BSL Semifinals Preview: A Window Into Foreign BW Text by 2Pacalypse- Graphics by HaN I. Introduction



II. The Man Behind BSL



III. BSL So Far



IV. The Final Cut



V. Ro4 Preview

Check out the BSL at Liquipedia!





Shortly after, the usual pillars of the foreign scene, including the "Have At You" and "Clash For Char" tournament series appeared to follow suit briefly. The noticeable lull in activity left more to be desired from the player base. Answering the call, a new player added their mark on the small, yet vibrant foreign scene. ZZZero, previous player and small-time organizer of the Bombastic Starleague (BSL), had announced BSL's revival with its third installment after four years since its predecessor.



With most of the tournament already behind us, it's time to take a pause and reflect on everything that happened so far. Semifinals are just around the corner so make sure to catch up on anything that you might've missed, including to get even more familiar with the four titans that made it this far.



Tune in at Saturday, Jun 09 5:00pm GMT (GMT+00:00) for the cast!

Make sure to subscribe to







Strap yourselves in, boys. Ten months ago, on July 30, 2017, StarCraft: Remastered was released, nearly 19 years since the original. For the remote foreign (outside of Korea) Brood War scene, the release was a welcome invitation to organizers far and wide to invest in a scene only grown smaller in recent years. From Zotac Cup to Italian Esports Open, and many more events, the hype of SC:R made foreign Brood War a bustling tourist destination. Since then, the initial hype of nostalgia and visual renewal of a classic revisited has long since worn off. In its wake the foreign BW scene was again left the small homely town it was before.Shortly after, the usual pillars of the foreign scene, including the "Have At You" and "Clash For Char" tournament series appeared to follow suit briefly. The noticeable lull in activity left more to be desired from the player base. Answering the call, a new player added their mark on the small, yet vibrant foreign scene. ZZZero, previous player and small-time organizer of the Bombastic Starleague (BSL), had announced BSL's revival with its third installment after four years since its predecessor.With most of the tournament already behind us, it's time to take a pause and reflect on everything that happened so far. Semifinals are just around the corner so make sure to catch up on anything that you might've missed, including to get even more familiar with the four titans that made it this far.Tune in atfor the cast!Make sure to subscribe to https://www.twitch.tv/zzzeropl so you don't miss it.





The Man Behind BSL

is a polish Zerg player, decorated with achievements from Brood War's heyday. ZZZero made a name for himself as an active player from 2006 to 2010, notably participating in WCG 2008 and 2009. Overall, he has played in over 25 offline tournaments, a few of which he won. Knowing the game and community inside and out, he understands the needs of the players.



How long have you been playing StarCraft?

ZZZero Haha, for a long long time. But specifying - I have contact with StarCraft since 2000 - then I saw it for the first time at my uncle Łukasz (ZZZak - founder of the ZZZ clan) computer. He played Zerg then and I laughed at him for playing some glutton (phlegm) - that is how it begins... At the turn of 2004/2005, I managed to get my parents to set up the Internet in my home - from then on I could play regularly. What is your fondest memory of playing StarCraft?

ZZZero One? I have a lot of great memories from different offline tournaments - they are the most pleasant and memorable - the opportunity to meet the players you compete with is invaluable. Although to this day I remember my joy when I was 17 years old and for a first time I won the spot at WCG Poland - it was the most important tournament to which everyone wanted to get - and in Poland we had an incredible competition. Why did you start BSL again after four years since BSL 2?

ZZZero That's a good question. BSL1 and BSL2, and after that BSL Offline - 06/09/2014 - I did these tournaments while I was still studying, when I had a lot of free time. Unfortunately, after that I changed my job and I was not able to find time for the StarCraft. Now, after a few years, I managed to stabilize many things and I can manage my time much more freely. Of course, to be honest, probably the output of StarCraft: Remastered was the final impulse to return to this project. Who do you look up to the most in the StarCraft scene?

