S2 Elite 8 Results + Final 4 Matchups
https://www.chess.com/clubs/forum/view/s2-final-4-knockout-submissions
Congratulations to everyone who has made it this far in the competition! Unfortunately, only half of you will advance to the Final 4...
Who survived the Elite 8? Who is still in contention to become Season 2 BlogChampion? See the results below...
@GMForgacs managed to pull off a 5-0 sweep over @the_turtlepro - don't be fooled by that number, though, this matchup was far closer than that... I'll tell you myself, there was probably just one key factor that made the big difference here and that was it. Both of them posted fantastic blogs. The #13 seeded @GMForgacs is now the lowest seed to make it to the Final 4 (previously it was #11 @YEAT in Season 1). Congrats to him!
Unfortunately for him, his new record didn't last long. The #14 seeded @NiTheGuy also pulled off a 5-0 sweep over @discworldandknownspace. Both posted good blogs, but a couple of things swung the result in Ni's favor as he becomes the new lowest seeded player to advance to the Final 4.
On a more anticlimactic note, the #1 seeded @alphaous spent two weeks procrastinating his blog, threw something together that I haven't yet read in all honesty, and also pulled off a 5-0 sweep due to new top blogger (yay look at us Bama homeschoolers both being top bloggers) @Nimzo-IndianaJones being a better procrastinator and not posting at all. Alpha advances, but in my books, Nimzo is the real winner here for over-procrastinating 
Finally, the matchup we were all longing to see between op top blogger @DanielGuel and new top blogger (took chess.com long enough...) @DonRajesh. Daniel barely posted anything, given how busy he be with college, and originally was going to forfeit... until he realized the deadline was a day later than he thought. On the other hand, @DonRajesh was very quick to post just a few days after the Elite 8 started. Both blogs were very good, as you'd expect from top bloggers, they delivered. But... in the end... it was.... #7 seeded @DonRajesh who prevailed, pulling off the 3rd upset of the Elite 8! Ggs
Heading into the Final 4 now we have some interesting matchups in store...
The #1 seed @alphaous will take on the #13 seed @GMForgacs in a matchup between what I believe to be two future top bloggers. Alpha is the favorite here, but GMForgacs has been on a roll lately. Given how alpha has been procrastinating, GMForgacs may have the momentum and could swing the match in has favor. Could an upset be in store? Stay tuned.
On the other side of the bracket we have the #7 seed top blogger @DonRajesh taking on the #14 seed @NiTheGuy. Don definitely figures to be the favorite here, being a top blogger himself and having just defeated tournament-favorite @DanielGuel. But Ni doesn't figure to be a pushover here - last I heard, he was one good blog away from being a top blogger himself... could we see yet another upset? Once again, stay tuned 
Congratulations to everyone who advanced to the Final 4! Soon we will have our winner... you have two weeks from today to post and submit a new blog for the Final 4. The deadline is March 8th at 10 AM CST. Good luck, and happy blogging!
