gorgie vs BIHI
It's the second week of SPL, and Gorgie has a positive record on the sheet while BIHI has a negative one. With both players eager to win, I had the feeling this would be a very competitive game. From the initial turns, Gorgie's win condition was clear: his GrowthPass Jolteon. His strategy involved setting up the necessary conditions for Jolteon to sweep, such as using Spikes and leaving opposing Pokémon crippled with paralysis or sleep—which he executed quite well. However, I feel Gorgie could have exerted pressure without burning through so many of his Thunder PP early in the game. The unfortunate part was that his efforts weren't rewarded, as he missed quite a lot of those Thunders. On the other hand, BIHI made mostly passive plays, with some aggressive moments. For example, on Turn 19, BIHI brought his Golem in on a forced Zapdos Rest. This play helped him slowly make progress. A similar sequence occurred on Turn 24, but BIHI used Rapid Spin instead of Earthquake. While Rapid Spin wasn't a bad play, it didn't improve his position much; Earthquake, on the other hand, would have resulted in immediate progress. Given that most players use Double Electric on these kinds of structures, I wondered if a Rhydon sweep was possible. However, those thoughts were quickly dismissed once Suicune was revealed. This Suicune managed to poison Gorgie's Jolteon, this was a forced play. Jolteon eventually pulled off a GrowthPass to Zapdos, threatening to checkmate BIHI. However, BIHI responded well, forcing Zapdos to Rest and aggressively bringing in Golem on Turn 61. This move could have put him in a winning position if Explosion had landed on Zapdos. Unfortunately for BIHI, Sleep Talk rolled Hidden Power Ice, and the critical hit (likely unnecessary) secured the KO. On Turn 63, Gorgie made a solid read by predicting the incoming Explosion from Forretress. Although the Explosion didn’t hit Zapdos, it gave BIHI another chance to counter the GrowthPass. This situation highlights why having some firepower in stall structures is always a good idea. In the second deathmatch between Raikou and Zapdos, Gorgie’s Sleep Talk rolls didn’t favor him, and Thunder continued to miss. Zapdos was eventually forced out, and the GrowthPass strategy was refuted at that point.
Overall, I think Gorgie had enough tools to win this game. His over-reliance on Thunder (missing seven with Zapdos and one with Jolteon) left me questioning its reliability. Playing with a bit more patience might have allowed Jolteon to execute its GrowthPass without getting poisoned. That said, BIHI’s counterplay was solid when it mattered most, and his performance this week was strong. It's also worth mentioning that BIHI's team showed more personality this week. From a viewer’s perspective, this was an exciting game, and I’m satisfied with how it played out.
vani vs Siatam
The game began with two double switches on Turn 1—one player going to Exeggutor and the other to Forretress. Siatam quickly paralyzed the opposing Zapdos and then attacked it with his own Zapdos on Turn 4. I believe leaving the opposing Zapdos paralyzed would have been better than trying to force it to Rest, which seems to be what Siatam was aiming for. Unfortunately, the sequence ended unfavorably for Siatam: his Zapdos was left at 48% HP, while the opposing Zapdos was at 100% health with two Sleep turns already burned. On Turn 7, it might have been better for Siatam to attack Forretress with Snorlax. Instead, he switched to Cloyster, and Vani revealed a Giga Drain Forretress—a particularly troublesome set for offensive teams that lack Gengar. This sequence put Siatam in a tough spot, eventually losing both his Zapdos and Tyranitar. When the position seemed all but lost, Siatam made a last-ditch effort, removing the opposing Zapdos with his Exeggutor. The intention behind this play was to leave RestTalk Machamp in a potentially winning position. However, with Starmie revealed, it became clear that a victory was unlikely. I believe Siatam's critical misstep occurred on Turn 4 when he attacked the Zapdos. Switching to Snorlax and clicking Curse would have been objectively better, as it could have allowed him to make slow but steady progress. From there, he could have set up Spikes and transitioned into a more methodical game plan. A slow-paced approach was realistic, especially since Vani’s primary ways of making progress were his Snorlax (likely running Earthquake to deal with Gengar) and Spikes. Playing with patience might have also allowed Siatam to poison the opposing Starmie with Cloyster or remove it with Explosion, or at least pressure it to the point where it couldn’t consistently use Recover or Substitute. Vani’s team, on the other hand, seemed designed specifically to counter offensive playstyles, particularly Siatam's. This gave Vani a significant edge, and the match ended up being relatively easy for him.
mrsoup vs choolio
If I had to bet on who would bring the first Rhydon this season, Choolio would be my pick. He used a cool, aggressive team with paralysis support for the Rhydon and a Thief Gengar that synergized well with a Whirlwind Zapdos. These kinds of teams usually feature double Sleep Talk, but he opted for a more aggressive Snorlax set with Lovely Kiss. This change helped him gain an advantage on Turn 12 by negating the incoming Spikes. This turn left MrSoup’s Snorlax with no consumed turns of sleep, no Spikes on the field, and his Steelix unable to make progress or threaten the opposing Zapdos. MrSoup had a strong start by removing Raikou, which put his Vaporeon in a good position to make an impact. I’d even argue that if MrSoup’s attempt to set Spikes had been successful, he was likely to win the game. However, Choolio’s touch of personality in teambuilding ultimately secured him the victory.
