Team Raiders (5) vs Circus Maximus Tigers (7)
SM OU: Gondra (60) vs (40) azogue - Gondra finally got his first win last week, which imo was quite overdue. He messed up his week two game against Kory a bit, but he played well in a loss against John week one and he showed where he is at last week in a nice victory against Obliviate - some really flashy maneuvers here on his behalf, too. With azogue, I'm really not entirely sure where he is at as a player, but he did use a cool team in his loss to Lednah and I'm fond of his approach overall dating back to Snake. The thing is that he cannot really gain much leverage in that department as Gondra has plenty of support and isn't too shabby there himself, so I feel like the clear advantage goes to the LA prodigy as his gameplay simply seems superior at this point in time.
SM OU: Gingy (40) vs (60) Eternal Spirit - Eternal Spirit continues to keep the heat flowing throughout his games. After a brief RU stint, ES showed that he still has it in OU last week after a wildly successful ending to Snake. He probably has the most momentum of any SM OU player right now aside from perhaps BTB, but there are still the normal warning signs of him making overly-risky plays that simply are not worthwhile and him bringing some off-the-wall stuff, so you cannot go all-in on him per se. Gingy is a formidable opponent, too. He had a chance to beat FV last week and he got unlucky in prior weeks, but overall Gingy is a pretty solid player who isn't afraid to bring whatever he thinks works. I guess if anyone is going to stop the ES train from leaving the station this week, it is going to be Gingy, but I wouldn't call him the favorite nevertheless.
SM UU: Pak (55) vs (45) A Hero's Destiny - These two have been really crafty in picking up their wins so far, especially last week, and you gotta respect that considering neither came into the tournament as big favorites to do well. Pak is now 3-0 iirc while hero's destiny is 2-1 and I'm really looking forward to seeing both play. I think Pak has the conventional advantage just because he is probably a bit more clean and polished with his team choices, not to mention he has Pearl in the back, whereas hero's destiny is a bit ratchet at times (not in a bad way per se, but it can hurt him here potentially).
SM RU: mael (40) vs (60) lighthouses
SM NU: -Tsunami- (40) vs (60) Hootie - Zukushiku has had a very impressive start to the season, but he is away this week, so Shake moved down to NU after a disaster in RU last week against the mon6god himself. Hootie, on the other hand, has been in NU all tournament and he started off poorly, much like in Snake, but finally got it together last week with a W. I think that he will keep the ball rolling this week as he has a great grasp on the tier and Shake is surely going to be just bringing a team TDK/FLCL built without knowing too much about the metagame. Shake is surely on historically par with Hootie as a player, if not superior, but Hootie can tilt the field in his favor by simply knowing what everything does, building with lesser expected threats, and perhaps integrating some creativity into whatever Pokemon he does elect to use. Shake has also been making some questionable plays so far, so who knows if he is in peak form. Definitely favoring the Tiger NUTL here.
SM DOU: Kaori (45) vs (55) MajorBowman
ORAS OU: TDK (51) vs (49) Nintendi - Two of the better ORASers right now and I always like to see TDK play. I think TDK will prepare really well for the onslaught of broken threads Nintendi has waiting for him and pull it out in a close game, but Nintendi is so threatening that you can never really count him out. The main thing here is that TDK's levels of conventional preparation/teambuilding and in-game risk-taking in adverse situations stand out as two things that, imo, he really has going over Nintendi that can make up for Nintendi being a mainstay in this tier for the past year when TDK has been in SM for some of the time. Hard to say for sure, but going to favor TDK in a good one.
