Eric "G5" Rothmuller has been able to surpass his highest expectations in the tournament by advancing to the semi-finals. His road there was not easy either, he was able to advance with wins over professional gamer Greg "IdrA" Fields and the defending champion Geoff "iNcontroL" Robinson.

For the past couple of years, Rothmuller has established himself as one of the best protoss users in the country. This was famed he earned with a lot of practice and his time living in South Korea.

You just finished two long games with Bryce "Machine" Bates, can you give us a recap on thoses games?

The first game was actually really close. He pressured me with hydras, if he had an overlord he probably would have won right there. I had like one dark templar that held back his hydras. After that, it was just standard macro...I got ahead, but he just kept lurkering my mineral only. It was just a back and forth...really close game.

The second game I felt in control throughout the whole game except when his zerglings ran past my cannons. He could not get his fifth expansion and I had mine. It was a really close game.

Bates is a very good friend of yours, how confident were you coming into your game?

If you asked me six months ago I would have been like "oh, eezy peezy". I wasn't unconfident, but I figured it was 50/50...we have played over a thousand games together. He has actually been beating me the last couple times we have played.

You have earned yourself a spot in the top 3. Before the tournament began, did you believe that you would be able to accomplish that kind of result?

I didn't think that I was going to make it out of my group. Once I made it into the top 4 everybody kept telling me that I was going to place second to NonY, but I would be happy with just third. I could definitely use the money.

You dropped two games against NonY in the group stage. How do you think that you are going to fair against him now?

Not to well, I am probably going to get raped. I think my problem was that I had to play him first. I watched the Spirit Tournament games and wanted to directly counter his builds. He changed his builds and he did good.

Lets say you are able to beat NonY. If you win that game do you think you have this tournament wrapped up?

I will probably meet him in the finals. I beat him 2-0 in the online qualifiers and he came back and beat me in the grand finals in the pacific. Even though I beat him, I would say that it is a long shot.

If you were ever to be chosen to go to Korea would you accept?

I would be happy...I would go. I would have to win this [WCG USA] and go to the grand finals and go really far for that to ever happen. I know that I am not going...NonY should go or Machine even though he is not the best right now. He placed well and has over 300 apm even when he was really newbie.


Galleries: Day 1a | Day 1b | Day 2a | Day 2b | Day 2c | Day 2d

Counter-Strike: Extreme Masters Day 2 CS Melee | Extreme Masters Day 1 CS Melee | WCG Day 1 CS Melee | Viewer's Guide | Cogu discusses all things MiBR | WCG USA, EM Prediction Contest | Ninespot reflects on Day 1 | x3o gives fnatic an early test | Five with punkvillE | Zonic on mTw's early exit | sfX on taking down MoB | savi0r: Looking forward to E4All | WCG CS Group Preview

StarCraft: WCG StarCraft Melee | WCG Day 1 SC Recap | Five with NonY | G5 talks about NonY and Day 2 | StarCraft in the U.S: Why care? | WCG Starcraft Preview

World of Warcraft: Extreme Masters Day 2 WoW Melee | Extreme Masters Day 1 WoW Melee | Extreme Masters WoW Preview | Five with Sp0h | Five with aNNa | Serennia on SK and the Swarm fight