Lone Star Clash 2 - Preview Text by TL.net ESPORTS Graphics by Hawaiianpig and Salle

Table of Contents





Showdown in the South

Bracket Preview





A New Kind of Rivalry

Polt vs. Stephano





Check out Lone Star Clash II on







Bracket PreviewPolt vs. StephanoCheck out Lone Star Clash II on Liquipedia Showdown in the South by Fionn and Waxangel



MLG: The Afterparty, or MLG: The Hangover, take your pick. Whatever it's closer to, Lone Star Clash promises to be an entertaining affair, having selected a great combination of both skilled and popular players to come compete in Austin just one week after the conclusion of MLG Dallas. The brackets have been announced, so let's take a look at how the tournament might play out.





EG_Stephano_RC vs. Axslav



With Major not being able to appear at LSC2, Axslav, the former EG player will get the chance of a lifetime to start the tournament with a monumental upset against new EG player, one of the best Zergs in the world, Stephano. On paper, this is a mismatch of epic proportions. Axslav has moved more into a casting role, and he was a late minute addition due to Major deciding to focus on the WCS Global Finals next week. On the other hand, Stephano is the best foreigner in the world, and has an absurd 73% win rate against Protoss. Even though Stephano lost to Mana at ESWC, the odds of an upset are slim to none.



Stephano 2 - 0 Axslav





FXOBabyKnight vs. Quantic.TheStC



TheStC comes into the tournament after winning the online qualifier, defeating players like SeleCT and MMA, and making TeSPA wonder why they even bothered to keep up appearances with qualifiers when they invited the 14 other players. TheStC is settling into a PuMa-like zone, quietly crushing foreigners overseas and stealing their lunch money, because he happened to be born Korean and plays Terran. Facing him is BabyKnight, who after breaking out at WCS Europe by qualifying for the Global Finals, is still very much an underexposed player. BabyKnight had a typical "pretty good for a foreigner, still meaningless in the big picture" performance at MLG Dallas (tie-17th), and he'll have to step up his game a level if he wants to make people remember his name in Austin.



TheStC 2 - 1 BabyKnight





Mini-Power Rank

1. Polt

2. Stephano

3. ViOLet

4. Bomber

5. Crank

6. TheStC

7. NaNiwa

8. Ganzi

9. ThorZaIN

10. BabyKnight

11. Ret

12. Sheth

13. Qxc

14. Tod

15. Axslav

16. Hawk TSL_Polt vs. coL.qxc



These two faced off in last season's NASL, Polt taking it 2 - 0, but in a match much closer than predicted. With a few better decisions and a bit more luck, qxc should have had at least one win against one of the best Korean Terrans in the world. Polt is entering this tournament with only 1st on his mind, and while qxc's goal should be the same, more realistically we should want him to deliver the best possible games possible. This another first round match-up where a player has a large advantage over the other, but this actually could be a very good series if qxc can play up to his best. We're predicting a Polt sweep, but if he underestimates qxc, he'll end up like IM back in the GSTL when they were all-killed by the former FXO ace.



Polt 2 - 0 qxc







Liquid`Ret vs. coL.GanZi



Previously some of the more consistent performers in the scene, both Ret and GanZi have had a tough time in tournaments as of late. Coincidentally, the two faced off last week in the MLG open bracket, where they fought for a valuable spot in the group stages that might have allowed them to jump back. Ret ended up winning 2 - 1, but in the end, neither of them got to do much after early eliminations (well,



Ret 2 - 1 Ganzi





Mionix.NaNiwa vs. Quantic.Hawk



Hawk made it through the CSL qualifier, which pretty much makes him a charity case at Lone Star clash. That said, NaNiwa isn't an absolutely terrible match-up for him - though it still is pretty bad. NaNiwa's PvT and PvP are world-class, but his PvZ has been killing him forever. Hawk may not be on the level of Slivko, LiveZerg, Nerchio, or other Euro-Zergs that beat NaNiwa in the past, but he IS a Zerg, and it counts for something. NaNiwa will probably win, but don't count out Hawk entirely.



