Evil Geniuses were the last team to secure a playoff berth after a 2-0 revenge victory over the Ninjas in Pyjamas. StarLadder has revealed the matchups for the upcoming playoffs as follows:

Upper Bracket Semifinals:

• G2 esports vs Fnatic
• Renegades Evil Geniuses

Losers’ Round 1:

• Team Vitality vs FURIA Esports
• Ninjas in Pyjamas vs MIBR

Teams like Natus Vincere, North and Heroic faced an early elimination from the tournament. With their elimination, StarSeries & i-League is wide open for the rest of the teams. Here are the top contenders for the tournament title. 

Evil Geniuses

The North American roster has had mixed results after the Berlin Major. Evil Geniuses won ESL One New York 2019 after an impressive run where they defeated teams such as FaZe Clan, G2 esports and Astralis. The team could not replicate its remarkable performance in New York and faced a rather dismal and early exit from DreamHack Masters Malmo 2019.

The EG roster has some of the best and most promising youngsters from North America. Players like Ethan, Tarik and Brehze are not only consistent, but they maintain a high skill-level irrespective of their opponents. When EG replaced Daps with Stanislaw, it raised quite a few eyebrows. However, Stanislaw has elevated EG to some of their best results with this squad. 

EG has a very deep map pool that allows them to change their map veto, depending on their opponents. In their three matches so far at StarSeries & i-League Season 8, EG has had different bans and picks for every match.

The team reaches a new level when their X-factor, CerQ steps up in the server and can take aggressive peeks with the AWP. CerQ is crucial to EG’s success and a good performance by the youngster elevates EG’s performance. 

Evil Geniuses has a realistic chance at StarSeries & i-League Season 8. They are already in the upper bracket and will face Renegades in their first playoffs match.  

Vitality

The French team is one of the most promising and the only hope for an all-French CS:GO roster. The World No. 5 ranked team continues to rely heavily on Zyw0o as their star performer. However, it is ALEX who provides much of the structure and stability of the team’s playstyle. 

In an interview with Unikrn, ALEX shed some light on the team’s overall improvement after Shox’s addition. Shox allows the team to have a dedicated lurker, which was something missing from the previous lineup. 

However, Shox has not always lived up to his expectations. The team has signficantly better structure right now; however, they lack enough firepower on the team. 

Zyw0o has maintained his performance despite all the problems within the roster. Surprisingly, it is RPK who holds down the fort for Vitality in most of their matches. ‘Le Tank’ is the stabilizing factor on the roster and Vitality requires Rpk to step up regularly. 

Already in the lower bracket, Vitality has a tough road ahead of them in Belek. Vitality face off against FURIA esports in their opening Loser’s Bracket match. 

Fnatic

Fnatic’s rise to the Number 4 CS:GO rank is mostly off their victory at DreamHack Masters Malmo 2019. The Swedish team defeated the likes of Astralis, FURIA and Vitality en route to the trophy. 

The resurgence in form for the veteran player is one of the most significant factors for the team’s success of late. Players like JW and Flusha have repeatedly stepped up and used their experience to maximum effect. The Fnatic roster has excellent individual positioning, often countering the superior aim on other top tier teams. 

Swedish Counter-Strike seems to be on the rise, especially with two Swedish teams in the StarSeries Playoffs. 

Despite their recent success, the current Fnatic roster does not have enough experience and the lack of consistent results will affect the team’s chances at Belek. They are in the upper bracket of the tournament and have a decent chance of reaching the Grand Finals. 

StarSeries & i-League Season 8 Playoffs continue with the first match between Vitality and FURIA esports at 9 AM CEST. You can catch all the action live on Twitch. 

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Team Liquid and Evil Geniuses lost in the Group stages and fans can attribute their losses to jetlag. Astralis crashed out in the semifinals against a resurgent Fnatic. The DreamHack Masters Malmö Grand Finals will take place at the Malmö Arena in front of the Swedish home audience. 

Fnatic vs Vitality

Fnatic and Vitality will compete against each other in the Grand Finals of the DreamHack Masters Malmo 2019. While Fnatic has the support of the home crowd, Vitality definitely has the edge in terms of raw skill and firepower. Shox’s performance has improved dramatically after joining Vitality. Here is a brief rundown of the two teams before you make your decision to place a bet. 

Fnatic

JW topping the scoreboard brings back memories from 2015 when Fnatic were the undeniable champions of the CS:GO scene. The new Fnatic roster brings back the core of Krimz, JW and Flusha. However, with Golden on their roster, the team has one of the most efficient In-Game Leaders once again. Golden led Fnatic to one of their most successful periods in 2017, however, his abrupt removal from the team led to another slump for the Swedish roster. 

The new Fnatic roster defeated Astralis 2-0 in the Grand Finals, in what was one of the biggest upsets at DreamHack Masters Malmö. The first game was one-sided with Fnatic dominating Astralis on all fronts. However, the second game was very close with Fnatic winning in Triple Overtime. 

Dev1ce had good things to say about Fnatic’s leadership. The Swedish team could adapt to Astralis’ game plan effectively and counter them in overtime. 

If Fnatic can see their veteran players regain some of their lost form, it could open up the CS:GO scene unequivocally. With the support of the home crowd, Fnatic will have a slight edge coming into this match-up. 

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Vitality

The French team changed their roster when Vitality added Shox after the Starladder Berlin Major. Adding Shox solves multiple problems for the team and also significantly helps improve the synergy on the roster. 

