November 8th, 2013 
Mark The race to BlizzCon is over. Now that we know which players have been called to BlizzCon, the time has come to focus on the competition at hand. The mix of hopefuls includes icons of competitive StarCraft®, newcomers with fresh styles, and dominant players showing no signs of slowing down. In various ways, they’ve all done enough to get to Anaheim for BlizzCon, and they now each stand four wins away from hoisting the Gosu Trophy.
Where these players were before the 2013 WCS doesn’t matter anymore. They’ve all travelled the globe and redefined themselves over the last several months. Beginning November 8 at the WCS Global Finals in Anaheim, they’ll have one last chance to show the eSports world who they are and what makes them great.
The profiles below are mere snapshots of a particular group of players. They’ll write their final 2013 WCS stories at BlizzCon.
Full name: Choi ‘Polt’ Seong Hoon Race: Terran
Best matchup: vs. Protoss, 55-16. Polt won seven straight maps vs. Protoss players to start the America Premier League Season 2.
How he got here:
Champion – America Premier League Season 2 (1500 WCS points)
Champion – America Premier League Season 3 (1500 WCS points)
Champion – MLG Spring Championship (750 WCS points)
How good he was in 2013: The first player to repeat as champion for his region, Polt’s dynamic Terran play has become one of the most entertaining styles of play in the WCS. Like a great boxer, Polt seamlessly switches between offense and defense with such ease that his opponents are perpetually confused. His micro play is among the best in the world and could be the advantage that carries him to the Global Championship.
vs. Jaedong at the America Premier League Finals Season 2
vs. Revival at the America Premier League
Full name: Lee ‘Jaedong' Jae Dong Race: Zerg Team: Evil Geniuses
Best matchup: vs. Zerg, 49-15. Jaedong won four straight matchups against Terran players in America Premier League play in Season 3. He also won four straight matchups against Protoss players at the Season 2 Finals.
How he got here:
Runner Up– Season 2 Finals (2000 WCS points)
Runner Up – America Premier League Season 2 (1000 WCS points)
Runner Up – DreamHack Open Summer (450 WCS points)
How good he was in 2013: Second place finishes seemed to pile up for Jaedong in the 2013 WCS. Rather than focusing on all of the competitions he didn’t win, it might be better to acknowledge the tremendous skill it took for him to get so far in so many tournaments. His experience and composure will be his two greatest weapons at the Global Finals. As one of the best zerg players in the world, Jaedong is looking to finally turn silver into gold at BlizzCon.
vs. NaNiwa at the Season 2 Finals
Full name: Lee 'INnoVation' Shin Hyung Race: Terran Team: Acer
Best matchup: vs. Protoss, 43-9. Since September 3, 2013, INnoVation has lost to a Protoss player only once.
How he got here:
2nd Place – Korea Premier League Season 1 (1000 WCS points)
Grand Champion – Season 1 Global Finals (3000 WCS points)
3rd Place – Korea Premier League Season 2 (750 WCS points)
2nd Place – Dreamhack Open: Bucharest (450 WCS points)
How good he was in 2013: INnoVation’s Terran mastery set the tone for WCS 2013. We saw his skill on display in numerous highlights and in huge matches against some of the best StarCraft II players in the world. Look for his outstanding micro control on drops and Marine splits in the video clips below.
vs. Taeja at the Season 2 Finals Group C Game 3 (a loss for INnoVation, sure, but this is TvT at its best)
Full name: Kim ‘Soulkey’ Min Chul Race: Zerg Team: Woongjin Stars
Best matchup: vs. Zerg, 20-11. Soulkey swept three straight opponents (9 straight maps) on his way to the championship round of the Season 3 Finals.
How he got here:
Runner Up – Season 3 Finals (2000 WCS points)
Champion – Korea Premier League Season 1 (1500 WCS points)
3rd (t) – Season 1 Finals (1500 WCS points)
How good he was in 2013: We didn’t see much of Soulkey during Season 2 of the WCS, but he certainly started and ended the year with strong performances. The overall WCS points leader did it with smart aggressive play that saw him cook up answers for most every threat. Considering that the landscape of the WCS in Season 3 was vastly different than in Season 1, Soulkey’s performance is even more impressive. He’s done it all by squaring off against grizzled veterans and clever young upstarts along the way. That will serve him well in Anaheim.
vs. Polt at the Season 3 Finals
vs. Hack at the Season 3 Finals
*statistics courtesy of Team Liquid
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