What You Missed From HCT Summer [UPDATED]
For Brackets, Match Schedule, and more information on HCT Summer check out the new event page!
Top Hearthstone players hailing from China, Europe, the Americas and the Asia-Pacific region duked it out in sunny California this week to decide who would take home the HCT Summer trophy. What you’ve stumbled upon here is a completed live blog that has been updated throughout the tournament with media and other behind the scenes content from HCT Summer.
Join the conversation by using the hashtag #HCTSummer!
Sunday 7/1, 8:00 p.m. PST – Champion Crowned
“I don’t know what to say,” said Raphael "BunnyHoppor" Peltzer after defeating A86530 in the grand finals at HCT Summer. “Going to the World Championship is a competitive dream. It feels amazing to have qualified, and of course winning one of the three Championships feels so amazing as well. The trophy will go somewhere visible in our apartment, although I’ll have to talk to the boss at home about where it can go.”
BunnyHoppor plans to participate in HCT Italy next, then will spend a month finishing up his PhD thesis on computational chemistry.
Congratulations BunnyHoppor!
Sunday 7/1, 6:00 p.m. PST – Get in Here!
It’s time for the Grand Finals between Raphael "BunnyHoppor" Peltzer and Kacper "A83650" Kwieciński! Why are you still reading? Get in here!
Sunday 7/1, 4:30 p.m. PST – We Will Have A European Champion
And there it is! @a83650 takes the series vs @killinalldayhs 3-0 and makes it to the Grand Finals! #HCTSummer
— Hearthstone Esports (@HSesports) July 1, 2018
Live: https://t.co/SWPQb7Syil pic.twitter.com/9rlVvhJZrC
When Kacper "A83650" Kwieciński first started playing Hearthstone he didn’t think he would be very good, so when it came time to make a BattleTag he simply typed in random numbers. Fast forward to today where he’s reached the end of the Playoff Bracket at HCT Summer with a convincing 3-0 victory over North America’s David "killinallday" Acosta in the semifinals. A83650 now waits in the Grand Finals for the winner of Viper versus BunnyHoppor.
Sunday 7/1, 11:45 a.m. PST – World Class Semifinalist
“I’m feeling on top of the world right now,” remarked killinallday after his quarterfinals win over Jinsoo "Jinsoo" Park. This was everything I wanted to do here, qualify for the World Championship.”
Yes, killingallday’s win solidified his spot at the 2018 HCT World Championship later this year, alongside A83650, his next opponent in the HCT Summer bracket.
“You can never predict something like this,” said killinallday. “So much has to go the right way. I had to get top eight at playoffs and then had to win against good opponents here. It’s just something you can’t really expect to happen. I’m so excited!”
Sunday 7/1, 9:30 a.m. PST – Facts Before Finals
The final day of HCT Summer has begun! Fans flocked to Blizzard Arena as early as 8:00 a.m. to get a good seat for the action ahead. As A83650’s Cube Warlock takes on Wu "XiaoT" Juwei's Spiteful Druid to kick off the matches, let’s take a moment to reflect on which decks saw success yesterday.
Best Performing Decks of HCT Summer Day 3:
| Deck | Win-Loss | Success Rate |
|---|---|---|
| Miracle Rogue | 8-3 | 73% |
| Spiteful Druid | 2-1 | 67% |
| Even Shaman | 6-3 | 67% |
| Shudderwock Shaman | 10-6 | 63% |
| Recruit Hunter | 5-4 | 56% |
The Summer Championship meta has been incredibly diverse and has seen more classes banned out than any other HCT tournament in history!
Saturday 6/30, 7:15 p.m. PST – End of Day Antics
During the decider match between killinallday and Kenta "glory" Sato, things were looking all but over for glory in Game 1. However, in the eleventh-hour glory drew into his Shudderwock and turned the tables, setting the tempo for what would be an incredibly exciting match to close out Saturday.