Vitality looks set to win this match and by all means, should be the favorites in the Grand Finals. They have the world’s best player in Zyw0o and he can single-handedly change the outcome of a match. 

The Grand Finals’ storyline will feature a new champion in events post the Berlin Major. Fnatic has the support of the home crowd, however, Team Vitality look better on paper. 

With Shox playing the role of a lurker to perfection and Vitality leading the charge on the other end, Vitality might have found the perfect system. 

DreamHack Masters Malmö 2019 Grand Finals takes place at the Malmö Arena at 1700 hours. The Grand Finals will stream live on the official DreamHack Twitch Channel. 

Esports bettors can place their bets on our partner betting websites. 

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1. Intel Extreme Masters – Sydney
2. Dreamhack Masters Dallas 2019
3. ESL Pro League Season 9- Finals

Their victory at ESL Pro League Grand Finals puts Team Liquid just one win shy of securing the second season of the Intel Grand Slam.

Team Liquid needs just one win out of the next seven Intel Grand Slam tournaments to secure the $1 million prize pool.

The ESL Pro League Season 9 Grand Finals

The ESL Pro League Grand Finals saw a Best of Five series between the French team and the North American squad. The Grand finals was a Best of Five series, and Team Liquid were the overwhelming favourites to win the tournament. Currently the world’s best team according to HLTV rankings, Team Liquid’s rise to the top is due to the excellent skill and experience on the roster.

The Five maps for the Grand Finals were:

• Dust 2
• Overpass
• Nuke
• Inferno
• Vertigo

Dust 2

The first map of Dust 2 started quite contrary to expectations. G2 picked Dust 2 as their first map; it is their comfort zone and a map on which they believe they are the strongest. And rightfully so, the map had a solid start for the French team. They secured a 7-1 lead over Team Liquid and everything seemed to go in their favour. It was only after this that Team Liquid appeared to find some life in their gameplay. The North American Squad managed to come back in the half and secure an 8-7 half, a huge comeback considering that they were down 7-1 at one point in time.

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The turn of the half did not seem to dampen Team Liquid’s performance as they carried on the same form from the first half. Team Liquid soon managed to secure a 14-9 lead, quite impressive considering that they were down 1-7 at one point in time.

G2 focussed their attack on the B bomb-site and Team Liquid was unable to have a decent reply to the G2 playstyle. However, Team Liquid has an abundance of performers and Twistzz stepped up on the 29th round placing Liquid on map point. His quad-kill boosted Team Liquid’s confidence. However, they were unable to stop G2 from tying the game and taking it into Overtime.

In Overtime, however, G2 seemed unable to present any formidable opposition to Team Liquid. Liquid won all the four Overtime rounds and secured a 1-0 lead in the Grand Finals.

Overpass

The second map of Overpass was never going to be an easy one for G2. The French team is a decent team on Overpass; however, they had no comparison to Team Liquid. After the initial two rounds on the map, G2 simply did not have any answer to Team Liquid’s offence. The French team lost the map 3-16 and for them, the quicker they forgot about Overpass, the better the chances of a comeback.

For many analysts and the casters, this was a massive blow to G2’s CS: GO team. After all, KennyS and Shox are very emotional when it comes to their games. Losing two maps, and especially Overpass in that fashion would be a massive blow to the confidence of the team. The next map in the series was Nuke a reliable CT side map.

Nuke

Unlike the first two maps, Nuke saw a constant struggle between the two teams. Up until the end of the first half, the two teams were within a one-round difference of each other. G2’s impressive T side performance saw Team Liquid always on the backfoot when it comes to their defence. While they did secure a round advantage at half-time, it was not enough on a map like Nuke.

The second half saw Team Liquid come out on the T side. However, this is when KennyS and his AWP were extremely lethal in the grand scheme of things. One could see KennyS’ confidence rise to the occasion.

KennyS had a significant impact on the map and each kill was an impact frag. The confidence of the former World’s Best Player was at a high and we can see how the team’s performance reflected on his performance.

G2 won Nuke and managed a comeback when many had counted them out of the series. The final score for Nuke was 16-12 in favour of G2. The score for the series was 2-1 ( in support of Team Liquid ) with Inferno and Vertigo as the next two maps.

Map 4: Inferno

The fourth map of Inferno has always been a map to decide tournaments. Inferno is a very comfortable map for both the teams and the final result reflects the same. Much like Nuke, the two teams went back and forth when it comes to the rounds. Inferno brought out the very best in the two teams and he back and forth brought around some quality Counter-Strike from the individual players.

G2 won the first few rounds in the second half. However, they were unable to hold down the Team Liquid attack post those initial rounds. G2 tended to stack the B bombsite and that often meant that the A bomb-site was lack of adequate firepower. G2 often ended up saving their weapons as they would be on the wrong side of the map.

We don’t know whether it was a particular read or a study of the Team Liquid’s performance on the map. However, G2 continued with their gamble stacks on one side of the map. It either worked out wonderfully, or G2 was forced to save.

Back and Forth, Inferno goes into Overtime

Towards the late end of the map, G2 managed to win crucial rounds to take the game into Overtime. There were multiple occasions when G2 won rounds they had no business to win Unforced errors by Team Liquid allowed G2 an inroad into the game. The map went into Overtime and Team Liquid looked much calmer and in control of the game. The overtime rounds saw Team Liquid secure two T side rounds, but the game went into another Overtime as G2 was able to win a total of three rounds for themselves.

