Laurens Pluijmaekers

Laurens Pluijmaekers ( alternate spelling: Laurens Pluymaekers; born September 22, 1984) is a former professional Dutch Unreal Tournament player, known by his pseudonym Lauke. He is next to his longtime rival Christian " GitzZz " Höck as one of the best players in the series of all time.

Career

Early beginnings and WCG 2001

Laurens Pluijmaekers began his career in 2000 with Unreal Tournament. He could fairly quickly establish a high level of play and he was within a short time a name within the community. In the Netherlands qualified for the World Cyber ​​Games 2001 he won the first place and was therefore unable to qualify for the event. In his first major tournament he then managed a very good fourth place.

WCG 2002 and the beginning of the rivalry with GitzZz

While they are not directly met each other at the World Cyber ​​Games, it came at the WCG 2002 for the first time to a direct encounter between the two players in a major tournament. GitzZz was beaten a competitor already in the first round of the Upper brackets. Lauke difference in the later stages of the tournament also from the Upper Bracket, and so the two met then finally in the lower bracket quarterfinals each other, which, however, the German was able to win and later the whole tournament - and thus defend his title - should. This tournament was the foundation for the coming years growing rivalry between the two counterparties. It should be noted that both players - despite all the rivalry - always respectfully treated each other and both awards for the greatest respect for each other regularly in various interviews.

ESWC 2003, WCG 2003

The following year, were two major events - and thus also of the community hoped new edition of the now classic -styled duel GitzZz versus Lauke. However, there was none of the events to the expected slugfest, but for different reasons: While in the Electronic Sports World Cup - won by GitzZz - both participants due to their seedings and the early retirement of Lauke could not collided, prevented the WCG 2003, USK by the indexing of Unreal Tournament 2003 and the consequent to the cancellation of the German WCG UT- qualification participation of German UT player - and thus also the participation of GitzZz, though he was set to defend his title actually for the tournament.

Shortly thereafter Lauke moved together with his colleagues from the xtreme clan to the renowned clan Fnatic.

ESWC 2004 CPL 2004 and first WCG title in 2004

ESWC

In the Electronic Sports World Cup 2004 it finally came back to a renewed encounter between the two rivals and fans of the then newly come down to the market game Unreal Tournament 2004 should not be disappointed.

After both players relatively safe could get through the group stage, they met in the semi-finals and then following ran on 3 maps a terrific duel, which is still regarded as one of the best Unreal Tournament duels of all time. While Lauke the first map Roughinery 15:11 could decide for himself succeeded GitzZz on his favorite map Ironic Lauke be defeated by 14:11. As a third and decisive Map finally followed Rankin, which could only be decided in the final minutes with 8:4 in favor of GitzZz.

Lauke defeated in the 3rd place match Forrest and was able to return the favor in 2003 thus for the defeat in the final at the WCG. GitzZz lost the final against his compatriot Maurice " Burnie " Engelhardt.

CPL Extreme Summer 2004

Only two weeks later, a team deathmatch Tournament as part of the CPL Extreme Summer 2004 was held in Dallas, what also Pluijmaekers with his team Fnatic took part.

Fnatic went as a co - favorite in the tournament and the team was able to meet the expectations also. In Upper Bracket quarterfinals they were able to defeat the German clan mTw and then off in the semifinals with Ocrana another German representative. In Upper Bracket final, then came back to a duel against a German Clan: Schroet command. Favorite SK was able to prevail after three close games and Fnatic had to go via the lower bracket finals go. There, they met again on mTw, and again you could defeat the Germans. So you just met in the Grand Final again SK. The final was decided after two very close maps in favor of SK, an outstanding player on the side of Germany was Christian ' GitzZz ' Höck.

WCG

In October 2004 Lauke finally succeeded at the World Cyber ​​Games to win a major international title. In the tournament in which he was " stronger than ever " felt in his own words, he managed to win the tournament and thereby delivering only one map. In the final he defeated Engelhardt.

ESWC 2005, WCG SEC 2005

In 2005, the WCG Samsung Euro Championship was first held at the CeBit in Hannover, where Lauke achieved third place. In the finals of the Upper Brackets he succumbed to the Italian Michele " DevilMC " Esposito, who later won the tournament; in the next loser bracket final he was beaten the Austrians Markus " Falcon" Holzer.

A few months later at the ESWC 2005, Lauke survive the first two group stage unbeaten, but Falcon was beaten in the semifinals again. The 3rd place match he won against DevilMC however, and was therefore unable to avenge their defeat in the SEC. The tournament was won by Frenchman Michael " winz " Bignet.

GGL Digital Life 2005

The last big event for Unreal Tournament 2004, the Digital Life event was held in October 2005, which was organized by the Global Gaming League. The tournament could win Lauke by again faced DevilMC in the final and was able to defeat him again.

Achievements (excerpt)

  • 4 - WCG 2001.
  • 5 - WCG 2002 - $ 1750
  • 5 - ESWC 2003 - $ 1200
  • 2 - WCG 2003 - $ 10,000
  • 3 - ESWC 2004 - $ 1000
  • 2 - CPL Summer 2004 - $ 11,500
  • 1st - WCG 2004 - $ 25,000
  • 3 - WCG SEC 2005.
  • 1 - GGL Digital Life - $ 4,000

Clans

  • E- sports
  • Netherlander
  • Born in 1984
  • Man
Italy Hanover France
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