“I definitely threw that game somewhere,” said killinallday, who was able to reign it back in with calculated play to cement a win and move on from Group D. “My Even Warlock needed that matchup to get a win. I wasn’t feeling great after that, but I won some unfavorable matchups and now I’m here!”
Saturday 6/30, 6:00 p.m. PST – All Four European Representatives Advance to Quarterfinals
“I think nerves make me play better,” said Marco "Turna" Castiglioni in his postgame interview after winning out over China’s Rugal. “I feel the pressure a lot, you know, the adrenaline. I think it makes me play better and helps me to concentrate.”
Turna’s nailbiter of a win over China’s Qu "Rugal" Yixian means that all four European players at HCT Summer have made it out of groups. “I was worried about my matchups against Rugal but the win goes to show that in a single match anything can happen!”
Saturday 6/30, 4:45 p.m. PST – What's With the Shades?
“The stage lighting is so bright! Therefore, I am wearing sunglasses,” explained Wu "BloodTrail" Zong-Chang after his hard-fought loss against A83650. “I got the sunglass lenses free with my prescription, so I just pop the lenses on.”
While Bloodtrail might be out of the tournament now, he is already planning on participating in the online qualifiers for HCT Germany in August.
Saturday 6/30, 3:30 p.m. PST – Viper Survives Group A
“I am just feeling great, I am really relieved.” Said Torben "Viper" Wahl in his postgame interview after his win over Tansoku in the Group A decider match. Tansoku nearly pulled off the reverse sweep, biting back to take the series to a game 5. “It was such a long series and it feels so good to come out on top.”
Viper progresses now to the playoffs alongside XiaoT from Group A.
Saturday 6/30, 2:00 p.m. PST – A Tournament Favorite Falls
And just like that, @Glory__HS sweeps the series and eliminates Leaoh. #HCTSummer
— Hearthstone Esports (@HSesports) June 30, 2018
Live: https://t.co/SWPQb7Syil pic.twitter.com/avRnyWzDS9
China’s Gao "Leaoh" Yang was easily one of the tournament favorites at HCT Summer based off his consistent results domestically. This is no longer the case as Japan’s Kenta "glory" Sato has delivered a shocker, moving past Leaoh with a convincing 3-0 victory. Glory will challenge killinallday in the Group D decider match later today.
Saturday 6/30, 1:15 p.m. PST – Goodbye Dog
Fan favorite David "Dog" Caero has been knocked out of the tournament by China’s Rugal whose patient play with Taunt Druid was enough to see him through to the Group C decider match against Italy’s Turna.
Saturday 6/30, 12:00 p.m. PST – The Competition is Underway
Blizzard Arena has come alive! Devout fans seeking a more immersive experience immediately staked their claim to the front-of-stage picnic tables and have since been climbing the ladder and tweaking their decks with a little borrowed inspiration from the action on set.
Miracle Rogue living up to it's name. @a83650 turns it around quick and takes a 2-1 series lead against YuYi! #HCTSummer
— Hearthstone Esports (@HSesports) June 30, 2018
Live: https://t.co/SWPQb7Syil pic.twitter.com/1VD1QK3Ppx
Speaking of the action on stage, China’s Li "YuYi" Daixiong has been eliminated from the tournament at the hands of Polish veteran A83650. A83650 is set to rematch against Taiwan’s BloodTrail in the Group B decider match.
Saturday 6/30, 10:00 a.m. PST – Rase Eliminated
Japan’s Shuhei "Tansoku" Omura kicked off the day by eliminating Brazil’s Lucas "Rase" Guerra, clinching the win with his Even Warlock deck. He moves on to face Germany’s Viper to decide who will join XiaoT in the playoff bracket from Group A.
Saturday 6/30, 8:30 a.m. PST - Coffee and Hearthstone, a match made in heaven?
Fans have claimed their seat swag and have settled in for Saturday’s initial matches. It’s time to start narrowing down the playing field at the HCT Summer Championship!