The second overtime, much like the first one saw the two teams trade rounds and once again find themselves in another overtime. Surprisingly G2 was on match point when the score was 21-20, and Team Liquid still had a timeout left after 41 rounds. The timeout did help them as they were able to claw back into the game and cement another overtime.

The third overtime, however, did not work out well for G2. The French team lost all three rounds on the CT side. Losing three rounds on CT puts a lot of pressure on the team and they were unable to win the next three to force another overtime. The final score on Inferno was 25-22 and the map could not have been more intense and competitive when it comes to the gameplay.

Team Liquid secures their spot as the best team in the world

With this win, Team Liquid secures their spot as the best team in the world. They have won three consecutive Intel Grand Slam tournaments. These victories might be the beginning of the North American era in Counter-Strike.

This victory was the first time in CS: GO history that a North American team was able to win a premier CS: GO LAN event in Europe. It is a huge accomplishment for Team Liquid and more importantly, might signal the start of a new order in Counter-Strike.

The Grand finals saw KennyS and Shox show glimpses of their former selves. The two players have were considered to be the best players in CS: GO at some point in history. While their fall from grace coincided with the fall of French Counter-Strike, this event might signal a new era for French CS: GO. If Shox and KennyS can rise to their peak performance, it could signal the rise of a new force in EU CS: GO.

For now, they are more than content with their Grand Finals appearance at the ESL Pro League. Sure, they would have loved to win the entire event, but no one expected them to reach the Grand finals itself. It is a massive accomplishment for the team and we look forward to greater things from the roster in the future.

The victory was essential but not convincing

Team Liquid emerges as the best team in the world, but their victory over G2 was a tough one. Two maps into Overtime and one map went into Triple overtime before Team Liquid was able to close it out. G2’s performance put forth a strong opposition to Team Liquid, one that they had not witnessed in a long time.

We are in the post-Astralis era, an era which saw the Danish team dominate everyone in their path. The totality with which Astralis was able to win their matches was convincing and dominant. Very few, if any, teams were able to challenge the Danish roster then.

Team Liquid still has a lot to improve in their gameplay, especially on their communication. Yesterday’s Grand Finals showed multiple instances when Team Liquid was unable to execute correctly on Inferno. Team Flashes and lack of communication about the opponents’ position led to many disadvantageous situations for the North American team. Regardless, one cannot deny the exceptional skill on its players as two members crossed the 100 kill mark yesterday.

The roster has all the makings of a dominant superteam, but they still have gaps in their armoury.

French CounterStrike is on the rise.

ESL Pro League Finals took place in Occitanie, France. It was a fitting venue for the comeback of French Counter-strike as G2 managed to reach the Grand finals. For an event as stacked as the ESL Pro League, G2’s road to the Grand finals came despite the presence of other stronger teams. Teams such as Faze CLan, MiBr and Astralis were unable to make it so deep into the event and that is an excellent tribute to the French team’s resilience and skill.

What is especially encouraging in the French team’s success was the return to form of two key players. Shox and KennyS have been the pillars of French Counter-strike for many years and their return to form signals good news for French fans.

The two were the top scorers in yesterdays’ series and more importantly, KennyS was confident enough to keep pushing with the AWP. It was extremely aggressive and a high-risk with a high-reward type of play. Despite taking such risks, he was able to remain the most impactful player on G2. Team Liquid showed him respect by not taking direct fights, and even then, KennyS would find ways to take kills in the round.

We’re at a period, perhaps, shox and myself, in which we need consistency as a team to be able to play our best game individually.

KennyS to HLTV

Final Placements at ESL Pro League Season 9 LAN Finals

• Liquid – $250,000
• G2 – $80,000
• 3-4. NRG – $40,000
• 3-4. Mousesports – $40,000
• 5-6. Astralis – $20,000
• 5-6. FaZe – $20,000
• 7-8. Heroic – $17,000
• 7-8. MIBR – $17,000
• 9-12. Fnatic – $15,000
• 9-12. HellRaisers – $15,000
• 9-12. Cloud9 – $15,000
• 9-12. North – $15,000
• 13-16. TYLOO – $14,000
• 13-16. Grayhound – $14,000
• 13-16. DETONA – $14,000
• 13-16. Luminosity – $14,000

ESL One Cologne starts in a few days time and it will be the first opportunity ( out of seven) for Team Liquid to secure the Intel Grand Slam for themselves.

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In fact, according to this tweet by MbCarmac, Team Liquid will have a lot of chances to secure their Intel Grand Slam trophy. Team Liquid, however, is barely holding on to the title of the best team in the world; if not in terms of points but definitely in their performance. 

Team Liquid’s reign at the top, however, is not as dominant and crushing as Astralis’ dominance. The North American squad has put forth some really strong performances, but they don’t seem unbeatable. They are a team that can frustrate easily and the chances of an upset to a lower ranked team is quite high.

Team Liquid

The North American squad has made a name for itself due to their inability to finish tournaments. They have lost multiple Grand finals and semifinals repeatedly and have looked very frustrated in these matches. Even in yesterday’s match, Team Liquid’s players were unable to stem the deja vu feeling as Mousesports mounted a comeback. Despite being ahead 13-2, Team Liquid was unable to close the match and the score went to Overtime (15-15).

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Team Liquid has a steady mixture of talented players on their roster. The likes of NAF, Elige and Twistzz all display differing levels of skill. The confidence on the team ensures that they are not afraid to put forth aggressive and often very risky plays. NAF was able to get multiple frags through the vents on Nuke yesterday against Mousesports. It was risky, but in the absence of any viable alternative, in retrospect, it was the right thing to do.

