Intel Extreme Masters European Championship has reached the final playoffs, with the four remaining players having qualified for the World Championship starting on March the 1st.

It was a nail-biter of a quarter finals, DeMusliM started out well in the groupstage with three straight wins, but later lost to both Tarson and White-Ra, and got a difficult seed in the playoffs with his thirdplace from his group.

Going up against GoOdy, everything was at stake for both the players; the winner would obviously move on in the playoffs, but also secure one of the four spots in the Intel Extreme Masters World Championship. The series would have to be settled in a fifth and deciding match, after DeMusliM equalized to 2-2 in the fourth game on Xel'Naga Caverns after being down 2-0.

In the final match on Steppes of War, DeMusliM managed to pull off a very well timed tank push, starting out with landing two vikings to damage the only tanks for GoOdy, and played safe from there, taking his own expansion and macroed up to eventually win the game.

“Revenge, Revenge. White-Ra is probably the favorite, but I'm looking forward to play him again. I didn't use my normal strategy in the groupstage, I'm looking forward to play him again - The Beast from the East.” - Benjamin "DeMusliM" Baker

In the second quarter finals Tarson proved his Terran vs Protoss strong after a convincing 3-0 win against one of Europe's strongest Protoss players, Socke. Tarson will meet up with SjoW (who qualified directly to the semi finals after winning group B), which will be just as exciting after Tarson managed to take down strong Terrans in his group; DeMusliM, Naama, Kas, and merz.

After the quarter finals of the European Championship we have a total of 7 players in the World Championship so far; MorroW (IEM at Gamescom, Cologne), Fenix & qxc (IEM US Championship), White-Ra, Tarson, DeMusliM, SjoW (IEM European Championship).

The semi finals will take place tomorrow (Sunday the 23rd) starting at 12:50 CET.

Thursday, January 20
11:00 Group B GoOdy 2-1 Socke
11:00 Group B PredY 2-1 ClouD
12:15 Group B SjoW 2-0 SarenS
12:15 Group B PredY 0-2 Socke
13:30 Group B GoOdy 2-0 SarenS
13:30 Group B SjoW 2-0 ClouD
14:45 Group A Naama 1-2 White-Ra
 14:45 Group A merz 0-2 Tarson
16:00 Group A Kas 0-2 DeMusliM
16:00 Group A Naama 1-2 Tarson
17:15 Group A Kas 2-0 White-Ra
17:15 Group A merz 1-2 DeMusliM
18:30 Group A Naama 0-2 DeMusliM
18:30 Group A Kas 2-0 merz
19:45 Group A White-Ra 2-0 Tarson
Friday, January 21
11:00 Group B SarenS 2-0 ClouD
11:00 Group B GoOdy 2-0 PredY
12:15 Group B SjoW 2-1 Socke
12:15 Group B GoOdy 2-1 ClouD
13:30 Group B SarenS 1-2 Socke
 14:45 Group B SjoW 2-0 PredY
16:00 Group A Kas 0-2 Tarson
16:00 Group A Naama 2-1 merz
17:15 Group A White-Ra 2-0 DeMusliM
18:30 Group A DeMusliM 1-2 Tarson
18:30 Group A White-Ra2-0 merz
18:30 Group A Kas 2-0 Naama
18:30 Group B Socke 0-2 ClouD
18:30 Group B SjoW 2-0 GoOdy
18:30 Group B SarenS 2-0 Predy
Saturday, January 22
12:30 Quarter Final Tarson 3-0 Socke
14:15 Quarter Final GoOdy 2-3 DeMusliM
Sunday, January 23
12:50 Semi Final #2 White-Ravs. DeMusliM
14:35 Semi Final #1 Tarsonvs. SjoW
17:35 Third-place Final
19:35 Final
All times are in CET.