NaNiwa 2 - 0 Hawk





AX.CranK vs. EG.ThorZaIN.RC



If there's a lesson Crank could learn from traditional sports, it's that winning is the cure for all troubles. Hell, he could have learned that from StarCraft II, just by looking at Stephano and NaNiwa. Unfortunately for him, he couldn't get the job done at MLG Dallas, having to forfeit on the final day due to a managerial error. Thus, his quest to fight against Jessica's relentless attacks (truly, the Gumiho of media) with solid StarCraft results has rolled over to another tournament in Texas, the Lone Star Clash. If only a level-headed, third-party observer with first hand information on the situation and in good standing with the community would put in a word. Anyway, Crank should probably defeat ThorZaIN, a player fully capable of giving Koreans a run for their money, but often in inconsistent form.



Crank 2 - 0 ThorZaIN





vs. Liquid`Sheth



Sheth is one of the best foreigners at this event, but he was dealt an unlucky hand in the first round. Violet, the Korean who is going to be, amazingly, the hometown hero at this event, has some of the scariest ZvZ around, even taking a game off Life and pushing him to the brink at MLG Dallas. Sheth had a big win of his own at Dallas, taking a game of OSL champion Rain and putting up a valiant effort against the best Protoss in the world. ZvZ is not as volatile as PvP, but it doesn't always reward the best player on the day like TvT usually does, so Sheth can take this series, but it's going to be difficult against Azubu's poster boy.



Violet 2 - 1 Sheth





ST_Bomber vs. ROOTToD



Bomber showed us last weekend why he is the most perplexing and frustrating player to watch on the planet. He went from winning a spectacular series over Rain, absolutely thrashing the OSL champion, to then playing terribly against Leenock and throwing away a series that he could have won with woeful decision making. Still, even if he's a hard to bet on a player you can never trust completely, his TvP is still reliably world-class. If he can play like he did against Rain, no Protoss will touch him this tournament, and he will make it to the final four without any trouble. ToD is a solid player, but even said himself that he was an underdog heading into this tournament. Bomber might not be winning Code S anytime soon with his consistency issues, but if he can string together two days of solid play, he might see his first title of 2012.