Team Liquid continues to make such aggressive plays repeatedly. With their accurate aim, the roster was able to win their aim-duels and come out on top.

A Chance to Become the Indisputable Best Team

Team Liquid rose to the top of the CS: GO rankings. Part of the reason for this rise in rankings is due to Astralis’ selective choice of attending tournaments. Astralis has been prioritising attending Blast Pro Series over other more competitive events.

Ofcourse, Team Liquid has managed to stay on top of the scene in Astralis’  absence. However, the performance of the team is nowhere as dominant as Astralis during their ‘era’. However, there are still many fans who doubt if Team Liquid is truly the best team in the world. Their semifinals match against Mousesports only put more seed into this doubt. Team Liquid has been unable to defeat their opponents with a wide margin as Astralis used to do. However, this also leaves the scene open for more competition and more excitement when it comes to the CS: GO rankings.

If Team Liquid would win this event, it would firmly cement them as the best team in the world. ESL Pro League LAN Finals is quite different from the Blast Pro Series. Not only does it have many top tier teams in attendance, but the tournament format also ensures the best teams shine through. Team Liquid has managed to defeat Astralis, Mousesports and MiBr en route to the Grand Finals. They need this win as a validation to their own performance as well as to boost their confidence.

G2 Esports

Speaking of confidence, a team that relies on the same is G2 Esports. The French roster has a diverse mixture of players. The roster includes a mixture of skill, talent and experience. Between names such as KennyS, Shox and the new players such as LuckY, Jackzz and AmaneK.

The mixture of these players means that there is a lot of stress of the veterans on the roster. The likes of KennyS and Shox require the rest of the squad to alleviate some pressure off them. If the team can stand up to the expected levels, that is when KennyS and Shox shine through the ranks.

G2 Esports has not had any major accomplishments to their name. The roster has been an example of inconsistency, constantly losing against much weaker teams as well. Their inability to maintain a constant and strong performance pushes them down the ranks when it comes to the HLTV rankings.  

A few weeks ago, not many would assume G2 to be in the Grand Finals of the ESL Pro League LAN Finals. Especially not in the face of teams such as Astralis, MiBr, Faze Clan and the likes.

The Pressure is on Team Liquid

Team Liquid is the best team in the world, but they always have the pressure of proving themselves. When it comes to Grand Finals and important matches, Team Liquid has a history of buckling under pressure. They are the favourites to win the trophy, especially in light of the competition. After defeating teams such as Astralis and more recently Mousesports, Team Liquid looks very strong.

However, G2’s form is worrisome for the North American fans. The potential of the French team is very high and they can possibly make a huge impact when it comes to the outcome of the match. For G2, they have no qualms of putting out their very best in this match. There are no expectations from this roster and hence there is no pressure. For many fans, the team’s result ( of reaching the Grand Finals) in itself is a success. The pressure will be on Team Liquid to win the tournament and cement their Numero Uno position.

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But who is AmaneK and why is his addition to G2 a smart move? Will his addition ensure G2 can become a Top 5 team once more? We doubt that is going to happen with the current lineup, but they will definitely show improvements in performance.

François ‘Amanek’ Delaunay

AmanEk gained notoriety for his time on Misfits where he had an incredible run against some of the better teams in CS: GO. The player is well-versed in multiple roles and we have seen perform equally well on the rifles as well as the AWP. He has excellent judgement, especially when it comes to clutch situations. There is a systematic dissection of the situation and you can see him trying to take as many 1v1 duels as possible. This is the reason why Amanek is one of the few players from the French scene who has been a target for many of the top teams in the past.

He moved from Misfits to LDLC in May of 2018. This move saw him move to LDLC along with DevoDuvek and they played a formidable part in ensuring that LDLC sees a rise in their rankings. The team displayed excellent coordination and was quick to make an impact on the French scene. Despite the top tier of the French scene consistently failing, LDLC provided the beacon of hope for French fans.

AmaneK’s calls in their matches during IEM Chicago were risky and sometimes unwarranted. However, they worked and it provided us with an insight into how far the player can stretch the team’s performance. AmaneK is a rare breed of players with excellent aim and a very strategic approach to the game. He has won innumerable clutches and helped his team win from disadvantageous situations in the past.

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What does Amanek bring for G2?

Shox is already the In-Game leader for G2. This has adversely affected his individual performance. While we have seen Shox rise up on an individual level towards the end of 2018, it is still not at the same level as his peak. With the addition of AmaneK, it allows G2 to have a secondary shot caller on the team. However, it does not seem like they are ready to let go of Shox’s In-Game leadership just yet. This might be the change they wish for the future and the upcoming months will be a test to see how the new player fits in the team.

AmaneK also provides the opportunity for G2 to have multiple AWP players. With KennyS and Shox already well-known for their performances on the AWP, AmaneK’s AWP might not always receive attention. However, there might be situations where a certain player is not playing good and AmaneK would step up to the role of the primary AWPer on the team.

I am very excited to join G2 Esports! My aspirations have not changed since I started playing in competition. I want to be the best version of myself, I want my team to be the number one in the world and I will do everything I can to achieve this goal.

François ‘Amanek’ Delaunay.

Amanek replaces Bodyy on the G2 roster. Bodyy has been a part of the team for around three years now. Despite the length of his career on the team, the player has failed to impress us in various iterations of the team. He has played under Ex6tenz and Shox and in both the lineups, Bodyy’s performance has been nothing but underwhelming.