ZZZero I do not have one person. I adore and admire all those who give something from each other, no matter if they manage a clan, a discord channel, a forum, organize tournaments or just play great StarCraft. What do you ultimately hope to accomplish with BSL?

ZZZero I want BSL to be the most important league for the players - a determinant of skill. I want to get to ProLeague alone, it's a source of pride. I want players to have a reason to train regularly. I want StarCraft to become more popular - so that players playing in it are properly appreciated. Generally, I would like to bring StarCraft back to interest. Where do you see the foreign scene in 5 years?

ZZZero BSL16 Offline finals in Dubaj - 1,000,000$ prize pool. How do you feel as an organizer as opposed to a player? Do you ever miss playing competitively?

ZZZero For me, playing StarCraft is the most relaxing thing in the world - I love doing it. But I feel really good as an organizer - the scope of duties is definitely different, but also very interesting. I still play from time to time, but BSL absorbs 90% of my time on StarCraft. I hope that when we will Make StarCraft Great Again, I can train easily.





BSL So Far

ZZZero's vision for BSL quickly became realized with BSL 3 and subsequently BSL 4. The BSL name has become a franchise spawning showmatches, qualifiers, a beginner and expert league, and most recently, a King of the Hill style race wars. Many of BSL's activities are supported by donations, and BSL will continue to run as long as the support is there. Overall, ZZZero's BSL portrays a goal of serving the community, producing great games, and promoting activity for players. Bringing people together around our shared love of StarCraft is what makes the foreign scene truly vibrant.



A testament to serving the players, BSL 4's main tournament underwent several rigorous stages. The first was a ladder stage where the top 32 of over 250 participants qualified to the next round. Then, in a swiss-style format in the next seven weeks, the top 16 qualfied to the group stage. The top 8 then qualified to the elimination bracket. Finally, the top four have made it to the semifinals.



The ro8 matches resulted in Dandy, eOnzErG, Dewalt, and kogeT advancing over trutaCz, Kare, Naugrim, and Terror respectively. The upcoming semifinals matches will be between eOnzErG vs. kogeT and Dewalt vs. Dandy.





The Final Cut

The cutthroat qualifiers and ro8 have given rise to the distinguished four. Conquering the ice-thin ro8 has left truly the best to fight it out in an increasingly difficult pool of players. Here the final four make their stand, fighting to be King of the Bomb.



Click on the player below to see their profile, including an interview.











A top Terran player, is generally regarded as a top Peruvian. He possesses an unshakable tenacity, and never is in too tight a spot to push himself to make a comeback. Possibly one of the most solid foreign players mechanically, Dandy is a force to be reckoned with, especially with a recent MMR peak of 3000, the highest of any foreigner. His incredibly close victory over the established veteran Zerg trutaCz makes him truly deserving to enter the ro4.



Editor's note: Unfortunately we couldn't get an interview with Dandy in time. We suspect he was too busy practicing for his match. A top Terran player, Dandy is generally regarded as a top Peruvian. He possesses an unshakable tenacity, and never is in too tight a spot to push himself to make a comeback. Possibly one of the most solid foreign players mechanically, Dandy is a force to be reckoned with, especially with a recent MMR peak of 3000, the highest of any foreigner. His incredibly close victory over the established veteran Zerg trutaCz makes him truly deserving to enter the ro4.



Russian Protoss player, , is the undisputed best Protoss player since Bonyth's leave of absence. The last remaining bastion of the Protoss race, he must fight his way to the top with his impressive macro and competitive spirit. His good mechanics and game sense shine in PvT, but the same cannot be said of his PvZ. Unexpectedly he closed out his series vs. Zerg Naugrim 3-2 in the ro8. In the final game Dewalt displayed his game sense and strategic versatility against even the incredibly methodical ZvP specialist Naugrim. His best achiemevents include being undefeated in the Russian King of the Hill and placing highly in defiler tournaments.



How long have you played StarCraft and how did you first learn about the game?

