ESL Open Week #91: ByuN, HeroMarine, MaxPax win

Edition #91 of the ESL Open Cups featured ByuN accomplishing a three-peat in Korea, HeRoMaRinE retaking the crown Europe, and MaxPax winning in America.

Shopify Rebellion’s Terran simply can’t stop winning: After taking his first ever in-season victory at an ESL Open Cup in Korea two weeks ago, ByuN completed a hat-trick on Sunday by topping a third tournament of the series in a row. Though he drew favorable lots in the early rounds, fiercer opponents such asPercival and Dark awaited him from the quarterfinals onwards. The Rebel was able to best his Terran brother with ease, but had to go the full distance to defeat his friend and former BlizzCon Grand Finals opponent. On the other side of the bracket, Zoun had a comparably much easier run, going through Rex and his former Alpha X team mate Nice as his notable opponents to reach the finals. The Protoss achieved an early success and took the lead, though ByuN was able to reverse the situation and secure match point for himself. Zoun did not go down without further resistance, however, and forced a deciding fifth game, which the Terran eventually won to secure his three-peat.

We can keep this week’s recap for the ESL Open Cup Europe rather short, as it followed the usual formula for the most part: Returning after a one week break, HeRoMaRinE took his usual position at the bottom end of the bracket and tore through the competition to reach the finals, only dropping a map against old-school Zerg DIMAGA. The surprise appearance of goblin, who took down SpeCial and Vanya, was halted with a brutal 3-0 shutdown by Big Gabe in the semis. Last week’s victor Clem tore through his part of the bracket, though he dropped more maps than is characteristic for him, suffering single defeats at the hands of ShaDoWn as well as his team mates uThermal and MaNa before eliminating them. Though he scored an initial map win over his German rival, the mousesports player then went on to beat the Frenchman on three consecutive maps, taking back his throne in what is now a five weeks long, back-and-forth battle for the top position between those two.

Another ESL Open Cup America, another ridiculous upset with Zest at the center of it all: After being beaten by a notorious Cannon Rusher in the previous week, the GSL Code S finalist had to bow his head to Russian Zerg Bee in this week’s edition, suffering a 1-2 loss and another inglorious exit. Not letting such a great opportunity go to waste, MaxPax secured the final spot of that half of the bracket for himself, taking out aforementioned Cannon Rusher ProbeScout, JimRising, Bly and Gerald to secure the ticket to the finals. His opponent there turned out to be Zoun, who thus entered his second ESL Open Cup final of the week, but would be as unfortunate as in the Korean edition on Sunday. Having eliminated SKillous and SpeCial, the Alpha X Protoss did not have enough Pylon energy in the tank to outfox his young Danish adversary, the faceless phantom taking his third win in the North America region in the current season.

Thanks to the partnership with Shopify, ESL Open Cup winners earn $250 in prize money and 10 ESL Pro Tour points. Players who finish second earn 5 ESL Pro Tour points and $150. A top 4 finish guarantees at least $100 as well as 2 ESL Pro Tour points, reaching the top 8 pays out $50. Edition #92 of the ESL Open Cups will take place on the 10th (Korea) and the 11th of October (Europe and America).

by TheOneAboveU