Consistency is the key for AmaneK’s career

Over the years, Amanek has been a key to the French CS: GO scene. He has moved to North America and back, however, this has not resulted in a significant change in his performance. His consistency over the years has definitely raised him to a top tier player from the region. If there is one thing that the French Counterstrike players lack, it is consistency. Both G2 and Vitality have players who have seen several ups and downs.

Apart from the slight dip during the early half of 2018, AmaneK’s statistics clearly show a consistent performance throughout his career. The player plays an array of weapons which include the AK, M4 as well as the AWP.

The equal distribution of his usage statistics on these weapons makes him a valuable player for the French scene. He can ensure that he switches between the roles and still maintains a very high level of consistency. His flexibility with the weapons, definitely makes him a valuable asset for the G2 counter strike team.

The new look G2 Roster needs KennyS to regain his form

The G2 CS: GO squad is undergoing a chance. They have a vision of how they want to play and approach the game. Bodyy’s move to the bench and Amanek’s addition is just the first step as the team looks to rise through the ranks once more. They have the potential to become a Top five team, however, a large part of this potential relies on KennyS.

We have a very clear vision of how we wish to evolve and refine our CS:GO team in 2019. This is a process that is evolving and developing as we review our performances, identify and reinforce our strengths and improve upon our weaknesses. Alex has contributed greatly to our recent development, engaging fully with the team and by making significant progress. That said, we still feel that greater changes are needed and as a result, have decided to move Alex to our bench. This has been done in good spirits and following discussions with the team and we will be actively looking for a new home for Alex with his full support. Nevertheless, we are incredibly excited to have AMANEK as a part of the team. We believe François will adapt very well to our system and will allow other players to readjust and grow higher and better. We can’t wait for it to show in the server. #ALLEZG2!

Damien ‘maLeK’ Marcel

KennyS was the world’s best player for a very long period of time. Under the guidance of Ex6tenz in Titan, KennyS rose to the top of the scene. We all know his potential and how far he can take the current G2 squad, however, without God-tier performances by the player, G2’s future still looks grim.

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This inconsistency comes due to the lack of form on multiple players. The team also adopts a strategy which rewards the peaks but has a very high penalty for poor performances. Their current performance is one which can compare to a coin-flip. They might excellent on one day and yet, they will come out with the same incoherent, often questionable moves leading to a loss.

G2 has potential, but unless they solve some very obvious problems with their approach and playstyle they will have a tough task in 2019.

The G2 Roster: A combination of Veterans and youngsters

The team comprises a mixture of some of the most experienced French players and new talents in the scene. This sounds amazing on paper, but G2 has been unable to produce results worthy of their potential. Their matches are mostly against Tier 2 and Tier 3 opponents and yet the team struggles.  G2 added Lucky and Jackzz to their roster in November 2018 from 3DMAX. Luckyy and Jackzz raised a few eyebrows with their strong individual performances on 3DMAX. However, their performance stemmed from excellent team synergy and movement on various maps. This is something that is absent on G2 and is a big reason for their results.

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KennyS and Shox

With star players like KennyS and Shox on the roster, one does not expect the youngsters to constantly provide the firepower. In fact, their roles on the team are not suited to provide them with the opportunities take on the star role. KennyS is one of the most well-known players in the CS: GO scene. He was the best player in 2014 and we still see glimpses of that player today. However, he is not consistent and at the same level as before. Even today it is not uncommon to see him put up amazing shots through walls and quick reflexes for the team.

However, G2’s composition requires him to put up big numbers. When he fails to show up on the server, G2 suffers. Their lack of results in the past few months definitely has a direct correlation with Kenny’s performance. His performance has a direct relation to his confidence. G2’s lack of results and constant losses definitely affect the star AWPers performance. At this point, it does seem like there is too much pressure on KennyS to perform. He has taken on such pressure admirably in previous years, but it has not allowed him to bloom into aggressive AWPing and confident movement.

Shox was in a much bigger slump in 2018. However, in the new year, we are slowly witnessing him put up better numbers and consistently appear high on the scoreboard. But for any team to become a strong contender at the Major, individual performances cannot be the basis of your performance. Shox is a crucial member of the G2 squad since he is also their captain. He has a big say in the overall performance and playstyle of G2. This is something that seems to be a problem for the roster as you will read below.

A poor map pool: Dust 2 is the bright light

Throughout the Challengers Stage, if there was one map which was a sure win for G2, it was Dust 2. They were able to efficiently use their superior firepower on Dust 2. They felt extremely comfortable playing the map and it showed in their movement and confidence. However, it also meant that they were weak and inconsistent on other maps.

Their weakness is evident on maps which require greater coordination, especially on the CT side. They rely heavily on individual frags and the ‘former’ superior firepower on their players. Unfortunately for the team, this superior firepower does not hold much weight anymore and they look extremely foolish in their approach. The constant individual deaths mean that G2 is always playing from behind. With little to no economy to speak of, the team goes into repetitive force-buys.

The lack of a decent map always makes them a team susceptible to upsets. They have a difficult time forming a strong economy on the CT side. Their inability to identify these weaknesses and work towards them is troubling for the team. Shox is a decent In-Game Leader, but the stress on his work is showing in his performance. The lack of improvement in the G2 strategies might be offset by the evergreen KennyS and Shox. However, that is not a permanent solution for any team.

