After a grueling battle through the Tri-State Circuit, the region’s best has been selected for a sixteen man tournament. The Tri-State Invitational on August 5th-6th. With well known names, and some up and coming powerhouses, the Invitational will be a great chance for any fan of Melee.
Taking inspiration from the Smash Summit series, the tournament will be hosted at a venue meant to accommodate the players that have traveled from the further reaches of the region. The main bracket will consist of two rounds: Round Robin pools and a Top 8. There will also be a crew battle, where sub-regions get to duke it out on four man teams.
Commentary will be taking a note from Summit, and will use the couch style commentary. Four commentators will be on the mic, with many of them Tri-State veterans. The Invitational will also feature a new tool to assist the commentators, and enhance the viewing experience. Commentators will have the ability to draw over a replay, much like what is used in professional team sports. The ability to use visual aids to point out factors like spacing and movement choices will be interesting to see in action. With it, commentary will have a new tool to help bridge the gap of understanding between audience and players.
Players
Over the course of four months, Tri-State players fought hard in the Tri-State Circuit. Now, it's down to some of the best representatives from each sub-region. Each of the players has been a powerhouse in their own right, and each has a chance to show why they earned a spot.
Swedish Delight
Representing New York City is James “Swedish Delight” Liu. He was ranked first for NYC in Spring 2017, and thirteenth for SSBMRank Summer 2017. He only had two appearances during the Circuit, at Apollo VI and Omega, but each was a first place victory. His victories in each held set wins against such players as The Moon, Captain Smuckers, and DJ Nintendo. Out of all the players present, he will be the most sought after target for anybody who gets a shot.
Slox
Representing the Connecticut region is Anthony “Slox” Detres. His rankings include first in the Connecticut PR, and thirty-eighth for SSBMRank Summer 2017. For the Circuit, he appeared at six tournaments: Candlewood Isle Monthly #2 and #3, Apollo VI, Hall of Gaming’s Monthly #1 and #2, and Omega. Each appearance in a Circuit tournament has had him placed within the Top 3. Over the course of the Circuit, he has earned set wins over players Hax, Captain Smuckers, and Mafia. With his growth over the past year, this may be Slox’s chance to show just how far he can go.
Captain Smuckers
Representing NYC is Alex “Captain Smuckers” Cottrell. His rankings include fifth on the NYC PR, and thirty-ninth for SSBMRank Summer 2017. For the Circuit, he had eight tournament appearances: Apollo IV, V, and VII, Frame Trap House 13, Candlewood Isle Monthly #3, Storm the Castle, Hall of Gaming’s Monthly #1, and Omega. His Circuit wins include victories over players Mafia, Slox, Ryobeat, and 2saint. His explosive but calculated Captain Falcon will be a delight for players and spectators alike.
Beerman
Representing NYC is Alex “Beerman” Ucles. In the NYC PR, he is ranked fifteenth. For the Circuit, he had three tournament appearances: Apollo V, VII, and VII. His Circuit wins include victories over players Ryobeat, Kaeon, and iBDW. Known for taking players under his wing, Beerman has the chance to show that the teacher can tussle with Tri-State’s best.
2saint
Representing the NY Capital Region is Toussaint “2saint” Turnier. He holds first place in the NY Capital Region PR, and ninth in the NYC PR. For the Circuit, he had four tournament appearances: Apollo VI and VII, Ghost Pepper Smash, and Storm the Castle. His Circuit wins include victories over players Captain Smuckers, Hax, Darktooth, and mayb. With a solid Jigglypuff, 2saint could be quite the wildcard for some of Tri-State’s best.
iBDW
Representing Western NY is Cody “iBDW” Schwab. He holds first in the Western NY PR, and seventh in the NYC PR. For the Circuit, he had four tournament appearances: Storm the Castle, Apollo VII, Frame One, and The Tune Tuesdays #36. His Circuit wins include victories over players Jflex and mayb. One of the fastest growing talents of the region, iBDW is not a player to be taken lightly at this tournament.
Ryobeat
Representing NYC is Nico “Ryobeat” Rodriguez. He holds the eleventh place of the NYC PR. For the Circuit, he had nine tournament appearances: Apollo IV, V, and VI, Candlewood Isle Monthly #2 and #3, Frame Trap House 14, Hall of Gaming’s Monthly #1, The Tune Tuesdays #36, and Omega. His Circuit wins include victories over players Beerman, lint, Qerb, and mayb. With Ryobeat’s stock on the rise in 2017, the Invitational will be a good chance to see how he stands within the greater Tri-State region.