Bomber 2 - 0 ToD



MLG: The Afterparty, or MLG: The Hangover, take your pick. Whatever it's closer to, Lone Star Clash promises to be an entertaining affair, having selected a great combination of both skilled and popular players to come compete in Austin just one week after the conclusion of MLG Dallas. The brackets have been announced, so let's take a look at how the tournament might play out.With Major not being able to appear at LSC2, Axslav, the former EG player will get the chance of a lifetime to start the tournament with a monumental upset against new EG player, one of the best Zergs in the world, Stephano. On paper, this is a mismatch of epic proportions. Axslav has moved more into a casting role, and he was a late minute addition due to Major deciding to focus on the WCS Global Finals next week. On the other hand, Stephano is the best foreigner in the world, and has an absurd 73% win rate against Protoss. Even though Stephano lost to Mana at ESWC, the odds of an upset are slim to none.- 0 AxslavTheStC comes into the tournament after winning the online qualifier, defeating players like SeleCT and MMA, and making TeSPA wonder why they even bothered to keep up appearances with qualifiers when they invited the 14 other players. TheStC is settling into a PuMa-like zone, quietly crushing foreigners overseas and stealing their lunch money, because he happened to be born Korean and plays Terran. Facing him is BabyKnight, who after breaking out at WCS Europe by qualifying for the Global Finals, is still very much an underexposed player. BabyKnight had a typical "pretty good for a foreigner, still meaningless in the big picture" performance at MLG Dallas (tie-17th), and he'll have to step up his game a level if he wants to make people remember his name in Austin.- 1 BabyKnightThese two faced off in last season's NASL, Polt taking it 2 - 0, but in a match much closer than predicted. With a few better decisions and a bit more luck, qxc should have had at least one win against one of the best Korean Terrans in the world. Polt is entering this tournament with only 1st on his mind, and while qxc's goal should be the same, more realistically we should want him to deliver the best possible games possible. This another first round match-up where a player has a large advantage over the other, but this actually could be a very good series if qxc can play up to his best. We're predicting a Polt sweep, but if he underestimates qxc, he'll end up like IM back in the GSTL when they were all-killed by the former FXO ace.- 0 qxcPreviously some of the more consistent performers in the scene, both Ret and GanZi have had a tough time in tournaments as of late. Coincidentally, the two faced off last week in the MLG open bracket, where they fought for a valuable spot in the group stages that might have allowed them to jump back. Ret ended up winning 2 - 1, but in the end, neither of them got to do much after early eliminations (well, Ret got to criticize tournaments, and Ganzi got to criticize David Kim ). So it's back to the drawing board for these two players as they look to rediscover their form in tournament settings. With both players on a downswing, we'll go with the last head to head result, picking Ret to win again.- 1 GanziHawk made it through the CSL qualifier, which pretty much makes him a charity case at Lone Star clash. That said, NaNiwa isn't an absolutely terrible match-up for him - though it still is pretty bad. NaNiwa's PvT and PvP are world-class, but his PvZ has been killing him forever. Hawk may not be on the level of Slivko, LiveZerg, Nerchio, or other Euro-Zergs that beat NaNiwa in the past, but he IS a Zerg, and it counts for something. NaNiwa will probably win, but don't count out Hawk entirely.- 0 HawkIf there's a lesson Crank could learn from traditional sports, it's that winning is the cure for all troubles. Hell, he could have learned that from StarCraft II, just by looking at Stephano and NaNiwa. Unfortunately for him, he couldn't get the job done at MLG Dallas, having to forfeit on the final day due to a managerial error. Thus, his quest to fight against Jessica's relentless attacks (truly, the Gumiho of media) with solid StarCraft results has rolled over to another tournament in Texas, the Lone Star Clash. If only a level-headed, third-party observer with first hand information on the situation and in good standing with the community would put in a word. Anyway, Crank should probably defeat ThorZaIN, a player fully capable of giving Koreans a run for their money, but often in inconsistent form.- 0 ThorZaIN AZUBU.viOLet vs.Sheth is one of the best foreigners at this event, but he was dealt an unlucky hand in the first round. Violet, the Korean who is going to be, amazingly, the hometown hero at this event, has some of the scariest ZvZ around, even taking a game off Life and pushing him to the brink at MLG Dallas. Sheth had a big win of his own at Dallas, taking a game of OSL champion Rain and putting up a valiant effort against the best Protoss in the world. ZvZ is not as volatile as PvP, but it doesn't always reward the best player on the day like TvT usually does, so Sheth can take this series, but it's going to be difficult against Azubu's poster boy.- 1 ShethBomber showed us last weekend why he is the most perplexing and frustrating player to watch on the planet. He went from winning a spectacular series over Rain, absolutely thrashing the OSL champion, to then playing terribly against Leenock and throwing away a series that he could have won with woeful decision making. Still, even if he's a hard to bet on a player you can never trust completely, his TvP is still reliably world-class. If he can play like he did against Rain, no Protoss will touch him this tournament, and he will make it to the final four without any trouble. ToD is a solid player, but even said himself that he was an underdog heading into this tournament. Bomber might not be winning Code S anytime soon with his consistency issues, but if he can string together two days of solid play, he might see his first title of 2012.- 0 ToD A New Kind of Rivalry by Fionn



Over a year ago, the Starcraft community was caught up in the newest feud to hit the scene. With smack talk being thrown back and forth, the biggest rivalry in esports at last year's MLG Columbus was between America's own against the two-time GSL champion . Two months prior to the MLG event, MC had won vs. 2 - 0 vs. Idra at the Dreamhack Stockholm Invitational and went on to win the entire tournament.



With the most popular foreign player and one of, if not the most popular Korean player butting heads at Columbus, you knew something special was brewing - especially since both had no filter when it came to words.