Allowing KennyS space and time needed to carry the team was a formula used by Ex6tenz in Titan. It was a very risky tactic, one which worked briefly simply because KennyS was the best player at the time. Even then, Titan could never really pose a significant threat to Tournament Titles. With AWP nerfs and the subsequent lack of confidence on KennyS, his teams suffered from lack of results. Using your firepower to hide the hollowness in tactics works well for some time. However, it has its limitations and cannot be abused for a long period of time.

The French and their love for Force-buy

The French teams have always loved their force-buys. Right from 2014, the then LDLC [ later EnVyuS] team was notorious for their force buys. Shox was an integral part of the LDLC.com roster which won Dreamhack Winter 2014 Major. Even then, the LDLC team was famous for winning near impossible rounds with just pistols at their disposal.

G2 continues in the same format, however, their rate of success with the force-buys is much lower. So it looks great when it works, however, when they lose their force-buys it means that they give up more real estate to their opponents. They dig themselves a steeper comeback path with these lost force buys.

The tactic of force buying is not really a bad one, but it is little surprise when G2 does it. They have an alarmingly high rate of force-buys and it is very predictable right now. Once the opponent has the knowledge of a team’s force-buy, they can adapt to the same and outwit G2. We have seen it happen on numerous occasions at the Major so far.

G2 is a team with potential, but little results

The team is a very strong and stable combination of players in the scene. They have experience and raw talent along with a desire to learn. However, maybe, it is time for some changes to their positioning and roles on the team. It is becoming untenable for them to rely on the veterans to be the showstoppers on the roster. Allowing the youngsters the opportunity to take the fight to their opponents might just be what they need.

Right now, G2 barely scraped past Tyloo into the Legends stage. They still have an opportunity to advance further, however, their chances look bleak. The new Legends stage starts on the 20th of February 2019. You can catch all the action on Twitch here.

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PLG Grand Slam 2018 will see a prize pool of $100,000. There are a total of sixteen teams attending the tournament which will take place at the du Forum in Abu Dhabi. The Power League Gaming is the organiser of the event and they have helped in the development of esports in the Middle East.

Out of the sixteen attendees, there are eight teams which qualified to the Main event. The remaining teams are attending via direct invites.

The Top Teams at PLG Grand Slam

The absence of teams like Astralis, Na’Vi, Mousesports and Team Liquid does not make this tournament any less interesting. In fact, the similar level of competition amongst the existing teams ensures that the tournament takes an interesting turn with every match. There are multiple teams fully capable of winning this event. With some teams using stand-ins [ due to VISA issues ], we might also see a totally unknown team making an impact.

Let’s take a look at some of the top teams at the event and how they fare against others.

Fnatic: An opportunity for the new team to show results.

The Fnatic team has seen multiple changes over the past year to their CS: GO roster. From being one of the best teams, this team is now trying to reinvent their playstyle and positioning. They have made the right changes to the roster with the addition of Twist and Brollan from Red Reserve. The two players have ensured that Red reserve becomes a strong team in the Tier two scene. Their consistent performances and ability to come back from seemingly difficult situations caught the eye of the Fnatic players. This Fnatic roster holds a steady mix of talent and experience. With veterans such as Krimz, JW and Xizt at the helm of this team, they know the right approach to the game.

Xizt’s Map vetoes have always been a big question mark for many analysts and casters. As such, the map pool for Fnatic and their approach to the veto becomes extremely important. Fnatic is not known to be a team that can be extremely diverse and flexible with their map pool. In fact, the team struggles if it has to play on an unfamiliar map.

Twist is widely considered to be one of the best upcoming players in the Swedish region. His place on Fnatic now does call for some of his wonderful performances that we see on other teams. However, it is also important for the team to ensure a decent mental state going into this match. We have seen that Fnatic can become a much stronger team if they have the confidence to go along with it.

G2 Esports : Their first LAN with the new roster.

This is the first LAN tournament for the new-look G2 esports. The team has replaced Ex6tenz and Smithzz with Lucky and Jackzz from 3DMAX. The team will require more time to adjust to the new players and have them adjust to the team’s playstyle.

G2 Esports has had a very rough year despite having some of the biggest names in French Counter-strike. The team simply did not seem to have enough time together and Ex6tenz was unable to turn around the team’s results. With no signs of improvement, the decision came from the upper management to make changes.

For G2 esports, this tournament will be an indication of their current firepower as opposed to other Tier 2 teams. With little to no time together in the new roster, not many expect G2 to win this event. But they can definitely cause huge upsets, considering the sheer quality of players on this roster. Right now, G2 esports is the dark horse which can upset the chances of some of these teams who are looking forward to winning the tournament itself. That being said, G2 is not totally out of the race. The sheer firepower on this team can itself be the leading reason for their performance in the upcoming tournament.

G2 esports will need to show up an impressive performance in the Group stage. They are in Group C along with Avangar, Shotcallers and Forze.

Hellraisers – Time to show results.

The Semifinalists of the FaceIT London Major have to prove themselves yet again. The Hellraisers team is made up of multiple highly skilled individuals. But the team is not the most consistent when it comes to their performances on the big stage.

Hellraisers have many young players and they have shown their ability to compete with the best players in CS: GO. The team’s performance through the past year has made them a strong contender. However, they have not always been able to maintain their form throughout tournaments. The FaceIT London Major saw them having a great run through to the semifinals. Over the past few months, the team has not fared well and mostly has Group stage exits to its name. The Hellraisers team has a good mix of players and they have a bright future. However, their inconsistency in performance means they are always extremely volatile

GUCCIGANGxD – The Dark Horse.