Dewalt I played this game since the end of 2009. I just got internet in my town and began to look for something that can kill time :D. I liked to play RTS games in computer clubs, but I played mostly fun WC3 random maps since all my friends played it. I was familiar with StarCraft from 2004 or 2005 maybe. My friend brought me a magazine with article about StarCraft. It was article about Gundam Rush and Boxer's bunker rushes vs Yellow. I started to play Terran and use this build orders vs AI. It was really fun! Because before it I couldn't win any AI bot :D. What is your playstyle and which player do you follow? How do you practice?

Dewalt My first three JeJa's was: White-Ra, LRM)Rondo, Tama(aka fathertoss). I learned to play on their VODs with commentary. From the korean scene i liked SKT (Bisu, Best, Rain, Paralyze) and CJ (Snow, Movie, Much, Horang2) Protoss school. I never had permanent practice partners, i just practice on ladder. What is the reason you play SC:BW ? Why not SC2, Dota or Counter Strike?

Dewalt I like League of Legends, and I played it for few years already. I was Diamond level player without hard effort. But this is team game. Your efforts in the game are often in vain and do not lead to the results that are supposed to be, because you play with other people. I hope you understand what i mean. When you are losing in SC:BW it's only YOUR fault. So working on these mistakes is easier. Only you are responsible for winning and losing. What do you think about the SC: BW scene these days? Do you think SC: Remastered brought some life back to it?

Dewalt Today SC:BW scene is not that big, but still those guys are amazing. There was a big hype around SC:R, but the game was released unfinished. Still feels like I play in beta-test tbh. So it's drives away many people who might return. If you would like to say something to the community, supporters, fans this is your chance - feel free

Dewalt Thank you to everyone who supports me, you are the motivator by which I still play this wonderful game Russian Protoss player, Dewalt , is the undisputed best Protoss player since Bonyth's leave of absence. The last remaining bastion of the Protoss race, he must fight his way to the top with his impressive macro and competitive spirit. His good mechanics and game sense shine in PvT, but the same cannot be said of his PvZ. Unexpectedly he closed out his series vs. Zerg Naugrim 3-2 in the ro8. In the final game Dewalt displayed his game sense and strategic versatility against even the incredibly methodical ZvP specialist Naugrim. His best achiemevents include being undefeated in the Russian King of the Hill and placing highly in defiler tournaments.



, also known as The Coach, is a current favorite to take first place. eOnzErG has noticeably taken the Zerg throne in recent months, and displayed so with a dismantling 3-0 vs. Kare in the ro8. Kare's honest effort while admirable was not enough to make up for his subpar mechanics and difficulty vs. Zerg. Going onwards is eOnzErG, who sports numerous tournament wins, great mutalisk control, and most recently an impressive all-kill in the BSL Race Wars. His play as tenacious as his demeanor, he dials up the aggression and relents from backing down amidst the commotion. When he's playing, there's sure to be trouble brewing.



How long have you played StarCraft and how did you first learn about the game?

eOnzErG So I was born in Cuba, and my classmates used to go Saturday and Sunday to the school lab. I didn't know the reason at first, which I then found out it was to play this weird game with bad graphics (excuse my playstation 1 nerding) so all my class mates started to play at the school lab and I kind of started to like it but my girlfriend wasn't too happy so I stopped quickly.



I went to Belgium in 2006 then Spain 2 years later, discovering internet and having my own PC, I made contact with one of my Cuban friends that went to the USA and we started to play online. He showed me the communities, the progamers, a chinese site called yaoyuan to watch proleague, osl, msl etc :D We met more friends online but sadly

I'm the only one left playing the game. What do you think about the SC: BW scene these days? Do you think SC: Remastered brought some life back to it?

eOnzErG This is a really good question. In terms of prizes and tournaments you cant deny that RM has brought back some attention, but my concern is if a 1 time tournament of 500$ is better than regular tournaments of 50$ or 75$ to keep the scene active.