BW OU: BKC (49) vs (51) McMeghan - Ah, the true clash of the titans after last week's McM-SW game was not much of a sight to see considering the week was already over and McMeghan lost on a freeze when he only needed to hit a Stone Edge to win the game. BKC moving into BW is probably a smart move from the Raiders considering that he has been struggling in ADV whereas Jirachee has been struggling in BW, but that doesn't mean he is going to instantly find success here, especially considering who his first opponent is. It is pretty intriguing to see Kevin in BW now, however, considering how the metagame is changing and how he feels about it. Will he embrace this and come up with some ungodly concoctions in order to make his way in a BW tier that simply isn't what it used to be or will he stick to his guns and pull out a balanced Sand team that could be left very vulnerable? I'd have to guess the later just given his timeless attitude of not trying to counterstyle and just going with what he feels is the most consistent type of team and outplaying. The thing is that what the "most consistent type of team" is in BW may very well be different than it was when BKC last played the tier in such an environment and this leaves us wondering how he will do given his history. McMeghan, on the other hand, is very into the current metagame and while he is 1-2, been doing ok overall so far seeing as he should have at least won last week, if not the week prior. I think that he has the upper-hand in terms of creativity and mindset in the team deciding part of the game and he may very well be the very best at this right now just going off his general approach when he is motivated, but I think he naturally could struggle with someone like BKC seeing as BKC is able to usually no-nonsense and can maneuver his way around any tricks opponents might have up their sleeve. Given this and BKC's overall presence as a player, it really is hard to predict against him despite what I said before, but I still have to give McMeghan the edge just because of how the metagame has shifted and the fact that I feel he is playing really well right now, better than BKC has in his games up to this point despite them having the same record. Hopefully we will see some cool teams and perhaps even some metagame progression for the long-term in this one -- I'm really excited, personally.
DPP OU: roscoe (45) vs (55) Tamahome
ADV OU: Jirachee (40) vs (60) CALLOUS - I mean perhaps a change of scenery will work wonders for the struggling Canadian, but he is not as well-versed in ADV as he is BW, so one has to wonder if he will be able to find success. I suppose if he ever will, this will be the time, as Callous has yet to entirely distinguish himself in this ADV field. He is off to a pedestrian 1-2 start with one pretty solid win, but there are still some plays that leave people wondering. If Jirachee can play a solid game with the help of BKC in terms of teambuilding, perhaps he can make it work, but don't bet on it when Callous has been ADVing for a long time and is insanely motivated to even his record up at 2-2.
GSC OU: choolio (65) vs (35) k3nan
RBY OU: MetalGro$$ (55) vs (45) Diegolh
Cryonicles (6) vs Wi-fi Wolfpack (6)
SM OU: Poek (40) vs (60) ABR - Poek seems kinda out of it at this point, tbh. Still he's a great player and all don't get me wrong, but we really have not been seeing good performances out of him so far, especially these past two weeks. ABR, on the other hand, is off doing ABR things and he is always a good pick to win. I usually would be a bit more excited for this game, but I can't see it being enjoyable to watch just given how both players are and the state of the metagame. Please, prove me wrong dudes.
SM OU: London Beats (40) vs (60) Trosko - Unsure where London Beats is really at currently, but Trosko is kind of struggling. I think he will break out of this because he is a pretty strong player with an insane grasp on the metagame. Working with ABR cannot hurt either, but even without that I feel like Trosko can be really dangerous as a player and builder himself and I expect him to come back from a rough match last week with a victory here against someone who simply has not proven a ton quite yet in London beats.
SM UU: HT (60) vs (40) PokeTCG gamer1288
SM RU: New Breed (45) vs (55) soulgazer - Cool match-up between two historically solid lower tier players in this modern metagame, will be interested to see how this pans out. I think SG's ceiling is higher and he's been not afraid to play at his best lately, so giving him the edge even if RU is traditionally New Breed's turf.
SM NU: ict (55) vs (45) Earth - I mean ict's wins have kinda been flukes, but there's not much reason to see why he can't get another win by the skin of his teeth or some goofy stuff happening here, tbh. Earth had a solid start, but he has struggled to keep up with the competition since then and you have to wonder if he can turn it around seeing that it is his first tournament. He has the edge on ict in terms of building and tier knowledge, but ict is a lot better in-game, imo, and I think that combined with momentum working in favor of ict and against Earth simply is enough to keep the Cryonicles going strong in NU.