GucciGanGxD is not the first name that will strike out to any viewer when looking at the team list. This team’s roster is somewhat interesting. The main roster for the team saw visa issues which will see two players standing in for the team.

Adil “ScreaM” Benrlitom and Shuaib “D0cC” Ahmad will stand-in for Hamza “mason” M’hamdi and Daly “HaylamaN” Mami for the duration of the event. The addition of these two players adds a huge amount of firepower to the roster, which was otherwise, a no-name team. We all know of Scream’s one-tap ability and how he can change the outcome of the round and the match. He has been quite unlucky in his ventures and is unable to find the right team for himself.

At the same time, we also have DocC joining the team. The young player has attended a FaceIT boot camp to prove his worth to the CS: GO community. He was benched from FPL due to communication issues with other players. The controversy ended with the boot camp where the player displayed his skill. The two of them will join the existing roster of GUCCIGANGxD including bramz, truth and fejtZ. These players are all extremely talented, however, they come from different nationalities. As such it will be interesting to see how communication problems affect this team.

Tyloo

Tyloo has long been the best Asian Counter-Strike team. The organisation is one of the most well-known CS: GO organisations from Asia. The team itself has caused multiple upsets in past tournaments, but it has never seen its rankings go up. Tyloo recently reached the Grand Finals of the TOYOTA Master CS: GO Bangkok 2018. They lost 2-3 to Heroic Gaming in the finals.

However, this team has shown significant improvement over the past few years. They have an increased focus on their strategies and map pool. They do not rely solely on their firepower and their ability to surprise their opponents.

About Power League Gaming.

Power League Gaming’s foundation is based on solid partnerships with companies like EA Games, EA Sports, Activision Blizzard, Warner Bros Games, Kingston HyperX,  Coca-Cola to name a few. After three first years, with notable tournament leagues such as the official Middle East Call of Duty Qualifiers for the World Championship, Injustice Middle East Finals and more, 2014 marks the reboot of PLG with major newly created leagues.

Introduced in 2014 as a standalone tournament, the PLG Legendary turned into one of the region most popular League of Legends online league, with a prize pool in every season, offline qualifiers during live events, and opening the door for more than 16 countries to join from the comfort of their home. 2015 was also the year that another major online league was introduced, this time with EA Sports FIFA, and the PLG Super League, an elite competition for players that qualified in the previous season numerous FIFA and Fanta Masters tournaments.

Final Thoughts

The PLG Grand Slam 2018 tournament will be a crucial testing phase for multiple teams. Many of the teams are either with new players or are using stand-ins for the tournament. How they coordinate with each other will be the big factor determining the outcome of this series. PLG Grand Slam starts on 12th December and will continue till the 15th. You can catch all the action live on Twitch.

The post PLG Grand Slam 2018 : A chance for teams to prove themselves appeared first on Esports Betting Tips.

The only time a French team in Global Offensive could actually be considered a contender for the top spot was in 2014. The former LDLC roster comprising of Happy, Shox, Kioshima, NBK, and Smithzz was one of the most successful French CS GO rosters of all time.

The French Scene Has All The Right Ingredients

Counter-Strike players from France have always been considered to be some of the best players in the scene. We have had eras where Counter-Strike players dominate all other teams. But the teams have been either very inconsistent or have failed to ensure wins in important tournaments.

While we have seen French teams show glimpses of excellence against some teams they have not performed where it mattered. The big tournaments still have an absence of French teams winning trophies and that is a cause for concern.

But regardless of these facts, the French players do have the skill, talent, and temperament to create a world-class team. They have Ex6tenz, one of the most respected In Game Leaders in Counter-Strike Global Offensive. The IGL who has been credited for several turnarounds over the years is well respected even in North America. It is to be noted that he has never played for a North American based team in the past.

We also have flashy and high skilled players such as KennyS, Shox, Apex in the French scene. These players have repeatedly proved themselves on an individual level in the past. The Peak form of KennyS is one of the deadliest playstyles with an AWP. He can single-handedly open up bomb sites for his team and provide a huge advantage to the roster.

With the likes of Shox, Apex, RPK it is really surprising to see the French teams repeatedly fail to create a world-class team.

The French Discord

The biggest problem in the French scene has always been the attitude of the French players. While we have seen superstar French teams formed in the past, they have always been fragile. The players’ egos and their inability to solve problems within the team result in frequent roster changes.

The French players tend to give up very easily in the face of defeat. The French players have a tendency not to work as hard when they lose matches. They tend to give up easily, which despite their exceptional talent is something that can be the only way for their success.

I’m going to say something that I’ve been thinking for a long time. I think the French scene lacks really hard working, dedicated players. There are too few. When we see the other teams. For example, SK got eliminated. Later the same day, they were already in practice. I never saw that with a French team. There were always French players who didn’t want to play, etc.

Apex

In a recent interview on Flickshot.fr, Apex even goes to the extent of criticising Shox’s In-Game Leadership. Ofcourse this was a reply to Ex6tenz potential comeback in the professional scene. But it did not go down well with Shox, who was quick on the Twitter reply.

The reply points to various points of miscommunication within the team in the past. The French players usually know  what is wrong with the team. From lack of leadership to ego clashes, there are several problems within the team. However, they are not really problems that do not have a solution. They can be solved if the players make efforts to solve them.

