO gets a standard robotics bay while Polt adds two additional barracks to begin his bio production.

HerO adds a Stargate to spice things up while Polt’s stim is halfway through. HerO moves out with two oracle and attacks Polt’s natural, forcing him to pull his SCVs. HerO loses an Oracle but is able to kill eight workers. He loses the second Oracle shortly.

HerO begins phoenix and colossus production but is forced to cancel and remake his third base due to Polt’s bio pressure. Polt is poised to cancel HerO’s nexus again and succeeds while mining on his own third base.

Polt has maintained an economic lead and is able to produce many Vikings. Polt is moving in with his army and drops Polt’s natural while pressuring his third base and is able to snipe HerO’s natural.

HerO is able to ward off Polt’s medivacs while pressuring Polt’s third base with zealots. HerO is moving out towards Polt’s main base. Both armies are trying to position themselves for a better fight and HerO is slowly pushing in toward Polt’s units.

Polt gets a planetary fortress as his new fourth base. Polt pushes into HerO’s third base and is able to trade efficiently, keeping HerO busy and amassing a bigger force back at his own base.

With a 60 supply lead Polt moves in for a killing blow and is able to EMP HerO’s archons and rip through the rest of the units with his overwhelming bio force, which gives him his first map of the series.

Game 4 – Merry Go Round

Polt opens the fourth game with a command center first and HerO goes for a standard gateway expansion. Polt follows up with three barracks and HerO gets his natural while getting a twilight council.

Polt is able to find HerO’s proxy pylon, prompting HerO to get blink. Meanwhile Polt is starting his stim and combat shields. Producing two marauders at a time Polt moves out but loses a marauder to HerO’s excellent blink control.

Polt snipes HerO’s mothership core and stims into HerO’s natural, forcing 12 probes and a number of stalkers to die. HerO tries to drop zealots into Polt’s main but Polt is able to push the warp prism back. Meanwhile HerO delays Polt’s third base.

Polt is able to kill HerO’s warp prism and Polt moves out with his largely marauder heavy force. With impressive force fields and colossus pick up and drop control HerO is able to push back Polt’s attack.

HerO’s third base is delayed while Polt drops HerO’s main base and pressures HerO’s third. HerO is able to force Polt back, but Polt has a worker and army lead.

Polt pushes into HerO’s third base and is able to pick it off while killing off the majority of HerO’s units, bringing the series to an even 2-2.

In the tense last match of the series HerO opens up with a gateway expansion and Polt goes for a reaper expansion. Polt is able to slightly delay HerO’s expansion with an engineering bay block and he adds two barracks and adds two tech labs on them prior to getting his second gas. Meanwhile HerO gets a robotics bay.

HerO adds a twilight council while Polt is producing a high number of marauders and marines. HerO gets a warp prism while Polt moves out with his large bio force. Polt adds his third base while stimming into HerO’s natural. HerO barely holds but minimizes probe losses and keeps his immortal alive, albeit with few hit points.

HerO tries to drop Polt’s main and is able to pick off a few SCVs, but loses his warp prism. HerO continues to drop and is able to kill workers with a storm and zealot drop.

Polt goes in for a four medivac drop and as able to fend it off with a photon cannon and storms and is able to ward off Polt’s units on the map.

Polt pushes through the map with a superior army. HerO tries to storm Polt but Polt manages to pressure HerO’s third base. HerO lands impressive storms but Polt’s ghosts are able to clear HerO’s remaining units and Polt manages to squeeze out a victory for the third time in a row.

Fan Interviews

Camilo Moreno (right) traveled with his wife to attend WCS AM Finals

Camilo Moreno – Rank: Master, Race: Random

Camilo Moreno traveled to attend WCS America with his wife all the way from Costa Rica and comes representing his home StarCraft team, Dx Stars. Having played StarCraft since the early days of Brood War, Moreno has enjoyed watching the scene grow over the years. He considers the finals between MarineKing and NesTea to be one of the best games in the history of the sport.

Looking forward to this weekend, Moreno hopes that HerO will be able to squeeze out a victory against Polt, though he admits that Polt will probably win. For the other matches, he predicts a HyuN victory over HuK, a Bomber victory over Pigbaby, and a Scarlett victory over Heart.