SM DOU: Biosci (51) vs (49) marilli
ORAS OU: CrashinBoomBang (65) vs (35) Updated Kanto
BW OU: Funkasaurus (51) vs (49) SoulWind - Probably a bit of an upside lately, but SoulWind has been shaky so far, imo, and Funkasaurus played the game of his life last week and seems to be full of creative ideas, which is great for a time like now in BW I feel. I think Funk is one of the more promising BW prospects of this SPL and he has what it takes to beat the Spaniard who will likely be a bit less fired up coming in and probably with a bit less fresh of a take on teambuilding coming in as well. Overall, it's mostly a gut pick and would be close either way in my eyes, but I think Funk will take it.
DPP OU: aim (45) vs (55) Void
ADV OU: danilo (40) vs (60) Astamatitos
GSC OU: sulcata (35) vs (65) Fear
RBY OU: Peasounay (60) vs (40) The Idiot Ninja - Wouldn't be shocked if TIN took it after his strong start, but last week wasn't too hot and Peas is one of the most solid overall RBYers out there, so gotta side with him. Kinda interested to see if TIN can pull it out though because that would be pretty remarkable to see the RBY field kinda play out like this during the first half -- lots of surprises overall!
Indie Scooters (7) vs Dragonspiral Tyrants (5)
SM OU: Obliviate (55) vs (45) z0mOG - Flo is really solid with his teams and I think he outshines z0mog in this department, who will likely just use another balance squad. I think that they're about on par as players, but Flo has looked a bit better overall thus far in the tournament, so going to give him the edge in a game of two pretty mid-range competitors in the SM OU field.
SM OU: FlamingVictini (55) vs (45) psychicmewtwo - FV is still one of the best in the field, imo, and while pm2 has had a lot of success so far, I don't know how prolonged it will be. I think that FV's grasp on the tier and independent teambuilding is superior and the main thing pm2 has over FV is perhaps taking risks to position himself favorably throughout the game, which FV will likely negate with a conservative structure that can match up pretty well with pm2 regardless. Overall, I expect this game to be kind of a mess given their styles, especially FV's, even if both the players are solid individually, but I think FV will take it in a weird one.
SM UU: Lycans (51) vs (49) Christo - Two dudes who I feel are really close right now in terms of play. Christo is hotter atm, but Lycans plays really well usually, so giving him the edge, but definitely want to see this one.
SM RU: njnp (45) vs (55) SilentVerse
SM NU: Eternally (51) vs (49) cb jose altuve - Honestly, hard to really say a ton about meeps games just because of what he brings to the table in terms of teams, but I think Eternally will crack him with his superior tier knowledge and motivation to break even after a shaky start. Meeps had a weaker showing last week and is a bit too reliant on natural reads than he probably should be, which kind of fits into his overall low-effort approach. I think Eternally will take advantage of that and come out on top in a game that is pretty impossible to specifically predict in terms of how it will actually go.
SM DOU: miltankmilk (45) vs (55) stax
ORAS OU: Mounts (60) vs (40) Get this Money
BW OU: elodin (40) vs (60) dice - I honestly am more interested to see what dice brings than how this game plays out, but to keep it brief: I think dice is the better player with the better grasp on teambuilding and he knows what he is up against, so I think he will come out on top again.
DPP OU: Go10 (45) vs (55) Bluewind
ADV OU: Ojama (60) vs (40) UD
GSC OU: giara (30) vs (70) Lavos
RBY OU: Alexander. (65) vs (35) badabing
Congregation of the Classiest (7) vs Alpha Ruiners (5)
SM OU: Sabella (40) vs (60) Cdumas - Cdu is still fire even if he might be cooling off a tad after losing to TDK's stall and resorting to an essential sample team with BP MMedi thrown on last week -- he still won, tbf. Sabella has had a rough start and isn't at his best right now, but still might have some left in the tank after the Snake and OLT runs he had. I don't think this is the week for him to pull out the W, however, just given how hard his opponent is. Cdumas has been an insane force in team tournaments and he will keep up the strong play here I feel.