Don Eduardo Carapinga vs Conflict
I watched this game after making a creamy chicken pasta with the few ingredients I had (it was very good, by the way). Objectively speaking, I think this new usage of the Rocket Executive avatar is causing Conflict to underperform, and he should consider going back to the Burglar one. He brought an interesting Jynx moveset that didn’t find success against Snorlax. Since he just switched out against Tyranitar, I wonder what his last move on Gengar was. Simply using Dynamic Punch or Hypnosis could have made this sequence play out very differently.
Kenix was on fire during this game, outplaying his opponent in three key moments:
Rubyblood vs BlazingDark
We are approximately 33 days away from Ramadan, and BlazingDark landed his last Thunder, leaving it all to the will of Allah. Toxic is a cool move on Whirlwind Zapdos, but in my experience using it, it lacks consistency. On the other hand, using Thunder instead of Thunderbolt on Gengar shows some criminal tendencies from Ruby. BD gained an early-game advantage after weakening both Golem and Cloyster. He also managed to create an opportunity to optimally trap Snorlax with his Gengar, but all his effort was in vain as the opposing Snorlax rolled a double Sleep Talk Earthquake. I’ve always thought that using Rapid Spin when a Cloyster is healthy (and not poisoned) is generally a waste of time. This was evident on Turn 28, where Ruby spun at the cost of half his health—using Explosion on Zapdos instead would have been objectively better. That said, he also made some impressive plays with Golem against Cloyster. Ruby’s team heavily relied on Snorlax to deal with Electric Pokémon, which ultimately led to his downfall. After a bad sequence of Sleep Talks, Snorlax fainted, leaving Ruby vulnerable. By the end of the game, looking at the full team compositions, it’s clear that removing Zapdos with Golem could have placed Ruby’s Jynx in an almost-winning position. (He would still need to chip Heracross a bit, as I believe Psychic doesn’t OHKO.)
Overall, it was a great game by BD and a well-deserved win.
It's the second week of SPL, and Gorgie has a positive record on the sheet while BIHI has a negative one. With both players eager to win, I had the feeling this would be a very competitive game. From the initial turns, Gorgie's win condition was clear: his GrowthPass Jolteon. His strategy involved setting up the necessary conditions for Jolteon to sweep, such as using Spikes and leaving opposing Pokémon crippled with paralysis or sleep—which he executed quite well. However, I feel Gorgie could have exerted pressure without burning through so many of his Thunder PP early in the game. The unfortunate part was that his efforts weren't rewarded, as he missed quite a lot of those Thunders. On the other hand, BIHI made mostly passive plays, with some aggressive moments. For example, on Turn 19, BIHI brought his Golem in on a forced Zapdos Rest. This play helped him slowly make progress. A similar sequence occurred on Turn 24, but BIHI used Rapid Spin instead of Earthquake. While Rapid Spin wasn't a bad play, it didn't improve his position much; Earthquake, on the other hand, would have resulted in immediate progress. Given that most players use Double Electric on these kinds of structures, I wondered if a Rhydon sweep was possible. However, those thoughts were quickly dismissed once Suicune was revealed. This Suicune managed to poison Gorgie's Jolteon, this was a forced play. Jolteon eventually pulled off a GrowthPass to Zapdos, threatening to checkmate BIHI. However, BIHI responded well, forcing Zapdos to Rest and aggressively bringing in Golem on Turn 61. This move could have put him in a winning position if Explosion had landed on Zapdos. Unfortunately for BIHI, Sleep Talk rolled Hidden Power Ice, and the critical hit (likely unnecessary) secured the KO. On Turn 63, Gorgie made a solid read by predicting the incoming Explosion from Forretress. Although the Explosion didn’t hit Zapdos, it gave BIHI another chance to counter the GrowthPass. This situation highlights why having some firepower in stall structures is always a good idea. In the second deathmatch between Raikou and Zapdos, Gorgie’s Sleep Talk rolls didn’t favor him, and Thunder continued to miss. Zapdos was eventually forced out, and the GrowthPass strategy was refuted at that point.