In terms of activity I think times are changing. People are more active on discord or reddit, so each time I see on Teamliquid BSL threads with so few comments I feel bad I'm not gonna lie. But then you see people talking about it on discord so maybe forums are just getting older? Or maybe the way it is posted is not attractive enough? Maybe more drama is needed? But then do you want drama people fighting so the thread feels alive ? What is the reason you play SC:BW ? Why not SC2, Dota or Counter Strike?

eOnzErG It is very simple - BW brings me emotions and raises my competitiveness. It is a God, a way of life, everything combined, but it's also the background story. 20 years old and it's still kicking. It's not going anywhere. With others games you don't have that feeling. That is just a 1 time thing. BW is that person that no matter what you are you can always come back to talk with her, count your experiences, talk about Pandas etc. If you would like to say something to the community, supporters, fans this is your chance - feel free

eOnzErG Dear community, supporters, fans.



You're welcome!



The Coach. eOnzErG , also known as The Coach, is a current favorite to take first place. eOnzErG has noticeably taken the Zerg throne in recent months, and displayed so with a dismantling 3-0 vs. Kare in the ro8. Kare's honest effort while admirable was not enough to make up for his subpar mechanics and difficulty vs. Zerg. Going onwards is eOnzErG, who sports numerous tournament wins, great mutalisk control, and most recently an impressive all-kill in the BSL Race Wars. His play as tenacious as his demeanor, he dials up the aggression and relents from backing down amidst the commotion. When he's playing, there's sure to be trouble brewing.



A polish Terran, is the lovable hardworking dad. For what little practice he gets taking care of the kids, he makes up for with his cunning wit and immense experience as a competitive player. He's competed toe to toe with big names like White-Ra, Idra, Mondragon, etc. and can certainly make a big splash in this tournament. He switched from Zerg in 2014 after more than ten years of serving the swarm. He's more than shown he's tournament ready with a surprise reverse sweep versus top Peruvian, Terror, in a nailbiting series.



How long have you played StarCraft and how did you first learn about the game?

kogeT I started playing the game just after the release, so it's over 20 years now. I have played online for 15 years though. Strategy games were always played in my family, and SC was a natural evolution from Warcraft 2. That is how it all started. I still remember my 1st online game and beating a guy with scout + cannons on Orbital Death. What is your playstyle and which player do you follow?

kogeT I like to watch Flash, but my style is closer to players like Fantasy as I enjoy playing with initiative. I think watching pros is important to get the fundamentals in place, e.g mechanics and general ideas, but after that you should develop a style you are comfortable with and enjoy most. What is the reason you play SC:BW ? Why not SC2, Dota or CS?

kogeT You can only be good at one game. For me, it's SC:BW. I also enjoy the speed and strategical depth of SC, something that I'm missing in some other titles. What do you think about the SC: BW scene these days? Do you think SC: Remastered brought some life back to it?

kogeT I think SC:R could have done much more if we had all the features working at the start. I believe there will always be a place for StarCraft, even if the scene won't be as big as in the past. We are all adults now and play the game we love rather than looking for crazy competition. If you would like to say something to the community, supporters, fans this is your chance - feel free

kogeT I would love to say that I've grown with StarCraft and all the people playing the game. For me, it's a one big family, and I will always respect all the players that played, play or will play A polish Terran, kogeT is the lovable hardworking dad. For what little practice he gets taking care of the kids, he makes up for with his cunning wit and immense experience as a competitive player. He's competed toe to toe with big names like White-Ra, Idra, Mondragon, etc. and can certainly make a big splash in this tournament. He switched from Zerg in 2014 after more than ten years of serving the swarm. He's more than shown he's tournament ready with a surprise reverse sweep versus top Peruvian, Terror, in a nailbiting series.



Ro4 Preview

vs Dewalt Dandy vs



The skills of the two players are incredibly close. Both are incredibly well rounded and brimming with potential for both dicey micro games and incredible macro wars.