SM OU: Blackoblivion (45) vs (55) Kory2600 - I think Kory has been super solid so far and his play overall is really underrated, so just going to go with my mans in a pretty close match. I don't expect any cheese per se from either although it is not out of the realm of possibilities, but I am expecting at least one, if not two, pretty generic bulky-offense/balance type of teams and a few crucial turns or a set to decide the game, so hopefully it'll be good.
SM UU: Sacri' (65) vs (35) Bushtush - Sacri' is a strong player and I think he will prove that his struggles so far are not a reflection of his actual level. I expect him to start winning a lot from here on out, especially considering he has played some stronger opponents so far and all. Bushtush is kinda all over the place and I'm not sure what to think of him, but I'm really interested to see what he comes up with team wise just given his week 2 team and general sense for the tier.
SM RU: Ajna (51) vs (49) Chill Shadow - Idc if CS is 0-3 or 3-0, this is a highlight match. Two of the better RUers going at it for sure and I really enjoy seeing Ajna play the game ever since Snake, so hopefully this'll be a good one and not some Milotic Gligar let's tickle each other instead of doing damage bullshit fest or whatever the fuck the Shake-NJNP excuse for an SPL game actually was.
SM NU: Pohjis (60) vs (40) lax - Lax had a good win to start his season off, but I think his team was kinda quirky. I actually am really high on his builds normally, too, so I think that won't be an issue in the long-term, but he is facing a surging Pohjis who has been exceeding expectations and showing he was worth that retain, so it'll be hard to overcome the European here. With that said, I'm interested to see what they bring and how it plays out my dudes! Hopefully the slowly stagnating metagame won't limit the teams or game itself as I think both can pack the creative punch if they so choose to.
SM DOU: EmbCPT (65) vs (35) Croven
ORAS OU: Znain (45) vs (55) Empo - Love watching Empo play and although Znain was spot-on in every regard last week, I think Empo is on a mission rn, an absolute madman. He will continue to streak through weeks and win this one I believe, but he may have to not bring balls-to-the-wall offense considering Znain's knack for being ready for the opposition's norm. If he can get a neutralish enough match-up tho, I am higher on Empo as a player even though it's close, so favoring him.
BW OU: LuckOverSkill (40) vs (60) ZoroDark - Two old PO friends going at it in our old tier in SPL in 2018 -- what a sight to see. I'm really interested to see my guys play, but I think Zoro has to be favored just given how dominant he has been throughout multiple tournaments in recent months. Luck picked up a cool win last week and that cannot be disregarded, but Zoro is in better form and probably will struggle less in coming up with a team, so favoring him here.
DPP OU: NightFox (51) vs (49) We Three Kings - NightFox keeps on winning games no matter what forces or positions are against him in them or before them, but w3k is a really solid opponent and I think he will pick up on some things to tilt the field in his favor pretty clearly. If NightFox throws his generic, offensive fastball at w3k, I expect him to be ready to take a strong crack at it here and thus I think this is a much closer match-up than records and the past few weeks might indicate. I'd almost go as far as favoring w3k, but he still might not be 100% at home in DPP per se and NightFox finds a way to win everything it seems, so I won't go that far, but this is really anyone's game.
ADV OU: thelinearcurve (35) vs (65) undisputed - Undisputed has been on fire whereas linear has mishandled some games. I really like the teamd Undisputed has brought so far and am pretty interested to see if he can get another win on this streak he has going and if he will bring anything unique.
GSC OU: Jimmy Turtwig (60) vs (40) Gilbert arenas - holy.
RBY OU: Lusch (65) vs (35) roudolf13 - Just no Sandslash pls.