In their attempt to create the best team in the French scene, the players have attempted several combinations. Initially, we saw several teams with Ex6tenz leading the players, but later we saw the best-skilled players band together. The

Ex6tenz

Kevin “Ex6TenZ” Droolans is the obvious solution for the French scene. The In-Game Leader puts in a lot of hard work and efforts into developing his gameplay and helping the team. He has repeatedly put in a lot of effort and sacrificed his own position within the round to help the team. As he mentioned in an interview, he enabled KennyS on Titan in order to help the team produce better results.

He is out of Team LDLC and that paves the way for a new French team. With Shox no longer active on G2, there are strong rumors about a new French team involving the two players. Of course as with any French shuffle, there will be several rumors before the final team is announced. But with the new look on the French scene now, we might see Ex6tenz return to prominence.

It’s been a long time since we had prodigies like Shox, NBK or KennyS. I’m sorry for players like hadji, Devo or amanek, they are good players but they don’t have the talent like NBK or Shox have or integrated as quickly within their team. I think we have a good pool of players, but that we’re lacking that little gem. Well we know there is one coming up, ZywOo.

Apex

Ofcourse the veteran Leader has learned from his past mistakes and his knowledge of what went wrong is going to propel him to do things the right way. But what is the right way? Do the French players themselves know the ‘correct’ route? Is making a superstar team the correct option? Or should they include new players in the top teams? Where is KennyS, one of the best players with the AWP?

Are the stars the only options?

We have song the laurels of the superstar French players. But despite their best efforts at creating a dominant French roster, they have failed. So this brings up the question, is it time to look elsewhere? Are the French superstars not enough? Or are they too much?

It is obvious that the current French Superteam, G2 is a failed attempt. They have shown us glimpses of their potential, but the team has failed to produce results. For an organization which paid as much as it did for the French roster, this has been a downright disaster.

On the other hand, we saw the progress that Ex6tenz made with his LDLC roster. Comprising of no-names on the roster, LDLC carved a place for themselves in the French scene. Led by the veteran In Game Leader, the team was able to achieve a lot of success by their standards.

Superstar teams are not always the solution to poor performance. Over the course of Counter-Strike, Superstar teams have only shown us failed attempts. Ofcourse the former Faze clan roster is an exception as it performed really well with Olofmeister on the roster. But even this team was unable to secure the Major Title for themselves.

Maybe it’s time for the French to consider mixing up their players. To1nou and XYZ have been really putting up great numbers for their team. If they are provided the experience and guidance of veteran players they can definitely improve their performance.

KennyS – The Forgotten God

KennyS was one of the original prodigies in the French scene. He burst onto the scene and his AWP was one of the most feared weapons in the game. The entire Titan roster was formed to play with him and successfully at that. They were one of the only teams which could repeatedly defeat the strongest team of the time, Fnatic.

Under Ex6tenz’s guidance and with KennyS AWP, Titan was a team to be feared. They did not, however, place well in Majors which is one of the biggest problems in Ex6tenz’s career. Without a Major Legends spot for Ex6tenz, the French scene grew weaker and they lost their dominance in the scene.

With the lack of new ‘prodigies’ in the scene, the French scene needs KennyS to return to his old form. If KennyS returns to anywhere near his old performance, he would be one of the most valuable assets in Counter-Strike.

But his performance has been stumbling downwards ever since his peaks of 2014. He would consistently post numbers of around 1.3-1.4 KDA, however as we can see his recent performances are nowhere near those numbers.

Ofcourse such insane numbers are almost impossible to maintain for any player. His weakest forms have all been above 1.0 and that is exactly the signs of a great player. KennyS still remains extremely valuable despite the various shortcomings in the French scene. He has to be a part of any future successful French team.

The French Balance

The French players should give up their current playstyle which relies heavily on the players’ individual performance. We have seen the power of sheer firepower, but that has not helped the French teams in the past few months. LDLC was a success in 2014 due to the firepower, but the latest French teams have been nothing but a failure.

It is time for the French players to show up maturity and create a more balanced team. They have enough talent in the French scene to make up two, maybe three really talented teams. Integrating the young, new talent on these teams is what is going to make the teams lethal.We have seen top Counter-Strike players change their role and position on a team to accommodate new players. Get_Right and F0rest famously come to mind as they transitioned between the versions of Counter-Strike. They were even more successful in their new roles, which proves that a role change could be just what is required.

The French players have a lot of talent amongst them, however, they also have a lot of drawbacks. Be it internal ego, or the inability to get along with each other, the French scene has always been affected by factors outside of the game. Match Losses do not help things, as the scene is extremely volatile and has seen several shuffles in the past few years.

Role Change

A potential Role change for the French teams would probably do them more good. To be fair, there is nothing to lose for the French scene as their teams are not even considered top tier teams right now.
The KennyS of 2014 can make a comeback with the right amount of team support. His playstyle was severely impaired by the various changes to the AWP, but he still remains one of the most talented AWPers in the scene.

A big part of their performance is their confidence in themselves. Players like Apex, Shox rely heavily on their confidence to be able to make good plays. The aggressive and carefree playstyle has served them well in the past. But if they are looking to change things, as is must from their recent results the French need to develop better thought out strategies. Ex6tenz forms a crucial part of the potential changes to the French scene as he still remains one of the best In game leaders. His proximity to the players and their attitudes is what makes him a crucial aspect of any future roster shuffle. He commands the respect of the French players and that is indeed a rare thing to see in the volatile French scene.

The French scene has a lot of potential, but the players need to figure out the best recipe for success. We can only hope that the new teams to be formed this year will be more successful than past attempts.

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