Swiftbass
Representing Connecticut is Tim “Swiftbass” Tilly. He holds third place on the Connecticut PR. For the Circuit, he had three tournament appearances: Hall of Gaming’s Monthly #1 and #2, and Candlewood Isle Monthly #3. His Circuit wins include victories over players lint, Ryobeat, and Slox. An established East Coast veteran, Swiftbass still has what it takes to show the new kids what his experience can bring to the table.
dudutsai
Representing Massachusetts is dudutsai. He holds tenth on the New England PR, and eighteenth on the NYC PR. For the Circuit he had six tournament appearances: King of the Jungle VI, Frame Trap House 13, Candlewood Isle Monthly #2, Ghost Pepper Smash, Comboed on Flight 5, and Apollo V. His Circuit wins include victories over players mayb, 2saint, and Ryobeat. His Jigglypuff is nothing to scoff at, and his record against floaties may make some waves at the Invitational.
lint
Representing Connecticut is Tyler “lint” Auger. He holds third on the Connecticut PR, and eighth on the New England PR. For the Circuit, he had four tournament appearances: Hall of Gaming’s Monthly #1 and #2, and Candlewood Isle Monthly #2 and #3. His Circuit wins include victories over players Slox, Swiftbass, and Ryobeat. A rising star from Tri-State, it will be interesting to see how lint performs within the greater region.
Qerb
Representing New Jersey is Aaron “Qerb” Yalçın. He holds sixth on the New Jersey PR. For the Circuit, he had two tournament appearances: Comboed on Flight 5 and Frame Trap House 14. His Circuit wins include victories over players dudutsai and Atomsk. Considered the best Game and Watch player in the world, Qerb has a chance to show how far he can take the character during the invitational.
Kaeon
Representing Long Island is Kaeon. He holds third on the Long Island PR, and tenth on the NYC PR. For the Circuit, he had four tournament appearances: Apollo V and VI, Storm the Castle, and Omega. His Circuit wins include victories over players dudutsai, iBDW, and Jflex. Famous for his upset of Nintendude at Evo 2016, Kaeon has been pushing himself higher the past year. Most players will be keeping an eye on him as a potential threat.
mayb
Representing New Jersey is Kilmer “mayb” Varela. He holds first on the New Jersey PR, and twelfth on the NYC PR. For the Circuit, he had seven tournament appearances: Apollo IV and VI, Candlewood Isle Monthly #2, Frame Trap House 13 and 14, Ghost Pepper Smash, and Tune Tuesdays #36. His Circuit wins include victories over players Squid, Beerman, Zealous5000, and Animal. The rising star from New Jersey, mayb has been pushing into Top 100 territory the past year. The Invitational is his chance to show that it's not just New Jersey he can win.
Animal
Representing Long Island is Animal. He holds the second place on the Long Island PR, and thirteenth on the NYC PR. For the Circuit, he had three tournament appearances: Frame Trap House 13, Apollo VII, and Omega. His Circuit wins include victories over players mayb, DJ Nintendo, and C!Z. An established veteran of Long Island, Animal will not be an opponent to take lightly.
Zealous5000
Representing New Jersey is Devin “Zealous5000” Ou. He holds the second place on the New Jersey PR. For the Circuit, he had five tournament appearances: Apollo IV, V, and VI, Comboed on Flight 5, and King of the Jungle VI. His Circuit wins include victories over players Captain Smuckers, 2saint, and mayb. A rising star in Tri-State, he will be a player to watch at the Invitational.
Darktooth
Representing Long Island is Rosario “Darktooth” Fuschetto. He holds the first place in the Long Island PR. For the Circuit, he had three tournament appearances: Apollo VII, Storm the Castle, and Omega. His Circuit wins include victories over players Ryobeat, DJ Nintendo, and Hax. Darktooth is looking to be one of the bigger threats at the Invitational, and a strong showing wouldn't be unexpected.
Conclusion
The Tri-State Invitational will be a delight for fans of Melee, be they competitors or spectators. The chance to see players from every corner of the region is a rare opportunity, and a great chance to observe some of Melee's hidden gems.
The Invitational can be viewed on the Nebulous Twitch channel.
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