The rivalry since that night hasn't been the same. What was once a rivalry between two of the biggest stars in Starcraft 2 slowly became a one-sided affair with MC beating up on Idra over and over, knocking him out of various tournaments and tormenting him everywhere he went. Looking at their present record, MC has a 14 - 3 advantage over Idra



The next great Korean vs. foreigner rivalry would not start with a bang like MC vs. Idra, but quietly, only noticed by those who kept their eye on online cups. In December of 2011, was entering the 5th MSI Pro Cup as the three-time champion, looking to win his fourth straight and continue his monthly paycheck from the tournament run by his then-team Millenium. , having moved from Prime to TSL a few months before, was starting to enter more and more online tournaments on his new team.



December 17th, 2011 is the day the two first met each other in an official tournament. Cast by Khaldor, the two would have an entertaining series, Polt pulling out a very close 2 - 1 win, eliminating Stephano from the tournament and stopping him from winning his fourth straight MSI Pro Cup. The TSL captain would then beat Mana and Thorzain in his next two series to win the first of what would be his own streak of three straight MSI Pro Cup titles, matching Stephano in that department. The two wouldn't be kept apart, and had a second meeting in another online tournament, January's Eizo Cup, where Stephano got revenge for his MSI Pro Cup streak ending, beating Polt in another close 3 - 2 series to tie up the overall score between the two players.



With the records tied 5 - 5, it was the perfect timing for the budding rivalry to move from the online world to bright lights of a live stage. It so happened that ASUS ROG would invite both players to Assembly Winter 2012 just two months later, a rather fortuitous bit of timing. There, the rivalry would finally explode into the mainstream, with StarCraft II fans all around the world realizing how the two players pushed each other to play their best.





Polt and Stephano at Lone Star Clash 1 by Seltzer

Stephano began the tournament on a war path, crushing everyone in his group stage and moving through the knockout bracket with ease. His ZvP was at the top of its game, beating every Protoss that he met without much trouble. Even in the semifinals against Puma, who was still a formidable player at the time, Stephano had nothing to sweat about, sweeping the series 3 - 0 and placing himself in the finals.



Polt, on the other hand, had a rougher start, but he still managed to get by and keep his appointment with Stephano. He had a tough series against TaeJa in the Ro16, an easier victory against Hero in the quarterfinals, and then won a slugfest against Lucky in the semis where Polt was able to finally put down his resilient opponent with a 3 - 1 score. Finally, the stage was set for Polt and Stephano to play their first games in front of a wide audience.



Instead of throat-slashing or middle-fingers, there was only respect between the two, Stephano saying that Polt was the scariest player at the tournament and someone he thought he couldn't beat, and Polt coming back with saying that Stephano was a genius for how well he plays the game. They shook hands, went to their stations, and put on a



Polt took the series and championship 4 - 1, but no one seemed to mind that it was a blowout score. All five games were amazing, extremely close, and the two played at the top of their abilities. The two proved that even a series that didn't go to a final game could still be amazing. The win would do wonders for Team SCV Life, giving them exposure outside of Korea and helping Polt regain position back into Code S with a seed into the second season. As for Stephano, it was his first step on his all too familiar road to superstardom in 2012.



Only a few weeks later at the first Lone Star Clash, the two would continue their story. Even though they were positioned on opposite sides of the bracket, fans were penciling them in for a finals meeting before the tournament started. Neither disappointed their fans, getting to the



Polt, still trying to play the way he did against Stephano at Assembly, was able to take the first game on the Terran favored Antiga Shipyard, but couldn't keep up in the next two games, falling to the loser finals and letting Stephano rest up before the final. While he was able to defeat Sleep to make it to the grand finals, Stephano's adjusted style was still too much for Polt in the



The two were all tied up in live competition after Lone Star Clash, and for a while after, it seemed like the two couldn't get enough of each other, trading blows in series across the USA. Polt got the better of Stephano at MLG Winter Championship with his marauder-hellion play, only to have Stephano return the favor at MLG's Summer event in Anahiem, winning on the back of some early attacks of his own.



However, since that meeting in sunny southern California, the most promising StarCraft II rivalry of 2012 has been on an unfortunate hiatus. Polt stopped going to international tournaments in the fall to focus on Korean tournaments, trying to get back up to championship form after a run of poor results in Code S. For Stephano, there's been enough going on in his life lately – championships at NASL Season 3 and WCS Europe, and signing with Evil Geniuses – to overshadow all the things that came earlier.