Dewalt's strength in his forte, PvT, portrays excellent army control in both small and large battles. Setting up the perfect engage, timing the reinforcements, and microing his units to their fullest potential are common sights. His macro has an intricate rhythm that seamlessly places buildings and queues units, but is made less than perfect by overspending on gateways. That is not to say Dewalt mainly plays for the macro games as he has more than enough gall to do the clever cheese and early reaver micro.



Dandy, no stranger to the 2 base 6 factory semi all-in, plays his own brand of Terran. While not boasting the same exact delicateness, Dandy's solid macro, tenacious aggression, and formidable mentality make him fearsome. His ability to throw off opponents through pure tactics, multitasking, and well timed early pushes can make his raw mechanics truly shine in the longer game. A PvT offracer, he has plenty of knowledge of the matchup. His only caveats are his predictability and and awry decision making at times.



The series will be an all-out mind game, with Dewalt throwing in some unorthodox DT and reaver play to bounce off to the regular strong macro game. At the same time Dewalt's macro potential can be underscored by Dandy's overtaxing aggression, mainly vultures. I suspect that stopping Dandy's early timing pushes is a task that Dewalt is more than capable of for a dominant series.



Prediction:

1-3 Dewalt





vs kogeT eOnzErG vs



kogeT once being a man of the swarm understands the ZvT matchup better than anyone, regularly offracing TvZ even when he was Zerg. A man of mental fortitude, he pulled out a stunning 3-2 reverse sweep after being down 0-2 to Terror in the ro8. Similarly, he previously tied the score 2-2 before losing 2-3 versus amateur Korean Shinee after losing the first two games in another tournament. If there's a player who's more than experienced enough to beat eOnzErG, it's kogeT. Playing with a calmly methodical style, kogeT's game understanding, decision making, and strategy are always impeccable, backed up by decent mechanics. His only downfall may be his lack of practice and the occasional falling apart in intensive multitasking situations.



On the flip side there is eOnzErG, who revels in the chaos of aggression. His fundamental mechanics are among the strongest and a major obstacle for any player. However, he's prone to tilting at times and overextends with his aggression sometimes. Nonetheless, a player who showcases impressive brute force off of the back of a fierce competitive spirit will be sure to give kogeT trouble. Once the ball gets rolling, he can show consistently dominant plays.



For the tone of the series, the early pace of the matches will be mostly dicated by eOnzErG's choice of either hare brained early aggression or momentous macro games. Returning the serve will be kogeT, stopping eOnzErG from getting an underwhelming early victory or punishing greed. Then, kogeT can pull off the decisive mid-game timings and plays where his skills best shine. We can also expect kogeT to showcase the 1-1-1 factory starport into expand build to best counteract eOnzErG's straightforward macro games and aggression. In terms of comeback potential, as kogeT has shown, even in a tight spot he isn't as easily discouraged as eOnzErG. However, kogeT is known for making uncharacteristic blunders, and the possibility of messing up tragically versus eOnzErG or being overwhelmed in the late game is very much a possibility.



Prediction:

3-2 kogeT











Cast of the semifinals starts in . Don't forget to tune in at





Writers: Ty2

Graphics: HaN

Code: 2Pacalypse-

ZZZero is a polish Zerg player, decorated with achievements from Brood War's heyday. ZZZero made a name for himself as an active player from 2006 to 2010, notably participating in WCG 2008 and 2009. Overall, he has played in over 25 offline tournaments, a few of which he won. Knowing the game and community inside and out, he understands the needs of the players.ZZZero's vision for BSL quickly became realized with BSL 3 and subsequently BSL 4. The BSL name has become a franchise spawning showmatches, qualifiers, a beginner and expert league, and most recently, a King of the Hill style race wars. Many of BSL's activities are supported by donations, and BSL will continue to run as long as the support is there. Overall, ZZZero's BSL portrays a goal of serving the community, producing great games, and promoting activity for players. Bringing people together around our shared love of StarCraft is what makes the foreign scene truly vibrant.A testament to serving the players, BSL 4's main tournament underwent several rigorous stages. The first was a ladder stage where the top 32 of over 250 participants qualified to the next round. Then, in a swiss-style format in the next seven weeks, the top 16 qualfied to the group stage. The top 8 then qualified to the elimination bracket. Finally, the top four have made it to the semifinals.The ro8 matches resulted in Dandy, eOnzErG, Dewalt, and kogeT advancing over trutaCz, Kare, Naugrim, and Terror respectively. The upcoming semifinals matches will be between eOnzErG vs. kogeT and Dewalt vs. Dandy.The cutthroat qualifiers and ro8 have given rise to the distinguished four. Conquering the ice-thin ro8 has left truly the best to fight it out in an increasingly difficult pool of players. Here the final four make their stand, fighting to be King of the Bomb.The skills of the two players are incredibly close. Both are incredibly well rounded and brimming with potential for both dicey micro games and incredible macro wars.Dewalt's strength in his forte, PvT, portrays excellent army control in both small and large battles. Setting up the perfect engage, timing the reinforcements, and microing his units to their fullest potential are common sights. His macro has an intricate rhythm that seamlessly places buildings and queues units, but is made less than perfect by overspending on gateways. That is not to say Dewalt mainly plays for the macro games as he has more than enough gall to do the clever cheese and early reaver micro.Dandy, no stranger to the 2 base 6 factory semi all-in, plays his own brand of Terran. While not boasting the same exact delicateness, Dandy's solid macro, tenacious aggression, and formidable mentality make him fearsome. His ability to throw off opponents through pure tactics, multitasking, and well timed early pushes can make his raw mechanics truly shine in the longer game. A PvT offracer, he has plenty of knowledge of the matchup. His only caveats are his predictability and and awry decision making at times.The series will be an all-out mind game, with Dewalt throwing in some unorthodox DT and reaver play to bounce off to the regular strong macro game. At the same time Dewalt's macro potential can be underscored by Dandy's overtaxing aggression, mainly vultures. I suspect that stopping Dandy's early timing pushes is a task that Dewalt is more than capable of for a dominant series.Prediction: Dandy 1-3kogeT once being a man of the swarm understands the ZvT matchup better than anyone, regularly offracing TvZ even when he was Zerg. A man of mental fortitude, he pulled out a stunning 3-2 reverse sweep after being down 0-2 to Terror in the ro8. Similarly, he previously tied the score 2-2 before losing 2-3 versus amateur Korean Shinee after losing the first two games in another tournament. If there's a player who's more than experienced enough to beat eOnzErG, it's kogeT. Playing with a calmly methodical style, kogeT's game understanding, decision making, and strategy are always impeccable, backed up by decent mechanics. His only downfall may be his lack of practice and the occasional falling apart in intensive multitasking situations.On the flip side there is eOnzErG, who revels in the chaos of aggression. His fundamental mechanics are among the strongest and a major obstacle for any player. However, he's prone to tilting at times and overextends with his aggression sometimes. Nonetheless, a player who showcases impressive brute force off of the back of a fierce competitive spirit will be sure to give kogeT trouble. Once the ball gets rolling, he can show consistently dominant plays.For the tone of the series, the early pace of the matches will be mostly dicated by eOnzErG's choice of either hare brained early aggression or momentous macro games. Returning the serve will be kogeT, stopping eOnzErG from getting an underwhelming early victory or punishing greed. Then, kogeT can pull off the decisive mid-game timings and plays where his skills best shine. We can also expect kogeT to showcase the 1-1-1 factory starport into expand build to best counteract eOnzErG's straightforward macro games and aggression. In terms of comeback potential, as kogeT has shown, even in a tight spot he isn't as easily discouraged as eOnzErG. However, kogeT is known for making uncharacteristic blunders, and the possibility of messing up tragically versus eOnzErG or being overwhelmed in the late game is very much a possibility.Prediction: eOnzErG 3-2Cast of the semifinals starts in. Don't forget to tune in at https://www.twitch.tv/zzzeropl Moderator "We're a community of geniuses because we've found how to extract 95% of the feeling of doing something amazing without actually doing anything." - Chill