TaeJa vs Solar

lol, game 6. Uncharacteristically pauses game just as an unscouted attack is about to wipe him out. Then miraculously restarts game and immediately makes a tank, just enough to hold off the attack, yet he didn't make a tank in any other game!
Looking at his face during the pause, he realises what is about to happen to him.


Add to that the other 'fortunate' moves like sending a drop to the 9 oclock position just as a hive is about to produce, yet it had never been scouted!

I don't want to say cheat but the word I'd use is



You're a fucking Idiot #1. This is fucking Taeja you're talking about. Are you high?? This is an administrated international tournament with 10s of thousands of people watching not to mention admins over their shoulder and you're accusing him of CHEATING??

Besides the fact that Taeja was clearly building the lab for a tank in the first place, and on close positions on that map there's a good chance of all-in by zerg, You're still an idiot for even suggesting that, and that's a massive insult to Taejas skill and professionalism. stfu and gtfo.



I would put it less offensive, but I agree with #2. pj2105, those are seven amazing back and forth games from two players who dominated their opponents on the way to the finals, two giants battling each other - and all you got to comment about this raw display of skill is making assumptions about cheating?
Taeja clearly built up to this (gas timing, tech lab on factory to build that "miraculous" tank, quick wall) and wouldn't have moved his marines back if he'd knew what's luring under his doorstep. And if you'd listen to what Apollo and Kaelaris say about this map or think about it yourself, an early (all-inish) Zerg push can be anticipated. Add to that Taejas on the fly adaptation, his game sense and his phenomenal decision making in precarious situations. To me this game is just a testimony of his experience, play-style and nerves of steel. And with suspecting cheating you might just have made him a big compliment as in a way you say he's so good it seems like cheating (or I guess if he actually managed to cheat under these circumstances it is an achievement in itself :P)

Anyways... action-packed back and forth games! Don't listen to angry whiners, rather watch and enjoy!
Really great to see Solar advance so far - I haven't seen much of him beforehand and it feels like a new Zerg-Master has arrived. Taeja I know well and never get tired of.



Agreed! Although the pause did give Taeja time to think and look his audience... Also living in China, I know they don't have the best track record for legit games. Google it yourself, pj2105 claim isn't too crazy, especially when Jim (Their guy) got beaten by solar... Do i think this happened in this series though, No. Most likely not. If that pause hadn't occurred would the game turned out differently though? No, one knows.



It's quite insulting to hurl abuse at me for suggesting what I did, if you think I'm wrong state the reason why, Im happy for other points of view. I take the constructive criticism well, with how it was intended.

Olympics, Tour de France, World Chess tournaments and just about every other organised game have all had cheats in them before. To think it can't be done here is wishful thinking.

I found the building of the tank just after the restart (he paused the game) way too coincidental.

As the commentator said, Solar, the commentators, the fans, and just about everybody in the world new the attack was coming. Only Taeja didn't, as the attack was racing towards him. Power: Game paused. Power: On restart a tank gets made.
Dream on.




^LOL Your so lost bro. Why did he have a techlab on it already then genius? Theres always gonna be people like you with stupid conspiracy theories but no proof who use hypotheticals to justify their reasoning.



We don't need unsupported speculations. I regularly favor the underdog in most tournaments. And I was hoping Solar would take it. But I have no doubts Taeja earned the title Champion of Intel Extreme. In my opinion, there is No loser in this match. Superbly played by the players at the top of their games.

I enjoyed listening to these casters as well.

Two Thumbs up....!!



If I'm going to put Solar's loss in game 7 to anything, it's his lack of commitment to the all-in. As soon as he busts the wall, he starts Lair, builds a gas, and builds at least a dozen drones before the "5 more roaches" that Apollo calls out. If he'd immediately built more roaches and lings, even w/o speed for either, they would have been there to help in the battle.

And then building the close 3rd was fuel to the fire.


Amazing series. Top notch. Solar is gonna be a star. Taeja is the man.