But heading into the second Lone Star Clash, you have to remember that Polt vs. Stephano was, and still is the rivalry of 2012, and that these two made each other famous. This is the first tournament they've been at together in months, and even if they're not even guaranteed to face each other, we'll be damned if these two don't find a way to rekindle their competitive fire. It's sixteen wins for Polt and fifteen wins for Stephano, and both players will want to push themselves ahead. Intense rivals inside the games and friends outside, these two have shone a different light on the Korean vs. Foreigner rivalry. With respect, friendship, and most importantly, amazing games between these two, there is a reason why fans flock to a stream when they hear the words, 'Polt vs. Stephano! Here we go again!'



Rivalries are important for StarCraft II to keep growing. MC vs. Idra, even if they didn't produce the best games, was part of what made MLG Columbus 2011 truly an event to remember, and for many, the moment esports truly arrived. While it's okay for some rivalries to be based on theatrics, you also need ones based on two players bringing out the absolute best in each other when they play.



Does it strike me as odd that I spent so many words talking about a match-up that might not even happen? Not in the slightest. Yellow and Boxer, Grubby and Moon, Flash and Jaedong. These are names fans could read off a list and get excited about, even before a tournament even started. If I can look forward to Polt and Stephano in the same way, then I'm taking it as a sign that no matter what anyone says, StarCraft II is doing alright.