Overall, I think Gorgie had enough tools to win this game. His over-reliance on Thunder (missing seven with Zapdos and one with Jolteon) left me questioning its reliability. Playing with a bit more patience might have allowed Jolteon to execute its GrowthPass without getting poisoned. That said, BIHI’s counterplay was solid when it mattered most, and his performance this week was strong. It's also worth mentioning that BIHI's team showed more personality this week. From a viewer’s perspective, this was an exciting game, and I’m satisfied with how it played out.
vani vs Siatam
The game began with two double switches on Turn 1—one player going to Exeggutor and the other to Forretress. Siatam quickly paralyzed the opposing Zapdos and then attacked it with his own Zapdos on Turn 4. I believe leaving the opposing Zapdos paralyzed would have been better than trying to force it to Rest, which seems to be what Siatam was aiming for. Unfortunately, the sequence ended unfavorably for Siatam: his Zapdos was left at 48% HP, while the opposing Zapdos was at 100% health with two Sleep turns already burned. On Turn 7, it might have been better for Siatam to attack Forretress with Snorlax. Instead, he switched to Cloyster, and Vani revealed a Giga Drain Forretress—a particularly troublesome set for offensive teams that lack Gengar. This sequence put Siatam in a tough spot, eventually losing both his Zapdos and Tyranitar. When the position seemed all but lost, Siatam made a last-ditch effort, removing the opposing Zapdos with his Exeggutor. The intention behind this play was to leave RestTalk Machamp in a potentially winning position. However, with Starmie revealed, it became clear that a victory was unlikely. I believe Siatam's critical misstep occurred on Turn 4 when he attacked the Zapdos. Switching to Snorlax and clicking Curse would have been objectively better, as it could have allowed him to make slow but steady progress. From there, he could have set up Spikes and transitioned into a more methodical game plan. A slow-paced approach was realistic, especially since Vani’s primary ways of making progress were his Snorlax (likely running Earthquake to deal with Gengar) and Spikes. Playing with patience might have also allowed Siatam to poison the opposing Starmie with Cloyster or remove it with Explosion, or at least pressure it to the point where it couldn’t consistently use Recover or Substitute. Vani’s team, on the other hand, seemed designed specifically to counter offensive playstyles, particularly Siatam's. This gave Vani a significant edge, and the match ended up being relatively easy for him.
mrsoup vs choolio
If I had to bet on who would bring the first Rhydon this season, Choolio would be my pick. He used a cool, aggressive team with paralysis support for the Rhydon and a Thief Gengar that synergized well with a Whirlwind Zapdos. These kinds of teams usually feature double Sleep Talk, but he opted for a more aggressive Snorlax set with Lovely Kiss. This change helped him gain an advantage on Turn 12 by negating the incoming Spikes. This turn left MrSoup’s Snorlax with no consumed turns of sleep, no Spikes on the field, and his Steelix unable to make progress or threaten the opposing Zapdos. MrSoup had a strong start by removing Raikou, which put his Vaporeon in a good position to make an impact. I’d even argue that if MrSoup’s attempt to set Spikes had been successful, he was likely to win the game. However, Choolio’s touch of personality in teambuilding ultimately secured him the victory.
Don Eduardo Carapinga vs Conflict
I watched this game after making a creamy chicken pasta with the few ingredients I had (it was very good, by the way). Objectively speaking, I think this new usage of the Rocket Executive avatar is causing Conflict to underperform, and he should consider going back to the Burglar one. He brought an interesting Jynx moveset that didn’t find success against Snorlax. Since he just switched out against Tyranitar, I wonder what his last move on Gengar was. Simply using Dynamic Punch or Hypnosis could have made this sequence play out very differently.
Kenix was on fire during this game, outplaying his opponent in three key moments:
- With Tyranitar – He made the best possible moves for three consecutive turns, ending the sequence in a winning position. However, Conflict caught a lucky break with his Snorlax.
- With Nidoking – This resulted in Jynx being put to sleep.
- With Cloyster – Booming on Snorlax to gain an advantage.
Rubyblood vs BlazingDark
We are approximately 33 days away from Ramadan, and BlazingDark landed his last Thunder, leaving it all to the will of Allah. Toxic is a cool move on Whirlwind Zapdos, but in my experience using it, it lacks consistency. On the other hand, using Thunder instead of Thunderbolt on Gengar shows some criminal tendencies from Ruby. BD gained an early-game advantage after weakening both Golem and Cloyster. He also managed to create an opportunity to optimally trap Snorlax with his Gengar, but all his effort was in vain as the opposing Snorlax rolled a double Sleep Talk Earthquake. I’ve always thought that using Rapid Spin when a Cloyster is healthy (and not poisoned) is generally a waste of time. This was evident on Turn 28, where Ruby spun at the cost of half his health—using Explosion on Zapdos instead would have been objectively better. That said, he also made some impressive plays with Golem against Cloyster. Ruby’s team heavily relied on Snorlax to deal with Electric Pokémon, which ultimately led to his downfall. After a bad sequence of Sleep Talks, Snorlax fainted, leaving Ruby vulnerable. By the end of the game, looking at the full team compositions, it’s clear that removing Zapdos with Golem could have placed Ruby’s Jynx in an almost-winning position. (He would still need to chip Heracross a bit, as I believe Psychic doesn’t OHKO.)
Overall, it was a great game by BD and a well-deserved win.