I think that was a tactical pause in game 6. Just like in volleyball and other games - gives you time to rethink, time to cool down... but still it's part of champions' strategy.

It's first major tournament for Solar? We'll see him on top next time :)



Does no one want to talk about the giant stroke off Kaeleris and Apollo were having to Taeja? Even at the end, their bias was evident with the urging to "pickup pickup pickup" when a baneling was trucking towards a pack of marines. I just wish they wouldn't be so overt in who they were rooting for.



I have to say #1, your ascertation of Taeja cheating is pretty ridiculous. How could he MH? this isn't like taking steroids, man they SEE his computer. Could he be taking beta blockers? Sure. but hacking the map is just a ridiculous thought.

#2 DID kinda overreact, but still, man, use yo head!



Game 6 Taeja knew what was coming. There was no cheating.

I'm not saying cheating is impossible in SC2, but there's a reason the same players keep winning championships. They don't just get lucky and guess when to build defensive units.

Taeja didn't scan, he knew his cc 1st was scouted, he knew the spawn positions, and he knew Solar had not made an aggressive build in the series yet.

Taeja knew the aggression was coming and probably just had a pause to mess with Solar's flow.



They supported Taeja because his play has been phenominal and it's no secret they're both Terrans and Terran has been kinda shitty lately. So, yes it's a tad annoying but it's not like they didnt respect Solar's play.



@Akgreenman, So true but its hard not to be.
Teaja has has the sob story about his injuries.
Teaja was missing an E.M tournament win.
Teaja isn't a Kespa player.
Its hard not to have the Teaja love.



hey @pj2105,

you are pretty ridiculous and mentally retarded for suggesting what you did and yet try to convince yourself even more so. You are just one of those D-bags, who creates these unappreciative illusions and attempts to d-bunk everything. Thats what those kinds of ppl do. Hope you're very proud of being a sore loser.



Who is the neanderthal that down voted this series?!?



What an amazing series! In response to Comment #1, I have always wondered how easy it is to cheat in these tournaments. Knowing whether or not an all-in is coming or not is huge. Similar to baseball where guys in stands and bullpens can steal signals, wouldn't it be incredibly easy for these guys to have friends in the crowd to put up signals to indicate the opponent's strategy?

For example, knowing when a spire goes down is huge knowledge for Terrans. It would be so easy for a player to ask a friend to put up a "Teaja is #1" sign and hold it up when a spire goes down. Same for Lair and Hive and all-ins and baneline nest, etc, etc, etc. Those could all be different posters or hand signals.

Has someone ever attended an event like this? Is the crowd visible to the players in the booth? If so, that is a MAJOR flaw. I'm not saying anybody cheated, but why not black out the window or put up a curtain to help reduce or even eliminate the chance of cheating?



While #17 sounds easily possible the players would have to move their attention away from the display. That could result in losses. Regarding how many things those players do at once it is unlikely they have time to share their attention to the crowd.



I don't agree #18. It only takes one second to look up into the crowd and the players have time to spare, especially in the early game stages. A player can receive a signal to find out if their opponent went hatch first, for example. Or a very identifiable signal could indicate how many gateways a protoss has built (and it building). It's just too easy and takes one second of time since you would know exactly where your guy with the signals is sitting.

Or even easier would be a small ear piece or buzzer system on the player himself.

I'm not saying it happens, but why not eliminate the threat if it's just as simple as throwing up a curtain? I wouldn't be the least bit surprised if a big cheating scandal breaks out at some point.



A bit late to the party, but... I dont think Taeja knew about the All-In. The tank that he built was to abuse the current spawn positions and apply pressure to Solar's natural. The position that would be protected by the rocks. This is supported by the fact that he took the marines back to the Starport such that Taeja would be able to pick up the tank/marines and boost to the location.

This build also counters early aggression on the map. So it's a combination of everything, perfect build order, Taeja's impeccable decision making and having nerves of steel! =D

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