Over a year ago, the Starcraft community was caught up in the newest feud to hit the scene. With smack talk being thrown back and forth, the biggest rivalry in esports at last year's MLG Columbus was between America's own EG.IdrA against the two-time GSL champion oGs.MC . Two months prior to the MLG event, MC had won vs. 2 - 0 vs. Idra at the Dreamhack Stockholm Invitational and went on to win the entire tournament.With the most popular foreign player and one of, if not the most popular Korean player butting heads at Columbus, you knew something special was brewing - especially since both had no filter when it came to words. What occurred in Columbus last year was a spectacle that we have only managed to come close to a couple of times, and even Nestea and Naniwa's exchange could be considered minor in comparison.The rivalry since that night hasn't been the same. What was once a rivalry between two of the biggest stars in Starcraft 2 slowly became a one-sided affair with MC beating up on Idra over and over, knocking him out of various tournaments and tormenting him everywhere he went. Looking at their present record, MC has a 14 - 3 advantage over IdraThe next great Korean vs. foreigner rivalry would not start with a bang like MC vs. Idra, but quietly, only noticed by those who kept their eye on online cups. In December of 2011, Stephano was entering the 5th MSI Pro Cup as the three-time champion, looking to win his fourth straight and continue his monthly paycheck from the tournament run by his then-team Millenium. Polt , having moved from Prime to TSL a few months before, was starting to enter more and more online tournaments on his new team.December 17th, 2011 is the day the two first met each other in an official tournament. Cast by Khaldor, the two would have an entertaining series, Polt pulling out a very close 2 - 1 win, eliminating Stephano from the tournament and stopping him from winning his fourth straight MSI Pro Cup. The TSL captain would then beat Mana and Thorzain in his next two series to win the first of what would be his own streak of three straight MSI Pro Cup titles, matching Stephano in that department. The two wouldn't be kept apart, and had a second meeting in another online tournament, January's Eizo Cup, where Stephano got revenge for his MSI Pro Cup streak ending, beating Polt in another close 3 - 2 series to tie up the overall score between the two players.With the records tied 5 - 5, it was the perfect timing for the budding rivalry to move from the online world to bright lights of a live stage. It so happened that ASUS ROG would invite both players to Assembly Winter 2012 just two months later, a rather fortuitous bit of timing. There, the rivalry would finally explode into the mainstream, with StarCraft II fans all around the world realizing how the two players pushed each other to play their best.Stephano began the tournament on a war path, crushing everyone in his group stage and moving through the knockout bracket with ease. His ZvP was at the top of its game, beating every Protoss that he met without much trouble. Even in the semifinals against Puma, who was still a formidable player at the time, Stephano had nothing to sweat about, sweeping the series 3 - 0 and placing himself in the finals.Polt, on the other hand, had a rougher start, but he still managed to get by and keep his appointment with Stephano. He had a tough series against TaeJa in the Ro16, an easier victory against Hero in the quarterfinals, and then won a slugfest against Lucky in the semis where Polt was able to finally put down his resilient opponent with a 3 - 1 score. Finally, the stage was set for Polt and Stephano to play their first games in front of a wide audience.Instead of throat-slashing or middle-fingers, there was only respect between the two, Stephano saying that Polt was the scariest player at the tournament and someone he thought he couldn't beat, and Polt coming back with saying that Stephano was a genius for how well he plays the game. They shook hands, went to their stations, and put on a classic series that still holds up as one of the best of 2012. Polt took the series and championship 4 - 1, but no one seemed to mind that it was a blowout score. All five games were amazing, extremely close, and the two played at the top of their abilities. The two proved that even a series that didn't go to a final game could still be amazing. The win would do wonders for Team SCV Life, giving them exposure outside of Korea and helping Polt regain position back into Code S with a seed into the second season. As for Stephano, it was his first step on his all too familiar road to superstardom in 2012.Only a few weeks later at the first Lone Star Clash, the two would continue their story. Even though they were positioned on opposite sides of the bracket, fans were penciling them in for a finals meeting before the tournament started. Neither disappointed their fans, getting to the winner finals and facing each other to see who would get a direct spot into the grand finals. Changing his play style from when the first two met, Stephano caught Polt off guard with his BL/infestor combination (how times change!) instead of the late game ultra composition he used at Assembly.Polt, still trying to play the way he did against Stephano at Assembly, was able to take the first game on the Terran favored Antiga Shipyard, but couldn't keep up in the next two games, falling to the loser finals and letting Stephano rest up before the final. While he was able to defeat Sleep to make it to the grand finals, Stephano's adjusted style was still too much for Polt in the grand finals, and the Frenchman beat the Korean 3 - 1 to take the Lone Star Clash series 5 - 2 overall.The two were all tied up in live competition after Lone Star Clash, and for a while after, it seemed like the two couldn't get enough of each other, trading blows in series across the USA. Polt got the better of Stephano at MLG Winter Championship with his marauder-hellion play, only to have Stephano return the favor at MLG's Summer event in Anahiem, winning on the back of some early attacks of his own.However, since that meeting in sunny southern California, the most promising StarCraft II rivalry of 2012 has been on an unfortunate hiatus. Polt stopped going to international tournaments in the fall to focus on Korean tournaments, trying to get back up to championship form after a run of poor results in Code S. For Stephano, there's been enough going on in his life lately – championships at NASL Season 3 and WCS Europe, and signing with Evil Geniuses – to overshadow all the things that came earlier.But heading into the second Lone Star Clash, you have to remember that Polt vs. Stephano was, and still isrivalry of 2012, and that these two made each other famous. This is the first tournament they've been at together in months, and even if they're not even guaranteed to face each other, we'll be damned if these two don't find a way to rekindle their competitive fire. It's sixteen wins for Polt and fifteen wins for Stephano, and both players will want to push themselves ahead. Intense rivals inside the games and friends outside, these two have shone a different light on the Korean vs. Foreigner rivalry. With respect, friendship, and most importantly, amazing games between these two, there is a reason why fans flock to a stream when they hear the words, 'Polt vs. Stephano! Here we go again!'Rivalries are important for StarCraft II to keep growing. MC vs. Idra, even if they didn't produce the best games, was part of what made MLG Columbus 2011 truly an event to remember, and for many, the moment esports truly arrived. While it's okay for some rivalries to be based on theatrics, you also need ones based on two players bringing out the absolute best in each other when they play.Does it strike me as odd that I spent so many words talking about a match-up that might not even happen? Not in the slightest. Yellow and Boxer, Grubby and Moon, Flash and Jaedong. These are names fans could read off a list and get excited about, even before a tournament even started. If I can look forward to Polt and Stephano in the same way, then I'm taking it as a sign that no matter what anyone says, StarCraft II is doing alright.