Liquid's Top 5 SC2 Games - 2016 to WCS Winter

It's turning into another great year for StarCraft 2 with Liquid! Snute earned second place at the WCS Winter Circuit Championships and Gold Series International 2016, while MaNa also took silver in TING Open. Even TaeJa has received a shot in the arm during the new year: he's in the Round of 8 of Code S against the naysayers and the best in the world.

With an abundance of matches and tournaments recently, it's possible that you've missed some of the games that our players have played over the past few months. But don't worry, we've got your back! We're counting down the Top 5 Liquid games from the start of the year until the end of the WCS Winter Championships.



Liquid's Top 5 Games



5. Snute vs Hydra on Dusk Towers
      WCS Winter Circuit Championships - Semi Finals - Game 3

Snute's series against Hydra will be remembered for more than just the outcome—a rousing victory for Snute. It was undoubtedly the best series of the tournament and proved once and for all that ZvZ is a matchup worth watching. Game 3 was an intense game that had Snute and Hydra fight aggression with aggression. Their paths diverged when Hydra took the high road with mutas and Snute stuck to the ground with roaches, hydras, infestors and lurkers. It became a classic battle between a mobile offense and a stalwart defense.



4. Snute vs. Hydra on Ruins of Seras
      WCS Winter Circuit Championships - Semi Finals - Game 4



They one-upped their game on Dusk Towers with the final game of their series. This is what happens when you put Snute and Hydra in a boxing match in a phone booth. Unbelievably, both players unveiled even more unrestrained aggression, and the game was all the more nerve racking as it would determine who would reach the finals of WCS.



3. Snute vs. MajOr on Lerilak Crest
      WCS Winter Circuit Championships - Ro32 - Game 3

Snute became the paragon of technical swarm host play during its height before the swarm host nerf, and his knowledge of spacing and direction was on full display in this game against MajOr. The Mexican Terran was a worthy adversary, and the two matched wits in one of the best ZvTs played in Legacy of the Void so far. This is an example of how complicated the ZvT matchup can be when it isn't a battle of pure mechanics. Both players expanded all across the map and vied for every inch of the map.



2. TLO vs. Snute on Orbital Shipyard
      DreamHack Open: Leipzig - Ro16 - Game 5

The Liquid Team Kill is a staple of international events, and it happened once again in Leipzig. Of course, it also ended up having one of the best games of Legacy of the Void so far. A battle between two of Liquid's best, this was a perfect example of a game of economic starvation. Snute had to kill TLO's army in order to force a comeback, while TLO had to kill Snute's bases before Snute could kill his army. The brothers-in-arms chased each other around the map, until finally, it was time.



1. TaeJa vs. Zest on Lerilak Crest
      GSL Code S Season 1 - Ro32 - Game 1

Very few games can be described as immaculate. Most of the time, the player that makes the fewest mistakes wins. In a game where errors can count in the hundreds due to the breakneck pace of decisions, StarCraft rarely sees two flawless performances crash into each other. More than any other in recent memory, this encounter between TaeJa and Zest lived up to its billing. The two players have played many unforgettable matches, but this will stand the test of time.

After falling far behind in the early game, TaeJa had to shift into another gear—one that he had not found in over a year—in order to give himself a fighting chance against one of the best Protoss in the world. Only perfection could match perfection, and TaeJa was up to the task. This will likely go down as one of the best games of the year, bar none.




Up Next For Liquid

While we await the WCS Spring Championships in Tours this coming May, other events are popping up soon. The next big event will be in Austin, Texas for DreamHack, and the qualifiers are currently underway! Let's cheer for the boys as they compete for a trip to the US and a chance to claim a part of the $50,000 prize pool as well as some WCS Points.

Lastly, if you still haven't seen it yet, Snute and MaNa progressed further than any other foreigner in TING Open. While they faced a teamkill in the semifinals, MaNa earned himself a silver medal and impressed with his PvT.

If you're itching for something to watch, you can also check out our new calendar on the front page of our website!